Jesus is Coming Again - Are You Ready?

Sermon By: Dick Webster

Intro: Read I Thessalonians 5

- Jesus proclaimed that He was coming back again

John 14:33 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

- Jesus said it, I believe it, and that settles it

Jesus said it and that settles it whether I believe it or not!

The devil has lulled us to sleep

2 Tim 2:19 …The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1 Cor 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Christians have been conditioned to accept present situations

Small steps at a time, large steps would be too noticeable.

Present TV and lifestyles wouldn’t have been accepted 20 years ago

We have sat back and allowed evil to creep into our world

Allowed 1 woman’s campaign to take prayer out of schools

Sex everywhere (magazines, TV, books, stores)

Christians are happy just going to Church - not doing ministry work

I Thessalonians 5:22 “Obstain from ALL APPEARANCE of evil”

Sins desire is for YOU!

It is very tasteful and looks very good/desirable

We are no match for sin so stay at a distance

Transition: So with all of this in mind, just who is Jesus coming back in clouds of glory to take home with Him?

Coming For A Pure and Holy Church

Not a particular church or denomination

Denominations are man made, none in heaven

2 Peter 3:14-18

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Knowledgeable people

Study to show yourself approved

How can you help others grow if you don’t know the Word yourself

Righteous people are knowledgeable people or growing in knowledge

Live each day to be more pure and Holy

Closer to God each moment/step of each day

Praising people

Separated from the world

They will laugh and mock, but a day is coming for judgment

Walking in light and not darkness

Transition: I Thessalonians says to “Pray without ceasing”

Coming For A Praying People

Pray without ceasing

Prayer is foundational

The least attended meeting

Individual prayer

Corporate prayer

1st recourse should be prayer

both in Praise and in tough situations

Unity in prayer

Early church baptized in the Holy Spirit while in one accord

They were enabled with power, not just tongues

Pray and fast

Seems to be a lost command

Transition: Watch and pray

We Are to be Watching People

He comes as a thief in the night

No one knows

Do we wake up praying and watching

Go to sleep praying and watching

CAN we pray “Lord come quickly”

Pray Lord come quickly and then watch

Does this thought scare us?

is everything we do during the day, as the lord would want us to do?

Or would we be embarrassed

Can Jesus come and do everything we do?

In Closing (Musicians)

- I want to challenge you tonight to ensure you are ready for His coming

- Ensure you are Pure, Hole, Praying, and watching person

- Unsaved come forward

- If you need to be more prepared or are unsure, come forward