The “SURE THINGS” Series
#5
"A SURE PROMISE!"
TEXTS: 2 Cor.
1:18-22; 5:1-10; Jude 24-25; 2 Pet. 3:1-16; Rom.
INTRO: Back in
1823 a man by the name of William Cushing was born in
God
heard this servant and granted him the words to one of the best children's hymns
over the last 100+ years! The name
of the song, "JEWELS" found in many hymn books; a beautiful
hymn that speaks about the joy of Christ's coming ... a promise which in his
mind was “a
sure promise!”
Another great hymn this former pastor wrote was "Hiding in
Thee" ... for a preacher who had lost the ability to speak he managed
to keep bitterness at bay ... and found a song in his heart, and the privilege
of writing a wonderful children's song in thanksgiving to the God who had saved
him as a young boy ... who now as always held to the SURE PROMISE OF CHRIST'S
COMING AGAIN!
PROP. SENT:
Eternal life is a sure thing, and there are 2 places we may choose to
spend it! Why not accept the sure
promise of Jesus Christ, He is coming again ... and only those who have accepted
Him as Lord will be traveling up, the rest will find a path only downward! Today is the day of salvation AND
know that one of the surest promises in the universe is that JESUS IS COMING
AGAIN ... AND SOON!
I.
EXPLICIT! 2 Cor.
1:18-20; Jude 24-25
A. Absolute! 2 Cor.
1:18-20
1.
God is not a wavering God ... He is not one way today and tomorrow who
knows!
a.
Paul and others had preached His
promises!
b.
Not a single promise of God's has ever
failed!
ILLUS: Both the Old
and New Testaments are filled with promises of the second coming of Christ. Someone has reported that there are
1,845 references in the Old Testament alone and a total of 17 books that give it
prominence. Of the 260 chapters in
the entire New Testament, there are 318 references to Christ's second
coming. That averages one out of
every 30 verses. Furthermore, 23 of
the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event. That leaves only four books that do not
refer directly to the Second Coming.
Interestingly, three of these four books are single-chapter letters which
were written to specific persons on a particular subject. -- Source
Unknown
c.
Those promises that have not yet happened therefore can be counted
on!
d.
The message of Christ's salvation and His coming again is simply a YES,
YES, deal!
2.
Jesus is the "AMEN" to these
promises!
a.
This means He is the living proof of God's existence and His
promises!
b.
Since Christ died for us we can count on His
Word!
c.
Jesus promised that where He went, we will someday go
also!
3.
To this sure promise Paul said "AMEN!" (This simply means: "so be
it!")
4.
There has never been a promise of God that ended with NO, only YES!
Meaning: “YES
IT IS TRUE!”
5.
It is therefore an absolute fact that Jesus is coming
again!
B. Assurance! Jude
24-25
1.
Jude is the "postcard epistle" ...
short, but with a hallmark finish!
2.
Notice the end of this short letter: "God is able
to keep us from:"
a.
"FALLING"
b.
"FAULT"
c.
"FEAR!"
3.
Note the last line: God, "before all ages, now and forevermore! AMEN!"
4.
There is simply no doubt about it ... and if you do have some doubt then
we should all read VERSE 22 where we are to "snatch others from the fire and save
them."
5.
Fortunately, it is God who "is ABLE TO keep
us..."
II.
ENDURANCE! 2 Pet.
3:1-16; Jude 20-21
A. Arrogance
2 Pet.
3:1-7
1.
The last day’s mentality will include great scoffing at this surest
promise of God!
2.
The arrogance of man's heart is to think only of the here and now and
ignore the huge future we all will face and live
in!
ILLUS: Billy Graham
was speaking at the University of California and was being heckled by a large
group of EDUCATED LIBERALS who scoffed at Christianity as being relevant until
Dr. Graham brought up the subject of DEATH & ETERNITY ... suddenly it was
quiet! He continued and shared this
story: A young college girl had
been fatally injured in a car accident; these were her last words to her mother:
"You taught me everything I
needed to know to get me by in college, how to light my cigarette, how to hold
my cocktail glass, and how to have sexual intercourse safely ... but Mother, you
never taught me how to die; you had better teach me quickly, Mother, I am
dying!" – Source
Unknown
3.
The mentality of the last days will include the arrogance of man's
selfishness, only thinking of the moment, what more can I get, what more can I
do, what more will I accomplish ... NOW, NOW, NOW,
NOW!
a.
What about eternity!?
b.
What about tomorrow, it will come!
c.
You cannot ignore this reality ... and you may not have the chance later
to decide!
4.
There are no guarantees in this life ... except ONE SURE PROMISE! To those who receive Jesus Christ
TOMORROW IS FOREVER WONDERFUL!
a.
For
the sinner his past is always going to be catching up with
him!
b.
For
the saint his future is always going to be catching up with
him!
c.
What a wonderful difference for the
SAINT!
5.
Arrogantly, men forget about the past when God shouted the need to think
about eternal life...
a.
Remember the
flood?
b.
Remember Sodom &
Gomorrah?
c.
Remember God's promise of the future ... everything will one day be
destroyed with fire ... and hell will be real ... but so will
heaven!
ILLUS: It may be now
or never ... who knows! A man and
his son were fishing in the cold waters of the northern sea some time ago,
they stood fishing from the edge of a section of ice that reached out into
the extremely cold waters ... to fall into that water would mean death in only a
few minutes, suddenly a snap was heard and sure enough the father and son were
now on an ice drift floating out to sea ... at once the father shouted to his
son, "JUMP NOW SON AND DON'T HESITATE A
SECOND!" While the father
jumped in the waters to swim the short distance to land the son hesitated ...
when the father in a moment reached shore and turned, he saw his son floating
away ... now too far to survive the distance of the cold water ... he stood
there simply watching until his son disappeared in the distance, still floating
farther away ... never to be seen again ... he hesitated when the time was right
... and death was the only reward ... while his father who jumped in time
continued to live ... how about you?
Today is the day of salvation! – Source Unknown
B. Ache! 2 Pet.
3:8-9
1.
Yes, it has been a long time ... it could still be longer, or it might be
today!
ILLUS: What good will
it do the farmer to be angry at the plants because they are later in yielding
fruit than he thinks they should be?
It won't affect the plants.
It is not in his power to ripen fruits at his pleasure. Therefore, as the farmer exercises
patience and long-suffering waiting for the earth to yield her fruit, so should
we in waiting for the presence of the Lord. -- Source Unknown
2.
Yes, while we wait we ache!
a.
But, God is trying to wait as long
as possible so that many will be
saved!
b.
However, a time will come when His promised return will happen: DO NOT choose to perish ... God desires
NO ONE TO PERISH, which is why He has
waited...
3.
Like all things in this material universe we will eventually run out of
everything, including time!
(Einstein's 2nd Law of Thermodynamics actually teaches this, also called
the "Law of Entropy" ... all systems are running
down!)
4.
Don't be caught short!
C. Attitudes! 2 Pet. 3:10-16; Jude
20-21
1.
God has something to say to believers too while God is patiently waiting
for all to come in repentance to Him!
2.
We are to frame our minds with certain attitudes and
actions!
a.
We are to live "Holy" ... live UP to God's expectations, not
see how much we can get away with and still make
heaven!
ILLUS: During his 1960
presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story
of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of
Representatives. One day in 1789,
the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives,
glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate
adjournment, Davenport rose and said, "The Day of Judgement is either
approaching or it is not. If it is
not, there is no cause for adjournment.
If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be
brought."
Rather than fearing what is to
come, we are to be faithful till Christ returns. Instead of fearing the dark, we're to be
lights as we watch and wait. -- Henry
Heintz, Troy, New York. Leadership, Vol. 5, no. 2.
b.
We are to be a peace even during times of travail such as the last times
will be ... indeed they are now!
c.
We are to take this patient waiting of God's
and use it to reach as many as possible while it is still possible ... this is
not just a time for believers to sit back in comfort and await the 2nd coming so
they can escape while their neighbors or friends go to
hell!
3.
We are to "BUILD ourselves up in the most Holy
faith" (Jude 20) ... this is not a
time to attack each other in the church, or to live sloppy
lives!
4.
We are to pray in the Holy Spirit ... more than just repetitious
prayers!
5.
"KEEP ourselves in God's love" (Jude 21) ... as we wait for the surest promise to
become reality!
6.
"Be
merciful to those who do doubt" (Jude
22) ... this concept of Christ's return isn't an easy one for people to
swallow ... and there are times we may struggle with doubts
too!
III. ENGAGEMENT! 2 Cor. 5:1-10;
1:21-22
A. Agreement 2 Cor.
5:1-10
1.
Though we now "groan in this tent" (our bodies as frail as they are!) we
have this promise ... groaning will come to an end
and a wonderful groan-free body will be given
us!
ILLUS: The primitive
church thought more about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ than about death or
about heaven. The early Christians
were looking not for a cleft in the ground called a grave but for a cleavage in
the sky called Glory. They were
watching not for the undertaker but for the uppertaker. -- Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) -- Edythe Draper,
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc., 1992). Entry 9913.
2.
How can we be sure? BECAUSE
"GOD HAS GIVEN
US A DEPOSIT," GUARANTEEING THE PAYOFF ONE DAY OF THE ENTIRE
LOAN!
a.
The idea here is like an engagement
ring!
b.
What is the idea behind an engagement ring? It is the deposit that guarantees THE
FUTURE UNION ... OR IN OUR CASE AS THE CHURCH AND BRIDE OF CHRIST ...
MARRIAGE!
c.
This means heaven folks!
3.
The Spirit of God in your heart NOW is the deposit of what is to
come! FULL PAYMENT OF A BODY
THAT CAN BEAR THE HOLY SPIRIT OF A REDEEMED
HUMANITY!
4.
God Himself made this agreement with all those who accepted Christ as
their Lord!
B. Adjoining! 2 Cor.
1:21-22
1.
His seal of ownership upon us is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our
lives as we accept Christ!
2.
This will guarantee that we will be joined with Him in His own home one
day, when He comes to give full payment of what He started, our FULL AND
COMPLETE RESTORATION and full benefits of perfect sinlessness ...
HEAVEN!
3.
This is going to happen ... it is a sure promise of
God's!
ILLUS: A farmer had an
old hound dog that he cherished. One day the dog disappeared, and several weeks
passed without his return. In spite
of this, the farmer continued to set out fresh food for the dog every day. Finally, in curiosity, one of the
farmer's neighbors asked why he continued to set out food for the dog when he
obviously was not returning. "He
will be back," replied the farmer. "Because he knows I am here waiting for him.
And when he gets here I want him to know he is welcome back." Today we wait for Christ's return with
great expectancy. We do not know
the day nor the hour of His return, but we are confident that He is coming
back. As we wait for Christ's
return, we prepare ourselves each day to meet Him. -- Source Unknown
IV. EXPECTATION!
A. Active Rom.
13:11-13
1.
"WE
must not slumber in these days" ... even though night is coming; we
are not children of NIGHT, we are children of the DAY … many people need
our light!
ILLUS: The May 1984
National Geographic showed through color photos and drawings the swift and
terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman Cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum
in A.D. 79. The explosion of Mount
Vesuvius was so sudden, the residents were killed while in their routine: men
and women were at the market, the rich in their luxurious baths, slaves at
toil. They died amid volcanic ash
and superheated gasses. Even family
pets suffered the same quick and final fate. It takes little imagination to picture
the panic of that terrible day.
The
saddest part is that these people did not have to die. Scientists confirm what ancient Roman
writers record -- weeks of rumblings and shakings preceded the actual
explosion. Even an ominous plume of
smoke was clearly visible from the mountain days before the eruption. If only they had been able to read and
respond to Vesuvius's warning!
There are similar "rumblings" in
our world: warfare, earthquakes, the nuclear threat, economic woes, breakdown of
the family and moral standards.
While not exactly new, these things do point to a coming day of Judgment
(Matt. 24). People need not be
caught unprepared. God warns and
provides an escape to those who will heed the rumblings. -- Michael Bogart, Lemoore, California. Leadership, Vol.
6, no. 4.
2.
No matter how long it has been since you were saved, it is now nearer to
the coming of Christ than when you first believed ... it can only be
closer!
3.
This world is getting darker ... even though they are saying this is a
time of a "NEW WORLD ORDER" ... and a time when many nations are joined together
in peace ... IN TRUTH THEY ARE JOINED TOGETHER FOR
WAR!
a.
It won't be long and night will end ... it always
does!
b.
This is true spiritually as well, while we live in dark days, Christ
Jesus' coming will usher in the FULL LIGHT ... and then it will be the CHILDREN
OF LIGHT WHO WILL RULE!
c.
You too can be a child of God's family ... and if you are BRIGHT you will
be!
4.
Our activity should increase towards those who are still without the
benefit of salvation!
B. Adornment! Rom.
1.
This is a time to "CLOTHE OURSELVES WITH JESUS
CHRIST!"
2.
This is not the time to just gratify our flesh ... to ignore eternal
values while fulfilling all our temporal
ones!
ILLUS: A little girl
had been listening while her mother's friends were speaking about the imminent
return of the Lord. After some time
she was missed, so her mother went in search of her. She found her looking out a window at
the top of the house. Asked what
she was doing she said, "Oh, Mother, I heard you say Jesus might come today, and
I wanted to be the first to see Him.
See, I washed myself and put on a clean dress." -- Source Unknown
3.
This doesn't mean live like a monk ... but it does mean to think
seriously of the need to win the lost!
a.
It
does mean to have clear spiritual priorities in one's
life.
b.
It
does mean to value spiritual things above material
things.
c.
It
does mean to do everything we can to build up the body of
Christ!
d.
It
does mean to preach the gospel in every
nation!
e.
It
does mean to be alert to the enemy's tricks and schemes that would sidetrack our
walk with God!
4.
We are going to be adorned with a crown of righteousness ... WE SHOULD
LIVE THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS NOW, not just
later!
CONCLUSION: One of God's sure promises
is the guarantee of heaven to all who have received Christ as Lord! The day is going to come when we really
will be able to use the term "SAVED" in its fullest sense. Since "saved" is past tense, meaning it is already
finished, the use then of this term really means we are declaring the surest
promise of Christ's finished work in our life, as though it is done NOW! Praise God we are "SAVED" ... and what a "sure promise
it is!"