In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of recognizing the grace and mercy of God in extending time for sinners to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He highlights the callousness and indifference that characterizes the present age, fueled by Satan's delusions and the blindness of those who refuse to believe. The preacher also introduces a resource for Christian growth and development, a library of Bible messages available to the congregation. Finally, he discusses the concept of the judgment seat of Christ, emphasizing the need for believers to live their lives as witnesses for Jesus and not be ashamed when He appears. The preacher references 1 John chapter 2 to encourage believers to abide in God and find confidence in His coming.

I'd like to welcome everybody this morning in the name of the Lord Jesus. We have some folks visiting, mind you of. In a few weeks we're going to be having the Christmas banquet. That's on Friday, December 16th. There's a sign-up sheet again in the side lobby way. You might get your name up for that. And I believe there's a banquet or a special event for one in two weeks, right? The 13th, as I recall. There'll be more details that'll come out. But you might keep in mind, parents, that there's going to be a special event on the 13th of December. As we announced at the earlier meeting this morning, our brother Dwight Beavers has put in a great deal of effort and organization into a tape ministry. This is a lending library. There's no cost. It's just like a regular library. You simply need to go in and look at these many hundreds of tapes that are available, Bible messages over the years. And what we're going to be doing today as you walk out is each family, we're going to give you a copy of this chapel cassette library brochure. There's no cost. But this gives you at a glance in about five or six pages what the library is all about. So each family today going out, Gene Wade's going to place a copy of this in your hands, and it gives you a little more detail about that really exciting ministry that we have here for a resource for you in your own Christian growth and development. Our closing selection will be number 183. And I didn't intend to cancel that nice dinner meal on Wednesday evening, but I was told that it would be the seventh. Are we going to have two? Oh, there will be. So the more the better. I'd like for us to read two passages in the New Testament this morning. The first one is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 at verse 51. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, I trust that you know by now that we're seeking to take a look at something that may happen at any moment. It may happen before we leave this place this morning, and that's the coming again of the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You have to be born again to be a part of that blessed company that's going to be swept away in a moment of time. Verse 13 of chapter 4, But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who 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. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. And I think it's safe to say that God's people, down through the ages, have been comforted by the thought that Jesus Christ is coming again. Thank God for sending Him some 2,000 years ago, came into this world to accomplish a specific mission, came to seek and to save that which was lost. He that knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. What He did, He did perfectly. There's no question about it. What He did, He did perfectly. The will of God has been accomplished. Salvation has been provided. The table has been spread. The guests have been invited. Now it's whosoever will may come and accept of this wonderful salvation, the salvation of God, His own provider. When Paul addressed this letter to the church at Thessalonica, there were some problems. Souls just like you and me that had been saved by the grace of God, they had been told that Jesus Christ was coming again. He was coming to sweep them away in a moment of time, that they would forever be with Him. And all of the things that are a part of life that are so distressing, they would be taken away in a moment of time. But something had happened in the time that had lapsed between when they first heard that glorious truth that He was coming again. Mothers and fathers and members of families and loved ones had died. They began to ask the question, what had happened? We thought the Lord was coming. He hasn't come. And these dear ones, now they're gone. They're going to miss out on this glorious event that has been promised. Here we were, we anticipated the coming again of Jesus Christ and now they've died, and they're going to miss all of this. Well, Paul writes this to correct any misconceptions that they had about the coming of the Lord. There are justifiable reasons even today to doubt. As you recall, just a few weeks ago, we read a book. Many of us. I didn't read it all, but some of it. Eighty-eight reasons why our Lord will come in 1988. And there was a lot of speculation. Is this fellow really right? Is he sure about this? It appears that it's well documented and he seems so genuine and so sincere. And what is he saying? Well, you know, people would ask me, what do you think about it? I simply said, I hope he's right. I do. I do hope he's right. Before 88 is gone, I hope and pray that our Lord would come. You say that with a note of sadness because there's still a lot of people in this world that haven't trusted Christ. A lot of people in this world today that are outside of Christ. They're outside of that sphere in which God can bless them and forgive their sins and fit them for His very presence. They're not ready to meet the Lord. And they're not going to hear the shout when He comes. That's why you feel a sense of sadness when you think about the coming again of the Lord for the church, for believers in Jesus Christ. And you can't ignore this. At some point in time, the last member has to be added to the body of Jesus Christ. At some point in time, the last soul that will ever be saved upon the face of the earth under this dispensation of God's grace, it will be saved. It will be added to the body of Christ. Just as in Acts we are told that as God began to bless and people that were believing were added to the body, one day the body will be complete. The bride of Christ, it will be complete. And when it is complete, He's going to call His bride home. What a wonderful, wonderful thought. The anticipation of seeing Jesus Christ face to face. The one that we have entrusted with the eternal destiny of our souls. The one that we remembered this morning around the table in the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup. Reflections upon what He did for us upon the cross. He didn't die for His sins. He didn't have any. He that knew no sin was made a offering for sin for you and me that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. We receive the righteousness of God. A work of pure grace. We didn't deserve it. We didn't earn it. He gave it to us when we by faith received Christ. To know with assurity that indeed that same blessed person is coming again to receive all of His blood-bought choir. To receive us unto Himself that we might ever be with Him. But one day, the last member that's going to be added to that body, it will be added. And if you can think about it this way, in heaven, an announcement is made. The body is complete. The last member that's to be added to the body of Jesus Christ is complete. And then Christ comes to receive unto Himself that which He purchased with His own precious blood. And believers are reminded, we're not our own. We were purchased with a price. The precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, there are a lot of people in the world that don't believe that today. They say that's fanciful thinking. I think of what Peter says. Turn to 2 Peter, if you will, and let's just look at what was happening when Peter was writing these words. It happened to the church at Thessalonica, no doubt. And here Peter writes, chapter 3 of 2 Peter, and he says these words, this 2 Epistle, Beloved, I now write unto you, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continued as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, by which the world that then was being overflowed with water perished. But the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Scoffers. Now, there are many that take this passage and would tell us that primarily this deals with the second advent. This occurs after those seven years of tribulation upon the earth. But there's nothing wrong with applying the fact that there are scoffers in the world today, men that are saying, and they're saying it to discredit the person of Jesus Christ and God's holy word. They're saying, where is the promise that is coming? Those that are members of the body of Jesus Christ have been saying this for two thousand years. He's coming. And across the land today, perhaps, there are many at this hour that are saying, Jesus Christ is coming again. And scoffers are saying, where? You've been saying it for two thousand years. We don't believe you anymore. But especially when there are those that set dates and stand on mountains and look up to heaven and pray, perhaps very earnestly, that the Lord would come. Listen. The word of God says that more than likely He'll come at an hour and a time when you think not. There's one thing for sure. You want to be sure in your own soul that you are ready for the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when men talk in terms of time, remember God is not limited by time. He is eternal. This quote that Peter makes concerning the one day is with the Lord is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day is taken from Psalm 90. And just remember this. If a thousand years, as far as time with God, is of such little consequence, it's just like one day. Just like one day. Well, if I conclude from that, there's only been two days since Jesus Christ, the Son of God, went back into heaven and took His seat at the right hand of God. Two days have lapsed. If you want to think in terms of time, time is of no consequence to God. It's only by His grace that He has extended the time that poor sinners in this world have the opportunity to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are indeed indebted to our God for being so gracious and merciful to poor sinners. The opportunity is there. The provision for saving our souls, it is there. And yet, men still scoff. Men still sneer contemptibly concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, we live in a day in which it is characterized by what we find in the Laodicean period of the church. There is that callousness. There is that indifference. There is that feeling of security because of the delusions that Satan has sent. He blinds the minds of those who will not believe. And if you're not believing this morning in the person of Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior, Satan has sold you a bill of goods. He's done a job on you. The reason you haven't believed is because he has blinded your mind to the truth concerning the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. You're blinded by Satan. Only God can deliver you out of that dilemma. When you receive Christ, the light of heaven comes into your soul. You become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things pass away. Behold, all things become new. There's a new peace. There's a new joy in your soul. Christ has come to take up His place in your heart. Little wonder that He's pictured there in Revelation chapter 3. He's standing outside the door and He's knocking. He's knocking. He's asking for admission into your heart and your soul. If you'll only let Me come in, I will sup with you and you with Me. We'll have some fellowship together. I will commune with you. Oh, how blessed it is to enjoy communion and fellowship with the Son of God. To just spend time every day thinking about Him and what He has done for us. Our great benefactor. Our Savior. Our Redeemer. The One that loved us so much that He died for us. Hallelujah. What a Savior we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, saints become weary along the way. And sometimes they become a little bit skeptical. Yes, there are skeptics among the saints. They're beginning to wonder, Oh, the Lord has allowed all of these things to happen in my life. And they haven't been able to get these things in perspective. You know, some people as Christians thought that when they got saved, all their problems would be solved. That's ridiculous. Your problems may really just start when you get saved. Because you've now taken a stand in this world that is at enmity with God. And for the first time, your life is rightly aligned with the will of God. You have accepted God's provision for salvation. Now you've come into the family of God. You've become a stranger and an alien in this world that rejected the Son of God. You're different. And you're living in a world that is still scoffing and contemptibly looking upon the things in this, the Word of the living God that we count dear and precious. Jesus Christ said, I'm coming again. Where did He say that? In the Word of God. Turn to John's Gospel, chapter 14. We need to look at this, and we need to read it, and be sure that we know that this is what the Lord of glory has really said. Verse 1, John 14, Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, listen, I will come again, and I will receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also. Where I am there ye may be also. You know that the Lord Jesus Christ says in John 17, when He gives to us those words that so challenge our hearts and souls as far as His love and His devotion to those that have trusted Him, Father, I will that they will be with me where I am, and sharing the glory that is mine. That's the heart of the Son of God. He says, I'm not going to leave you in this world forever. Don't worry about that. Yes, one day I'm coming, and I'm going to receive you unto myself so that where I am I want you to be with me. Well, these two accounts that we've read in the New Testament concerning the rapture, the rapture, that snatching away in a moment of time believers, how high have you ever been able to jump off the ground? Like, straight up. Stand flat footed and just jump up. How high? This high? You know. If you'd bought a Toyota, you know how high you can jump. But believe me, one day, and this is electrified, to think that in a moment of time the gravity, the pull of this earth's gravity will have no longer any hold upon me and you as believers in Jesus Christ. The One that created all things. Talk about the law of gravity? Well, He created the law of gravity. He is the One that is in control of all that's a part of this world. He's going to say, come away. A shout is given. We're going to break that law. How high can you jump? Just as high as He wants you to jump. You're going to be snatched away and you're going to be carried into the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you know in this same gospel, you know John says, my sheep hear my voice. They know me. I know them. They hear my voice. The only people living here upon the face of the earth that will hear the shout when Christ comes to receive His church are those that have received Him as Savior. If you've never in all of your life had an experience in which you said as a poor sinner, oh Lord, I know I'm lost. I know I'm hell bound. I know the judgment of God is going to fall upon me. I do indeed repentant. I come to your provision, the Lamb of God. I bow at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. I accept Him as my Lord and Savior. Then you are ready to meet God. Then you have ears. The ears of your soul have been opened up. You have perception that you never had before. And now you are ready to hear the voice of God, the trump of God, when it sounds to take away those that have trusted Christ as Savior. You ready? You ready to go this morning? You know, I ask myself that sometimes. Am I really ready today? I'm talking to Christians. Are you really ready to go to be with Christ? Those that are not ready, they're not going to hear the shout. They're not going to be there. They're going to be left here upon this earth for a horrible time. I can't change that. Only you and your own heart can make today a decision that will assure you that you've obeyed the divine command and you've accepted Christ. And you know you are secure. But God's people, are you ready this morning, at this very moment that the shout was given? Are you ready? Are you willing to go to be with Christ? How strong do you feel your attachment to this world? You say, I love this world. I like what's happening. I'm excited about things in my life and all the things that I'm doing. If you're more excited about those things than you are about the coming of the Lord, it's not the will of God. It should be a momentary thing. At any moment of any day, I should be able to say, what does it say? Even so come, Lord Jesus. Do we mean that this morning? Even so come, Lord Jesus. Right now, today, before I do all of those things that I tend to do, all of my aspirations in this life? Yeah, even so come, Lord Jesus. Why? Well, the apostle Paul was a man that had a full schedule. He was serving the Lord. He was preaching the gospel. He was a man whose hands were busy in doing things for God. And yet he said deep within his soul, I have a strong urge in my heart and my soul to go to be with Christ. And he says that's far better. That's better than even serving God down here to go to be with Him. School days are over. The time of service has ended. Now we're going to be caught away to be with our Lord. And all of the things of this life that have been so distressing, all of the things in this life that have indeed grieved our hearts, no more, no more, we're with the Lord. But I have to close this morning in thinking about the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ with a warning to believers in Jesus Christ. There's something so sobering. You rarely ever hear this read when we think about the coming of the Lord. But it's a part of what we are as Christians. We're talking about Christian responsibility. The order is given. The Lord Himself, He shall come from heaven. He will give the shout. The deity of Christ shall rise first, and all of us together will be brought into the very presence of the Lord. What happens after that? Well, we know about the judgment seat of Christ. That's not a judgment concerning our sin and its penalty. That's all been taken care of. We have the righteousness of God put to our account. We are the children of God. We're in the family of God. What about what we've done with our lives? What about some lackadaisical spirit that we've just been flitting our time away, living our lives every day with no thought of really being a witness for Jesus Christ? Well, the Apostle John has something to say about that. I want you to turn, if you will, over to 1 John. Sobering thoughts. Sobering thoughts. 1 John 2. This is what he says. Verse 28, Little children, little children, children of God, abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him that is coming. You know, I've been embarrassed a lot of times in my life because of things that I just brought upon myself. You know, to disobey orders. It's a serious thing. I've been in the military. I've used it many times because I used to get in a lot of trouble when I was in the military. Some of you fellows might not. I did too. I went against orders and I had to pay the price. Well, listen. You stand before someone. He's stern. He knows no mercy. You disobeyed this order and you're embarrassed. You kind of hang your head. Hold up your head. Look me in the eye. And you are made aware that you disobeyed an order. Could anything be clearer for Christians today as to how we are to behave ourselves in the house of God? As to how we are supposed to live our lives? Listen, brother and sister in Christ. There is no excuse. The instructions are here. But we read in this passage that when He comes, that we shall not be ashamed before Him that is coming. You're going to stand in His presence. What will it be like? Well, we're to be continually abiding in Him in order that when He does appear, I'll have that instant freedom and liberty of knowing all the sin that I'm aware of in my life at this moment in time that's been confessed and forsaken. That's why it pays to keep short accounts with God. I'm talking to God's people. When you sin, do you think it's serious? You say, well, I just kind of let it slide by. Not too important. Until finally they accumulate and then I put them in a big package and I finally say, Lord, forgive me. You know, I've been a little derelict here in my responsibility. Listen, if Christ is coming at any moment, at any day, does it make sense to say, Lord, I sinned. I sinned. I sinned today. I confess that sin. I forsake that sin. Do you want to be ashamed? Do you want to be embarrassed in the presence of God when you stand before the Lord Jesus? These are Christians. Little children that haven't been abiding in Christ. Their lives as a part of that vine. We the branches producing fruit for Him. It hasn't been true in our lives. Now we stand in His presence. Yes, children of God that are embarrassed in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. I never did like those embarrassing moments when I disobeyed orders and someone took me and corrected me for what I had done that was wrong. I don't believe Christians were like this. If I'm standing there and I'm embarrassed because a spirit that possessed me in this world said, it's not important to present your body as a living sacrifice unto God. It's not important. He's asking too much. That's too strict. That's what God says. It wasn't possible. He wouldn't ask us to do it. To live separated lives. Sanctified lives. Separated from this world. With a word in our mouth for God at any moment of any day. To be prepared for the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. Listen, child of God, this morning we need to have that assurance in our souls that I'm not going to be embarrassed at His appearance. When He comes again, I am ready for Him to come. I can't think of anything in my life. Any sin. Word, deed, or thought. I've taken all of this into account and daily I've come before God and I've confessed and I'm ready for the coming of the Lord. Are you ready? This morning? Could you say, I'm ready. Let Him come. Let Him come. I'm ready. I'm longing for it. I think sometimes it's so tragic that we only think of the coming of the Lord when the going gets rough. Oh, even so come Lord Jesus. I don't want to face this. Well, let's face up to reality. We're God's children. We belong to Him. He expects a lot from us. You've made a choice in life. You've made a choice that you want to live eternally in the presence of God. And I want to arrive at that place and I want to be free to speak to Him. Not be ashamed. Not be embarrassed. Because I'm going to see Him as He is. I've never seen Jesus Christ. People say they have seen Him. I've never seen Him. I've never seen Him. But every believer in this room this morning, one day we're going to see Him face to face. And we're going to be like Him. And we're going to be like Him forever. The prospect is very bright that He'll come today. Maybe be here today. Can we all say as one, even so come Lord Jesus. Come this morning. We're ready. I don't know a thing in the world in my life I've got to do. Nothing is important but You coming. Our Father in Heaven, we thank Thee for these thoughts. We would pray that it would stir within our souls a fresh reminder of what it means to be a believer in Jesus Christ. To know that You've promised, Lord Jesus, I will come again and receive You unto myself. Lord, we're looking for You to come. And we pray that it might be today if it be Thy will. Some poor soul that may be present in this room that has never trusted Christ, O Lord, do by Your Spirit speak to their hearts. Help them to solve that problem today by accepting the Lord Jesus. We pray as we sing this closing hymn, as we think about the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ, that our hearts will be comforted within us to know that we are indeed ready to meet the Lord of glory. For we ask this in His holy name. Amen. Now, Jim will come and lead us in this closing hymn. And if you have some questions, if you'd like to talk about the coming again of Christ, I'll be at the front to help you.