The End: Our Hope (Wheatland)

What does the word “hope” mean to you? It’s this little four-letter word that can have a variety of meaning. Hope can take a few different forms. There’s the kind of hope like, “I hope I get a new car” or, “I hope I live to see 120.” There’s almost a flippancy about this type of hope. It’s a bit of a joke, mixed with a far off sort of half-hope. Then there’s the kind of hope that is more determined. “I hope to pass my class this fall” Now to be fair, depending on who you are this statement might either be a good indicator that you will pass… or that you’re hoping your score is 51, and not 49…

Hope can just simply be wishful thinking, nothing more. Even when it isn’t, in our world today there are few things that are absolute, and generally if we speak of hope there is always this reality that that hope could never come true.

But, if you have placed your faith in Jesus, there is one hope that is for sure, that is real, and that won’t change.

We’re looking today at the topic of the end. The end of time… where have you placed your hope? Do you have that sort of hope that is so sure that there isn’t room for uncertainty?

The End Is Near - Be Excited, Our Hope Stands

(What does this mean for us. Hence the three points.)

Rather, we’re going to stick to the big picture: What our hope is and why.

Jesus Is Coming SOON

Is the return of Christ actually imminent? Could it happen at any time? Certainly the early apostles thought so. They often talked about the “last days” and eagerly awaited Christ’s return. Yet originally, when they thought about the return of Christ, they figured it would probably be still within the timeframe of their lives. We see in Paul’s letters that as time goes on, Paul starts realizing that “hey, Christ probably isn’t returning within the time frame I thought He was.” So, where does that leave us? Is Christ actually coming soon if it has been so long?

In James 5:8 James encourages His readers by reminding them of the imminent return of Christ:

James 5:8 ESV

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 ESV

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Bad Assignment analogy

The Bible points to the sure return of Christ, and it will come at a time and hour that we do not expect.

God’s Word makes it clear, Christ’s return will be like a thief in the night. In other words - you’re not going to see it coming! So, we need to be ready, at any time!

And this is our hope, because if we die, we know where we’re going. And if Christ comes back sooner than that, we will be caught up to meet Him - and raised. We need to be excited about this.

The second reason we need to get excited as the end draws near is because…

Jesus Will Restore All Things

At Christ’s return, He will gather his people in the air - as 1 Thessalonians 4:17 tells us. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 helps paint a picture of what Christ will do at his return for his own:

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 (ESV)

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

This passage demonstrates the reality that Christ will return, and that we can expect a resurrection - like Christ’s own resurrection - to take place.

Further to this, when Jesus returns he will complete the restoration that was started back at his first coming. Acts 3:20-21 tells us:

Acts 3:20–21 ESV

that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

What does this mean that Christ will restore all things? Christ’s work didn’t stop at his death and ressurection, though to be sure he won the victory and conquered both sin and death. When humanity rebelled against God way back at the beginning in Eden, human kind and all of creation fell, and was corrupted. We look forward with hope to the day when God will completely restore all such things. All the effects of sin and death will be gone! Restoration will include the coming of the kingdom of God in its fullness. Yes, we experience glimpses and tastes now. We believe in healing, or miracles, but with the view that this is but a taste of the beautiful and glorious life we will have in Christ in his kingdom.

Christ will liberate all creation from the curse. Freedom in fullness from the effects of sin will come. When you think about it that way, it’s no wonder we all should be getting excited for Christ to return soon! It’s going to be amazing!

The third reason we need to get excited as the end draws near is because…

Jesus Will Reign

Let’s turn our attention to Philippians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Paul himself harkens back to Isaiah 45:23, where God proclaims that to Him every knee will bow and everyone swear allegiance. The language Paul employs here speaks of triumph. Here this text is not just telling us that Jesus is to be the object of our worship, but in fact is noting that one day, every person will acknowledge without a doubt that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The question becomes, will you cry out in awe and joy for your Lord, or in fear of the conquering One? We have a choice in the here and now: We can accept Christ and become co-heirs, waiting expectantly for Christ to return, and shouting with joy when He does, confessing happily that He is Lord of all. Or we can push God out, and have nothing to do with Him. That choice bears dire consequences. Because when Jesus returns, you too will confess Christ as Lord, but not as your Saviour. It will be in that moment that those who have not accepted Christ will realize - too late - that they rejected God, and will face eternal punishment.

Eternity awaits all of us. The bench mark is Jesus, and for those who have not been redeemed, Jesus says they will go away to eternal punishment.

Matthew 25:46 ESV

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

This is alienation from God and His good new creation (SOET commentary). It is eternal, conscious punishment (Grudem). Some have said that maybe we will simply cease to exist. Perhaps this is easier to swallow that the idea of an eternal state of torment and punishment. Yet, the Bible clearly speaks about the fire of hell, and its eternal torment. Not just here in Matthew, but also in Luke, and Revelation.

What are we to do with such Scripture, and such knowledge? Proclaim the gospel, and mourn deeply for those who are still lost. Paul, thinking about the state of unbelief of his people the Jews, said:

Romans 9:2 ESV

that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

His sorrow is great for the lost, and so ours should be too.

Yet we also read in this very same Matthew passage that eternity with Christ waits for us. And that, we need to get excited about!

Revelation 21:3–4 (ESV)

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

This is the eternity we have to look forward to! Eternity with our God, where death, and pain and sorrow, and tears will be gone. Injustice, suffering, sin, pain, war - it will all be gone forever. Can you imagine a day when cancer, or heart disease, or death, or stress over finances, or terrible wars and atrocities will no longer even be thought of? Full, complete, total restoration of creation - in which none of these things exists - will come.

But I think that the most amazing part of this will be the fact that we will once again walk with the Lord face to face, like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. We will see our Lord face-to-face, spending eternity soaking in His presence. How many of you here have ever just spent time soaking in the presence of God during your devotional time with Him? Imagine that, but so, so much better!

This is what we have to wait for! Yes, right now we suffer, and injustice is a big part of our world. Death, and sickness, and struggle are a normal part of life. But we wait with hope for Christ’s imminent return which will usher in the Kingdom of God in its fullness. This is our hope, and our eternity. We can be excited, because truly it will be amazing!

Jesus is coming soon. The end is near, and we should get excited about it! Christ return is imminent. We don’t know when, but it could be at any time. We must be ready! When Christ returns, He will be acknowledged as the Lord of glory, by every tongue and every knee will bow. What side will you be on? Will you rejoice at the coming of the Lord? Or will you realize too late who exactly it is that you rejected? The end is coming, but hope is only found in Christ alone. And what hope there is in Him!

Yet it is not too late! There is still time!

Salvation call.

The End is Near - Be Excited!

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!