1st
Thessalonians 5:1-11
July 7, 2013 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Matthew
24:44; Acts 1:6-9)
A.
The rapid events of the end of
the life of the Messiah
1.
In just 53 days (7 weeks), so
much had happened!
2.
The Crucifixion
3.
The Resurrection three days later
4.
The Ascension forty days later
5.
The Day of Pentecost just 10 days
later
B.
There was still much unfinished
business
1.
What about the
2.
When would Jesus become King of
kings and Lord of all lords?
3.
When would the believers reign
with Him?
4.
When would all of
C.
But it was at Christ’s Ascension
that some things were explained
D.
So, There is ANOTHER coming of
Jesus
1.
The first coming defeated sin –
“IT IS FINISHED”
2.
The second coming will defeat
Satan himself
E.
We can trust…
1.
He knows what He is doing
2.
He is staying busy – ever
interceding for us as our one, great mediator
3.
He has given us some work to do –
go ye into all the world and preach!
F.
We just need to be ready!
II.
Message
A.
The Predictions of His Second
Coming (Acts 1:10-14)
1.
Angels foretold Jesus’ coming
AGAIN (Acts 1:10,11)
2.
Jesus promised He would come
again (John 14:1-3; Mt 24:30; 25:31)
3.
The entire Old Testament is
filled with prophecies of Christ’s Second Coming
a.
There are 8 times more prophecies
about His SECOND coming than His FIRST! That’s why I say His FIRST coming PROVES
His SECOND!
b.
Sometimes separated only by a
comma (Isaiah 61:1,2; quoted in Luke 4:18,19)
c.
Look at Isaiah 9:6,7!
d.
Notice how that the FIRST coming
was interwoven, mixed in with prophecies about His Second coming
B.
The When of the Second
Coming (Mt 24:36; 25:13)
1.
No one will know when!
a.
Yet, there have been THOUSANDS of
b.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses
1)
Said Jesus would come back in
1914…
2)
Then changed it to 1925
3)
Then 1975
c.
Joseph Smith predicted Jesus
would come back in February 1891
d.
Harold Camping said it would
happen Oct 21, 2011
e.
And that is just a few of the
many, many weirdoes who reject the Bible!
2.
Jesus will come when the world is
NOT looking for Him to come
3.
His timing is secret on purpose
(Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7)
4.
Just know this:
a.
It will only get worse and worse
1)
Like the days of Noah
2)
And during the time of Lot just
before destruction of
b.
People will only grow colder and
colder because of sin
C.
The Proofs of Christ’s
Second Coming
1.
The fact that He came the first
time!
a.
You may think that means nothing
b.
But think about it…
c.
God came to this world ONCE
already
d.
Evidently he is coming AGAIN – as
we shall see
e.
You just cannot dismiss Christ’s
soon SECOND coming if you believe in His FIRST coming 2,000 years ago!
2.
The fact that there is some
unfinished business only HE can finish
3.
All the signs of His Second
Coming are amazing proofs He is coming again
a.
The one world government
constantly coming closer and closer
b.
The mark of the beast in full
swing!
c.
The world being unified against
the God of heaven, all at one time
d.
Preparation for an attack from
“out there” – supposed aliens
e.
World problems only getting worse
f.
Sin more and more out of control
– things aren’t getting better
g.
The fear of asteroids smashing
into the earth – just as foretold
D.
The Purpose of His Second
Coming
1.
To FINISH what only He can Do
a.
Politicians constantly try to
bring in peace – only the Price of Peace can do that
b.
Governments try so hard to remove
the curse of Genesis 3 and bring in a perfect world with no poverty, no wants,
no wars
c.
They are FRAUDS and deceivers!
d.
And you are stupid if you believe
their lies, and follow their lead
e.
Only Jesus Christ will be able to
do any of that!
2.
To Reign over His creation! He
didn’t just make this universe to let it self destruct. He made this whole
universe to rule over it one day in righteousness
a.
Oh how people do not want JESUS
to reign over them – I DO
b.
Oh how people want to only run
their own lives
3.
To Judge the world (Acts
17:30,31; 1Cor 4:5; 2Tim 4:1)
4.
To Restore Everything (Acts
3:18-21) – make everything beautiful – to work all things together for good to
them that love God – to make the world like it was in the beginning!
E.
The Glory of His Second
Coming
1.
Jesus’ FIRST coming was Unnoticed
a.
Jesus’ first coming was at night
time
b.
It was glorious, but almost no
one saw it
c.
But He DID come!
d.
His life that He lived during His
first coming was meek and quiet
2.
The Second Coming will be the
exact opposite (Rev 1:7; 2Thes 1:7-10)
3.
We will learn more throughout
this month
4.
Right now, my job is to make sure
everyone I meet is ready, prepared, excited, and expecting His soon coming!
a.
You may think I am crazy, or
taking this too seriously
b.
But it is THE most serious thing
right now, today
c.
Just as dead-serious as if a
1,000 mile asteroid was discovered to be headed directly at our planet!
d.
Just as serious as a doctor
telling you that you are at high risk of a heart attack at anymoment!
III.
How to Prepare for His
Second Coming (1Thes 5:1-11)
A.
Believe He is Coming
(1Thes 5:1-3)
1.
You had better believe He came
once already and is about to come again!
2.
The Jews were purposely ignorant
of the Messiah’s first coming
3.
They missed it
4.
Don’t be like them, and miss His
SECOND coming
5.
Don’t believe the world’s
substitutes
a.
Poor substitutes
b.
Constant speeches and promises
that never happen
6.
Take His first coming seriously
and get born again! Because if you don’t get saved now, you won’t be able to get
born again later (2Thes 2:3-13)
7.
If you are not taking His second
coming seriously, it probably is because you have never taken seriously His
first coming, and his dying on the cross for your sins!
8.
You had better believe He came
once already and is about to come again!
B.
Be Sober About Your Life –
the way you live (1Thes 5:4-7)
1.
Stay Out of the Dark – stay away
from the sins of this world
2.
Stay in the daylight
3.
It matters how you live your life
from day to day ladies and gentlemen!
4.
Tit 2:13-15
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem
us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man
despise thee.
C.
Be Watchful – Expectant
of Him to Appear at Any Time (1Thes 5:6)
1.
Expect His Coming at any moment
a.
Jesus never said, “I will be gone
for a very long time, so don’t get too worked up about it… I’ll let you know
when to start getting serious about Me coming again…” NO!
b.
He said, “No one needs to know
WHEN so that they will ALWAYS be ready!”
c.
So, we are to plan like Jesus is
not coming for 100 more years
d.
But we are to LIVE like He could
come and take us home TODAY!
2.
Remember, Christ’s appearance
does not slowly arrive
a.
It doesn’t slowly get brighter
and better until He comes
b.
No.
c.
He will come like a thief in the
night
d.
He will come when you are NOT
expecting it
e.
He will come like lightening (Mt
24:27) - instantly
3.
So, Look forward to it (2Tim 4:8)
a.
Actually look for things to start
winding up very rapidly
b.
Listen for a shout from heaven!
Expect it at any second
c.
Wake up in the morning and look
out at the clouds and wonder, could it be today?
D.
Be Faithful (1Thes 5:8-11)
1.
No matter how long He takes!
2.
You may not be able to do much,
but you ought to determine to be faithful!
3.
Be ready for the hard times
a.
Put on the armour of God
b.
Stand, stay faithful – don’t back
off, back down, or quit
4.
No matter how hard times may get,
we will miss the coming wrath of God on this world! We have been SAVED from the
wrath to come! Hallelujah!
5.
But that doesn’t mean we have
been saved from ALL troubles!
6.
So keep going on – pressing on!
Faithful!
7.
He was faithful to the end of the
cross – will we not do the same?
8.
Keep encouraging each other
(5:11)
a.
If you keep missing church and
don’t make each other a priority, someone will get discouraged and fall away
b.
How dare we think sports or work
is more important than the family of God and the work of God!
9.
Let’s get faithful and STAY
faithful
IV.
Conclusion
A.
Do you look forward to the future
coming of our Lord?
B.
You should!
C.
If you are terrified, then you
had better get ready