The Last Days

August 8, 2010

Introduction

 

            On May 16th, I preached on “The Last Days,” so is this the same sermon?  Did I forget that I preached it, or what happened?  What actually happened is that I often think about the reality of the last days.

 

Much is said about the last days

We are closer to the last days than anyone has been

Many things remind me of the coming of the last days

I have to ask, am I living as if there might not be a tomorrow?

 

            When I was still at home, I worked for my dad a few years in his service station.  When we heard an ambulance, dad would often respond, “I hate to hear an ambulance.”  One day I asked him why and he said, “Because it means someone is in trouble.”  I had to think about it:  Someone is hurt; Someone is critically ill; Someone has been involved in an accident; Someone’s home is on fire;  Someone is the victim of a crime.

 

Dad was right!  Someone was in trouble.  I had always thought sirens were neat.  In fact, I hoped I could drive a vehicle with a siren, but all of that changed when dad told me why he hated to hear sirens.

 

            Unfortunately there are many cases where there are no sirens, but people are dying, and going to meet the Lord unprepared.  But is dying the only problem?  Some are living what they call a “hell on earth,”  but there are no sirens.  There is no one going to the rescue.  What does the Bible say about all of this?

 

Body

 

I.       It tells why the Lord has waited so long to come back.

 

(2 Pet 3:9-10 NASB)  The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. {10} But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

 

II.    What would you do if you knew He was coming in a certain length of time?

 

  1. What if you knew you only had one week?

 

1.      Do you have a list of those you would like to warn, or talk to?

2.      Do you have a plan of action?  A time when you are going to see someone?

 

  1. Would there be more urgency if you knew you only had 24 hours?

  2. What if you thought you had several years?

  3. What did Jesus say about how we would respond at the end of time?

 

(Mat 24:36-39 NKJV)  "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. {37} "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. {38} "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, {39} "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

 

III. Since we don’t know when, what are we to do?

 

A.  Being close to someone will not save them.

 

(Mat 24:40-41 NKJV)  "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. {41} "Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

 

  1. We must be watchful—on the alert.

 

(Mat 24:42-44 NKJV)  "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. {43} "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. {44} "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

 

  1. Are we engaged in the work of the kingdom?

 

(Mat 24:45-47 NKJV)  "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? {46} "Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. {47} "Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.

 

  1. What if we think we have a lot of time?

 

(Mat 24:48-51 NKJV)  "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' {49} "and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, {50} "the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, {51} "and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

G2556

κακός

kakos

Thayer Definition:

1) of a bad nature

1a) not such as it ought to be

2) of a mode of thinking, feeling, acting

2a) base, wrong, wicked

3) troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, baneful

 

  1. Times were hard for the church at Sardis, but Jesus told them what to do.

 

(Rev 3:1-6 NKJV)  "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. {2} "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. {3} "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. {4} "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. {5} "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. {6} "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

 

Conclusion

 

What do we conclude?

 

I.       We must be ready ourselves – to be watchful and repent.

II.    Encourage those who are weak in the faith or stumbling.

III. Try to rescue those who are out of Christ.

 

Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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