4-1: Last Things

Good morning, and happy new year to you all! Welcome to 2023, and my prayer for this year in the life of Eastern Hills is that God would truly be glorified in this church family as we endeavor to grow in our faith, grow in our love for one another in the church, and grow in our care for those in our neighborhoods and workplaces, through the power of His Spirit working in and through us. I’m Bill Connors, senior pastor, and I’m filled with anticipation of what God is going to do this year with this church body. If you are a guest this morning, whether you’re here in the room or online, I hope that this morning will give you a good sense of who the church of Eastern Hills is, and that you’ll be blessed as we look at the Word of God together and take the Lord’s Supper.

If you are a guest, I’d like to invite you to text the word WELCOME to 505-339-2004, and it will send you back a link to our digital communication card. We’d just like to be able to thank you for being here this morning, whether you’re here in person or online. If you’d rather fill out a physical card and you’re in the room, you can grab one from the back of the pew in front of you, and put it in the offering plates as we leave the sanctuary at the close of service.

Announcements

We’re halfway through taking up our annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, and we are more than halfway to our goal as a church of $35,000. We have received $21,605 toward this important offering through last week. I wanted to take a moment and explain that part of why this offering is so important is that it fuels the “missionary pipeline,” so to speak. Imagine a faucet that you turn on, but there is less water coming in than is going out. What will happen? You’ll run out of water. Well, each year the IMB needs to prepare and send out 300 new missionaries just to keep the number of missionaries that we have on the field stable, due to retirements or reassignments or resignations and such. That’s not sending people for new work. That’s just maintaining the work we’re already doing. For every 900 candidates who begin the application process, only about 250 will become IMB missionaries. The IMB has a strategic objective of sending out an additional 500 missionaries over what is needed through 2025. Our gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering help to fund these missionary objectives. Please continue to pray and ask how the Lord would have you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this month.

Opening

This morning, we begin the last leg of our four-unit series called “We Believe,” during which we are looking at our Statement of Belief to make sure that all in the church family are on the same page about what we believe and why. We started this unit last January, when we considered the doctrines of God & His Word. Then we followed up in the Spring with the part of the series we called “Old & New.” Then late in the Summer, we looked at the section of the series on the church entitled simply “Called.” Today, we will have week 1 of 5 weeks in a section entitled “Life In the Last Days.” Today’s focal passage is from Matthew 25. Let’s stand together as we are able in honor of God’s holy Word and read verses 31-46:

Matthew 25:31–46 CSB

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’ 44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

PRAYER (Highland Baptist Church, Albuquerque; Dr. Carl Russell) remember Julie Morris & family

Article 15 of our Statement of Belief is concerned with eschatology, or the doctrine of the end times.

Article 15 reads as follows:

“God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. … Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly…the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to hell. … The righteous…will receive their reward and will dwell forever in heaven with the Lord.”

EHBC Statement of Belief, Article 15: Last Things

Through the last five years of serving as senior pastor, I’ve done many funerals, and I’ve done many weddings. More funerals, for sure. And it’s odd… doing weddings is way more fun. Everyone is excited and happy, and the thrill of the moment and the months of planning that went into it are just great to be a part of. I really enjoy doing weddings.

However, funerals are way more meaningful. See, at a wedding, most people are ready for me to be done with my part so that I can say, “kiss the bride,” and the celebration can begin. With a funeral, there is often no better time to present the truth of the Gospel, because everyone in the room realizes that life is finite, and for many, they are searching for hope in the midst of their grief. People are way more focused on the message of the Gospel at funerals.

It is somewhat similar to this when a pastor speaks on last things or the end times. People are fascinated with what will happen after this life is over, whether that means the end of the world or merely the end of their life on this earth, people are interested, many are fearful, but most are curious about the future.

All too often, especially when we talk about last things, people are more concerned with when and how this or that will occur rather than being content with the assurance that it will happen. Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 24:36:

Matthew 24:36 CSB

36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone.

Only the Father knows. That's why it's futile to spend our time worrying about the when. We need to focus rather upon the fact that He is coming again, and how we should live in the light of that knowledge.

We will not be spending our time this morning dealing with things like the pre-millennialism, post-millennialism, or a-millennialism, or the pre, mid or post tribulation positions on the rapture. Our Statement of Belief, and the Baptist Faith & Message on which it is based, is intentionally vague on these areas because within Southern Baptist life there are a variety of positions held. Neither time nor the purpose of our study require us to go into the details of what might happen, rather we will concern ourselves today with the basics upon which nearly all of us can agree, we will talk about what we can know instead of speculating upon that of which we cannot be certain.

1) What we know will happen

Article 15 of our Statement of Belief begins with an affirmation that, "God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end." More simply stated we could say that the end of this world and the end of time as we know it is coming. Furthermore, this will only happen by God's power and in His time. As we consider this concise statement concerning eschatology, or the study of the end times, the Bible gives us a number of promises of which we can be certain. This morning I wish to draw your attention to 5 of them.

A. The first certainty found in this statement is that God is sovereign, or is in charge of all things.

In Genesis 18:14 Abraham is told that there is nothing too hard for God; Job 9:12 assures us that God is all powerful, and Psalm 103:19 says, "The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all." Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 19:26:

Matthew 19:26 CSB

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Perhaps there is no better passage to assure us that God is sovereign over all that happens than Acts 1:7, where Jesus, responding to the disciples’ inquiry about when He will restore the kingdom to Israel says,

Acts 1:7 CSB

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

Our Statement of Belief affirms what Scripture clearly teaches: that God is sovereign over all things. So, when the end comes, it will be God who makes it happen. There is something comforting about that, isn't there? There is something very reassuring about knowing that God is on His throne and is ultimately in control of all things. He who is in charge of the universe is in charge of our present and our future. This should give us peace today.

B. This brings us to our second certainty, which affirms that the end of times will come only when and how He chooses to make it happen.

First of all, we know that the end is coming.

This is something to which the Scripture gives witness throughout the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. We find this in passages like Isaiah 65:17 which says:

Isaiah 65:17 CSB

17 “For I will create new heavens and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind.

which will be completely fulfilled according to Revelation 21:1, which says:

Revelation 21:1 CSB

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

In clear and unambiguous language the Scripture speaks of this present world coming to an end and God creating something new; something unspoiled by sin and death.

First John 2:17 tells us that the world and its desires are passing away. Every day we live the world moves just a little bit closer to its end. A friend of mine on Twitter tweets every day: “Christian, we are one day closer to heaven.” God promises us that a day is coming when the things of this earth will be no more. This is one of the reasons it’s so foolish to lay treasures up for ourselves here on earth: like all the other things of this world, they cannot and will not last. Instead, we are exhorted to lay up our treasures in heaven, where thief cannot steal, and moth and rust cannot destroy.

C. The third promise is that Jesus Himself will return to earth.

The second sentence in Article 10 of the Baptist Faith & Message reads, “According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth;”

In John 14:1-3 Jesus gives us this promise when He tells His disciples:

John 14:1–3 CSB

1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

The return of Jesus is something which is based on a promise directly from Jesus.

The angels at the ascension of Jesus told the disciples the same thing. In Acts 1:11 they said:

Acts 1:11 CSB

11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

In verse 31 of our focal passage in Matthew 25, Jesus tells us that when He returns it will be in glory with all the holy angels. Philippians 2:10-11 assures us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus will personally return to earth, visibly and in glory.

There are many uncertain things in our world today. The stock market is uncertain, the economy is uncertain, the political stability of our world seems uncertain, even our health feels uncertain, but friends, this is absolutely certain: Jesus came once and He is coming again. He gave His word and He will see it come to fruition.

Not only does the Bible tell us that Jesus will return, it also informs us that He will come suddenly and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. In Matthew 24:39-44 Jesus says:

Matthew 24:39–44 CSB

39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Right before this in Matthew 24, Jesus tells us that as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be when He returns. People will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. People, even God's people, will be so preoccupied with the ordinary affairs of this life, that they will have given little to no thought about Jesus returning. He will come again and it will be sudden and unexpected.

D. The fourth thing our Statement of Faith brings to our attention is the biblical promise that the dead will be raised.

The Bible teaches that we will experience a bodily resurrection. The Gnostics of the first century taught that the body, because it was physical, was completely evil and, therefore, would not be resurrected. They taught that we would exist in eternity as disembodied souls. They denied the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and thus they also denied that we too would be bodily raised. Part of the story of redemption is that Jesus, through His redemptive work on the cross, died not only to save our souls, but to save our bodies as well. Many see this promise as merely concerning divine healing in the here and now, but within the larger scope of God's redemptive plan, we can see that someday, because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, our bodies will also be raised.

In 1 Corinthians 15, while defending the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus from the grave, the apostle Paul assures us that even as Christ rose from the dead, we too shall rise. In some of the most beautiful and yet powerful language in all of the New Testament, Paul says:

1 Corinthians 15:52–55 CSB

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53 For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. 54 When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55 Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?

1 Thessalonians 4:13 and following assures us that the dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive and remain will be caught up to meet them in the air. This is what is commonly referred to as the rapture, a term which is not found in Scripture but is used to describe an event foretold in Scripture.

Just like Jesus rose with a real and glorified body, we who are in Christ will be resurrected in the same way.

But not only will we be raised, one of the other biblical certainties our Statement of Faith affirms is that at the resurrection, all will be judged. And that's the fifth thing I want you to see about the end times:

E. All people will be judged - Some to everlasting life and some to eternal damnation.

Our focal passage this morning from Matthew 25 gives us insight into what this will look like. The Scripture says that Jesus, the Son of Man, is going to come in glory and separate all people from all nations… the sheep and the goats. The sheep, those who belong to Christ, will receive eternal blessing in God’s kingdom. The goats, those who have never trusted Christ, will be consigned to hell.

You see, Scripture clearly teaches that there is coming a day of judgment, a day when all wrongs will be made right, a day when everyone will give an account for his or her actions on this earth. Knowing this enables us to endure the injustices of this world, because we know that someday everyone will give an account and The Judge will execute righteous judgment. In eternity every injustice will be made right. Every evil deed will be addressed and every unseen kindness will we rewarded, even down to our words.

In Matthew 12:36-37 Jesus says:

Matthew 12:36–37 CSB

36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Scriptures are clear that those who know Jesus, those who have trusted in His death on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins and who have surrendered their lives to His Lordship will be ushered into heaven to spend eternity with the Lord and with each other.

The Bible tells us that Heaven will be a place of reunions, where we will see our loved ones who have gone on before us; it tells us that Heaven is a place for rewards, where the righteous will be rewarded for their lives on earth; Scripture tells us that Heaven will be a place of rest, where our work will be a joy because we will no longer have to struggle against sin and all of the pain it causes; and the Bible tells us that Heaven will be a place where the radiance of God will shine so brightly that we will need no other light. It will be a glorious place of wonder and worship.

But while Scripture paints a beautiful picture of Heaven, it is equally descriptive of the horrors of hell. Hell is a place of eternal torment and pain.

The Bible has more to say about hell than it does Heaven. To deny the reality of hell is to deny the truth of the Word of God. That there is an eternal hell where the unrighteous will be tormented forever and ever is not a religious fable used to scare the wicked into becoming religious people, the reality of hell is taught over and over again in the Bible.

In the Old Testament the word Sheol is sometimes translated as hell or Hades, and sometimes it is the grave, the world after death. It is sometimes called Abaddon, or a place of destruction. In the Old Testament, hell is described as a place of finality from which there is no return. For example: Job 10:21-22 tells us that it is a place of darkness; Psalm 143:3 designates hell as a place of the dead; Psalm 115:17 says hell is a place of silence where no one can praise God, but a place of continued existence, not annihilation.

In the New Testament, hell is always referred to as a place of Divine judgment.

Revelation 20:13-15 says:

Revelation 20:13–15 CSB

13 Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

God's judgment and wrath are part of His righteous nature. If there is no hell, then there is no punishment for sin, and if there is no punishment for sin, then God is not just and we have no need a Savior. If we don't need a Savior, then Jesus died pointlessly, and if Jesus died pointlessly, then He was a fool and we of all men are to be pitied because we have placed our faith in someone who was not who He said He was and did not do what He said He could do and did not come for the reason He claimed to have come and cannot give us what He said He could give us. But hell IS real. And so we need a Savior, which is why Jesus came and lived and died and rose.

All of the other major biblical doctrines: the doctrine of sin (hamartology), the doctrine of man (anthropology), the doctrine of salvation (soteriology), the doctrine of God (theology), the doctrine of Christ (christology), the doctrine of the Church and her mission (ecclesiology), and the doctrine of the end times (eschatology)... they all hinge on the fact that there is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain.

Knowing these things are true, that God is sovereign over all creation and that at the appointed day, the trumpet will sound and the skies will unfold, Jesus will return, the dead will be resurrected, some to eternal life and some to eternal retribution, knowing that it will happen when we least expect it.....knowing all this...What impact should this knowledge have on our lives? If we really believed it, if we truly thought that Jesus would come back today, it stands to reason that it should impact our lives profoundly. So we ask the question:

2) How shall we then live?

According to a 2021 poll by Pew Research, 73 percent of Americans believe in Heaven and 62 percent believe in hell. An earlier Gallup Poll found that 77 percent of Americans were optimistic about making it to heaven. Very few saw themselves as headed to hell.

You don't need a pollster to tell you what most Christians believe about the second coming of Jesus; all you have to do is watch how they live their lives. Most Christians profess to believe that He will return someday, but most of them are truly not expecting it to be any day soon.

The truth of the matter is, the church has lost its sense of expectancy; it has lost the anticipation which characterized the faith of their Christian forefathers.

In light of the truth that Jesus could come back at any time, how shall we then live? This is the question that Peter assumes we know the answer to in 2 Peter 3:11-12, because the answer should be clear:

2 Peter 3:11–12 CSB

11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat.

The Scripture is filled with exhortations about how to live until Jesus returns. There are two groups of people to whom this speaks. The first message is addressed to Christians, to those who know the Lord.

A. Live with eternity in view

1 Thessalonians 5 tells us that the day of the Lord will come “just like a thief in the night,” and therefore, we are to “stay awake and be self-controlled.” (v. 2, 6) This means that we cannot go on living like our lost neighbors. We cannot live as though this life is all there is. This life, as C.S. Lewis said, is the vestibule to eternity. It is the foyer to forever, what we do here, whether we are truly followers of Christ or merely those who say “Lord, Lord” but fail to do the will of the Father, all of that will be shown here on this earth.

But, says Paul, if we are truly believers, if Jesus has really redeemed us and filled us with His Spirit, we must live with the kind of awareness and self-control which speaks of our readiness for His return. 2 Peter 3:14 says:

2 Peter 3:14 CSB

14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.

We are to live with eternity in view, knowing that the end is nearer than we think.

B. Make the most of your time

Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us that we should make the most of our time, walking in wisdom, because the days we live in are evil. Knowing that Jesus is coming should motivate us to live everyday as though this day was the day of His return. In John 9:4 Jesus says:

John 9:4 CSB

4 We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.

This is the impetus behind our great missionary mandate. This is the motivation behind sharing our faith both here and abroad. The day is coming when the last tract will have been shared, the last sermon preached and the last invitation given. The day is coming when the last chance to be saved will have come and gone. We must work while the sun shines for night comes when no man can work.

C. Live in anticipation of His return

In Matthew 24:12 Jesus says that before His return, many will not look for Him to come again because of iniquity, that the love of many will have grown cold. Does this not characterize the religion of many who claim to be Christians today? They have a form of godliness but they have no power in their lives. They have no power over sin, they have no power of discipline in their Christian walk, they have no power over the impulses or desires of the flesh, they are not walking in fellowship with God, filled with His Spirit and in the flow of His plan. Like a frog in a kettle, their temperature has adjusted to the world around them and their love for the Lord and the things of God has grown cold.

Should not our attitude be that of Paul's in Philippians 3:20 when he says:

Philippians 3:20 CSB

20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our prayer should be that of John the apostle in Revelation 22:20 when he says, "Amen, Come Lord Jesus." We should live in anticipation of His return.

But there is another group to whom this message is addressed; it is spoken to those who have no certainty or peace about their eternal home. It is addressed to those who not sure where they will spend eternity.

Again, Revelation 22 has a message for you.

Revelation 22:17 CSB

17 Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.

Closing

What about you today? Are you ready for Jesus to return? Do you know where you will spend eternity? Are you living everyday as though it were the last day? Can others notice this in the things you say and do? What will you say to Jesus when you stand before Him? What if it were today?

If you have never surrendered to the Lord, placing your faith in what Jesus has done for your forgiveness and salvation, then you aren’t ready. Right now, where you are, give up and trust in Christ as your Savior and Lord, believing that He died for your sins, rose from the grave, and is coming back to judge the world. If this is you, then please come and tell us. Joe and Kerry will be here with me at the front. If you’re online, send me an email and let me know about the work that God has done in your life today, so we can celebrate with you and help you on this new journey of faith.

If you are already a believer, and you would like to talk about joining together with this church family in formal membership, please come and let us know that as well. We’ll set an appointment to sit down, share our testimonies, and discuss any questions you have about the church or our Statement of Belief.

If you need to spend this time in prayer, perhaps in repentance, you can pray with one of us, at the steps, or in your pews.

You can also use this time for giving your tithes and offerings through our mobile app or online.

PRAYER

Observance of the Lord’s Supper

Call the deacons down for Lord’s Supper.

We are now going to join together in starting this new year by partaking of the Lord’s Supper together, reminding each other of who we are in Christ and what He has done for us, setting the stage for the coming year. In Luke 22, we see Jesus tie together the Passover meal and His future return in verses 15-18:

Luke 22:15–18 CSB

15 Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

So in the Supper, we commemorate what Christ has done, celebrate our inclusion in His glorious Kingdom, and anticipate His second coming.

This Supper is for those who belong to Christ through faith, whether you are a member of Eastern Hills or are a visiting brother or sister this morning. If you are not a believer in Jesus, we are glad that you are here, but we ask that you please not take the Supper, because it is a testimony of faith in what Jesus has done.

Start a moment of reflection.

Distribute the bread.

The Scripture says that Jesus “took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them.” (Luke 22:19a)

Prayer of thanks for the bread.

Then Jesus said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19b)

Distribute the cup.

The Scriptures also say that, “In the same way He also took the cup after supper.” (Luke 22:20a)

Prayer of thanks for the cup.

Then Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20b)

Thank the deacons and church family for their participation.

Closing Remarks

Bible reading plan: 2 Chr 30 today, will finish 2 Chr on Saturday, and then start some of the minor prophets, Nahum-Haggai. You can get a calendar on the website.

No evening activities tonight

Prayer Meeting on Wednesday at 5:45

Instructions for guests

Benediction

1 John 3:2 CSB

2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.