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The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is now doing a study of the last days which we define as the days that started with the beginning of Jesus' ministry until His return.
WHEN FOREVER BEGINS
There is a glorious future awaiting those who have accepted God’s gift of eternal life. We have heard the expression, “It is like heaven on earth.”
In Revelation 21, we find a literal fulfillment of that statement. Heaven and earth come together.
Revelation 21:1-5 NIV [1] Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. [2] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. [4] ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” [5] He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
At this point, we will have passed from the realm of time into the realm of eternity.
While You Wait
During the course of his travels, a dignitary arrived in a small town, where he paid a visit to a one-room school. Of course, all of the students were greatly impressed that a person of such importance would come to visit them. As he was preparing to leave, the dignitary told the students that he would come again, but he did not tell them when that would be. When he returned, he added, he would bring a prize to the student with the cleanest desk.
The dignitary left, and one little girl, who was known for her messiness, announced that she was going to win the prize. The other students laughed, because she always had a cluttered desk. There was always trash all over it, and it was disorganized on the inside. Everyone laughed at the idea that she would be ready when the dignitary returned. So she told them, “From now on, I will clean my desk every Monday morning.”
They said, “Suppose he comes on Friday?” “Well, then, I will clean it every morning,” she said. Someone said, “But what if he comes at the end of the day?” She was quiet for a moment, then her face lit up. “I know what I will do!” she said. “I will keep my desk clean all of the time.”
Clearly, we know that the Lord is coming back again. In the New Testament’s 260 chapters, the return of Jesus Christ is mentioned no fewer than 318 times. The New Testament speaks constantly about the Lord’s return.
We talked several weeks ago about the signs of the time that will proceed the Rapture.
We started with the disciples' question after Jesus told them that the temple would be destroyed.
Matthew 24:1-3 NIV [1] Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. [2] “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” [3] As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Then the Rapture
The event itself is described by Paul.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV [13] Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. [14] For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. [15] According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Matthew 24:40-42 NIV [40] Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. [41] Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. [42] “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
Then time of the Antichrist, the final war Jesus returns to the earth, locks Satan up for 1000 years,
Matthew 24:22 NIV [22] “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Revelation 20:1-3 NIV [1] And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. [2] He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. [3] He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
The main purpose of Jesus’ 1,000-year reign is to fulfill the prophecies given to Israel and the promises made to Jesus, the nations, and the whole earth. God’s covenants were voluntary and one-sided. He promised He would bless Israel and restore the world in specific ways, and He will. The millennium will really be paradise on earth.
Satan released for a short time the taken care of forever.
Revelation 20:7-10 NIV [7] When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison [8] and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. [9] They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. [10] And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Then the White Throne of Judgment and Judgment Seat of Christ
Revelation 20:11-15 NIV [11] Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. [12] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. [13] The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. [14] Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. [15] Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Romans 14:10-13 NKJV [10] But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. [11] For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” [12] So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. [13] Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV 10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
How should we be living right now? What are we supposed to be doing while we wait for Christ’s return?
1 John 2:28 NIV [28] And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
Either we will be full of courage or we will shrink back from Him in shame. The difference depends on the condition of those who are waiting. If you are in fellowship with Jesus right now, then you will be full of courage. When you see all the reminders that Christ is coming back, you will think, I am ready. But if you are not walking with God, you will dread Christ’s return and shrink back in shame.
If your life is where it ought to be, then you will be passionate and excited about the Lord’s return. You will eagerly anticipate it. But if your relationship with Christ is not what it should be, then you will be frightened, alarmed and ashamed at the idea of His returning, becauseyou will be afraid that you might be caught doing something you know you shouldn't be doing.
Your attitude should be such that whether the Lord comes today, tomorrow, a year from now or 10 years from now, it doesn’t matter. You are ready and looking forward to it.
God is precisely on schedule.
2 Peter 3:8-10 NIV [8] But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
We need to be in a constant state of readiness.
Luke 12:35-40 NIV [35] “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, [36] like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. [37] It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. [38] It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. [39] But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. [40] You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Jesus was saying that in light of the fact that He could come back at any time, weneed to be alert, mobile and prepared. We need to be in a constant state of readiness, even if He does not come as quickly as we would like Him to.
In the meantime, what should we, as Christians, be doing?
1. Be Watching for Him
First, we need to be watching for Him. Jesus said,
(Luke 12:37) “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching” As Christians, we need to be paying careful attention to this world around us, and at the same time, keep the lightest hold possible on the things of this world.
Obviously, we have to live in this world, but this doesn’t that mean we have to love this world. In other words, we should be careful that we don’t become so involved in the things of this life that we forget about what really matters.
Colossians 3:1-2 tells us, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down hereon earth” (NLT).
Be heavenly minded. I’m aware of the old adage that says, “He is so heavenly minded that he is no earthly good.” But that is not a correct statement. If you are truly heavenly minded, then you will be of great earthly good.
Jesus said, “Don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you livefor him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Matt. 6:31-33, NLT). We need to be watching for His return.
2. Be Ready to Go
When I leave on a trip, I always pack my bags the night before. That way, I’m ready to go when it’s time to leave. That is the idea of what Jesus was saying. Be ready to go on a moment’s notice. we shall see Him as He is.”
We should be living in such a way that we want to get closer to the Lord each and every day. This was the attitude of the apostle Paul, who said:
(Phil. 3:12-14, NLT) don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear friends, I am still notall I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven
3. Be Anxiously Awaiting His Return
We should not only be ready, but we should also be anxiously awaiting Christ’s return.
Jesus said, “And you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately” (Luke 12:36).
Have you ever invited someone over to your house and were so anxious for them to getthere that you opened the door before they knocked? That is how we need to be in these last days. We need to be anxiously awaiting the Lord’s return.
4. Be Working
Finally, we should be working.
Luke 12:43 says, “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” If watching is the evidence of faith, thenworking is the evidence of faith in action. Watching for the Lord’s return will helpus prepare our lives, but working will assure that we bring others with us. Noticethat Jesus used the word “blessed” in connection with living this way. “Blessed” means “happy.” It is a happy thing to be a Christian. It is a happy thing to look for theLord’s return. It is a happy thing to have your sin forgiven. There is joy in this.
In light of the fact that the Lord is coming back again, we ought to be living pure and blameless lives. Blessed is the person who lives this way. If you want to live a happy life, then live in such a way that you are constantly ready for the Lord's Return.
Jesus is coming back. It could be at midnight. It could be at noon. It could be today or a year from now. No one knows for sure when He is coming. So keep your desk clean all the time. Keep your life right with Him.
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