The Thessalonians #11

This cannon fired birds, with great force, into the windshields of passenger jets to insure designs and materials were up to par. They were glad to let the railway borrow their cannon to test the train windshields. Just before the test run, British Railways sent someone out to buy a dead chicken for ammunition. The cannon was loaded, aimed, and fired at the windshield. The bird smashed through the windshield, broke the engineer’s chair, and made a large dent in the rear wall! The people at British Railways were furious! They called The British Airways demanding an explanation. British Airways investigated the situation and said, “No problem, next time you buy a chicken, make sure it isn’t frozen!”

Obviously those people had not prepared well for the test. If they had, they would have known not to thrust a frozen chicken into that cannon.

Preparation is a major part of life.

Illus: One of the things the Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts of America do a good job of teaching is that one should always “Be Prepared!”

We, as Christians, need to adopt the motto of the scouts, as we live in a very unique time. Christ could return for His church during our generation. It does not take a rocket scientist to tell us that something major is going to have to happen soon! Yes, all the indicators point to that fact!

Paul gives us three things in our text to consider regarding our being prepared for Christ’s return. Look at 1 Thess. 5:1-11. We read, “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” As we look for Christ to return any day, we should:

I. BE PREPARED

Perhaps someone is asking, “Preacher, when do you think He will come back?” The answer to that question is simple...SOON!

However, while we recognize the Lord’s return is soon, we have to be careful about setting dates the way some have done in the past.

Illus: A tourist was driving through West Texas and stopped at a gas station. He observed a piece of rope dangling from a sign. The sign stated, “Weather Forecaster.” The man asked the owner of the station, “How can you possibly tell the weather with a piece of rope?” The owner of the station said, “It’s simple...

• When the rope swings back and forth, it is windy.

• When it gets wet, it is raining.

• When it is frozen stiff, it is snowing.

• And when it is gone...TORNADO!”

And it is just that simple--all the indicators are telling us that Christ is coming soon for His church!

Why should we BE PREPARED! BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHEN CHRIST WILL COME! Yet some, in our day as in Paul’s, will still set dates.

Illus: Every now and then we hear of people who have worked out an amazing prophetic formula and have discovered the exact day that Jesus is coming back.

What is more amazing than the formulas is the fact that many thousands of people have believed those amazing “prophetic” formulas! For example,

Illus: Edgar Whisenant sold 4.3 million copies of his book proclaiming “88 Reasons For The Rapture In 1988! Then, when his predictions did not come true, he wrote another book predicting Christ’s coming in 1989--it only sold 30,000 copies...

Some of the most gullible people on planet earth are those who claim to be saved! It is obvious God did not want anyone to know when Jesus was going to return. Why?

Illus: Probably because if people knew when He was to come back they would “Eat, drink, and be merry” and then, just before He was to return, everyone would fall down and repent of their sins and get right with God.