The Second Coming Part Ii

Part II

Purpose: To encourage believers to live in the light of Christ's soon return.

Aim: I want the listener to be challenged to do the work of discipling because Jesus is coming back.

REVIEW:

Vs.1-3 I. The Unsaved and the Second Coming

Vs.1-2 A. Their fate is sealed

1. The time of their judgment is unknown "like a thief in the night"

2. Their judgment is certain "the day of the Lord will come"

Vs.3a B. Their words are deceitful

1. They proclaim inner peace "peace"

2. They proclaim physical safety "safety"

Vs.3b C. Their punishment will be harsh "labor pains"

It will be severe! It will be sudden! It will be certain!

INTRODUCTION: One of the most amazing contrasts in the Bible is the difference between the fate of the unbeliever and the joy of the believer. Nothing clears away the emptiness of everyday life like learning about Christ and then sharing that with someone else. God has created us with an automatic desire to share good news. Our son Doug gave me an example of this two days ago. He texted us at 11:30 at night wanting to know if we were still up because he had some great news. The news was that he had won a tablet computer. His only computer was on its last legs and he needed a new one for his work. He was so excited that, even though he lives in southern Florida, he just had to share the news with someone.

In our text today Paul is going to show us how we can have that same kind of joy about Christ every single day.

"The Greek words for joy and grace are related; grace causes joy. In the Christian understanding, nothing brings joy like the good news of what God has done in Christ to bring us salvation. Salvation by grace is "through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works..." (Eph. 2:8--9). [1]

LESSON:

Vs.4-11 II. The Saved and the Second Coming

Vs.4 A. Believers are delivered from darkness "you...are not in darkness"

We are not IN darkness! Darkness starts long before hell is experienced. A person's understanding is in darkness before the soul suffers eternal darkness. Paul described unsaved people as those are: darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; (Ephesians 4:18 NAU)

Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (NAU)

If the rapture of the church occurs before the Day of the Lord or the seven years of tribulation then "...believers will not be present on earth to experience its terrors and destruction." [2]

Faith in Christ is the only war for us to have understanding or light. John 12:35-36 35 So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 36 "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light." These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. (NAU)

If you are not securely trusting in Christ then one day He will appear "as a thief--The two oldest manuscripts read, 'as (the daylight overtakes) thieves'" [3]

Vs.5 B. Believers belong to the light "sons of light"

"SONS OF LIGHT Hebrew idiom, implying that as sons resemble their fathers, so you are in character light (intellectually and morally illuminated in a spiritual point of view)." [4]

Christ IS our light! John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." (NAU) Ephesians 5:8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (NAU)

How can we know we belong to the light? One way is to look and see if we have a commitment to encourage and support other believers. 1 John 2:8-11 8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (NAU)