The Victory Of Christ's Return (Parts 1 & 2) Series

Dr. Bradford Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

Hagerstown, MD

www.mycrossway.org

Over the last few years, it has become obvious that there was a significant spiritual shift that happened in our world. Prior to COVID-19, most churches were preoccupied with entertaining the saints and growing ecclesiastical empires. Then COVID came around and the proliferation of woke ideologies and something happened in churches that were spiritually anemic. Many churches shut down. According to Lifeway Research, more churches are closing each year than the opening. The percentage of closures increased significantly during and following COVID. Some people who attended church prior to COVID never returned. And while bars, strip clubs, and Walmarts were allowed to stay open during the pandemic, many churches were forced to close their doors and switch to online gatherings.

Since COVID, many churches have been preoccupied with bowing to contemporary and woke agendas than preaching the gospel. Few stopped and looked at the massive deceptions happening during the pandemic. Even fewer challenged the lies. This past week it seemed that those lies were exposed at deeper levels. For instance, this past week a leaked set of messages from the former UK Health Secretary and his aid. In the messages they clearly reveal the fear and control our leaders used with the virus:

“We frighten the pants off everyone with the new strain,” Hancock says, to which the adviser responds, “Yep, that’s what will get proper behavior change.”

“When do we deploy the new variant,” the minister then asks the aide (Daily Caller, The Blaze, et al).

The number of signs we are witnessing pointing to the return of Christ is not only increasing in number, but they are also gaining momentum. We are unquestionably moving toward a global anti-God and anti-Christian culture being driven by world leaders and fueled by Laodicean Churches. In Canada, a pastor was arrested and remains in Jail for quietly protesting at a library hosting a drag-queen story hour. Calgary Pastor Derek Reimer was arrested at the request of the Mayor of Calgary for charges of mischief and illegal gatherings (The Rebel News). He remains in jail today.

This comes as another Canadian Pastor, Artur Pawlowski remains out on bail for holding church service in his church. “They are doing this to me They are going to come after you… We have become political prisoners in Canada because we dare to challenge their corruption.” (CBN)

Meanwhile, closer to home, an Arizona School Board Member says the district should reject hiring teachers with Christian values. Tamillia Venezuela, while wearing cat ears at a school board meeting. Venezuela said, “My concern [is] when I got to Arizona Christian University’s Website, [they are] committed to Jesus Christ accomplishing his will and advancements on earth as in Heaven… Part of their values is to transform the culture with truth by promoting the Biblically-informed values that are foundational to Western Civilization, including the centrality of family, traditional sexual morality, and lifelong marriage between one man and one woman… I want to know how bringing teachers from an institution that is ingrained in their values so directly brings impact to three of your board members who are part of the LGBT community...” (Fox News).

A weak eschatology leads to a lukewarm church. The Church has lost sight of the fact that we are living in a world being directed by evil people in leadership who are being directed by a demonically-driven agenda. It is not our job to fix the world. It is our job to preach the gospel in the midst of the darkness and not be ashamed of our Lord or afraid of those who practice this evil. It is important that we remember that our hope is not in a better world or in fixing the world, our hope is found in the imminent return of Jesus Christ and our desire is that the gospel is preached so that all who hear will come to a saving faith in Him.

Why do the nations rage And the peoples meditate on a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against Yahweh and against His Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” (Psalm 2:1–3)

So with that, we are looking at the remaining part of Revelation 19 tonight and we’re going to read through the three visions John has in the victorious return of Christ with His Church in Revelation 19:11-21. It is a glorious vision that marks the end of this corrupt and evil world. It is a victorious conclusion to the Antichrist and the Beast’s reign, along with all who follow them. Jesus is coming and when he comes we will see the culmination of all of human history. He is not only coming to defeat the world system, we see tonight that he comes with perfect justice that is engaged in the Battle of Armageddon.