We Believe – The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ Series

• Titus 2:13-14 (NIV)

[13] . . . We wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

INTRODUCTION:

Looking for the Lord’s personal return always gives people a great view of Jesus. We do not merely believe in the Christ of history; we believe in the Christ of glory! Those of us who wholeheartedly believe in Christ’s second coming and hold tightly to our blessed hope do not mumble about it. You can hear what we say; we have good news to tell. When a man or woman tells you good news of Christ’s return it is not mumbled. No we SHOUT about it!

Paul told Titus that we “wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Our faith in God is an active faith; faith that is not active is a dead faith, which is no faith at all. Therefore, waiting is never passive; faith in God demands that WAITING IS ACTIVE. Waiting for Christ’s return means we have something to do—something to be excited about.

When it comes to our blessed hope of Christ’s second coming we’ve got a lot to SHOUT about!

S – we STICK WITH IT

H – we anticipate HONOR AND REWARD

O – we anticipate OUR WEDDING DAY

U – we are motivated to UPRIGHT LIVING

T – we are motivated to TAKE A CHANCE

I. STICK WITH IT.

1. The blessed hope of Christ’s second coming motivates us to stick with it!

a) Our blessed hope steadies our resolve to endure until the end. Regardless of what may happen to us or around us we won’t give up or abandon our faith in Christ. We will be faithful until the very end.

• John 16:33 (NIV)

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

b) Jesus told his disciples that they would have problems and difficulties, but to not give up because He had overcome the world. Jesus knew in advance that He would have victory over death, and that through His sacrifice upon the cross and resurrection from the dead His disciples could have peace, but the disciples endured watching their Lord be put to death without the inner assurance that Jesus would rise from the dead. The disciple through all was lost; that it was over. They didn’t understand what Jesus was telling them.

c) DO WE GET IT? We are on the other side of the cross; we know that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Jesus really had overcome the world. So take heart and don’t give up. Jesus will come again just as He promised. UNTIL THEN STICK WITH IT. Yes we will have problems, but Jesus has overcome the world, and He will come again just like He said he would.

2. It is not how you start the race that counts; it is how you finish!

a) Stick with it! Don’t let the circumstances of life get you down or make you want to throw in the towel! Persevere until the very end!

• Matthew 10:22 (NIV)

All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

• Matthew 24:12-13 (NIV)

[12] Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, [13] but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

b) With an expectation of our Lord’s return we ought to have the confidence to face anything this life can throw at us. Our hope is greater than ‘jellin’ with Dr. Scholl’s or getting a perfect night’s sleep with a Select Comfort sleep number bed. Those who STICK WITH IT, who persevere until the very end will be saved no matter what difficulties or hardships they may face.

ILLUSTRATION: On a balmy October afternoon in 1982, Badger Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, was packed with more than 60,000 die-hard University of Wisconsin supporters ready to shout! The Badgers were taking on the Michigan State Spartans. Unfortunately the Spartans were the better team. What seemed odd that day was that as the score became more lopsided the Badger fans broke out with loud cheers and unexpected bursts of applause. How could they cheer when their team was losing so badly? It turns out that seventy miles away the Milwaukee Brewers were beating the St. Louis Cardinals in game three of the 1982 World Series. Many of the Badger fans in the stands were listening to portable radios and responding to something other than their immediate circumstances.