Jesus, the Return of the King

Zechariah chapter 14 and verse beginning in verse three here in just a moment. Alright. The return of the king. The story that we celebrate at Christmas is a continuing story. It's not a story that event happened, came, went, sober with, and done.

The end. I like watching those those TV shows that that are continuing, continuing story. You know, like, you gotta wait till next week or now that I have Hulu I don't watch stuff when it's on TV. I watch it when it comes out five years later on Hulu and then I can just watch episode after episode when I want to. And so I can find out what happens next.

What we celebrated Christmas is a continuing story. When looking at several of the prophecies concerning of Jesus, it becomes immediately obvious that only part of these prophecies were fulfilled in his birth. As many of them speak of his reign. When Christ birth, with Christ's birth, death, and resurrection, we have the first part of the story. There is a sequel.

There is a sequel. And as Israel in the Old Testament awaited the coming of the Messiah we today await his second coming and the return of the king Jesus Christ is alive Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. Jesus Christ intercedes at the right hand of the father right now for us. We know him as savior. He intercedes for us.

He's there to claim us. As his own because of what he did for us on Calvary's Cross. One day, he's going to call us home he's going to return back to this place with us where he will establish his kingdom where he will fulfill every last prophecy as he said would be fulfilled in Matthew five. Every jot and every tittle, every detail will be fulfilled. Concerning Jesus Christ.

Our savior, the son of God, and the king of kings and the Lord of lords. The king will return. The rapture of the church will occur the destruction of the kingdoms of this world will happen Christ will return to reign In Jerusalem on the throne of David. And his people will return to himself. Isaiah chapter nine verses six and seven.

Now, I haven't forgot about Zechariah 14. We'll get there. This is a familiar verse at Christmas time, isn't it? For unto us, a child is born unto us, a son is given, the government, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. His name shall be called the wonderful counselor, mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.

That's often where we stop but it's it's these verses go together. Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be what? No end. This child that is to be born will set up a government will rule in peace and there will be no end to his rule. Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, that would be Israel and Jerusalem.

To order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice, fairness, righteousness. From henceforth, even what? Even forever. There is a sequel. Christ will come again.

This child that was born was born to die for the sins of the world. The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world but he was also born to rule. His kingdom upon this earth When you become a child of God today, you become a subject of that kingdom the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of Jesus Christ And one day, the Bible says, we will rule and reign with him. In that kingdom. Here, on this Earth.

That is until he creates a new heaven. And a new Earth. Which we will enjoy the pleasures of heaven forevermore. Let's let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day.

Thank you Lord for your word and the great promises we find therein. We thank you Lord. That there is a sequel to this story. There is a day coming when you shall return. When all will be fulfilled, We thank you for that certain hope.

We thank you for the privilege to become the children of God and to serve you now here to serve you then. Lord, I pray that we as we celebrate Christmas, might not forget. Well, what is yet to come? That we might live in the light of that each and every day. In Jesus name, we do pray.

Amen. Micah five two. But thou Bethlehem Ephrata, though they'll be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee, shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting. Now, who could that be speaking of other than Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ, the son of God.

In John one, it says, in the beginning was the word, that's Jesus, the word was with God, and the word what? Was God. Jesus is God. He is the one who is from old, from everlasting, who became incarnate, became a child and a baby on Christmas who grew up to die on a cross for our sins, who rose again from the dead, who ascended back to his father in heaven, and one day, he is coming again to finish what he started and he will be ruler where? Israel.

That wasn't fulfilled in his first coming. That fulfillment is yet to come and though we often quote this verse again in regards to his birth, This is also a prophecy. To look to the future of the day when Christ returns. Turn if you would to Zechariah chapter 14. Zechariah chapter 14 in the Old Testament near the end of the Old Testament.

If you turn find Matthew in the New Testament just turn back. You'll come to Malachi. You'll come to Zechariah. Zechariah chapter 14 and we could look at at many passages. Matter of fact, I took I took a two semester class at Bob Jones University on Christ in the Old Testament.

It took us two semesters of two or three day. I think it was two days a week going through the Old Testament to look at all the different prophecies and and even then we probably miss some. Concerning Jesus Christ and many of those prophecies are concerning his second coming and this is one of them. This is one of the latter prophecies in the Old Testament. Just before there is a law in prophetic times for about three hundred years before Christ comes.

It says in verse three, then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations. That is nations that have come up against Israel. As when he fought in the day of battle and his feet, that is the Lord Jehovah that's Jesus by the way and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount Of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East and the Mount Of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West shall remove toward the North and half of it toward the South. And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains for the valley of the mountain shall reach unto Azal. Yey, you shall flee like as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and the Lord my God shall come and all the saints with thee and it shall come to pass in that day that the light that shall not be that that it in that day that the light shall not be clear nor dark but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord not day nor night but it shall come to pass that evening time it shall be light and it shall be on that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem half of them toward the former sea and half of them toward the hinder sea in summer and in winter shall it be and the Lord shall be king over all the earth.

In that day, shall there be one Lord and his name one. That day is coming. That day has yet to occur but Jesus is coming again and Jesus will come back to Jerusalem and he will stand upon the Mount Of Olives and it will cleave in two. There will be a tremendous earthquake. And he will enter his temple and he will set up his throne.

He is coming again. The king of kings. The Magi who came to worship Jesus were looking for who? Who were the Magi, the kings looking for? They were looking for whom?

They were looking for the king of the Jews. Why would they be looking for the king of the Jews? Well, they must have been reading some of the Old Testament scriptures. Must they have not? That foretold of the coming of the king of the Jews.

His own disciples asked him, asked Jesus. In Acts chapter one verse six, just before he ascended back up into heaven, Jesus' disciples asked him, Lord, will thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel? Just as he was getting ready to depart to go back to the heaven, his disciples wanted to know something. They knew in their heart. Many of these Old Testament prophecies, they had been taught from the time they were little.

They knew that he hadn't finished the job. He knew there was, they knew there was a sequel and they wanted to know. Was it now? Was it now? And if you know anything about sequels, usually there's a gap in between the first book and the second book or the first movie and the second movie and you've gotta wait a while.

For the sequel. You've had a little while to wait To God, a thousand years is a day and a day is a thousand years. It's a blink of an eye to him. His disciples understood better The first part of his plan that is his redemption from sin now that he had risen from the dead but they still knew that he hadn't finished all that he had promised and so they asked him what about the kingdom Is it now? The writers of the New Testament and of course, the Lord who indeed is the author reveals in the New Testament that these parts too will yet be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ at his second coming.

Jesus himself acknowledges this and answers his disciples questions. A little earlier, while they were sitting upon, guess where? The Mount Of Olives, the place he departed from later, the place he will return to according to Zechariah 14. Look if you would in Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24.

Matthew 24 It says in verse three and as he sat upon the Mount Of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately. As Jesus sat on the Mount Of Olives, I've sat upon the Mount Of Olives. I've looked across the Kidron Valley at the Temple Mount. It's a beautiful sight. But nothing anywhere near as beautiful as it will be one day.

And we who know Christ, I believe, will all have that opportunity to see it. He sat upon the Mount Of Olives probably overlooking Jerusalem and speaking with his disciples and they had this question. They said to Jesus, tell us, when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world. Now, the end of the world means the end of the age. We often use the end of the world to to speak of and indeed there will be an end of the world because this world will pass away at the end of the millennial reign of Christ and God will make a new heaven and a new earth but the world translated world means age or time period.

When will this age be over and when will the age of Christ's kingdom come? That's that's what they wanted to know. When is this, when are these things going to happen? Because we know there's things that that are yet to happen and so Christ begins to explain to them in Matthew 24. We don't have time to read through all of that this morning.

But I want to point out a couple things concerning the return of the king and Christ's answer beginning in verse 23. So if you look in chapter 24 and look beginning in verse 23. It says, then, if any man shall say unto you, low, here is Christ or there, believe it not. For there shall arise false Christ and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders. We call those miracles, okay?

And in so much that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect. The word elect there the the Lord Jesus Christ, my savior. But these deceivers will be very very crafty. Goes on to say verse 25, behold, have I told you before, I have told you before, wherefore, if they shall say unto you, behold, he is in the desert, go not forth, behold, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not, for as lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so also, so shall also the coming of the son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, the moon shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from heaven, and the power of the heaven shall be shaken. And then and then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. They shall gather together his elect from the four winds. From one end of heaven.

To another. The Bible tells us that before Christ comes back, there is going to be a great falling away. The Bible tells us that there will be many false Christ or antichrists leading up to one particular Antichrist who will deceive the nations. Satan's plan is already in full swing. What Satan doesn't realize is that every time Satan has a plan and he thinks he's got God in a corner, God's already made allowances for Satan's plan and it's going to fall right into God's lap.

As he always does. He has sent out his deceivers throughout the ages. Some of more recent notable ones, we studied in Sunday school here about a year ago. May have heard of Sung Young Moon, like call him the Moonies. Jim Jones, Joseph Smith, Every pope is essentially a false Christ because he claims to be the vicar of Christ on Earth.

David Koresh, remember him? Mako, Texas, does that ring a bell? How about a guy now the name of L Ron Hubbard? Ever heard of him? If you live in Clearwater, I'm sure you know who El Ron Hubbard is connected to.

All of these claimed in some form or fashion to be the second coming of Christ. Or to represent Christ or to be Christ but there is only one Christ and when he comes back when he returns you'll know it You'll know it When Christ comes back to this Earth to establish his kingdom, there will be no doubt. Who he is? Don't be deceived. By the deceivers who will come.

Turn if you would to second Thessalonians chapter two, second Thessalonians chapter two. Turn a few places this morning Passages are a little bit too long to put on the screen. Second Thessalonians chapter two, Paul is writing the church of Thessalonica. They're they're a bit concerned. They think that they're in the throes of the tribulation and the judgment of God upon the earth and they're not sure what's going to happen to them.

They're not sure what's happened to their to their friends and relatives who were Christians who had died. They thought Christ would come back before they died and and so Paul is dealing with these things in both of his letters to the to the Thessalonians. In Thessalonians chapter two beginning in verse three. Well, I'm almost starting verse one. He says, now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that you be not so soon shake so not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letters from us is that the day of the Lord, day of Christ is at hand that it's already come.

Let no man deceive you by any means for that that day, that day, the day of Christ, the day of his return shall not come except there come a falling away, first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition. The son of perdition is another title for the Antichrist. The son of perdition. Sedition. Rebellion against God.

Perversion. The son of perdition. The Antichrist. Who describes here in verse four, who opposeth and exalted himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. This person, the son of perdition who will come after at the conclusion of this great falling away from God.

This Antichrist who is the culmination will come. He will announce that he is who? He is God. He will declare himself to be God but he is not. Verse five, he says, remember you not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things and now you know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

The mystery of iniquity doth already work only he who now let it will let until he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and the shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him that is the antichrist whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. Does that fit in with Matthew chapter 24? Yes it does. These deceivers particularly the great deceiver, the puppet of Satan himself, the antichrist will deceive many with all power and signs and line wonders.

And verse 10 with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. The antichrist is coming. He will come in advance to the coming of the true, the return of the true Messiah, the king of kings and Lord of Lord Jesus Christ. There will be a great falling away before he comes. I think that's probably already in full swing.

Even among Christian I think Christian dom as a whole looks less and less like true Christianity every day. As we try to meld Christianity with humanism. We try to meld Christianity with Hinduism. We try to meld Christianity with whatever. It's only one way to God and that's through Jesus Christ.

Also tells us here that there's something that's holding the antichrist back from being revealed and taking control. It says here in verse six and now you know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. That is the antichrist. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work. These people are already out in the world.

Deceivers are already at work. Only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. The word letteth there actually means hinders. There's something hindering the coming of the antichrist into this world. I believe that which is hindering his coming is the church, the true church.

When the true church is taken out of the way, then the antichrist will come to the surface. He'll be revealed and with God's people out of the way, with the church out of the way. Then, he will be able to begin his great deception upon this world. A matter of fact, in first Thessalonians chapter four, Paul describes what we call the rapture. He says in verse 13 of first Thessalonians four, but I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him and for this we say unto you by the word of our Lord that we which are alive and remain shall be remain until the coming of the Lord shall not prevent or go before them which are asleep or have died in Christ for the Lord himself shall descend from hell with a shout, the voice of the archangel, the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. What does Paul tell us? Paul, I believe tells us this, before Christ returns to the Earth to set up his kingdom. We have some very specific things that are going to happen first. There's going to be a great falling away.

I think that that we already are seeing and then, there will be the rapture of the church the testimony of the spirit through his church that is holding back the floodgates of hell. On this world. Will be taken out of the way. And then, the antichrist will be revealed. Then, he will have full sway over this world.

Then, Satan will attempt to establish himself as God of the earth and his kingdom. This will all happen before the true Messiah returns to the Mount Of Olives to establish his kingdom. This antichrist who will be revealed is the son of perdition. If you'll turn to Romans chapter 13 is we see a little more about him there. In these signs and lying wonders by which he will deceive the nations of the world during the time we call the tribulation period.

Revelation 13 verse one, John writes, I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and 10 horns upon his horns, 10 crowns, and upon his heads, the name of blasphemy and the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard and his feet whereas the feet of bear and his mouth is the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority. The dragon is Satan. The beast is the antichrist. This is obviously symbolic language to describe the power of this son of perdition that will be released upon this world.

Verse three, and I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast. Evidently, the antichrist will be wounded in some fashion that should take his life but he will not die. He will be healed. And they worship the dragon which gave power unto the beast and they worshiped the beast saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue 40 in two months or three and a half years. In total sway of this world. Before God will begin to unleash his judgment. If you look down in verse 11 and I behold be and I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he spake as a dragon. The wolf in sheep's clothing.

He exercises all the power of the first beast before him and calls at the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. This is called the false prophet. False prophet will be in league with the antichrist and he will convince the world to worship the antichrist. As the Messiah. It says in verse 13 and he doeth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

He deceiveth them that dwell on the earth. By the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth and that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live and he had power to give life into the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be what? Should be killed. This will happen during the tribulation period. Great falling away.

The rapture of the church that was withholding the floodgates of hell. The antichrist, the false prophet being unleashed upon this world to take control and deceiving the nations to worship them. This false Christ will convince most of the world that he is the true Christ by the signs and wonders that he does. But he is not Jesus. He is not the king.

He is a false. He is a phony. He is not the real thing. The real thing is yet to come. Don't be deceived.

If you go back to Matthew chapter 24 and if you look if you would in verse 27. It says, for as lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so also shall the coming of the son of man be. The other night, we had a storm and it lightened and you you couldn't tell I couldn't tell whether the lightning was on the south side of the house or whether lightning was on the north side of the house because everything just what? Flashed. And couldn't be ignored.

Didn't know where it was coming from. Thunder followed. It was a lightning strike. Matthew, Jesus is saying to his disciples, my coming will be what? It will be unmistakable.

When I come back, you'll know it. You won't have to wonder. If the king has returned. I won't have to deceive you. I won't have to, I, when I come back the second time, world will know and there will be no doubt He says well, in Revelation chapter 19 it speaks of that second coming.

Turn if you would back to Revelation chapter 19. Revelation nineteen eleven John is writing. He says and I saw heaven open and behold a white horse. He that sat upon him was called faithful and true in righteousness. He doth judge and make war.

His eyes were as a flame of fire on his head were many crowns. He had a name written that no man knew but he himself. He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. His name was called the word of God. The armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Out of his mouth, go with a sharp sword and with it, he should smite the nations. He shall rule them with a rod of iron. He treaded upon the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of almighty God. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written king of kings and Lord of lords. I saw an angel standing in the sun and he cried with a loud voice saying, to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God that you may eat of the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses, of them that sat, that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army and the beast was taken and with him the false prophet. Remember, we just referred to those in chapter 13, the antichrist and the false prophet. And the beast was taken with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive in the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Do you think anybody is gonna miss that? No. Particularly in the world in which we live today. Something happens in India and five minutes later, it shows up on my phone and I can watch it. The whole world His return will be unmistakable.

He will return to Israel There will be armies gathered against Israel as mentioned in Zechariah 14. He will set down upon the Mount Of Olives with his armies. The mountains will cleave in two. The armies will be destroyed. And one fell swoop and Jesus will begin his reign and the kingdoms of this world and the kingdoms of Satan There will be astonishing astronomical signs which immediately present, precede his return.

The sun will be darkened. The moon will not give his light. The stars shall fall from heaven. The power of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall the king appear.

Return to the Mount Of Olives as he indicated to his disciples. In the clouds of heaven, let's see here. That's not the one I want. There we go. I saw in the night visions and behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him.

That's Daniel's prophecy concerning the return of Christ. Revelation one seven. Behold, he cometh with clouds. Every eye shall what? See him.

They also which pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, amen. They were either wail in tears of joy or they will wail in tears of terror. They will wail. Zechariah twelve ten.

And I will pour upon the house of David upon the habitants of Jerusalem. The spirit of grace and supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced. They shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn. Israel will return. They will receive Jesus as their Messiah on that day.

The remnant of Israel. And they will weep for having not believed him the first time. Zechariah fourteen three and four, then shall the Lord go forth against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle, his feet shall stand upon the Mount Of Olives which is before Jerusalem. On the East, the Mount Of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East, toward the West. There shall be a great valley and half the mountain shall remove toward the North and half toward the South.

Jesus will come again. Just as he told his disciples, Men of Galilee, why stand you gazing into heaven the same Jesus which is taken for you? You into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. There's a sequel. Christ is coming again He is coming He will finish what he started The king will be crowned In Matthew 24 and verse 31, it says, he will send out his angels with great sound of a trumpet.

They shall together together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven. To the other. I don't think this is actually in regards to the rapture. But it's in regards to what we read about in Matthew chapter 25. And verse 31.

We have the sheep and the goats. In Matthew twenty five thirty one, it says, when the son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations. He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goats. He shall say to the sheep on his right hand. He will he will set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on the left.

Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, come you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. He will gather together his children. They will be ushered into his kingdom. Those are the sheep. Sadly, there are also the goats.

Verse 41, then shall he say unto them on the left, depart from me, you cursed into everlasting fire. Prepare for the devil and his angels. Verse 46, and these shall go away in everlasting punishment. But the righteous unto eternal life In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus tells the parable of the tear the the weed and the tares And he depicts it this way in his parable. Verse 40 of chapter 13 is therefore, the tares are gathered and burn in the fire.

That's the weeds. So shall it be in the end of this world or age. The son of man shall send forth his angels. They shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father, who who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Daniel two forty four. In those days, in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand. Jesus is coming He's coming to take his children home He's coming to set up his kingdom His return will be un He will rule and reign for a thousand years Those who receive him as Lord and savior will reign with him Will shine forth and the brightness of his kingdom Those who reject him will be as the tares that will be cast into the fire Those who reject him are the goats described in Matthew 25 that will go away into everlasting punishment. Question this morning is not, are you ready for 2019 The question this morning is, are you ready for the return of the king Are you prepared for the end of this age There was at least four thousand years between Genesis three fifteen The first promise of the coming Messiah, the seed of the woman, to defeat the plan of Satan.

Until the birth of Jesus Christ and his conquest of Satan on the cross of Calvary. And making a way for humanity once again to be redeemed and bought back. It's been now two thousand years I don't know whether it's going to be two thousand and ten years or twenty years or whether it's going to be four thousand. I I can't imagine. That God's going to let it go on much longer When man begins tinkering with human genetics and playing God.

But God's timing is perfect Galatians four but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son. That's the first time. Jesus said, no man knows the day or the hour of his second coming But we can be sure of this. He is coming. He is coming.

And that either brings us tears of joy or that might bring us tears of terror. But it can bring us all tears of joy. If you will humble yourself and in faith receive him as the Lord and savior of your life. You won't have to worry when you lay down your head at night. Where you will wake up if that place is not here?

Because you'll know that your soul belongs to the king That your destiny is at his side and his kingdom and that you will be with him forevermore but if you don't have that assurance I can't give you that assurance till you come. Christ. He gives you that assurance Are you prepared? Are you ready? Christian, are you living in light of Christ's return?

Are we awaiting it with great anticipation? Are we working? Laying up treasures Are we all consumed with the things of this age? And the rewards of earth. That we forget.

Who we serve. The king of kings Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord. Thank you Lord for your word and for the promises for the fulfill and the ones yet to come Thank you for coming and dying on the cross for our sins For your resurrection from the grave, for your intercessory work on our behalf in heaven. Thank you Lord that Our hearts need not be troubled for you went away to prepare a place for us and that you'll come again Receive us unto yourself that where you are, there we may be also Lord, I pray if there's one here today that hasn't put their faith and trust in you.

I pray before they leave this place today, they might realize that. I pray Lord that they might come to you in faith and be safe. I pray they might come. At the offer of this invitation this morning. I pray that they would prepare for the day and the hour of which they know not.

It is certainly to come. Lord, we know when 2019 begins. We do not know when eternity for us begins. We do not know the day of the rapture or the return of Jesus Christ. Will come as a thief in the night We need to be prepared Lord, if there's someone here this morning that's not prepared please convict them today Open their eyes show them how much you love them and draw them to yourself that they might be saved.

In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.