February 25th, 2001, Sunday Morning
"Conventions of the Second Coming"
Signs of the Times
OPENING: Matthew 24:37-42 KJV
- Matthew 24:37-42: This message will help you identify the world
conditions in the final days that signify the Second Coming of Christ by paralleling
today's wickedness to that of the days of Noah.
- Ecclesiastes 1:9: If you think the wickedness that goes on today
is worse than it has even been in history, guess what--it's not!
What goes on today is nothing worse than in Noah's day IN THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD!
- Revelation 1:7: We're living in a day and time where some say
Jesus Christ has already returned to earth. That's an easily diffused lie. If that were
true, everyone on earth would've seen His return!
- Upon His return, Christ shall rule and reign for 1,000 years. It will be
a supreme rulership and other countries will come to Him each year for wisdom.
- We, the saved (a.k.a. His saints) shall either
rule with him or not rule based on our service to him in our earthly bodies.
- Matthew 25:29: We will be given greater responsibility if we've
proven to GOD how well we are able to manage what He's given us to manage on earth. Else
if we don't, He'll take away that little bit of responsibility we've been given.
- Matthew 24:36: While no one but GOD knows when the Second
Coming is, we are given signs to determine how close we are to that time.
- #1/2: Condition of the world
- Genesis 6:1-3: This means GOD gave the earth 120 years
to repent of its sins.
- This is a model example of longsuffering (putting up with others)--a
component of the "Fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23).
- Ever wonder why Christ doesn't come back now and we must endure all the scoffers
who say, "Well Christ said over 2,000 years ago he return was imminent, so where is he?"
It's because of His longsuffering for those still lost.
- Genesis 6:4-8: Verse 5 parallels what we see in the world today...
- People sit around and wonder how they can please themselves--not GOD.
- Little children don't sit around and figure out how they can be a blessing to
mommy but rather how much trouble and mischief they can get into without being caught
or punished.
- Today's parents don't limit their children.
- The music and movie industry fuels the violation of GOD's principles. People
say it's only the rhythm they listen to and not the lyrics, however, don't you see today...
- Children rebelling against their parents?
- A greater instability in marriages?
- More murders within families?
- Simply going against GOD's Word?
- This is the same behavior as back in Noah's days.
- Genesis 6:1,11: And as the population explosion was marked, so
was the increase in violence, spiritual decline, moral depravity, etc...
- The world today is at the point of no shame, just like back then...
- Genesis 4:19: In the way we marry
- In the way we dress (i.e., transvestites, men wearing women's clothing and vice versa, etc.)
- In the way we speak of ourselves (i.e., talk shows like Jerry Springer)
- Genesis 6:5: Overall, evil is just about all we of.
- Genesis 4:20-22: Even the scientific develop of Noah's day
(handling of the harp and organ and artificers of brass and iron)
was parallel to the exploding levels of scientific knowledge today...
- The technology for Egyptian pyramid building was beyond our comprehension
because of the ability to build and lift without hydraulics.
- Brain surgery was performed back then as well as attempts at making batteries.
Even aircraft schematics were found etched in cave walls!
- Today's science has produced many great and spectacular things ... but not
all for GOD's glory.
- Genesis 6:8-9: And just as back in Noah's day, only a handful
of people today are trying to be right with GOD.
- Genesis 6:7 then Matthew 24:37-39:
- Back in Noah's day, there was no rain from clouds above and no ultraviolet
radiation showering man (which is probably the reason why they lived so much longer back
then). The world got its water from below. Everyone though Noah was crazy because he
believed this first-time event called a "flood" was going to occur from above.
- Noah got his instructions on how to build the ark from GOD and followed every
instruction exactly--without his own suggestions, input, or deviation.
- 2 Timothy 3:1-2: In the last days, there will be scoffers
(i.e., people who "talk smack" on the playing field/court). "boasters, proud",
as the scripture says.
- 2 Timothy 3:3: "Without natural affection" means the
rise of domestic assaults between husband and wife, children and parents, etc. And the more
good works you do, the more you will be despised.
- 2 Peter 3:1-4,9: Here is the connection between Noah's time and
today. Today, people are tired of us Christians constantly talking about the Second Coming
and nothing happening. Nothing is happening (yet) because GOD is giving that much more time
to the lost to repent before it's eternally too late.
- The last days will be characterized by pestilence, famine, the sun scorching
men (might be the complete depletion of the ozone layer) per Revelation 16:8-9.
- Revelation 8:10-11: Scientists talk about an asteroid hitting
the earth around 2030. This may not be entirely farfetched. This passage of scripture
is referring to an object (possibly an asteroid) named "Wormwood" that will
impact the earth ... in other words, it will not burn up in the atmosphere.
- So the lost may say to themselves, "I'll just wait until the Rapture and then
I'll get saved. That's a bad idea because as soon
as the Rapture happens in the twinkling of an eye, then is the Judgment. It will be
too late to be saved! Remember what Matthew 24:38-42 says...
"And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away"
- Consider the saved pilots,
missileers--people with their hand on the key,
doctors, lawyers, nurses ... they'll all disappear and leave their vehicle/operation
unattended!
- All those left behind will face the disasters: car/plane crashes, nuclear
disasters...
- 2 Thessolonians 2:7-13: Focus in on verses 11 through 13.
How will the disappearance of the saved be
explained? GOD cannot sin--he wouldn't literally send us a lie. Rather, He will
allow the Antichrist (Satan) to come on the scene and give an explanation that
everyone will believe. Perhaps the explanation might be UFOs came and took the
"bad people" of the world away and the world needs one global spokesman--the Antichrist.
This will be the "strong delusion".
- #2/2: The condition of the church
- Revelation 3:14-22: Focus in on verses 14 through 16.
Most of the churches in this country, today, fit the description of being
lukewarm: we're asleep, and not on fire
for GOD.
- Today, as a church, we are:
- Self-righteous
- Self-reliant ... (i.e., "we don't have any needs from GOD.")
- Short-sighted
- Today's average church member is spiritually asleep while the world is
scoffing at us.
- We Christians are so materialistic that if the Mark of the Beast were
to be offered now, many would accept it with the excuse that the family needs to be
fed! They'd say, "GOD, please forgive me for what I am about to do" and compromise
their Christian convictions because the family has to eat.
- Thankfully, the saved person will
not be here to make this critical decision.
- Christians "sell out" spiritually because they need that job, career,
car, or home. But don't you know you should pray for a job that DOESN'T TAKE YOU
AWAY FROM GOD?
- The only unpardonable sin in this
Dispensation of Grace is the denial
of the existence of Jesus Christ.
CLOSER
- Just as in Noah's time, we're in the same situations today!
- If you're spiritually lukewarm or cooled off, don't you think you should
get on fire for GOD again?
- 1 Corinthians 6:2: To the
saved of this world: we will be judges of this
world after we're raptured out.
- 2 Corinthians 6:2: To the lost of this world: do not wait until
it is too late to get saved, for today--right now--"now is the day of salvation."
