[0:00] I'm in my garden working this afternoon, a little thirsty. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? I want to begin tonight by asking you a question, and that is this.
[0:16] What is it about the future, about the end of the world, that so captures our imagination? In the famous children's story, Chicken Little, the chicken gets hit by an acorn on her head, and she begins to run around saying, the sky is falling, the sky is falling.
[0:36] And she tells this to all of her friends, right? To Goosey Lucy, and I forgot the other names. But all of these other animals in the barnyard get caught up in this hysteria that Chicken Little has created.
[0:51] The sky is falling, the sky is falling. So much so that that phrase now today, the sky is falling, has become an aphorism. A statement that we use to describe scare mongering and a foolish perception about the future.
[1:09] But it's not just in children's stories, is it? Hollywood gets this. Think about blockbuster movies in the last ten years. How many of them have said, the aliens are coming. No, no, no.
[1:20] The asteroids are coming. No, no, no. The ice age is coming. The whatever it is, fill in the blanks. Something is coming. Something is coming, and the end of the world is nigh.
[1:35] Hollywood gets it. That this is something that captures our imagination. And you know, the church has contributed to this as well. I don't know how many of you are old enough to have read The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey.
[1:52] Or maybe, maybe in a youth camp you might have seen the movie The Thief in the Night. Which featured the great song by Larry Norman, the first Christian rock and roll man.
[2:05] One, two men walking up a hill. One man's gone, the other's standing still. I wish we'd all been ready.
[2:17] Some of you are looking at me like, okay, you guys are crazy. But anyway, this was real. In the 70s, this was a very big deal in many, many churches.
[2:28] Thinking about the end times and the returns. So much so that when I became a Christian in 1986, I was exposed immediately to a significant selling book.
[2:39] 88 reasons why Jesus is going to return in 1988. Followed by the sequel in 1989. 89 reasons why Jesus is going to return in 1989. And if you look at the titles, it's interesting.
[2:51] Because by the time you get to 93 and 94, they say 93 reasons why Jesus may return in 93. And 94 was not a bestseller.
[3:04] But this is an obsession. This takes it to an extreme in the churches. This almost obsessive quality about when is Jesus going to return?
[3:16] What is it going to look like? And how is it going to happen? And so we see that on one hand, we have these almost ridiculous pictures in our culture.
[3:26] That trivialize it. That make it entertainment. That make it a spoof. And then the church, which so obsesses about it that most of us in the church, let alone the rest of the world, think it's ridiculous.
[3:42] And in the middle of it all, what it allows us to do is to dismiss it completely. And I think that's more true of our culture today. I think today we don't think about the end of the world.
[3:57] In reality, the end of my world, the end of this world, the end of the world coming in my life. We don't think about it. As a matter of fact, we don't want to think about it.
[4:08] We want to live concerned for today and for this life only. We want to live out of sight, out of mind about those truths. So we don't like to think about it.
[4:22] We don't want to think about the future unless we say the future is bright. But as Pastor Nick preached last week on the subject of death, even though we don't want to think about it.
[4:34] So tonight we have another passage that is going to bring another topic that we don't like to think about very much. And that is the coming return of the Lord and a final judgment.
[4:46] It's something that I think we desperately, in our culture and in our hearts, our human hearts, want to dismiss or to trivialize or to ignore. And as we raise this question of the return of the Lord, the day of the Lord, the final judgment that's coming.
[5:07] It raises a question for us, doesn't it? Which is, if this really is going to happen, how about you? Will you be ready? How will you respond?
[5:19] And that's exactly the question that our passage tonight speaks to. It speaks to the church in Thessalonica as they were wrestling with the question of, when Jesus comes back, are we going to be ready?
[5:34] And it offers both a confirmation that, yes, Jesus will come back, but also offers an encouragement and a hope of how we can be ready for that day.
[5:48] My greatest hope for you this evening, as we look at this passage, is that the preciousness of the message of the gospel would be on display.
[6:01] That the gospel that says, in Jesus Christ, you can be delivered and saved from what would be otherwise a terrible future.
[6:13] And that that would make you love Jesus more. That you would see him as precious because of the refuge that he will give you.
[6:25] In the future, the awesome, terrifying judgment that is to come when God comes to judge the world. Just in case you're wondering, I didn't pick this passage out of a hat.
[6:38] We're in a series, we're studying through 1 Corinthians. 1 Thessalonians, I'm sorry, I keep saying that. 1 Thessalonians, I said it in the morning too. 1 Thessalonians, we're studying 1 Thessalonians. This is the next passage.
[6:50] So if this is speaking to you in some way, then the Lord knows what you needed to hear tonight because it wasn't anything that I did, it was just the next part. So if you want to turn in your Bibles to 987, 1 Thessalonians.
[7:02] We're going to look at 1 Thessalonians verses 1 through 11. 1 Thessalonians 1 through 11, page 987 in your Bible.
[7:13] Let me read it, we'll read it together. Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
[7:25] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman.
[7:39] And they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day.
[7:52] We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
[8:04] But since we belong to the day, let us be sober. For having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or sleep, we might live with him.
[8:26] Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Let's pray together. Let's pray together. God, we thank you for your word.
[8:40] And we thank you that it speaks to us not only the things that we long to hear and we want to hear, but it speaks to us things that maybe we wish we didn't hear or could somehow hope that might not be true.
[8:52] But because it is reality, Lord, you speak these things to us so that we might know the truth. And God, thank you for this word tonight. And I do pray, I pray that the preciousness of Christ would be captivating to our hearts as we see what you have done for us in him.
[9:15] And how wonderful news that is in light of what you will do when you return. God, I pray that you would open our hearts and our minds tonight to this passage and that your Holy Spirit would teach us as we look at it together.
[9:32] We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[9:43] Amen. Okay, so our passage tonight gives us two questions that it, that we need to ask. And then it'll, it'll bring, the first question is this.
[9:54] What is the day of the Lord? Verses one through three are going to explain to us a little bit about what is this day of the Lord that Paul talks about? And then the second question is, how do we respond or how can we respond to this reality or to this truth?
[10:07] So that's what we're going to look at tonight, those two questions. What is it? How do we respond? So let's first look at what is the day of the Lord? It's remarkable when you look at this. Paul is speaking to this church and he's saying, you know, even though I've only been with you for a little time, I only got to teach you for a little while.
[10:24] This is not something I need to teach a lot. Because you already know this. You already know about the Lord and this thing called the day of the Lord. Right?
[10:36] So he doesn't actually explain it. He doesn't unpack it very much. He doesn't give us a lengthy explanation. He just says, you know, the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
[10:46] And he goes on and he talks about for one more verse. And so we have to believe that this, that Paul has already taught the Thessalonians about it. And the beauty of it is that when you go and you begin to look back in the Old Testament, you see, this is not a new concept.
[11:03] Eight or nine times in the Old Testament, different places, particularly in the prophets, you see the prophets proclaiming the day of the Lord is coming.
[11:15] As a matter of fact, I want you to turn with me. I should have given you a page number. But Joel. Joel 2. I read it at the beginning of the service for those of you who are here.
[11:25] But I think it's worth looking at again. Joel chapter 2. Someone have a page number for that for me?
[11:37] 761. I want you to look at this for a second because it's important for you to get a feel for what this is about. Basically, what the prophets are saying is they're speaking to a world that is falling apart where God's people have turned away from him.
[11:55] And where there are nations that have no regard for God outside who are doing terrible things in the world. And what the prophets are saying over and over again is the day of the Lord is going to come when God is going to punish evil and make things right.
[12:16] But the weight of it is on the punishment of evil. If you look at Joel chapter 2. Blow a trumpet in Zion. Sound an alarm on my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble.
[12:29] For the day of the Lord. You see it? There it is. The day of the Lord is coming. It is near. And then look at how this imagery just piles on. What a terrible day this is.
[12:40] It's a day of darkness and gloom. It is a day of clouds and thick darkness. Like blackness there is spread upon the mountain a great and powerful people. Their like has never been seen before nor will be again after them throughout the years of all generations.
[12:55] Fire devours before them and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them. But behind them a desolate wilderness and nothing escapes them.
[13:08] Do you see this picture? He's saying the day of the Lord is going to come like an invading army. And this invading army is going to come like a wildfire. And whatever however lush or beautiful and green it is before this army comes.
[13:23] Afterwards there is nothing but desolation and destruction. This is where the old fashioned like fire and brimstone preaching comes from.
[13:34] There are images like this in the Bible that say this is how serious God takes evil in the world. This is how badly the world has acted towards God and how severely God will respond in his punishment.
[13:56] It is awe inspiring. Awesome in a terrifying way. Like a hurricane. That blows through. And leaves none unscathed.
[14:08] Now I'm guessing that at least maybe one or two of you who are here tonight are thinking. What are you smoking?
[14:20] This is not going to happen. This is just fantasy fairy tale. It's a nice idea. But it is not going to happen. That's just old fashioned mean Christianity from a bygone era.
[14:37] But we know God isn't like that because God is love. And God wouldn't do terrible things like that. Now how to put all of what God is together is always a challenge.
[14:52] But let me just give you this as a one sentence response to that. And that is that if God does not come and judge the world then evil wins.
[15:03] If there is no judgment on the terrible things that happen in this world. The terrorists and the genocides and the sex trafficking on a global scale.
[15:17] And in the personal level the abuse or the murder or the torture that can happen in interpersonal relationships. If there is no judgment then that evil wins.
[15:32] It will stand and nothing will make it better. But the Bible says that's not true. In fact in 2 Peter 3 there's this beautiful passage.
[15:45] You can go read it later. Where Peter is responding because at that point at the end of the first generation of believers. After Christ's life. People are saying hey you keep saying God's going to come back and judge the world.
[15:56] He hasn't come back yet. Where is he? I don't think he's coming. And Peter says oh friends do not be deceived. God will come back and when he judges the world it will be worse than it was in the days of Noah.
[16:11] It will be a fire storm that will come and remake the world in his judgment. But. But.
[16:24] God is patient. Not wishing that any would perish but that all would come to salvation. So why has it not come yet? Not because God's not going to come.
[16:36] But because God is graciously delivering more people. So that they're not going to be on the wrong side of that judgment when he does return. And that is why God has been patient.
[16:47] And that is why God has allowed the evil that you maybe have suffered. Or the evil that you feel so weighty that you think how can it be? The Bible says no God is coming and he will judge it.
[17:00] And that's why evil doesn't win. And that's a good thing. And so. God says.
[17:11] The day of the Lord will come. Like these Old Testament prophets said. The day of the Lord will come. And it will be an awesome and a terrifying day. Look at what.
[17:22] Turn with me back to 1 Thessalonians now. Look at me. Look with me to see what Paul says about it in this letter. Page 987 if you forgot.
[17:35] In verses 2 and 3 he says a number of things. The first thing he says in verse 2. Is he says that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. What does that mean? It means it's going to come suddenly.
[17:45] And it's going to come unexpectedly. Thieves don't give you a phone call. Like UI does and say. Hey can we have an appointment. You know a week from Tuesday at 3 o'clock. Thieves don't work that way.
[17:57] They show up when you don't expect them. They don't make reservations. They come. And then it says.
[18:08] In verse 3 it says. When people are saying. Peace and security. That's when this is going to happen. So it's going to come at the time when you least expect it. Because all around you you're going to be hearing a message.
[18:19] That this day will not come. Which maybe sounds a lot like our culture today. And he goes on and he says. And when it comes it will bring destruction.
[18:31] Sorry. Look at it again. Sudden destruction will come upon them. As labor pains come upon a pregnant woman. Think about this for a second. If you are a pregnant woman. There is one thing you know you will not escape.
[18:43] And that is labor. It will happen. You don't know when it's going to happen. You know it's going to be painful when it does. But it will happen.
[18:54] It is unpredictable. But it is inevitable. Paul is saying. The day of the Lord will come. With that kind of inevitability.
[19:07] And finally he says. There will be no escape. The God who created the heavens and the earth. And everything in it. Will call all of his creation. To account.
[19:17] When he comes in judgment. There will be no way. To step outside. Of his. Heavenly courtroom. And so there is.
[19:30] This terrible picture. This terrifying picture. Of God's coming to judge the world. And it might be hard for us. To wrap our minds around it. So. As I've been thinking about this.
[19:42] Let me give you a. A different image. That might help. Help this sort of. Land a little bit with you. And it's.
[19:52] It's this. God's. The day of the Lord is going to come. Like a searchlight. Like a blinding searchlight. Where everything that is hidden.
[20:03] Will be exposed. Exposed. And then. Having been exposed. There will be a verdict. Pronounced upon it. It reminds me. One of the earliest.
[20:14] Memories. Of my childhood. Was. I was. I remember. Kicking around. In the back of my. Family's. Ford Torino. Which is. Before seat belts.
[20:24] I was playing in the back seat. On the floor. We went to a farmer's market. With my family. As. When I was in the market. There was this whole pile. Of horse chestnuts. I don't know if you've ever seen them.
[20:35] They're kind of cool. Well. I was playing with one. I stuck it in my pocket. We walked out. And I was. As we were driving home. I'm sitting behind the front seat. On the floor.
[20:45] Playing with it. And my mom looks back. And she's like. What are you doing? And she sees what I have. And I'm exposed. I've stolen it.
[20:58] And my mom. Turns the car around. Drives back to the store. And a verdict is pronounced.
[21:10] Now. People at the store. Were pretty kind. They just said. Please give it back. If you want something from the store. You have to pay for it. They were pretty. Pretty gracious.
[21:22] But imagine friends. What would happen. If every deed. Of your life. Both the ones done obviously. And the ones done in secret. Imagine if it's not just the deeds.
[21:36] But the thoughts. Of your mind. The intentions. And the motivations. Of your heart. Imagine them. Displayed on a screen. In the heavenly courtroom.
[21:48] Exposed. For all to see. And then. Not only exposed. But pronounced. Judgment. Upon. This is good. This is evil.
[21:58] This is good. This is evil. How would you feel? Shame. Guilt.
[22:09] Desire to run. Hide. Fear. That you've been found out. Wondering what the consequences. Would be. The day of the Lord. The day of the Lord.
[22:21] Is a fearsome day. Because it exposes. And brings a verdict. Upon our lives. Friends.
[22:33] If. What I've said so far. Has not landed in your heart. If you. Have not been convinced. That this day is coming. Or if you have not begun.
[22:44] To see how it might affect you. The rest of this message. Which is a message of hope. And a message of encouragement. Is going to be like. Those rice cakes.
[22:55] That are. Really bland. And tasteless. And don't have any. Richness to them. I know some of you. I'm sure eat them. Because they're calorie free.
[23:07] And they keep your mouth moving. But. Which is. I've done it. I've been there. But. But all of the rest. Of the good news. Of this passage. Is going to be light.
[23:18] And fluffy. And tasteless. If what I've already said. Has not sunk in for you. The Thessalonians. Were convinced. That the day of the Lord. Would come.
[23:30] Paul was convinced. That the day of the Lord. Would come. And my hope and prayer. Is that you are convinced. That the day of the Lord. Will come. Which then brings us. To the question.
[23:40] That the rest of this passage. Answers. Which is. How can we respond to this? How can we be ready. For this day? And Paul begins. In verse four. By saying. Don't be surprised.
[23:51] By this. Right? He says. You should not be surprised. Why does he say this? I think it's because. The Thessalonians. Were concerned about this. They were asking.
[24:01] And wrestling. In their hearts. Thinking. What if I'm not ready? What if I'm surprised. By the day of the Lord. And this judgment coming. How am I going to. How am I going to respond? How am I going to be ready. For that day?
[24:12] And Paul says. Don't be surprised. But then he goes right on. And he says. You'll never know. When it's coming. Which is kind of. Okay. Paul. What are you saying? But Paul says.
[24:23] You will never know. The time. In the season. You will never know. The exact time. That Jesus is going to return. In fact. Jesus himself said it. In Acts 1. 7. As he's ascending.
[24:33] Into heaven. He's saying. It's not for you to know. The time. And the season. Of the son of man's return. It's not your place. To be asking. About the who.
[24:44] And the what. About 88 reasons. Why 1988. Don't spend your time. On that foolishness. That's not what it's going to look like. To be ready. By figuring out the time.
[24:57] Paul says. There is another way. That you can be ready. Look with me. At verse 6. Verse 8. It says.
[25:08] So then. Let us not sleep. As others do. But let us keep awake. And be sober. In verse 8. Since we belong to the day. Let us be sober.
[25:20] Having put on the breastplate of faith. And love. For a helmet. The hope. Of salvation. Paul says. You don't know. When it's going to come. But you can be ready.
[25:31] For it. Anyway. And he uses this. In verse 8. He uses this military image. I'm not a soldier. So.
[25:41] If I get this wrong. You can tell me afterwards. But it would seem to me. That one of the most ready people. In the whole world. Is a soldier. In an active war zone. Right. At every moment.
[25:53] They want their gun clean. Their boots ready to go. They're going to be ready. To respond. To an unforeseen attack. By the enemy. They're going to be ready. When the order comes. To be sent out.
[26:04] On a mission. Their bags are going to be packed. They are going to be. Have their equipment. Ready to go. For that day. So. Even though they don't know the time. Of what's going to happen.
[26:17] They're going to be prepared. They're going to be prepared. For it. And Paul says. You Thessalonians. You are called to be awake. And to be sober.
[26:29] And to be alert. You are to be focused. On being prepared. For what is to come. And all of this emerges out of. If you look through 4 through 8.
[26:40] This incredible series of contrasts. That Paul is making. Paul has said. You are in the light. Not the darkness. You are of the day.
[26:50] Not of the night. You should be awake. Not asleep. You should be sober. And not drunk. Some of you may question. Paul's wisdom. Because he says. People who get drunk. Get drunk at night.
[27:01] And some of you think. Well I start at 10 in the morning. And some people say. You know. People sleep. They sleep at night. Some of you are students. Who never sleep at night. You only sleep in the morning. So. You're going to have to.
[27:12] Culturally address this. But. All that to say. The point here. Is these contrast. Day. Night. Light. Darkness. Awake. Asleep. All of these have to do.
[27:23] With how focused. Your life is. Think about this. When you're drunk. How focused. Can you be? When you're asleep.
[27:39] How focused. How ready. Are you. To respond. If you're a photographer. You know. You know. That if it is dark.
[27:50] You cannot. Focus your camera. Because there's nothing. To focus on. You need the light. To be able to focus. All of these are picturing.
[28:05] A spiritual reality. Paul is saying. That. To be in the day. To be in the light. To be awake. And to be sober. Is to be. Living in light.
[28:17] Of. The coming judgment. Of God. It is being aware. Of that reality. It is seeing it. As true. And significant. For your life. And is looking at it.
[28:28] And saying. That's the thing. That I need. To be prepared for. And when I am unfocused. When I live in the darkness. When I allow my energies. To be dissipated.
[28:39] When I allow my. My life. To become overwhelmed. When I allow my. When I allow.
[28:53] The things of this world. To dull. My sense of the reality. The eternal reality. Then I'm not ready. But Paul is saying.
[29:06] To the Thessalonians. And he's saying. To all who are in Christ. You see this in verse four. You are not of the darkness. And this is our great hope.
[29:16] You are not of the darkness brothers. For that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are children of light. You are children of the day. God has delivered you.
[29:27] From the darkness. And the drunkenness. And the asleep. He has delivered you. From the darkness of your ignorance of Christ. He's delivered you. From the darkness of your enslavement to sin.
[29:38] He's delivered you. From the drunkenness. Of your entanglement. With the pleasures of this world. And he's delivered you. From the sleepiness.
[29:51] When your soul was dead to God. In your sin. For all who are in Christ. You are now in the day. And he says. You are now of the light.
[30:02] So you can live that way. It's not. Do this. So that God can save you. It is. God has saved you. So now. Go do it. Live like it.
[30:12] Be sober. Be alert. Because God has already delivered you. From darkness. And into light. What a glorious thing this is. And he grounds it.
[30:24] In verses 9 and 10. Some of the most precious. And powerful. Verses in this whole book. Look with me at them. For God has not destined us for wrath.
[30:37] But to obtain salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Who died for us. So that whether we are awake or asleep. We might live. With.
[30:49] Him. God has appointed all who are in Christ. His church. Not to suffer judgment. God has appointed all who are in Christ. And. Paul says. You know it's coming.
[31:01] You know it's good. But you do not. Have to fear the judgment. Of the day of the Lord. Because he has not destined you. For that wrath.
[31:12] And destruction. But he has delivered you. He has saved you. From it. You will be exposed. You will be held. Accountable.
[31:23] But at the end of the day. You will not need to be. Afraid. Because God's purpose is. That he. Will save you. There is only one way.
[31:36] That we can stand. Before the firestorm. Of God's righteous judgment. The only way. That you could stand. And not be burned by that fire.
[31:47] Is to be perfectly. Righteous yourself. To have no sin. To never make. To make mistakes. And we know. Deep inside.
[31:57] We are not like that. Aren't we? Don't we? We know that that's not us. But there is a man. Jesus. Who is exactly that.
[32:08] He had no sin. He lived a perfectly righteous life. And so he. Having lived that life. That we couldn't live. Then says.
[32:19] I will die for you. I will die in your place. I will take the death. That you deserve. Upon myself. So that I might then.
[32:30] Rise from the dead. And give you. Life. With me. I have a fascination. With natural disasters.
[32:42] I grew up reading books. About hurricanes. And tornadoes. And. Forest fires. Forest fires are amazing. They're terrifying. But they're amazing.
[32:53] There was a terrible forest fire. Back in 1993. Or four. I can't remember. Sandy Ridge. I think is the. But. Anyway. It was. The most fatal.
[33:04] Forest fire. In. In U.S. History. 14 firefighters. Were killed. That day. Or during the. The three days. In which they fought. That storm. That firestorm.
[33:16] And. But. As I studied this. Do you know how. A firefighter. Tries to save himself. When he looks. At a wall of flame.
[33:27] Coming that he knows. He won't be able. To escape from. Do you know what they do? First. They dig a ditch. They try to make a break. In a circle.
[33:39] Right. And then what they do. Is they light a fire. Inside that circle. And they burn. Everything in it. So that there's nothing left. That can be burned. In that circle. And then they throw themselves.
[33:49] In the middle of that circle. And they pull over their head. A fire blanket. A fire resistant. Shield. And they hunker down. And they hope. That it's enough.
[34:01] For them to survive. As the fire. Blows over. Because the fire. Has nothing to burn there. So it comes around them. Without actually burning them.
[34:13] And because they're covered. By a blanket. The fire does not burn them. Friends. This is what God has done. For us. In Jesus Christ. The fire storm.
[34:25] Of God's judgment. Will burn. Against all of our sin. But Jesus Christ. Has come. And he has said. I will take the fire. For your sin. And he has dug the trench.
[34:36] And created the burned out place. For us. When he hung on the cross. And died for our sins. And not only that. But then. He covers us over. With the fire blanket.
[34:48] Of his righteousness. So that that fire. Although hot. Has no purchase. Upon our lives. Because when God looks at us.
[35:00] He sees not our sin. But the righteousness of Christ. And so. In the day of the Lord. When the great judgment comes. We.
[35:12] Find a refuge. In Christ. And we will not. Be burned. All that we were.
[35:26] He became. All that we fear. He suffered. All we deserve. He shouldered. So that we might live. In him. Whether alive or dead.
[35:38] And that's referring back to. What Nick preached about. Last week. Where the Thessalonians. Were worried about. If someone died. Before Jesus returned. Are they going to. Are they going to miss out. On something. And the answer is no.
[35:49] They're not. Jesus will return. And he will raise the dead. And then he will raise those. Who are still alive. With the dead. To be with him.
[36:00] To live. In him. Forever. In eternity. We who have. Who have found shelter. In Christ. In the midst of the storm. Of the day of the Lord.
[36:12] Have this incredible prospect. And hope. That we will live with Christ. Forever. Forever. What a wonderful news. What a wonderful thing.
[36:23] This is. What wonderful news. It is. And so. Instead of. Our. Human tendencies. To trivialize. To sensationalize.
[36:35] To obsess. Or to dismiss. The coming day. Rather. I hope you will see. That it is in light of. This day.
[36:46] This coming day. When God. Will judge. Evil in the world. And make it right. A fearsome. And a terrifying day. And yet for us.
[36:58] A day in which. We can be ready. By being in Christ. Christ. Christ. So I wonder friends. Tonight. Where you are.
[37:11] Maybe you. Have been a believer. For a while. But maybe you've lost sight. Of the. Weight of your sin. The reality of judgment.
[37:23] And so the preciousness. Of Christ's death. For you. Has. Grown weak. Maybe you are tempted. To not live. As a soldier.
[37:34] In time of warfare. To live alert. And focused. On God. And his kingdom. Knowing that these. Are the most eternal. And important things. To live for.
[37:49] Maybe. As a believer. You. Have heard this message. So much. And you are terrified. Of that day. Because you see. How much. You still struggle. With sin.
[38:01] Friends. I pray. For you. Tonight. That you. Would be renewed. In your joy. That Christ. Can be your savior. Christ.
[38:13] Can be your life. Maybe. For some of you. Tonight. As you think. About this. You realize. You are not. In the circle.
[38:24] Of Christ. Protective care. That you've never. Put your faith. In him. That you're still. Hoping. That you're. Garden hose. That you're.
[38:35] Fireproof jacket. Might save you. That you're. Good works. That you're. Religious activities. That you're. Just being a good person. Is going to be enough.
[38:47] Friends. I pray. Tonight. That you would consider. The day of the Lord. Is not. Something. That you will escape. And there is only one refuge.
[38:58] And I pray. Tonight. You would run to it. Run. And throw yourself. Onto the burned over area. Where Christ has died. For your sins. Throw yourself.
[39:08] By faith. Into that. And find safety. And refuge. And life. And joy. With him. Let's pray.
[39:20] Let's pray. God. Our word. Tonight. Is a sobering one. And yet. A glorious one. That you have not.
[39:31] Destined your people. For wrath. But for salvation. You have appointed us. For salvation. In Christ. God.
[39:42] I pray. That tonight. You would turn our hearts. Back to you. That. Lord. The salvation. That we have. The refuge. That we have. God.
[39:53] That that would be. A wonderful. Joyful. Glorious. Hope. For us. To cling to. And that it would give us.
[40:05] Focus. To live our lives. Not as civilians. Wasting. Ourselves. In dissipation. But with the focus. Of a wartime mentality. Living.
[40:15] Not for ourselves. But for Christ. Who died for us. Ready. Ready. Ready for the day. When you will return. I pray these things.
[40:28] In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. As a music team. Comes forward. I just want to offer. An invitation. If.
[40:39] The Lord has worked. In your heart tonight. If there are things. That you are wrestling with. And you would like. To have. One of us pray for. Pastor Greg's in the back. Or myself. Or Nick. We'd love to.
[40:49] Talk with you afterwards. Pray with you. If there's. Something the Lord is stirring. In your heart. So. As I. Give that invitation. We.
[41:00] We can. Respond in song. To the Lord's. Messages.