Last Days Believers - Future Hope (notes)

Last Days Believers - Future Hope

Everyone

• Is interested in the future, what will happen in days ahead. As we prepare to enter a new year and a new season on American Politics what is ahead for us?

The Recent

• Events in the stock market and the impact it has had on the world tells us that we live in a global economy.
• Events tell us that we could very quickly see the rise of a charismatic leader who will have all the answers to the world problems.

There Are Various

• Views about the future. Some believe we are now in the thousand year reign of Christ, others believe that the church will go through the seven years of tribulation.

When

This world leader rises to power in Europe he will build a strong economy and a strong military and will make a pact with Israel.

Truths To Look At Today

During the seven year period God will judge the world but will save Israel.

Matthew 24

• Tells us that many false messiahs will come to power and deceive many.
• There will be wars and rumors of wars.
• Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.

Jesus Said

• Famines and earth quakes will increase.
• World wide hatred against Israel.
• Betrayal of faith by many believers.
• The rise of false prophets
• An increase of wickedness resulting in cold love-no appreciation for life.
• A promise to those who stand firm in the faith during this period.

A Great Lesson

• Israel will return back to the land of promise (Israel will become a nation, 1948).
• A world wide proclamation of the Gospel.
• Great deception by charismatic leaders through signs and wonders.
• Supernatural manifestations in nature.
• The universal appearing of Jesus Christ in the clouds with power and great glory.
• The return of the Jews from all parts of the world to Israel.

Jesus

Said that the rebirth of Israel as a nation would be the start of these events and that generation would see the coming of the Lord.

What Paul Said About The Coming Of The Lord:

1. Don’t be ignorant about those who have died.
2. Don’t grieve like those who have no hope.
3. Believe that Jesus died and rose again.
4. Believe that Jesus will bring back to earth all who have died in Him.
5. The living believers will not go ahead of those who have died.
6. The Lord will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of call of God.
7. The dead in Christ will rise first.
8. Then we who are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

I Thessalonians 4

And so will we be with the Lord forever.

Encourage each other with these words.

How & When Will The Lord Return?

1. Like a thief in the night.
2. When people are saying, “Peace & safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

What Type of people should we be in the light of the imminent return of the Lord?

1. Not part of the darkness for we belong to the light
2. Let us not be asleep but alert & self controlled.
3. Put on faith & love as a breastplate & the hope of salvation as a helmet.

I Thess. 5:1-11

• For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together.

Conclusion

• The great hope of the church is Jesus Christ, His power, His grace and His coming for us.
• Let us live in the light of this revelation.
• Let us love the Lord and each other and let the world know that they can have the same hope we have!