the second coming of christ matthew 24 & 1 thess. 4:13-5:11

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRISTMatthew 24 & 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11

Our experience with this topic? Genuine ignorance &

hopelessness Misinformed & misguided

speculation Scoffing & ridicule Neglect Interest, but needing help Genuine, growing longing

Is it really all that important?In the NT it was really important…

1 out of every 25 verses is about Jesus’ return

Mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the NT

Nearly every NT book speaks of it Some books are very focused on this

event30% of 1 Thess.Revelation

Is it really all that important?In the OT it was really important…

1st prediction made right after the fall (Gen. 3:15)

Every OT prophet speaks about this event

Most of their messianic prophecies concern not Christ’s 1st coming, but rather His 2nd coming

The early believers often prayed for it… “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

Those who have most made an impact for Christ throughout the centuries have grasped this…

Is it really all that important?Helps us live in line with reality

Understanding of history Warns us of true dangers Fulfilled prophecy helps authenticate

Bibles entire message Brings life-altering paradigm shift

Is it really all that important?Most of our nagging struggles

come from failing to grasp this Eccles. 3:10-11 -- 10 I have seen the

task that God has given people to keep them occupied. 11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end.


come from failing to grasp this “It’s hard for us to be content with

the world that is, because all of us have an inclination to crave for what could be . . . We’re forever people who have lost sight of forever.” -Paul David Tripp in “Forever: Why You Can’t

Live Without It”


come from failing to grasp this “It’s hard for us to be content with

the world that is, because all of us have an inclination to crave for what could be . . . We’re forever people who have lost sight of forever.” -Paul David Tripp in “Forever: Why You Can’t

Live Without It”

Romans 8:18-23 -- 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it—in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

We must overcome our ignorance & hopelessness by meditating upon the 2nd Coming.

1 Thess. 4:13 -- We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.



“What is this plague, this germ which, like the tubercle bacillus, lurks within, waiting for the victim’s strength to sink below a certain level so that it may strike? Its ravages were predicted by certain seers of the nineteenth century. Melville and Hawthorne, Nietzsche and Marx, Dostoyevsky and Kafka all saw it coming in one form or another. The germ has a very simple name: meaninglessness.”

-James Park (Existential philosopher)



“Who am I?” man asks. “Why am I here? Where am I going?” Since the Enlightenment, when he threw off the shackles of religion, man has tried to answer these questions without reference to God. But the answers that came back were not exhilarating, but dark and terrible. “You are the accidental by-product of nature, a result of matter plus time plus chance. There is no reason for your existence. All you face is death. If each individual person passes out of existence when he dies, then what ultimate meaning can be given to his life? Does it really matter whether he ever existed at all?



The same is true of the human race. Mankind is a doomed race in a dying universe. Because the human race will eventually cease to exist, it makes no ultimate difference whether it ever did exist. Mankind is thus no more significant than a swarm of mosquitoes or a barnyard of pigs, for their end is all the same. The same blind cosmic process that coughed them up in the first place will eventually swallow them all again.”

-William Lane Craig in Reasonable Faith


1 Thess. 4:13 -- 13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

We must overcome misinformed & misguided speculation by being aware of distortions.

Matt. 24:3 -- 3 While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?


Beware of false messiahs…Matt. 24:4,23-27 -- 4 Then Jesus replied to them: “Watchout that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many . . . 23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it! 24 False messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘Look, He’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; ‘Look, He’s in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.


Beware of date predictions… Matt. 24:36 -- 36 “Now concerning that

day and hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son —except the Father only.”

We must overcome scoffing & ridicule by taking a sane view (God’s view) of the 2nd Coming.

2 Peter 3:3-4 -- 3 First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires, 4 saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.”

Are we fools?

Foolish thinking???

“Since it has been 30 years or so (now 2,000 years) since Jesus promised to return, we must conclude that He is not returning.”

“People who die don’t come back to life! Look at the historical record.”

God actually uses this line of thinking to provide us with convincing evidence…

Some evidence

God has already intervened in our world on multiple occasions 2 Peter 3:5-6 -- 5 They willfully ignore

this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God. 6 Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded. Creation – self-attesting reality The Flood – over 270 accounts from ancient

peoples all over the world that a flood wiped out all but one family who were rescued by a boat

Some evidence

God also predicts key events ahead of time, gets them recorded in writing, and allows future generations to test His faithfulness to His promises. Predicted the flood ahead of time 300+ messianic predictions that Jesus

fulfilled in His 1st Coming Jesus’ prediction of His death &

resurrection One of the best attested events of ancient

history Plethora of predictions surrounding

Jesus’ 2nd Coming

Some evidence





Jesus’ 2nd Coming

The nation of Israel is back in their own

land.

Some evidence





Jesus’ 2nd Coming

Some evidence

God’s view of and purpose behind time is difficult for us to grasp 2 Peter 3:8-9 -- 8 Dear friends, don’t let

this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

Some evidence

God’s view of and purpose behind time is difficult for us to grasp 2 Peter 3:8-9 -- 8 Dear friends, don’t let

this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

He is coming… Will you be ready???

We must overcome “eternity-neglect” by disciplining ourselves to study & think on this.

Studying & pondering the 2nd Coming is a good thing if we allow it to produce endurance & hopefulness within us.

Matt. 24:8 -- 8 All these events are the beginning of birth pains.


Studying & pondering the 2nd Coming is a good thing if we allow it to produce alertness & zeal within us.


Studying & pondering the 2nd Coming is a good thing if we allow it to produce alertness & zeal within us.

1 Thess. 5:1-11 -- About the times and the seasons: Brothers, you do not need anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains come on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in the dark, for this day to overtake you like a thief. 5 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. 6 So then, we must not sleep, like the rest, but we must stay awake and be serious. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, we must be serious and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

Don’t be a “sleepy, blind drunk”!

“Sleepy, blind drunks” view this lifetime as a destination (settlers), but the alert & sober view this lifetime as preparation for eternity (sojourners).


“Sleepy, blind drunks” expect too much of this life & live perpetually discontent lives, but the alert & sober root their contentment in Christ & rejoice in His 2nd Coming.


“Sleepy, blind drunks” live as if there are no consequences for their actions, but the alert & sober seek to store up rewards in their true homeland.

Don’t be a “sleepy, blind drunk”!“Sleepy, blind drunks” work hard

to maximize comfort & safety in a world they think should be a safe playground, but the alert & sober realize that this world is a deeply broken battlefield in which there is a war being waged for the hearts & minds of people.

Further Study Recommendations

Questions? Comments? Testimonies?

the second coming of christ matthew 24 & 1 thess. 4:13-5:11

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