When Christ Returns

Passages of Support

- Blessed Hope of Christ’s Return

- Be ready for Christ’s Return

- Well Done Good and Faithful Servant

Introduction

When I was a Kid, I had a thing called a curfew. My Curfew when I was in elementary school was I had to be in bed at 7:30. I believe this started when I was about 7-8 years old. Every year I got older I was able to stay up for 30 Minutes longer. So literally every beginning of the year I would stay up a little longer more until my mom made me go to bed but It was literally the best because all of the best tv shows were on at night. However, this rule gave me something to look forward to which was exciting!

This excitment didnt go away once I got to high school. By then my curfew was really late. But as I grew up there were different things to be excited about; getting my liscense, playing sports in high school, going to colledge etc.

Its amazing to think that we are all somewhat like that. We all think about the future and sometimes excited for the new thing thats going to come. Some of you who are seniors youre thinking about college and where you are going to go and major in which is a huge decision in your life! Junior highers you guys are probably thinking about high school and eager to get your license and start driving and play sports just like me! Theres something about growing up that is exciting which makes us stoked for the future and we work hard right now because we want to play that sport, get into that college or get that job.

But. There will be a point in your life where you are truly going to wonder… Whats next? Sometimes you will not know what to do and to be honest that is probably one of the most scariest places to be? Some of you may even feel like that right now.

If you are a Christian you should never be so anxious that you are scared for the future. I want to give you the principles of why we as Christians will always be hopeful for the future because the greatest thing we should be looking forward to is when Jesus comes back

Eschatology

When we as Christians talk about Escatology we always think of the book of Revelation which is God revealing to us what will happen to the world in the future.

Fundamentally it is the Study of End Times

Now many Christians debate on how Christ is going to return and the events that ought to take place. However, my goal is to not go through these theological views with you but to show you how eschatology is important for how you ought to live right now.

Here is what every Christian believes: That Jesus will Return and Establish the New Heavens and the New Earth-Revelation 21

God dwells with ManKind

God Creates a new Heaven and New Earth

God will be with the People as their God

God will take away the suffering of the Wrold

Rad V.8- The Wicked people will be thrown into the lake of fire

This New Heavens and New Earth is what every Christian should long for. We are not citizens of this world but our World is the Kingdom of Heaven which will be here on Earth which is exactly what we just read. But how does this inform us in our everyday lives?

Hope for the Return of Christ

Typically when we suffer, we hope everyday that it will one day be gone. This is true of everyone because no one likes to suffer. Those who suffer always hope for something better in the future!

We as Christians have an advantage in life because we know what causes that suffering and that is SIN.

We also know that Sin was paid on the Cross by Jesus Christ when we believe in Him but the issue of Sin is still there. Our hope isn't in man or science to make the world a better place but in Jesus destruction of Sin as we read in . Jesus also tells us to take up our crosses and follow him meaning that the Christian life when we follow Jesus it wont be a walk in the park but it will be hard. So what is our hope??

Read

Titus 2:11–14 ESV

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-

Paul is writing to Titus to teach doctrine that is consistent with all of Scripture. The Church in teaching sound doctrine however is a means to apply that sound doctrine. We as Christians ought to show that we are distinct from the world by modeling good works both older men and women, teaching younger men and women to do the same!

Therefore, Paul exhorts us to live by faith in the present. A call to action now. We are to do good works in the present age as Paul says, waiting for our blessed hope. The blessed hope is eternal life with Jesus Christ when He returns.

This Same message is conveyed in Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8:17 ESV

and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans

The Spirit bears us witness that we are children of God. And if you are children of God we our heirs of Christ’s inheritance. Something that is promised to all believers which is the same hope that Paul talked about in Titus. That hope is Eternal life with Jesus Christ

Romans 8:18 ESV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Though there is suffering, and hardships that we all will go through, for the believer we will have victory over death because God has promised this to us.

Creation

Paul then transitions into the state of Creation itself. Not only do we await our Savior but creation does as well because it is also in bondage to corruption. It awaits those who will properly take care of it and have dominion over it. Basically we have done a poor job of stewarding our world as God wanted us to because sin corrupted us which in turn corrupted creation.

Romans 8:23–24 ESV

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

Romans 8:22–25 ESV

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:23-

Romans 8:

Verse 24 is really important. “For in this hope we were saved.” What Paul is saying here is that God through means of the past (Jesus Christs sacrifice) with faith in the present,

We as believers can experience the fullness of Gods goodness NOW and in the Future. Meaning, you don't have to wait for all of Gods goodness because it already has been giving to you. When you realize this you will patiently endure when we comes back because you trust God will keep his promises!

Here is the fundamental promise:

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:28

Believers have the hope that God will work things for their Good, in that God has justified us through his son and we now have peace with God. And in the future for those who he justified we also glorified. Now we have been talking about being glorified in Christ. What this means is Eternal life, but in Eternal life we will get New bodies. Kind of like Jesus body when he resurrected. To put it in simpler terms, the bodies we have now aren't complete but these bodies will die. But if you are a believer God will resurrect us, meaning we will have Eternal life in a body that doesn't perish or wither away.

Glorified Body

New Heavens and New Earth

No more Sorrow

Sin and Death conquered

God will give us a new body, where we will be with Him for eternity.

Living in the Hope

Talk about Dont Waste Your Life by John Piper

Philippians 3:20 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:

Phillipians 3:20

Live for the Kingdom of God Not the World

Jesus Says Be Ready for when He Returns Matthew 24

Paul in this context is talking about striving for the Goal that is obtaining the resurrection from the dead which is glorification.

We are supposed to be striving for what God has already promised us for the future! We work hard because we should be so thankful and confident God will keep his promises to us!

Living like the world means to find passion in worldly things; money, power, authority

Honestly though, we can find wordly things in almost everything we do. We can be wordly in serving our Church, in reading our bibles in watching TV or playing video games, the new iphone, the new computer, the best School the best Car all of these things that ultimately mean nothing in our lives. Unless, we do it all for the goal of being faithful to God until He returns. When we dont live for something more than ourselves we waste our lives.

There isnt some magical formula on how to live for the Kingdom of God but all it takes is being faithful to Jesus Christ. Hate Evil and love your enemies. Love your Church family and serve them. Be kind to the person who sits alone at School. Be kind to those who are different then you. Dont desire all of the new things in the world but be content where you are. Do all of these things. Not for yourself though but for God.

Conclusion

Let me end with this. In the future when you are face to face with Jesus. What do you want to say to him? Do you want to apologize then for not following Him? Do you want to present all of the worldly things like the new phone or the new video game.? Or do you want to say God I followed you my whole entire life and that is all I can bring to the table?- If you can say that. Then He will say well done, my good and faithful servant.

My hope for you is that is what you want when you meet Jesus in the future.