THE RETURN OF CHRIST

Illustration: LSU Basketball player gets put into the Game and does not have his Jersey.

Scoffers will come

verse 3 scoffers will come in the last days

Mockers - Ridiculing, making fun

Some are not taking it serious

Genesis 19:14 “So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.”

This is the sentiment of our culture many don’t take the gospel serious, even though we are living in the last days.

ex: Noah

How does your life reflect christ does it make people mock christianity?

*Maybe if christians would live more cross-centered, you would have less people who think it is a joke. (refer to our series on Hypocrisy)

Some are deceiving themselves and others

Ex: my kids, when doing something wrong, get confident if I don’t say anything right away! This is how we are and this is the attitude of the people in our text.

They say nothing has happened so there is no GOD or He is not involved in the affairs of man

psalm 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.”

They reject the testimony and continue in sin, in worldliness, and in rebellion against God.

“If He did it before, He can and He will do it again”

Remember to count the patients of the lord as salvation

Christ will come again!

verse 10 the day of the lord will come

Matthew 24:30 “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

2 THESSALONIANS 1:7 “and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels”

My Favorite Illustrations Encourage One Another

Someone said, “Believers should not worry about when Christ is coming, but should encourage one another because they are certain He is coming.”

Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

Like a thief

Revelation 3:3 “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”

A break-in occurs every 26 seconds in the US. (FBI)

46.9% of people don’t have a home security system installed in their home.

In the same way, many people ,including supposed christians, will not be ready and will only be alerted to His return after He has already broken through the clouds

Are you ready?

Jesus never spoke of His return in terms of time but of condition. We are to be busy preparing the condition ) and leave the time with God.

Matthew 25:11-13 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”

“If you stay ready, you never have to get ready.”

Ex: sleeping in most of my uniform so as to not be late for military training

Living in anticipation

verse 14 … be found by him without spot or blemish

Pursue a heavenly focused

Ex: In order for a hot air balloon to gain altitude they have to lighten the load. some of us are too focused on this earth we have too many sandbags!

lay aside every weight

“Satan doesn’t have to get us to walk away from the faith to be successful, if he can simply derail us he is already successful.”

what is your focus on? have you left your first love?

Ephesians 2:19 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,”

ex: Leonard Ravenhill “5 minutes inside eternity”

Pursue a holy life

1 peter 1:16 “since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

or consecration

Ex: Picture bride and groom saving themselves.

IN CLOSING

The LSU Basketball player missed his opportunity to get into the game because he was unprepared and who knows if He will every get that opportunity again.

Christ is coming soon don’t miss out on the opportunity to be with Him forever because of being unprepared. It starts Today!