We Believe: We are to live in light of His return
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The Return of Jesus
The Return of Jesus
Jesus’ Return
We believe Jesus will return in power and glory to reign.
It has been declared in scripture that no man knows the hour of his return, only the Father.
On that day, Jesus will gather his people to himself, and they will be glorified bodily and spiritually. He will crush his enemies and the order of creation will be destroyed in fire.
At that time, all will be raised to be judged according to the book of life; those who have not trusted in Jesus for salvation face eternal punishment in hell, those who persevere in Christ will dwell eternally with him in the new heaven and the new earth.
All people are to live in light of his coming.
As we come to the end of the doctrine portion of our series, we finish with this last statement:
All people are to live in light of his coming.
It is a bit presumptuous of me to declare such a thing but as we studied in the last handful of weeks, Jesus is returning.
When He returns he is not coming to save, He is coming to judge.
The work of salvation has already been accomplished!
The message of the Gospel has already been established!
The Holy Spirit has been sent!
The work of the church has already commenced!
All that remains is His return.
The atheist may deny Him, but He will return.
The spiritist tries to redefine Him, but He will return.
The cultist distorts Him, but He will return.
The Christian proclaims Him, . . . because we know He will return.
All of mankind will be affected by His return. As it is written:
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Though all people should live in light of His coming, many will not. It is not given to us to manipulate or control those who do not believe. It is given to us to proclaim the truth of His resurrection and the assurance of His return until the day He comes.
So today, we ask the simple question, “How do we live in light of His Return?”
The Gospel and the Church
The Gospel and the Church
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
We have a partnership in the gospel.
We have a partnership in the gospel.
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
We are united as we trust in God and proclaim the gospel regardless of our circumstances.
We are united as we trust in God and proclaim the gospel regardless of our circumstances.
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
We love and live in the truth as we look forward to the day of Christ.
We love and live in the truth as we look forward to the day of Christ.
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
Our circumstances often lead to opportunities for the gospel.
Our circumstances often lead to opportunities for the gospel.
14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
Our confidence in the gospel inspires others to share.
Our confidence in the gospel inspires others to share.
Philippians 1:17–18a (ESV)
17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Philippians 1:18b–19 (ESV)
Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
In every part of life, the gospel of Jesus Christ is our focus!
In every part of life, the gospel of Jesus Christ is our focus!
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Our unity is a powerful proclamation of the Gospel.
Our unity is a powerful proclamation of the Gospel.
Look at what Paul has to say about how we are to live in relationship to each other in order to maximize our unity.
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
The gospel life is an others centered life that is to be on display in and through God’s church!
The gospel life is an others centered life that is to be on display in and through God’s church!
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus is our example!
Jesus is our example!
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
When Jesus returns will he find you living a gospel centered life?
When Jesus returns will he find you living a gospel centered life?
What is a gospel centered life?
Do everything with Jesus Christ at the center of it.
Use your circumstances to advance the gospel.
Unite with the church to defend the gospel.
Live selflessly in fellowship to move the gospel forward!