Certain Hope for Uncertain Times
01/20/2002 - When is Jesus coming back?
Over the years I've been amazed and amused by how many people have attempted to predict a date for the return of Christ. It's been going on for centuries. Back in the 1800's a preacher from Massachusetts by the name of William Miller predicted that Jesus was coming back in March of 1844. So he and bunch of his followers, who called themselves Millerites, climbed a high mountain, looked up into the sky, and waited for Jesus to come back. They wanted to be the first one's to go up at the rapture. They were waiting for "Miller Time." But after standing there for a few days and getting a real stiff neck they went home disappointed.
But that didn't bother William Miller. He went right back to his Bible and poured over his calculations and told his followers he made a mistake. Jesus wasn't coming back in March. Jesus was coming back in October, on October 22, 1844 to be exact. So on that day the Millerites climbed back up that same mountain, looked up into the same sky and once again were disappointed. But this time they said, "Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. We're outta' here." And that was the end of Miller Time!
More recently, in 1988, I think every pastor in America received a free copy of Edgar Whisnant's book 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could be in 1988. Over four million copies of his book were distributed. And through sophisticated calculations this NASA engineer gave 88 reasons why he believed Jesus would come back during Rash Hash Ana, the Jewish new year, September 11-13, 1988.
But when he woke up on September 14th and discovered that nothing had happened he went back to the drawing board and declared that his calculations were off by a year and quickly produced another book called The Final Shout whose first chapter was titled, "What Went Wrong in 1988 and Why."
When 1989 came and went without Christ's return, Whisenant gave up and told the Religious New Service, "I guess God doesn't always do things the way man thinks he will." Hello Edgar! No kidding!
But things as embarrassing as that haven't kept people from still predicting dates for Christ's return. One group said he was coming back on October 28, 1992, at 10 a.m. eastern standard time to be exact. One well-known Christian radio personality had Christians all over the country convinced that Jesus was coming back a few years ago and used his national daily radio broadcast to promote it. There was all kinds of second coming hype at the turn of the new millennium. Jerusalem was packed with people who flocked there to wait for Jesus to come back. And they're still waiting and so are we.
And because it's taken so long for Jesus to return the world scoffs at the idea that Christ is coming back. I'm mean, after all, let's face it, two thousand years is a long time to wait. And we don't like to wait, do we? I don't like to wait for the microwave to nuke the bag of popcorn when I'm hungry! But in their scoffing, the critics are actually fulfilling prophecy and making Christ's return that much more certain. They don't know it, but they are.
The apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:3-4, First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
Where is this coming he promised? When is Jesus coming back? That's the title of our teaching today as we continue our series called Certain Hope for Uncertain Times that's taking us through the New Testament letter of 1 Thessalonians. Two weeks ago we asked the question, what will happen when Jesus comes again? We looked 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and concluded that four things will happen when Jesus returns and we used four "R's" to keep it simple.
There will be the Return of Christ, the Resurrection of the Dead, the Rapture of the Church, and the Reunion of Loved Ones. In fact, that's why Paul wrote that passage to bring comfort and hope to those who've lost loved ones, Christian relatives and friends. He wants to give us certain hope that they won't miss out on Christ's return and that we'll see them again at that grand reunion in the sky that we call the rapture. Now when will all that be? When will Jesus Christ return? That's the million-dollar question.
Jesus himself said we can't know the day or the hour in Matthew 24:36,42, No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father ... Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
Interesting, when Mr. Whisenant was confronted with those words of Jesus he said, "That's true we don't know the exact day or hour. But we can know the year, the month, and the week of the Lord's return." Can we?
Turn in your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and let's see what the apostle Paul says about times and dates. Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you
Paul says I don't need to write to you about specific times and dates. The word he uses for "times" is the Greek word chronos. It means exact time like minutes and seconds. It's the word from which we get our English word chronology. The word for "dates" is the word kairos, it literally means seasons or periods of time. Paul says I've already talked to you about the times and seasons of Christ's return, I don't need to go over that again. It's interesting to me that Paul was only in Thessalonica for three or four weeks at the most, but during that short period of time he taught these new believers a lot about the second coming of Christ. And they were excited about it!
Jesus said the same thing to his disciples using the very same two words in Acts 1 when he was pressed on the question of when he was coming back to set up his kingdom. Acts 1:6-7, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority."
Despite what some people say, we're not going to know the day or the hour, the week, month or year for that matter. But we can know the signs of Christ's coming. Jesus talked a lot about the signs of his coming.
In Matthew 24, the same chapter where Jesus said no one knows the day or the hour, he also says here are the signs. Matthew 24:6-8, You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
There has always been war and famine and earthquakes on this planet, but they will increase in frequency and intensity before Jesus comes, just like labor pains to a pregnant woman.
Later on in the chapter he says it will be just like it was in the days of Noah. Matthew 24:37-39, As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
When Jesus comes back people will be going about their everyday business, eating and drinking, getting married, making plans for the future. Then suddenly Christ will come. The world won't expect it, like they didn't expect the flood. But we should. We should be like Noah who was prepared when the floods came. He didn't know the exact day or time it would start to rain, but he knew it was coming. So Paul goes on to say, "Don't be surprised. Even though we don't know the exact day or the hour we need to be prepared, because Jesus could come back at anytime."
Look at verses 2-5, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
As followers of Jesus, the Light of the world, we're children of light , Paul says, children of the day. We're not to be in the dark like the rest of the world when it comes to knowing with certainty what the future holds. So we need to be prepared for the return of Christ and Paul's going to tell us how to do that in verses 6-11.
But before he does he gives us two pictures to describe what the coming of Christ will be like, two pictures that Jesus often used of his return. First, the day of the Lord will be like a thief in the night. The "day of the Lord" is a specific phrase used throughout the Bible to refer to that future period of time when God will break in and interrupt human history. The Old Testament prophets speak about it often. It's not just a 24 hour day, it's a period of time that begins with the rapture and extends through the seven year Tribulation and then through the 1,000 year reign of Christ on this earth called the Millennium and right up to the Great White Throne judgment and the culmination of human history as we know it. That day will come like a thief in the night.
How do thieves come? Do they make appointments? No. Like the terrorists on September 11th, they come suddenly, unexpectedly, without warning. Nobody stands at the front door and waits for the thief to come knocking. They always come as a surprise. So when Christ returns nobody is going to be standing on a mountain, looking us, yelling, "Here comes Jesus!" It'll be a total surprise. But it can only be a surprise if it can happen at anytime. No one can set a date for his coming. No one can say, "Oh we don't have to worry, it's not going to be for another hundred years." The only way it can be sudden and unexpected is if it could happen at any time.
Interesting that he says it's going to be while people are saying, "Peace and safety." Since September 11th what are the two words that the whole world has been talking about and longing for more than ever, "peace and safety." Could Jesus come today? Absolutely. And the whole world would be surprised.
He gives us a second picture in verse three when he describes a pregnant woman in labor. Not only is the coming of Christ going to come unexpectedly and suddenly, but it's going to come certainly.
Before Jennifer and I had our first child we went through a four-week Lamaze class. And they talked to us about labor and delivery and contractions and breathing and all the things we had to know to prepare for the birth of our baby. And I didn't remember any of it when the delivery came! But one thing I did remember was when the nurse said, "Men look at me. Rule number one. When your wife or your significant other starts going into labor, get her to the hospital." And all the guys went, "Okay!" Because when a pregnant woman goes into labor there is no turning back. There is no stopping that baby. That baby's coming out ready or not. It might be take one hour or twelve hours, but it's coming. You can be certain of that!
The return of Christ is certain. It's certain hope. It will come suddenly and unexpectedly. But we should be ready for it. And in verses 6-11, Paul tells how to prepare and what our attitude should be like. Look at verse 6,So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
That word asleep in verse six means "spiritually indifferent or lethargic." It's not the same word for sleep that Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 when he said we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep. There the word was a euphemism for Christians who had died. But here he's saying, "Let's not be like others who are spiritually indifferent or insensitive, but let's be alert and self-controlled." That's what our attitude should be, alert and self-controlled. We need to be wide awake in a sleepwalking world and self-controlled.
What does it mean to be self-controlled? Somebody has said, "Self control is the ability to eat just one salted peanut." That is self-control. But self-control also means that we don't cave in to every thought, every impulse, every temptation, every idea that comes into our heads. There's a check in our spirit that helps us say yes to what we need to say yes to and not to what we need to say no to. And when we have self-control our lives can stay focused on the things that really matter and we can stay on track and we can finish what we start and we can reap the rewards of peace and joy and contentment of a well-ordered life. Self-control is a wonderful thing. It's one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit who lives in every Christian. Self-control doesn't bind us. It sets us free.
And in verses 7 and 8, Paul gives us a picture of what alertness and self-control looks like. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk (who are out of control), get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
Being alert and self-controlled looks like a Roman soldier prepared for battle. A Roman soldier in full armor was one of Paul's favorite analogies, because he understood that the Christian life is a battle. It's not easy and we need protection to fight it. And here Paul is saying that the key to being self-controlled and successful in the battle is putting on faith and love as a breastplate, which protected the heart of the Roman soldier, and the hope of salvation as helmet which protected his head or his mind.
Faith, hope and love. These are the three character qualities that we all need to be self-controlled and successful in the battle. A growing faith in Christ, a growing hope in his certain return, and a growing love towards each other. Faith, hope and love are the things that we need to put on everyday, just like a Roman soldier needed to put on his breastplate and helmet every time he went into battle. He wouldn't think of going into battle without them.
Every morning we have a decision to make. Are we going to get dressed or not? And most mornings, we decide to get dressed. In fact, we wouldn't think of going out of the house without our clothes on. But we have another decision to make every morning as well. Are we going to put on faith, hope and love? Or are we going to put on a bad attitude, an attitude of anger, bitterness, malice, pride, lust, greed, gossip. The choice is ours. And the more we choose faith, hope and love. The more self-controlled we become and the more focused our life is on the things that really matter.
Paul closes this section by saying in verse 9,For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are some Christians who think that the return of Christ will come during that horrible period of time called the Tribulation, when all hell breaks loose on the earth. Some think Jesus will come after those seven years are over and the church will have to go through the Tribulation. But I'm not one of them. I believe that Jesus will come before we enter that judgment and wrath on this world. And this verse is one reason why. God didn't appoint us to suffer wrath, which I believe is reference that terrible Tribulation period, but to be saved or rescued from it through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who, Paul says in verse 10, died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Jesus died for us. That's how much he loves us. And he's coming for his church to spare us from God's wrath, for all of his church. Not just those who are awake, meaning those who are alert and self-controlled, but also for those believers who are asleep, spiritually dull and indifferent. He's coming for them too. That's how amazing his grace is. And when he comes, we will all live together with him forever. That is certain hope for uncertain times. And as result, Paul wants us to encourage each other and build each other up with these words. Just like he said at the end of chapter 4.
So when is Jesus coming back? Anytime. It could be today. It'll be sudden and unexpected, but it's certain. We can count on it. And until he comes we're to be alert and self-controlled. Are you ready for his coming? Are you looking forward to it?
One of the joys of Christ's return is looking forward to it. Just like one of the joys of a vacation is the anticipation and the preparation that come before. That's almost as much fun as the vacation itself sometimes. How exciting it will be when the trumpet sounds and the skies open and Jesus comes to the clouds and the dead in Christ come out of their tombs and those who are alive are beamed up in an instant. It's going to be awesome! Are you looking forward to it? I am. I can't wait!