HOW THEN SHOULD WE LIVE?

HOW THEN SHOULD WE LIVE?

ME Over the past few weeks I have become increasingly convinced that Jesus is coming back to earth soon, maybe very soon, perhaps within my lifetime. I had always thought that, but now I sense it more and more.

WE I believe these cross all our minds at times. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, He will come again, as He promised.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NKJV) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

It definitely was on the disciples’ mind.

Matthew 24:1–3 (NKJV) Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus gave them some answers. He spoke about the future destruction of Jerusalem, and He also addressed His Second Coming, His physical, visible and eminent return.

GOD So what signs did He reveal? I’ll go over some and you can determine for yourself if He is coming soon.

Matthew 24:36 (NKJV) But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

1.     No one knows when Jesus will come again.

Matthew 24:42–44 (NKJV) Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

I have to ask myself the question: “Am I ready?” If Jesus comes tomorrow, “Am I ready?” What does that mean?

A. Am I saved?

B. Are my sins confessed up to date?

C. Am I storing up treasure in heaven?

D. Is my family ready to go?

2.  Jesus said it would like the days of Noah before He returned. What were the days of Noah like?

Genesis 6:5 (NKJV) Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Sin had taken over mankind. All they could think about was evil. Sometimes I think we see that today. Things that were unthinkable 50 years ago are commonplace today. What was once immoral and illegal is celebrated as normal and given protected status as to civil rights. I am not here to make a Constitutional argument. I am simply pointing out that what many would call progress, the Bible calls as sin and evil. What some would call progressive thinking, God calls a reprobate mind.

Matthew 24:38–39 (NKJV) For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

People were living their lives as if God didn’t exist. All that mattered was today. No thought about tomorrow. There was an increasing belief that God did not exist, and man was the measure of all things. Today we hear the same ideas. The most persecuted group in the world today are evangelical Christians. Not in America, but throughout the rest of the world. I believe that the day will come when evangelical Christians will be persecuted in America, as well.

2 Peter 3:3 (NKJV) knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,

What are they scoffing? What Jesus said will happen. The devil started that theme in the Garden of Eden: “Yea, has God said?” There it is. The enemy has always tried to bring doubt on the Word of God.

God has commanded us as believers to:

2 Timothy 4:2–4 (NKJV) Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.

There are many great pastors and preachers today. We are blessed to live in a time when the Word is going out in abundance through the earth. But sometimes the message is mixed with worldly philosophies and world views.

Colossians 2:8 (NKJV) Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

God hates mixture. He wants things pure. Notice what things men mix with the Gospel: philosophy, deceit, traditions, and worldly principles.

Now I’m finally getting down to the message. Things are coming to an end! How then should we live?

YOU 2 Peter 3:10–12 (NKJV) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

WE Peter lists four things we should concentrate on:

1. Holy living

2. Godliness

3. Looking for His coming

4. Hastening His coming

I don’t know about you, but when I stand before God, I want to hear these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

PRAYER