Reformation Inscribing the Essence of the Gospel!

Key Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

SUMMARY

Today, as we celebrate the 500th anniversary of Reformation that rediscovered the essence of the precious gospel of Christ; His resurrection and His Second Coming. Let us thank God for the saints who sacrificed their lives in bringing the enlightenment to the history of Christianity. Martin Luther and William Tyndale are the most influential figures in Christian history; Luther began the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century when he found in Romans 1:17 “The just will live by faith.” And William Tyndale who helped in translating the first English Bible directly from Hebrew and Greek texts that led to a direct challenge to the hegemony of both the Roman Catholic Church and the laws of England which led to his execution. Therefore, let us not forget the price they paid in rediscovering the truths and making the word of God readable for us today! The great Reformation builds our faith upon the Resurrection of Christ and His Second Coming!

SERMON POINTS

The world is fading today with calamities and disruptions indicating the end times. Sadly, the truth is the world seems to be ready for the return of Christ unlike us ‘The sleeping Christians.’ Who need to set up a wake up call to say, “Lord we are eagerly waiting for you to come” Which will be a sweet melody to the Lord and He will be pleased with our request.

The Introduction to the Tribulation:

Luke 21:25-27(KJV)And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

We are in perilous times. The bible says that in the last days, men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. We would see natural calamities like earthquakes, food shortages, droughts and famine; there will be signs in the sun, moon and the stars; the bible further says that there will be great distress upon the face of the earth.

Matthew 24:8(KJV) All these are the beginning of sorrows.

The Gospel of Matthew says that these signs would just be the beginning of the sorrows. Jesus will introduce the tribulation on earth before His Second Coming.

What will happen to the Believers?

Romans 8:21,22(KJV) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

The word says that when the nature groaneth and travaileth in pain, we the believers will be delivered and liberated from the bondage of corruption. However, the scripture says in Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Those who love and obey the Lord, praise and worship God at all times and regular to the church are some set terms and conditions which will help us to be in the mid air with the Lord.

The Two Phases of the Second Coming of the Lord:

• The Day of Christ (Secret coming)

Luke 17: 34-36(KJV) I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

The Greek word for rapture is “harpazo.” It is an end time event when all believers living and the dead will rise into the mid air and join with Christ for eternity.

 John 14:28(KJV) Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

In the gospel of John, whatever our Lord said about the rapture was given to the apostle Paul many years later when he wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians.

• The Day of the Lord:

Jude 15,16(KJV) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

The Lord will come this day with His saints to execute judgement upon the people on earth.

What will happen in the Rapture?

1.The Church will be taken.

I Thessalonians 4:16-17(KJV) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which 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.

St. Paul stated that Christ will come from heaven with the shout, the voice of the archangel with the trump of the Lord. The rapture of the church will be accomplished; the believers who have died and believers who are still alive will be raised together to meet the Lord in the sky as an act of deliverance.

2. We will be in the Mid Air.

I Thessalonians 4:14(KJV) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

When Jesus comes from heaven, He will be universally visible and audible. Every believer that had died and is living will be visible in the mid air and every eye shall witness the glory of God.

3. Our bodies will be Transformed:

I Corinthians 15: 52(KJV)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.

In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised imperishable and that Christ will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

4. Anti Christ will be Revealed:

Revelation 6:1,2(KJV) And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

After the church is taken, the Antichrist will be revealed. As we have the Holy Trinity, there is also a trinity of the enemy which consists of the Satan, beast and the false prophets.

The Future Event of the Antichrist:

• He will blaspheme:

Revelation 13:1(KJV) And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

The Satan will have the power over the beast and according to the word of the dragon, the beast will seek false prophet to make a statue and recommend every one to worship him.

• The Mark of the Beast:

Revelation 13:16(KJV)And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

After the glorious Rapture, the world will be under the total control of Antichrist and his New World Order. The False Prophet will work closely with Antichrist to deceive the unraptured people who are left behind on glorious Rapture day. The left behind Christians who are now zealous for the Lord Jesus Christ will be persecuted and martyred horribly and they will be forced to accept the mark of the beast either in their right hands or foreheads.

• He will exalt himself as God:

II Thessalonians 2:4(KJV) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

The Antichrist will achieve a worldwide power and will pretend that he can create an orderly society. The False Prophet will work miraculous wonders by the power of Satan. His benevolence will turn to malevolence later when he will fiercely persecute and attempt to slaughter all who accept Lord Jesus Christ and refuse be worshipped as “God.”Antichrist will conduct a reign of terror bringing death to multitudes, both Jews, left behind believers and unbelievers. The Antichrist will take over the Holy Temple built by the Jews and use it to proclaim to the world that he himself is God.

Daniel 9:27(KJV)And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

In the book of Daniel it says that the Antichrist will put a stop to sacrifices and sets up the abomination of desolation before the return of Christ.

Jesus will Judge the Nations:

Matthew 25:31-33(KJV)  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

The Sheep and Goat judgement will occur on earth just before the thousand year reign of Christ. The Sheep nation will be those nations who like Israel and Goat nation would be who didn’t like the Israelite’s.

Jesus will come back to the earth to set-up a thousand year kingdom on earth. Just before the kingdom is set-up, the bodies of all of the saints from all ages are raised and all the believers will then enter the kingdom and reign with Jesus but the unrepentant will be casted to the lake of fire at the final judgement.

Why Second coming of Jesus should be believed?

• It is declared by Jesus himself. John 14: 1-3; Hebrews 6:18
• Confirmed by the Holy angels. Acts1:9-11
• Approved by the Apostles. Philippians 3:20; Revelation 1:7; 1John 2:28;
• Old prophets have talked about it. Eg. Isaiah, Malachi
• All the legends lived after the Lord have talked about the second coming.

CONCLUSION

The Scripture says that the eye is the lamp of the body, so let us keep our eyes focused on the Lord, His word and monitor our life style. Remember only Jesus can save us; therefore be prepared and make sure that we know the truths of the scripture. Let us have a belief that faith alone would bring salvation and encrypt it into our heart asking the Lord to come back soon so that we will reign with Him till eternity!