LIVING READY
Notes
Transcript
Week 41 (2nd Sunday) Baptism Sunday
This Week’s Theme: The Greatest Return
Word for the Week is Watch: To remain spiritually alert, vigilant, and attentive to God’s will—guarding against sin, standing ready for Christ’s return, and persevering in prayer and obedience.
Memory verse: Matthew 24:42 (NKJV) “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
Sermon Focus: Jesus will return one day, and we should be ready
Sermon Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:8
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
I. Expect the Lord’s Return
I. Expect the Lord’s Return
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
JESUS SAID IT
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
JESUS EVEN WARNED HIS DISCIPLES
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
THE ANGELS SAID IT TO THEM
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
PETER LOOKED FOR HIM
LOOK AT 1 Peter 5:4
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
JOHN LOOKED FOR HIM
LOOK AT 1 JOHN 3:2
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
THE WRITER OF HEBREWS BELIEVED JESUS
LOOK AT Hebrews 9:28
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
PAUL BELIEVED HIM
LOOK AT PHILIPPIANS 3:20-21
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
LOOK AT COLOSSIANS 3:4
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
HERE IN THIS TEXT PAUL WROTE WITH EXPECTATION
HE SAID
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Lord Himself—He is personally coming again.
DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF AN ARCHANGEL
AND THE TRUMPET OF GOD.
HE WILL SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT
HOW? HE WILL SHOW UP WITH resurrection power—the dead in Christ will rise first.
SAINTS YOU NEED TO EXPECT THAT THE SAINTS WHO DIED IN THE LORD WILL GET UP.
EXPECT TO SEE PAUL, PETER, JAMES AND JOHN
EXPECT TO SEE APOLLOS AND BARNABAS
EXPECT TO SEE LUKE AND SILAS
TIMOTHY AND TITUS
I EXPECT TO SEE H. D. CARMICHAEL, MOM MALINE, AUNT SUSIE, AUNT HARRIET,
DON’T YOU
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
YET, I WILL EXPECT TO BE caught up together with THEM AND ALL Believers.
WE WILL MEET The Lord in the air and be with Him forever.
AND WILL FOREVER BE WITH THE LORD
NO MORE DYING OR CRYING
NO MORE SICKNESS OR DEATH
NO MORE HEARTACHE OR PAIN
NO MORE TRIALS OR TROUBLE
EVERYDAY WITH THE LORD
ARE YOU IN THE LORD
Application: Live every day as if today could be the day you see Jesus.
II. Encourage One Another with Hope
II. Encourage One Another with Hope
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
SPEAK WORDS THAT STRENGTHEN FAITH, NOT FEAR.
CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AS THE FOUNDATION OF BELIEVERS’ HOPE
1 CORINTHIANS 15:20–22, 54–57
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
CHRIST’S RESURRECTION GUARANTEES OURS.
BECAUSE HE LIVES, DEATH’S STING IS REMOVED AND VICTORY IS SURE.
“THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.”
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
OUR FUTURE RESURRECTION IS AS CERTAIN AS CHRIST’S.
THE SAME POWER THAT RAISED HIM WILL RAISE US.
DEATH HAS BEEN DEFEATED.
THE GRAVE DOES NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD.
DEATH HAS LOST ITS STING.
CHRIST HAS CONQUERED THE GRAVE.
DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.
THE TOMB IS NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING.
WHAT LOOKS LIKE LOSS IS ACTUALLY VICTORY.
DEATH IS A DOORWAY, NOT A DEAD END.
1 PETER 1:3–5
“BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST… WHO ACCORDING TO HIS ABUNDANT MERCY HAS BEGOTTEN US AGAIN TO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.”
• OUR HOPE IS LIVING, NOT DEAD, BECAUSE OUR SAVIOR IS ALIVE.
• IT LEADS TO AN INHERITANCE INCORRUPTIBLE AND RESERVED IN HEAVEN.
REMIND FELLOW BELIEVERS THAT DEATH IS NOT DEFEAT.
DEATH IS NOT DEFEAT—IT’S DELIVERANCE.
DEATH IS NOT FINAL—IT’S FREEDOM.
DEATH IS NOT TRAGEDY—IT’S TRANSITION.
DEATH IS NOT THE END—IT’S ELEVATION.
DEATH IS NOT DESTRUCTION—IT’S DEPARTURE.
DEATH IS NOT RUIN—IT’S REST.
DEATH IS NOT PUNISHMENT—IT’S PROMOTION.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
THIS TRUTH CAN BRING
peace to the TROUBLED MIND
JOY TO THE GRIEVING SOUL
comfort to the aching heart...!
DON’T ALLOW YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS
HEART TO TURN COLD
CLOUDS TO HANG LOW
FUTURE TO LOOK DIM
I KNOW THAT . . .
...THE HEART CAN TURNS COLD...
..THE LOAD CAN GETS HEAVY...
...THE CLOUDS CAN HANG LOW...
I KNOW THAT
THE FUTURE CAN LOOKS DIM...
..THE SPIRIT GROWS WEARY...
AND...THE WAY BECOMES LONELY...!
BUT IF YOU ENCOURAGE YOUR BROTHER AND SISTER IN CHRIST
...THE WEAK CAN BECOME STRONGER...
...THE ANXIOUS CAN BECOME ASSURED...
GIVE THE
...ONES IN THE VALLEY A REASON TO LOOK TO THE MOUNTAIN TOP...
GIVE THE ONE
... WATCHING THE SUNSET, REASON TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAWN...
GIVE THE ONE
... IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM REASON TO KEEP HOLDING ON...!
III. Expect the Day of the Lord to be Sudden
III. Expect the Day of the Lord to be Sudden
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
WARN THEM THAT CHRIST
COMES FOR THE RIGHTEOUS NOT SINNERS
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
WARN THEM ABOUT THEIR COMPANY
33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
BE ALERT—THE TIMING IS UNKNOWN BUT THE EVENT IS CERTAIN.
40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
DON’T BE DECEIVED
BY FALSE PEACE OR WORLDLY SECURITY.
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
WARN OTHERS—SUDDEN DESTRUCTION AWAITS THE UNPREPARED.
HOW?
CARRYING THE GOSPEL TO THE LOST,
CLEANSING THEIR LIVES IN HOLINESS,
KEEPING AWAKE IN WATCHFULNESS,
CONTROLLING THEMSELVES IN SOBRIETY,
CLOTHING THEMSELVES IN FAITH, LOVE, AND HOPE,
CONDUCTING THEMSELVES AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT,
CONTINUING PATIENTLY THROUGH TRIALS,
CRAVINGT HE LORD’S APPEARING ABOVE ALL ELSE.
COMFORTING OTHERS WITH HOPE
IV. Engage as Children of the Light
IV. Engage as Children of the Light
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
Know who you are—you are not in darkness but in the light.
Stay awake—don’t drift into spiritual sleep or complacency.
Be self-controlled—walk soberly and wisely in this age.
Arm yourself daily—put on faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
A saint who is armed will:
Think with Christ’s mind,
Stand in truth,
Walk in righteousness,
Hold the shield of faith,
Rest in hope,
Speak the Word boldly,
Pray continually,
Love faithfully,
Shine as light in darkness.
Application: Be alert, anchored, and armed until Christ comes again.
