Pastor's Pulpit

As we enter our Sunday School campaign, we are excited about reaching people. Our Sunday School teachers are excited about teaching the Word of God to kids and adults. Our Bus ministry needs to be revived and we are using promotions to encourage all the kids to be excited about riding the vans and bus. Our first promotion was McDonald's Sunday and we had a number of 1st time riders. Attendance is up and hopefully it will continue in the next couple of weeks. We are excited about having Dr. Max Barton on March 20th, please pray for a great day as we look forward to having this man of God with us.

I have been preaching on the end times in the last few services, here is a message I preached last week on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I know there are a lot of different views on the subject of the Second coming of Christ. I believe in the Pre-millennial, Pre-Tribulational, imminent return of Christ. May our hearts be stirred to serve the Lord, to keep looking up, and listening for the trumpet of the Lord to sound!

Jesus is Coming Again, Soon!
I Thess. 4:15-17, Rev. 1:7, Matt. 24:36-44

It may happen soon! The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. The Word of God gives us hundreds of verses that tell us that Jesus is coming again. Many of the O.T. prophets which prophesied of His first coming, they also predicted a second return of Christ to this earth. Since the prophecies of His first coming came to past, we can rest assured that the prophecies of His second coming will come to past as well.
Could we soon be entering the Great Tribulation period. Will there be a third world war? Is the end of the world near? Is there going to be a secret rapture of Christians to be taken away before coming judgment? What will happen to those who are left behind?
Have you wondered why countries like Egypt, Libya, Iran, Iraq and Israel are mentioned more and more in the news? The world is crying for peace, but the Bible tells us there will be no peace until the Prince of Peace returns to this earth. The book of Revelation points to a one-world government and world dictator. Did you know they are talking of a global stock market and doing away with the NY Stock Exchange? Today, we are hearing terms like, globalization, ecumenical movement or the unity of religion.
In Matthew 24:3, the disciples came to Jesus, and He gave them some truths about future events that would occur before His return. In verses 5- false Christs, 6-wars, 7-famine, pestilence, and earthquakes, 9-persecutions, 12-apostasy and abounding sin, and 14-the Gospel preached. We are seeing all of this, now in this generation.

I. When is Christ coming?
I believe His return is nearer than ever. Nothing needs to be fulfilled or occur before His return. The Bible tells us that one day, Jesus will descend from Heaven with a shout, ( I Thess.4:16 ) Jesus said in John 14:1-3 that He promised to return to receive us to Himself, that where He is, we will be also. He promises to come back for His Bride, the Church. The Bible teaches that He will come as a thief in the night. He's coming again. ( Matt. 24:42-44 )
But no one knows the time, the day or the hour. This is a secret that only the Lord knows. (Matt.24:36 ) There have been date setters who have tried to predict the end of the world and the return of Christ. For people to set dates for the return of the Lord is foolish. We are not to spend our time looking for signs and events, we are to look for Him. The Lord wants us to be working, waiting, watching and anxiously looking for Him at anytime. In so living and serving, we will not be ashamed before Him at His coming. ( I John 2:28 )

II. How is Christ Coming?
We need to remember that the Second Coming of Christ will be in two stages:
1. The Rapture which is the secret return mentioned in I Thess. 4:15-17. This is when the Lord comes for His own and we meet Him in the air or in the clouds.
2. The Revelation which is His public return. ( Rev. 1:7 ) " every eye shall see Him. " This is when the Lord comes with His saints to set up the Millennium. ( I Thess. 3:13 )
In the rapture, when Christ comes for His people, His bride, the church, He comes as a thief in the night ( Matt. 24:44, 24:50 ) This is why you need to be prepared to meet Him today. He could come at any moment. When Christ comes in the first stage, the first resurrection takes place. All the saved dead, will be resurrected to receive new bodies, living will be changed according to I Cor. 15:51-53. The Bible says in I John 3:2, we shall be like Him. It is called the blessed hope of the Christian. ( Titus 2:13 )
Scoffers will be dumbfounded when Christ comes to catch His bride away. They have been saying for years, " where is the promise of His coming? " No more, they will be put to silence and the world will be in chaos. Millions will be missing, and many will be left behind to enter the tribulation period. The time on earth when God will judge this Christ rejecting world for their sins, and the anti-Christ , the man of sin will be revealed. ( II Thess. 2:6-12 )
The revelation of Jesus Christ will occur after the 7 year tribulation period. At the revelation, the saints of God will return with Him, as He comes to the earth. Prophecy says that He descends upon the mount of Olives. ( Zech.14:1-4 ) This is the day of the Lord that the Bible mentions. This is the visible return of Christ. He comes in glory, ( Matt.25:31 ), He comes in flaming fire ( II Thess. 1:8 ) to take vengeance of the ungodly. He comes in power and great glory. He comes to deliver Israel from the destruction of the anti-Christ and according to Rev. 19:11-16, He comes to slay the armies of the anti-Christ and to bring about the end of His kingdom, then to establish His kingdom and He will rule with a rod of iron ( vs.15 )

III. Why is Christ Coming again?
As we have already mentioned, to rapture His church, and to bring in His kingdom at the revelation. Let's look at some specific reasons why Christ will come again:
1. To complete the salvation of saints.
When Jesus went to the cross, He died and shed His blood to save us. He redeems us from sin. He has delivered us from the power and penalty of sin. ( Acts 26:18 ) ( Heb. 2:9, 14-15 ) When Jesus come again, he will deliver us from the very presence of sin. Sin will no longer be a problem for us. Amen!
2. To be glorified in His saints.
( II Thess. 1:10 ) The Lord is praised and glorified in our lives everyday as we serve Him. ( Matt. 5:16 ) We will praise the Lord for His goodness and His grace and we will praise Him for eternity. He is coming to receive the glory from us and to glorify us in Him.
3. To bring to light the hidden things of darkness. ( I Cor. 4:5) Double lives will be exposed. Unconfessed sins will be exposed.
4. To judge. ( II Tim.4;1 )
He will judge the living at the Judgment seat of Christ and He will judge the lost at the Great White throne judgment after the thousand year reign and the second resurrection. ( Rev. 20:11-15 )
5. To Reign. ( Rev. 11:15 ) He will rule in righteousness. ( Rev. 19:15, 20:4-6 ) His throne will be in Jerusalem, all nations of the world will come to worship Him.
6. He will come to destroy death.
( I Cor. 15:25-26 ) He must reign, Death is the great separator, but Jesus Christ is the great reconciler. Death is the last enemy that will be done away with. When Jesus comes then will be brought to pass the saying in I Cor. 15:53-57 .
7. To reward the faithful. ( Rev. 11:18, 22:12 ) Our works will be judged at the Judgment seat of Christ. ( Rom. 14:12 ) We must stand before the King of Kings. Whatever we have done, since we have been saved will be judged. Will your good works stand the test of the fire. ( I Cor. 3: 12-15 ) Our motives for service will be tried, our works will be rewarded and we will receive crowns for His glory and we will cast them at His feet. How many crowns will you have? Jesus is coming soon. Let's be sure we are ready for His return. If you are not saved, why not trust Jesus today. He is going to return again, trust Him now, He will save you if you will call upon Him according to Romans 10:13!!

God bless you,
Pastor Taylor