The signs of Jesus' coming again

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2021

2 TIMOTHY 3 VERSES 1 - 17

We have been looking at the Lord's return and in particular the antichrist, false prophet and the time of the great tribulation.  The church in Thessalonica thought the Lord had returned and they had missed his coming and now were living through the tribulation.  Paul writes to assure them that the Lord had not come again and they were not living through the tribulation.  1 Thessalonians 5 verses 1 and 2 then verse 9.  Paul said God hasn't destined you for that, he has not appointed you for wrath but for salvation.  The signs of his coming.  Signs are recorded for when the Lord will return to this earth but they cast very long shadows that come back to what we see even today.  We could be looking to the signs and forget about the Lord's coming.  The signs are there to warn us on the road.  We watch for signs in our mind but we want our hearts to be on the appearing of the Lord, that great and blessed hope.  The signs are broken up to 3 little thoughts - the stately sign, the social sign and the secular sign.

First the stately sign - God has a future for Israel.  He will take up this nation again and work through them.  Doctor Hyman Appelman was a great bible teacher.  He trained and practised as a solicitor until he was saved at the age of 28 years.  He felt called into the preaching of the word of God and winning souls.  He was a prolific writer having written 40 books.  He said "keep 1 eye on heaven and the other eye on the Jew."  One day Jesus is coming.  God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees.  He had in mind to make of him a great nation.  He called one man from a place where they worshipped false gods.  God had to bring him out of that place.  There is still that separation called for today - "come out from among them and be ye separate." (2 Corinthians 6 verse 17)  God separates us from the world and everything else.  He promised Abraham he would have a family.  That his seed would be as the sand on the sea shore and the stars in the heavens.  He was not only going to give him a family but a land.  God separated this nation and land to bring them into it and planted them there.  This nation would be taken down into Egypt.  He would make a mighty people of them.  The furnace where he would make his creation.  There was a famine in the land.  There arose another king in Egypt who didn't known anything about Joseph.  All the king could see was this multitude of people.  They began to grow in number  Pharoah tried everything possible to keep this people at bay.  He feared they would become mighty one day and overtake his world empire.  He tried everything in his power to keep them from multiplying.  He couldn't do it.  He gave them hard taskmasters and they worked as slaves.  When all else failed he began to kill off all the children.  God was working in the background, working out his great plan and purpose in the raising up of Moses.  God's timing is perfect.  There is something we need to be careful about today.  We don't know what God is doing behind the scenes.  During this pandemic we couldn't see the unseen purpose of God, the purpose he has for your life and mine.  Moses was in the plan of God to deliver Israel.  He tried to do it off his own strength.  He failed.  There is so much through the internet of doom and gloom.  On facebook today we see pastors of churches are very low, deflated, sinking under the devils hand.  The congregation is sinking away.  Who knows God could be preparing a mighty Holy Ghost revival.  That shows that we need to be careful.  The heart of God that brought this nation of Israel out of Egypt, through these difficult days.  "I have seen their afflictions and heard their cries."  God was watching and keeping his eye on the whole situation.  He provided a means of redemption.  God brought them through the wilderness, across the Jordan river and planted them in the land of Canaan.  God was fulfilling his plan and purpose.  What did Jesus say about his church to Peter "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."  The devil may attack us but God is ultimately in control.  The people of Israel rebelled against God in the land of Canaan.  He allowed Nebuchadnezzar to come and take the people into captivity for 70 years.  God brought them into their own land again then they rebelled again.  In AD70 the Roman armies invaded and Israel lost her stately position.  She suffered at the hands of their conquerors.  In 1948 something happened - Israel was recognised again as a nation.  Jesus in his teaching of his return said in Matthew 24 verse 32 "Now learn a parable of the fig tree.  When his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves ye know that summer is nigh." Jesus' return is imminent.  In verse 33 we read "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things know that it is near, even at the doors." Israel will be planted in its own land and become a nation again.  Under much ridicule and slander yes but it is there and wll remain there.  Israel will be the centre of all activities in the Middle East one day.  Israel is being formed, brought back from every land.  Remember how in the prophecy of Jeremiah God promised that return of his people but not just the return of his people from Egypt, there will come a day when I will bring them from the north, east, south and west.  Planted in their own land.

Social sign.  2 Timothy 3 verse 1 "in the last days"  When Jesus spoke about the products of society he said in Luke 17 verse 27 "And as it was in the days of Noe so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man."  Life was going on as normal and then the flood came  People were building and working, marrying but had no thought for God.  "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planned, they builded."  Are we not doing the same today?  In 2 Timothy 3 verse 2 "for men shall be lovers of their own selves."  In recent days we have heard it said "anything that makes me happy, joyful, God has no right to keep that from me.  I want the best out of life, the most out of life."  We cannot set God to one side to achieve what we want out of life.  Verse 4 "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God."  Man thinks more of himself.  Many today are saying "the restrictions today are keeping people from enjoying life, man has the right to go out and enjoy himself."  That is what we see in society today.

Secular sign.  Man is becoming more secular in his living and thoughts.  Man doesn't want anything to do with religion.  What a list is found here in 2 Timothy 3.  There is a hunger for rights to be upheld today.  We read in God's word that "nation shall rise against nation", that there will be "wars and rumours of wars".  There will be famines as a result of wars and we will also get pestilences.  There are many things to show us that God is coming again soon.  Man is becoming more secular.  God's house doesn't have the same appeal to people today.  Nehemiah asked the question in chapter 13 verse 11 "why is the house of God forsaken."  He found that the people of God were not worshipping in God's house.  There were different reasons for that.  The people had stopped their tithing so the Levites were not cared for as a result.  Then Nehemiah saw the very enemy Tobiah had set up his room in the house of God, that the people were coming into the city and trading on the Sabbath day.  They were moving in a secular situation. In 1 Timothy 4 verse 5 we see demonic controls are in control.  People departing from the faith, marriage is changed in our secular culture, same sex marriage in contradiction of the word of God, people don't want the bible to tell them what to do.  1 Timothy 3 verse 3 "without natural affection".  We see today that the baby in the womb can be killed.  In Jeremiah when he told the people God would come in judgment, that God had turned his back on them, the people rose up against him and told him to stop prophesying.  Thy wanted to be told something that would not upset them.  2 Timothy 4 verse 3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." The secular church, the fun loving church, the entertaining church - that is what people are asking for today.  People don't want to hear about sin, the cross, heaven and hell.  They want something that is more pleasant to the ear.  Look at verse  5 of chapter 3 "having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof."  Yes they will come into church, they will sing hymns, pray and read from the scriptures but that will be all.  The secular church is here today.  We need instead to be saved by God's grace and waiting for the second coming of the Lord.

The coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2021

1 THESSALONIANS 4 VERSES 13 - 18

The next great event that will take place in this world is the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In recent weeks we have looked at the antichrist and the mark of the beast.  Today we want to think of the coming of the Lord to take home the church - the subject of his coming.

We could look at the signs of his coming, the secrecy of his coming (I show you a mystery), the suddenness of his coming (in a moment in the twinkling of an eye), the severity of his coming and the great separation when Christ comes (those who are born again, saved by God's grace, the bride of Christ will be taken to be with Christ for ever).

The subject of his coming.  The apostle Paul addresses the group of believers in Thessalonica.  The Lord will come again and we which are alive will rise to meet him in the air.  There will be a shout and those who have died and are buried will be taken up out of the grave.  They will be reunited with their souls, then for those who remain they will be caught up in the air.  It will all happen in the twinkling of an eye.  Our bodies will not be ready for heaven so have to be changed.  That is the first appearing of the Lord but there is another appearing and it will be after the tribulation period.  Jesus is coming again to the earth to deal with the antiChrist and the false prophet.  All the armies of the world who are in allegiance will also be dealt with.  He will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Zechariah the prophet said that he will set his feet on the Mount of Olives.  This is a subject dear to the apostles heart.  A subject he taught on many occasions.  2 Thessalonians 2 verse 5 the thought behind the word "told" is one of keeping on telling them, going back to it again and again.  He spoke of it some 5 times in this book.  Chapter 1 verse 10.  When we were saved there has to be a turning away, repentence.  When Joseph was told the name for the child Jesus it was explained to him that he "would save his people from their sins."  Not being saved in sins but from sins.  We look at the life we have been living and trusting in him we turn from that life.  In 1 Thessalonians the believers did that under terrible persecution and threats.  Paul when he preached the word to them said they received it in much trial and affliction.  What have I turned from today?  What have I shunned in getting saved?  Idols can be anything.  An idol can be a way of life - are we prepared to turn from it?  A friendship - will we give it up to take the Lord?  An idol can be a religion or a church building.  The Lord's table can become an idol.  There are things we need to be careful of - are we putting them in front of the Lord?  A profession yes but is there repentance?  A turning our back on those things, trusting God wholeheartedly.  They turned from idols to serve the living God.  Out and out for God, telling others what they have received.  Chapter 1 verse 10 "and to wait for his Son."  Paul had taught this time and again.  A tremendous doctrine. The fundamentals of our faith.  Saved by grace.  When Jesus died on Calvary he was saving us from our sins.  There is the blessed hope that one day he will come to take me home.  The believers had a clear knowledge and understanding of what was taking place.  1 Thessalonians 2 verse 19, 1 Thessalonians 4 verses 13 and 15 and 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 23 - 25 mentions of the Lord's coming again.  The people in this church were going through a time of heavy persecution.  They thought they had missed out on the coming again of the Lord.  They thought they were now entering into the period of tribulation.  2 Thessalonians 2 verse 3. This little church were so anxious, they thought they had entered into the tribulation period, that the Lord had already come back and they were left behind.  Paul says that is not the situation.  The phrase "day of Christ" means the coming of the Lord to the air.  The Tribulation will be a period when God pours out his wrath on a Christ rejecting world.  When Christ comes the church will go home.  God will begin to pour out his wrath on a Christ rejecting world at that moment.  Those who are not saved will be left behind.  This church felt they were left behind.  God was pouring out his wrath now.  No Paul says.  2 Thessalonians 2 verse 1 this day begins when the Lord takes the church home.  He brings them right back to this event.

This is a subject of tremendous attack.  Paul realised that in this church the devil was telling them God had forgotten them.  These believers were waiting on the Lord's return.  Paul addresses this subject, not stirring up emotions and interest to satisfy their curiosity.  It is a doctrine and an important one.  Whenever we begin to think of the Lord coming again it should make us live in the light of his coming.  Imagine if the Lord was to come this very day where would he find us?  What would he find us doing?  Peter dealing with the Lord's return said "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise ... But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3 verses 9 and 10)  Peter goes on to say "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of person ought ye to be in all holy  conversation and godliness.  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God."  Like the Thessalonians we need to be living in the light of the Lord's return.  In 1 Thessalonians 1 verses 6 and 7 we see that the church in Thessalonica were "ensamples to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia."  They were telling everyone they met about the Lord Jesus  There are those we need to tell, to warn them, in our family circle.  We need to be living and telling others, our loved ones, our families.  Imagine if the Lord returned today?  What about our families?  In our prayer times we should be praying and pleading for our families today.  We should also be living blameless lives.  1 Thessalonians 4 verses 11 and 12.  Satan comes in many forms.  For the people in Thessalonica there were people who came into the church to take them away from their faith.   In the Garden of Eden Satan came in subtlety.  Peter talks about him coming in like a roaring lion.  Paul talks about putting on the whole armour of God to be able to withstand his attacks.  How does Satan attack this little church - 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 2.  Maybe someone had come into the fellowship "by spirit" - someone in the fellowship had a dream or a vision that this church was going through the tribulation period, that they had all missed out on the coming of the Lord.  John tells us not to believe every spirit but to test them.  2 Corinthians 11 verses 4 and 5 - who is being talked about here?  Preachers in the pulpits.  Look at verses 13 to 15.  People coming with another gospel.  Paul is talking about the pulpit.  Satan has his followers to discourage, to bring in despair.  We think the greatest harm today is in the clubs, pubs and drug scenes but really the greatest danger to the church is in the pulpit.  Paul is warning everyone to watch out who they listen to.  As it was in his day so it is more in our day - we are being deceived today.