Preparing For The End Times

Preparing for the end Times

1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:15

Introduction-

We have been looking at the work of Christ in our lives. We know that He desires everyday to be a part of our lives and make us more like Himself.

We are not perfect and He is not done with any of us.

Each day, we should have an anticipation that He will return, He cares what is going on and He is working in our circumstances and situations.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:15

Prayer-

Summary: We should all be living as if Jesus was crucified yesterday; raised from the dead this morning, and is coming back this afternoon.

If I was to ask you this question… if you knew that Jesus Christ was to return today, would you live any different? If your answer yes, you would not have been prepared for his return.

I think all of us would want to make a one last time to some we have been talking to about Christ, hoping that they would respond before it was too late.

Illustration-

One night a thief broke into a house he thought was deserted. As he walked through the darkened house with a flashlight he heard a voice from the kitchen that said, “Jesus is watching you.” He stopped and said, “Who’s there?” There was no answer so he thought he must have imagined it. But after he took a few more steps, the voice said again, “Jesus is watching you.” He decided to walk toward the voice, just before he entered the kitchen, he heard it again. “Jesus is watching you.” He swung his flashlight up and saw a talking parrot in a cage. The parrot said, “Jesus is watching you.” The thief flipped on the kitchen light and said, “Why you’re just a dumb bird.” Then he noticed a huge Doberman crouching under the cage. The parrot said, “Sic ‘im, Jesus.”

Criminals can be pretty dumb.

A robber held up a convenience store with a shotgun. After the cashier put the money in the bag, the robber saw a bottle of whiskey on the shelf behind and cashier and told him to put it in the bag. The clerk told the robber he couldn’t because the robber didn’t look like he was 21 years old. The robber promptly showed the clerk his driver’s license. The clerk agreed he was 21 and put the whiskey in the bag. Then when the robber left he called 911 and gave them the robber’s name and address.

We’ve all heard about the “dumb criminal” stories, and they can do some lame-brained things.

Thieves breaking in and getting locked in the building.

Falling through ceilings and getting hurt.

You might think it strange that Jesus would compare His return to a thief.

Jesus isn’t identifying with the sin of stealing, He is letting us know that He will come unexpected and at a time you must be ready. Jesus will come quickly, probably not quietly and rapture or take away His church.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–4:18

“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. 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. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

That is the rapture of the church- The snatching away of believers from this earth.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-5:5

“Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.”

The early believers we so excited about the return of Christ that it occupied their thoughts and conversations.

They were looking for Him

They were talking about His return.

They had code words.

They had the holy kiss on the cheek and would say “The Lord Comes”

We should have the same holy passion about the return of Christ.

This world is getting messy- and it is getting worse everyday. That’s why each of us should maintain hope and be prepared for His return.

G. Campbell Morgan wrote: “To me the second coming is the perpetual light on the path which makes the present bearable. I never lay my head on my pillow without thinking that maybe before the morning breaks, the final morning may have dawned.”