Introduction: Silly scientists. They keep making failed predictions
about the end of the world. When one prediction turns out to be
wrong, they make another based on some different event. When I was
young, they predicted an ice age where life would freeze. When I was
old, they predicted global warming where life would burn up. They
must be an ignorant and easily led faith group to keep predicting
things that have never happened in recorded history. Wait! Isn’t
that what they say about Christians? That we keep predicting the
end of the world because we are ignorant and easily led? Are we
exactly the same as the silly scientists? Let’s plunge into our
study of the Bible and find out!
- History Repeats Itself
- Read Acts 1:1-2 and Acts 1:6-11. What did the angels
promise to the disciples? (That Jesus would come back.) - Our scientist friends predict an end that has never
before been part of recorded history. How are
Christians different? (Jesus came from heaven to
earth. This is part of recorded history. The angels
promised that Jesus would do it a second time, He
would return.) - Read 2 Peter 3:3-7. What challenge is this Bible text
answering? (How can we know that Jesus will come again
since it has been a long time since He left?) - What answer is given? (Historical proof!)
- What historical proof does the Bible give in support
of Jesus’ Second Coming? (1. Jesus created the
world. Therefore, He has both the power and the
interest to return. 2. God destroyed His creation in
the Flood. 3. This is further proof that God will
return and destroy evil and this world.) - Notice the phrase “deliberately forget.” Is
that true of scoffers today? Do those who deny
the Creation and the Flood also deny the Second
Coming? - Read 2 Peter 3:8-9. What explanation do we have for the
timing of Jesus’ Second Coming? - Let’s go back to Acts 1. What are the disciples asking
about in Acts 1:6? (They want to know if Jesus is going
to throw off Roman rule.) - What does this show us? (That the disciples still
did not fully understand Jesus’ first coming.) - What lesson should that teach us? (We have the
promise of Jesus’ Second Coming, we have the
proof of His first coming, but we need to be
concerned that we might not have a correct
understanding of it all.) - From the verses we have studied, what can we
know about Jesus’ Second coming? ( Acts 1:11:
Jesus went into the sky and disappeared in a
cloud. At the Second Coming He will arrive in a
cloud and descend from the sky. 2 Peter 3: We
have a great deal of recorded evidence showing
that God has the power and the interest to do
this.) - Read John 14:1-3. What important point does Jesus make
about His Second Coming? (This is Jesus’ personal
assurance that He will return. When He returns it will
be to take us to heaven.) - Read 1 Corinthians 11:26. Is the Second Coming a minor
teaching of Christianity? (No. God attaches reminders to
those things He considers to be of special importance.
The Sabbath is a reminder that He is our Creator.
Communion is a reminder that He died for our sins and
rose from the grave. God instructs us to keep reminding
ourselves of this until He returns. That in turn reminds
us of His promised return.) - The Test
- Read Matthew 24:1-3. Did the disciples ask Jesus one or
two questions? (Jesus had just described the destruction
of the temple in Jerusalem. The disciples thought that
when this happened, the world would end. They thought
they were asking one question, but we know they were
asking two.) - Read Matthew 24:4-5. What is the first thing that Jesus
tells us about His Second Coming? (That there will be
imposters.) - Read Matthew 24:23-25. What does Jesus warn us about?
(That one of these impostors, a false Christ, will
perform great miracles and signs.) - Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. What will precede the return
of Jesus? (An anti-Christ will come to impersonate God!) - Read 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. Who is one of these
imposters? (The “lawless one.” This is an agent of Satan
who will perform “counterfeit miracles, signs and
wonders.”) - Read Matthew 24:26-27 and Revelation 1:7. How can we
absolutely tell the true Second Coming of Jesus from the
false coming of the anti-Christ? (Jesus’ coming will be a
world-wide event seen in the sky by “every eye” at the
same time. It will be like lightning around the globe.) - Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. What other unmistakable
signs will we see? (The dead in Christ will come alive
and rise. The believers who are alive will meet Jesus in
the air.) - Is Jesus going to be hanging around the earth? (No.)
- Read 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Does the counterfeit Jesus, the
anti-Christ, hang around on the earth? (Yes. It appears
that Jesus comes soon after the counterfeit comes. The
counterfeit is destroyed by the spender and power of
Jesus.) - Let’s review. How can we know Jesus’ Second Coming from
Satan’s counterfeit? (If someone claims to be Jesus, but
it is not seen by everyone world-wide, if the dead are
not raised, and if we do not meet our Lord in the air to
go to heaven, then we know this is not Jesus, it is a
counterfeit.) - The Future For The Faithful
- Read Revelation 21:1. What happens after the righteous
are taken to heaven? (Jesus creates a new earth.) - What is different about the new earth? (It no longer
has seas. I’ve read that about 70% of the earth is
covered by water.) - What does this explanation suggest? (It
suggests two things. That the earth will in
other respects be recognizable. However, the
added 70% means that the places for humans to
live will be greatly expanded. I read a book
which suggested that on the earth made new we
will recognize places that we presently know.) - Read Revelation 21:2-4. When Jesus came the second time,
He took the righteous to heaven. What is happening here?
(This makes perfect sense. The saved go to heaven, and
Jesus destroys and rebuilds the earth and its heavens.
Then the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven, along with
God and us. Thereafter we will all live on the new
earth. The earth made new will be the governing center
of the universe, for God is dwelling with us! If you want
to read a description of the New Jerusalem, read
Revelation 21:10-21.) - Read Revelation 22:1-3. The statement that we would no
longer have any sea worried me a bit because I’m a guy
who likes water. What kind of water do we find in the
earth made new? (Apparently God likes water too, for He
has water flowing out of His throne!) - Read Revelation 22:4-5. What do you look forward to the
most about the earth made new? (Being with God!) - Friend, what a wonderful glimpse into our future! We all
make predictions about the future. The difference
between us and the silly scientists is that we have
history on our side. Our God came to earth as a human.
Our God created the earth and destroyed the earth. Our
God promised that He would come again, take us to heaven,
destroy the old earth, and then create a new one in which
we would live with Him forever! I like that promise a
lot more than the prediction of a coming ice age or
global warming. How about you – would you like to have
heaven in your future? Why not right now repent and
confess to God your sins, and ask Jesus for the robe of
righteousness that He is willing to give to you? - Next week: We start a new series on Evangelism.
