HOT OR COLD?

HOT OR COLD THIS END TIME?

John 14:1-3; Matthew 24:1-13; Luke 21:34-36; 1Cor.15:51-58; 1Thess.4:15-18

In Matthew 24, on the Mount of Olives Jesus answered three questions of His disciples: (i) When will the destruction of the Temple take place? (ii) What will be the signs of Christ’s Second Coming? (ii) What will be the signs of the End of the Age?

These are questions on Eschatology or the study of the Last Days before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The events of the Rapture were not detailed in this discuss. Even the 2000 year old Church age was not mentioned here. Because of this some Bible Scholars say that the Church age is parenthetical. Paul who was blessed with abundance of visions and revelations (2Cor.12:1-4), described the Rapture as a mystery (1Cor.15:51-52). My goal this afternoon is to exhort you to keep the flame of your love for Christ and for His church burning till the day of the Rapture and also to show the danger of allowing that love to wax cold these last days.

1.    GLORIOUS RAPTURE DAY FOR FAITHFUL BELIEVERS

1Cor.15:51-58; 1Thes.4:15:18; John 14:1-3

There is a glorious day coming when the saints of God of past ages and faithful believers of the present age will be caught up together in a rapturous welcome event in which we will meet the Lord Jesus Christ in midair! From that moment on, we will forever be with the Lord! This is described elsewhere as the Blessed Hope of Believers (Tit.2:11-14). Jesus encouraged His disciples with these words in (John 14:1-3). He is coming again. The second coming of our Lord is divided into two parts. The first part is the Rapture. The second part is His physical return to judge the world.

This event of the Rapture will happen suddenly – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. This could mean that the whole catching away of the saints will take place in a very brief moment of time (1Cor.15:52).

This event will be preceded by (i) a Shout, (ii) the voice of the archangel, and (iii) the trumpet of the Lord. These are meant for the ears, and perhaps the hearts of ready believers. All the faithful saints of God who have served Him and died, whether naturally or as martyrs, will rise with an incorruptible body at the sound of the Trumpet. All those who are alive and standing in faith, whose love has not waxed cold will be instantly changed. We will be transported into the presence of God and of His angels and saints. Christ’s promise of John 14:1-3 will be fulfilled. It will be a time of great joy unspeakable and full of glory. We will be able to meet the one who died for us. We will be able to meet our maker!

 

2.    REMAINING HOT AND READY FOR THIS RAPTUROUS EVENT

Mat.24:12-13, 36-44; Luke 21:34-36; 1Cor.15:58; Heb.12:14

This onetime event of eternal consequence will actually be missed by many because, according to the word of God, their love will wax cold. Their hearts will be overcharged with surfeiting and that day will meet them unawares!

In the last days there will be a deterioration of Christian love caused by proliferation of antagonism and persecution, apostasy.  Some will abandon their faith to save their necks.

Because of the abundance of gross sins, many things that Christians were usually afraid to touch will no longer scare them. Spiritual life will deteriorate and love of many begins to wax cold. There will be a climax of evil which will numb the love of many who profess to be Christians.

This teaching of Christ exposes the error of eternal security which teaches that once a Christian, you can never be lost again (Jude 5-6; 2Pet.2:4-9; 3:9-14). Some professing Christians will apostatize and thus be lost in the end. But true believers will be saved.

Jesus warns us to remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32). She was on her way to freedom, led by the hand of angels but she looked back and became a pillar of salt. She failed to reach her promised land.

Endurance till the end is the watch word because the last days are perilous times (2Tim.3:1-5). The love of men will be for themselves, not for God or for others. Will they love their families? Oh yes. The Lord did not say that the filial love of many will wax cold. Will they love their wives? Will they continue with the proliferation of immoral practices? Oh yes they will. The Lord is not saying that the “Eros” of many will wax cold. He said the AGAPEOS of many will wax cold. He said it would be like in the days of Noah. Life went on. They married. They gave in marriage. They ate and drank. Enjoyment was their consuming passion.

AGAPEOS is our first love For Christ and believers (Rev.2:5). We must keep it burning. There is something good waiting for us. Heaven is urging us on to victory. They are expecting, waiting for us to overcome. And when the trumpet sounds and the roll is called up, we will be there. So stand and be steadfast in love and service (1Cor.15:58).

Will the world know when we are gone? Of course they will know. They will know it when Christian doctors are caught away in the middle of an operation. They will know it when a Christian pilot is taken away midflight. They will know it when Christian drivers, bus drivers or train drivers at caught away at high speed. They will know it when bankers, teachers, lawyers, business men, nurses, professors are suddenly caught away, and their positions become vacant. Of course the world will know when we are gone. There will be vacancies in many places waiting to be filled, but who cares. We will be enjoying our first day in heaven! We will want to gaze at our Father God and worship at His feet. We will want to admire Jesus who we are meeting for the first time. Who knows what joys the Holy Spirit will present to us? There will be so much to do and so much to catch up with that it will take eternity to get used of all that God has in store for us. Who needs vacancies? Who needs all the pitiful jobs of this world! You want to see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Job, Noah, Daniel, Elijah, Joseph, Mary, Peter, Paul. How can we even start numbering them? Human thinking aside, eyes have not seen and ear have not heard the things God has in store for us when we get to heaven!

No we will not miss the world. We won’t miss our jobs. We won’t miss our homes. We won’t miss our cars, we won’t miss our friends. We won’t miss our certificates. We won’t even miss our families if they are left behind! Heaven is a perfect place. We don’t need to take anything to go there, and we won’t lack anything when we get there.

 

WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

o   Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Let us labour for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.