SERMON - IS CHRIST'S RETURN IMMINENT part 2

Is Christ’s Return

Imminent?

Part2

 

 

We now will read Matthew and learn things we might not have thought through to gain the true meanings Jesus related to His disciples as He was speaking to them about the end of the world.

 

Matthew 24: ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 

The ‘end’ spoken about in this verse does not equate with the ‘end’ as it relates to the world ending. The ‘end’ spoken of in Verse 14 refers to the ‘end of the gospel being spread throughout the world.’

 

We see many countries, sadly including our own, enacting laws or interpreting their existing laws that seek to and actually stop the Gospel or anything referring to God as legally protected. This is the true ‘end’ as referenced in Matthew 24:14.

 

Matthew 24: ¹⁵"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet

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Now we are being told the sign of Christ’s Second Coming and the end of the world.

 

The Holy Place is Jerusalem ; ‘Abomination,’ is defined as, ‘extreme disgust,’ and ‘desolation,’ as ‘devastation, ruin,’ to make clear my next words. Today we see the rampant sin as Jerusalem is defiled by sex shops and outright filthy dealings. God must weep seeing His Holy Place being so utterly subjected to ruin. With this now said, you should ‘understand.’

 

Now let’s look at Luke.

 

Luke 21: ²⁰"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.

 

In our lifetimes we see Lebanon , Syria , the Palestinians and Iran all seeking the destruction of Israel . The armies of these nations have all sworn to eradicate Israel from existence. There is even a threat of nuclear weaponry being used!

 

 

Matthew 24: ¹⁶then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. ¹⁹How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ²⁰Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

 

The first-century Christians were convinced Christ would return in their lifetime.  Their country was being destroyed and other scripture on the Old Testament convinced them of this thought. There were Christians forced to flee from Pella in 70 A.D. but this was only a type of action required of God’s people that were being persecuted. What will be faced by Christians shortly before the Great Tribulation will be the ‘desolation’ of Jerusalem .

 

Heed the Word of God and flee, you that are of God’s children. The time of great destruction nears.

 

Matthew 24: ²¹For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. ²²If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ²³At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.

 

We, the elders of us, lived through World War ll, the Korean conflict, Viet Nam , the Gulf War and now war in Afghanistan and Iraq . But, God’s Word says: ‘distress, unequaled from the beginning!”

 

Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be no worse than what is to come! God said so!

 

Not everyone will die as Scripture reads, “for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” However they will be subjected to further strife as they witness the many, ‘false messiahs,’ that will rear their heads and deliver their filth of doctrines not worthy of God.

 

Matthew 24: ²⁴For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. ²⁵See, I have told you ahead of time. ²⁶"So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

 

The Word is clear as we are warned of the imposters that will exist and actually exist this very day! You need not look far to see men posing as Christian, posing as if they could heal, and posing as if they could save your souls. They say, ‘give me money and I will pray for your dead in a special service and your loved one will gain Paradise !’ They say, ‘give me your money and I will heal you.’ Others say, ‘let’s have sex; after all, God wants us to have a fun life.’

 

There are literally thousands of reasons laid out as justification for following them instead of God! People, brothers and sisters, these folks want you to live for them, not for God! They want you to live a life of the flesh, not a life of righteousness! Jesus spoke these words to let you know that you had best do God’s will and do not follow imposters no matter how they attempt to lead you astray!

 

Matthew 24: ²⁷For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

 

In Verse 27 Jesus is telling us that He is coming and you can take that to the bank! His further warnings of, ‘carcass and vultures,’ lets us know that there are evil imposters, ‘vultures,’ that will be thee to feast upon the souls of the weak.

 

Matthew 24: ²⁹"Immediately after the distress of those days " 'the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;    the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

 

Stars falling will be seen as the true men of God who diligently speak His Word will be set upon. The darkening of the sun and moon will be the total suppression of God’s Word, the Christian Bible and the shaking of “heavenly bodies,” the sadness felt throughout heaven for the trials Christians on earth must undergo. This period of torment of Christianity will be for a period of 2 ½ years! We must be prepared to stand firm no matter how bad it gets. I am sure of what I say.

 

Matthew 24: ³⁰"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. ³¹And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

 

Jesus’ return will be preceded by a “sign.” That sign will cause nations to mourn. Why, you may ask. These nations will be the very same that banned God from there citizens! They will realize that we Christians were right all along and that will make them weep.

 

I try, as do you, to tell many of God’s Word only to be ignored and talked about behind my back as ‘some kind of religious kook.’ Many smile and small talk, but just will not believe and that is sad. The only thing I can say of them is that their faith is weak and even if the were to listen, at the first attack on their new-found religion, they would deny Christ! 

 

Those of you that are true Christians and have no doubt as to their being warriors of God are the type of people I want to associate with and as the old saying goes, “that’s then type of person I would share a foxhole with on the battlefield.”

 

(Closing prayer)

 

Almighty Father, Lord on High, we come to You asking that You receive our praise and know that each of us worships You as You have directed us to. Father, we worship You in Spirit and in Truth. You alone are most High and You alone are worthy of our heartfelt thanks and our love.

 

Lord, as we are going through times of fear and severe trials, we ask that You lend us the strength to face any that would seek to cause us harm. Strengthen us O Lord and be with us as we face the trials set upon us. Do not let us weaken in any way and allow us to be examples for any that would join us in our firm beliefs in You.

 

Lord, we ask that You strengthen our faith and steel our spirits. Help us to face all that is to come.

We ask that our prayers be answered and seen as our absolute faith in You by the fact that we believe.

 

We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord and Savior, who is one with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever,

 

Amen, amen and amen...