Are We Ready?

Intro

1. I’m Ryan, if you don’t know me, I’m usually worship-leading, so it’s nice to wear a different hat! Sorry if it’s confusing — same face, different function, not P Rafa, he’s taller — Leading worship and encountering God my prayer is that you would receive a fresh word from the Lord for today…

2. — Sermon series: Pastor Raf. threw me into the deep end (love, peace, joy) and asked me to kick off the church’s new sermon series on the

1- Last Days — which are important because we’re living in them — and the

2- types of human issues/signs that will be present/amplified in the Last Days.

SO Today: Last Days, talk about the differences between culture and how God wants us to live

To help us answer the question: Are we ready? For what? Jesus to come back

3. The sermon series is based on the first few verses of 2 Timothy 3.

Once you’re there can you close your eyes and

1- pray that the Holy Spirit would speak to you and encounter you as you listen to these words?

2- pray that he would give me the grace to deliver the message? Amen.

1 - The Last Days

Whether we know it or not.... or maybe we have forgotten, aha, but, we are in what the Bible calls as the “Last Days”.

The Apostle Paul said it in 1 Cor. 10:11, that the end has dawned upon us. The writer of Hebrews stated something similar to this in Hebrews chapter 1:2. John, a disciple of Jesus stated it in 1 John 2:18 “Dear children, the last hour is here...” WE’RE IN THEM

The “Last Days” - it’s the period &/season of humanity’s history right before Jesus comes back again.

1 - The Second Comming

How many of us know that Jesus came to earth once before?

He came to save the world, save us from our sins, deliver us from hell, death, and the grave…

He came to reveal how much the Lord truly loves us!

But, how many of us know that He’s coming again?

And there are two feelings that I have about this:

First, fear

1. It’s scary because Jesus is coming it's to pronounce a final judgment on evil and death and sin

We see Scriptures in The Old and New Testament that tell us that his “Second Coming” is a

future day when the Lord, Jesus will “come with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him… And all the nations of the world will mourn for him.” (Rev. 1:7).

The Bible states in Mal. 4:5 that the day that Jesus comes back will be a “dark and dreadful time” in which the Lord will not come to save the world like he did the first time, but to judge everyone in it.

Jesus said the type of judgment he’s bringing is so nuanced, or so detailed, that He’s going to judge people for “every empty word spoken” from their mouths. No hidden sin will be hidden from God.

Jesus illustrates that zombie-like day in John 5:28–29 “Indeed, the time is coming when (literally) all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment...” they will be thrown into a place where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

2- But, as a Christian, I’m also feeling hopeful

The hopeful part in all of this is that Jesus is coming back to make all of the wrong things in this world right

I look at the homelessness and the gangs and the crime… and it’s so easy to look to politicians and government demanding from humans a only-God solution

We want the world to be a better place and so we invest in

Cancer research

“save the environment causes”

Everyone is looking to people and programs to solve their issues, when the issue is the sinful heart and only Jesus can solve it.

The hope that we can have as Christians is that when Jesus comes back, He will be our King and he will “wipe every tear from our eyes...” he will lead us into a place where there will be no more pain and suffering and sin and evil any longer. There will be no more disease and sadness. No more depression and hopelessness.

It’s difficult to imagine a life without our struggles and poverty and disappointments… Imagine!!

But this is what Christ will establish… a perfect world, where the Son of God shines on us with all his glory.

the hope is that Jesus is coming back and will make every wrong thing right again

Another hope: we won’t be Spirits in heaven forever when we die… When Jesus comes back, we believers will be raised with new bodies and we get to live with Jesus forever

Failed bodies — Paralyzed from a hiking accident… I can only imagine some of the thoughts he has day-to-day

New, whole bodies, that work… I’LL BE TALLER

Main IDEA: Jesus coming back is not “just a doctrine” that we should believe, but it’s our HOPE, that Jesus would come back and make all things right

1 - Aside: Rapture

AND MAYBE some are thinking in the room, Ryan won’t believers be snatched out of the earth, or raptured before this judgment occurs?

Maybe....

While there are some Christians who interpret the Scripture and come to this conclusion,

others see these same scriptures and come to a totally different conclusion. A quick Google search on “Christian eschatology” — which is the study of the end times, would show this.

Actually, I’m in Bible college and people even get blue in the face, debating over this issue over Zoom. And I kind of laugh because it’s an online class

“C’mon Guys.. I need to go get a burrito from dinner!!”

But you know the honest truth is, even Jesus doesn’t know the EXACTNESS of what’s going to happen in the Second Coming

.....and it’s about HIM!!

He states in Mark 13:32 “...no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”

And I think this is important to remember because we’re not meant to get caught up in debating the EXACTNESS of when and how Jesus is coming back.

BUT THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE ARE supposed to be ready for it,

we’re supposed to be preparing for it, we’re supposed to be aware that we are in them…

not just debating about it. There’s no use spending all of our time and energy speculating about it.

1 - So I’ll say this:

If you believe in the rapture — and it’s okay that you do -- are you getting ready for Christ to come back? .

If you don’t believe in the Rapture — and this is alright to believe as well -- are you getting ready for Christ to come back?

Because, Jesus is coming back.

WE CAN BET OUR LIVES ON THAT.

But, the more important thing is how many of us when Jesus comes back will be caught off guard?

Would you and I be ready for Christ’s return?

Matthew 24:37–44 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. … You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

How would we live our lives if Jesus was coming back tomorrow?

What would we change? What habits would we decide to break?

If Jesus came back tomorrow, how many of us would be found forgiving as the Lord forgave us, or would we be holding onto grudges?

How many of us would be found seeking the Lord above all else, or would we be seeking our selfish gain?

Would we be serving in church and developing the gifts he gave us, or would we bury our talents in the sand?

Would Christ find us a little bit drunk, or a little high, berating our children, being unfaithful to our spouses? Fill in the blank

We know what God wants of us: it’s written all over the Bible… The question is: will He find us obeying him...

1 - My Friend Samuel: His health condition informs his living

I have an older friend named Samuel who is the most peaceful person I have ever met. Nothing gets to him.

And, I’ve only met one person before him who was like that and that was my friend in high school who I’m pretty sure was taking marijuana.

BUT Samuel was a Christian and he always was so relaxed and a leader of tai chi for the senior citizens... I asked him why this was...

He told me that he has a brain condition that when he gets too excited, will throw him into an uncontrollable seizure.

He doesn’t let anything get to him anymore because he is aware of the seizures that will happen if he’s not careful enough.

In a sort of similar way, we’re supposed to live carefully for the Lord, because we know that he is coming back.

We have to let our theology and belief, inform the way we live

This is all part of the last days --- Overview

2 - The Last Days Signs: Timothy and Ephesus

Now for the next few weeks, we’re going to pull from 2 Timothy chapter 3…

It’s Paul a Father of our Christian beliefs writing his last letter to Timothy his most “beloved son of the faith” about some of the signs that will signify he’s living in the last days...

And, the signs that Paul specifically talks about are related to human behavior and culture.

2 Timothy 3:1–2 “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days, there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred…, (another translation says people will be UNHOLY, living lives contrary to the way God wants us to live)”

Paul’s giving Timothy some signs to know when he is in the last days, and interestingly, all of these human issues were appearing all around him in the city of Ephesus — WHERE TIMOTHY WAS PASTORING IN

Ephesus was a major Roman-owned port city located in what we would call as modern-day Turkey, so (think middle east)

it was a central hub for business and trade, sort of like how Los Angeles is today. Ephesus was a place where an aspiring person could “make it big” and become successful and wealthy.

Paul talks about people in the Last Days being infatuated with making more money, boastful and proud of their accomplishments and possessions… and all of these behaviors were evident in Ephesus.

All indicators that he’s in the last days

But there’s another thing too, the city was the location of one of the wonders of the world at that time: the Temple of Artemus, the Greek God of fertility.

She offered her worshippers the “promise of long life, sexual fulfillment, and protection during pregnancy and childbirth” in return for a sexual, erotic kind of worship and a full religious devotion.

There was such an integration of business and religion that sexual practice of all kinds was celebrated in all facets of society.

Profit on eroticism

At least here we have a separation from church and state!! The government celebrated sexual practices, nothing off-limits

2 - Contrast Lifestyles: Ephesus vs The Bible

Contrast these Ephesian behaviors to the type of holy life God wants us to live:

1- Instead of being infatuated with money, Jesus said to give it to the poor.

2- Instead of boasting about our accomplishments, Jesus wanted us to boast about the saving power of Christ.

3- Instead of giving ourselves to sexual pleasures, Jesus desires for us to be faithful to a husband or wife or, if you’re single, like me, give yourself fully to the pleasure of knowing God more.

In the last days, there’s going to be a distinct difference between God’s way and the way of the world

In the last days, people are going to be living unholy lives, outside of the rules and boundaries that God has set for people to live by.

Be holy like I’m holy

TODAY: God wants us to live a holy life

Where are you today?

2 - Today’s World Parallel

Don’t you think there’s a parallel between what Timothy was experiencing in Ephesus and what we’re experiencing today?

Just like in that time, there’s such a strong lure, a strong temptation toward living contrary to how God wants us to live...

There’s a real temptation to pride ourselves in our accomplishments and job titles.

There’s a lure today today think more about our 401Ks instead of thinking about storing up riches in heaven.

There’s a temptation to pick up the alcohol instead of processing our feelings with the Lord.

These are ALL SIGNS THAT WE’RE IN THE LAST DAYS TOO

But, It’s true The LURE to live like the world is strong. I feel it too

And, I don’t know about you, but I feel like its one of the proofs that we’re closer to that day of Christ’s return,

is that the temptation and lure to love and participate in the sins of this world is getting stronger.

The way that I think about it is that the Devil is working overtime to 1- take as many people as he can and turn them against Christ and 2- to make believers ineffective and caught up in their sin because GUYS, he knows his time of rulership and reign is SOON coming to an end.

And, I feel like he’s sensing that and it motivates him to steal and kill and destroy

The Devil knows that:

Soon, the book of sin and death and shame will be closed and never reopened again.

Evil will be swallowed up in the good judgment of God and then there will be no more pain, tears, and sorrow.

Cancer will finally no longer have a claim on people’s lives.

Poverty and racial injustice will no longer plague societies. But every tribe and every tongue will celebrate Jesus together.

A thought of suicide will never ever again enter a person’s mind.

The time of the evil’s reign will soon be over — that’s why Jesus is coming back.

But the DEVIL is NOT going down without a fight.

That’s one reason the LURE to sin that we all are feeling is strong and powerful.

And, it’s easy to see why Christians nowadays could so easily give themselves to the things of this world. It’s easy to see why people wouldn’t mind living unholy lives because it’s difficult to follow Jesus fully… I totally get it.

But remember, greater is he that is living in you then he that is in the world.

But, no matter the pressure we feel, the truth still remains: WE’RE IN THE LAST DAYS AND JESUS IS COMING BACK SOON…

Will we be ready for it?

Descend

A way to tell if we’re ready or not for Christ’s return is to ask ourselves these two simple questions:

1. Am I staying close to Jesus

2. Am I doing everything Jesus is telling me to do?

Jesus said… Matthew 7 ““On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ I went to New Season Church!!! I helped out with City Kidz!!!! I bought the donuts!!!!!

But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’”

Land the plane

1. Eyes closed

Jump start in your relationship with Jesus… feel kind of far way and not close to him… maybe there’s some sin that’s holding you back

De-couple you from that… It’s the kindness of God that leads us to repentance...

2. To close, would you mind repeating this prayer after me?

“Father God, would you make me ready for Christ’s return?

a. Holy Spirit, fan the flame of love in me again.

Help me love you with all my mind and strength

And help me to love you with all my heart and soul.

b. Teach me how to say “yes” to you

And “no” to this world.

In Jesus Name, Amen.”