Northside Church - Sydney
Anchor Points Week 6: Jesus Will Return
You're listening to another great message from Northside Community Church. Well we saw it on television and we were amazed, couldn't believe it, I couldn't believe it, but it was happening. People were selling up homes and businesses, just closing bank accounts, putting everything into the purchase of motor homes, what the Americans call RVs, recreational vehicles, and they were touring the countryside, warning people of the impending danger. It happened last month. We saw it in the television. It was this group of religious fanatics under the leadership of a man called Harold Camping, a man deep in his 80s, who's devoted a lifetime to the study of the return of Christ, and they nominated the date May 21st, was all going to happen. Sam and Kristen were in America, they saw the signs, advertising, May 21st. Well as you can see, it didn't happen. In fact, all it did do, unfortunately, that kind of publicity, sadly, sadly just served to confirm that Mr Camping may not have had both always in the water, and you know people just looking at it very cynically and very skeptically, well sadly last Monday, according to some reports out of America, Harold Camping had a stroke last Monday, and in fact may not make it to his next predicted date, which is October 21st, but he may have passed through the veil, as they say, and become to be with Jesus himself before that date. But friends sadly, I mean it's the sort of publicity generated by this group of fanatics that tends to weaken people's interest in the topic of Christ's return. It leads to skepticism, it leads to humour even, I can remember bumper stickers as far back as the 70s and 80s that read, Jesus is coming, look busy, or Jesus is coming, and he's really ticked off, you know, and they were meant to sort of bring a bit of a laugh, people driving along, but friends despite the ridicule of the prophets and the attempts at humour, his reality, there has always been a high level of interest and fascination among the peoples of the world in the topic of end times, not necessarily the return of Christ, but the topic of end times, never more so than in the last couple of decades, that's been my experience, I mean you think of all the movies that have been released on the theme of the end of the world, there's a stack of them, I've chosen just a few, day after tomorrow, I am legend, 2012, the day the earth stood still, you know, Hollywood has a fascination, has done for the last 10 or 15 years with the theme of end times, and of course people have had a great interest in the topic because of some of the things that have been happening in recent times with massive seismic upheavals with the earthquakes and volcanic activity, and that shocking tsunami in Japan and people are saying what is all this, is this the beginning of the end, and of course in the scientific world questions are being raised today more than ever about the future of the planet, and so scientists are talking about the possibility, the specter of end times, and we've introduced a new word sustainability, and we've heard more about that word than in any previous generation, it applies of course to the way we manage the earth and its finite resources, sustainability. Now here's the thing, in contrast to the growing interest in end times in the secular world in the Christian church, which has all the relevant information, whether people supposedly with the answers, there seems to be a corresponding decline in interest, you've got to go a long way today, in any setting, from Hillsong Down to hear a message about the return of Jesus Christ, I wonder if that's because of an over-emphasis in days gone by, an excessive preoccupation, none of you can identify with my background, which many of you know about, but you know when I was growing up, not so much here in Sydney, but particularly the church I spent five years in, in Perth, not a week would go by that we wouldn't hear about the return of Christ, we'd hear a long sermon series in churches of Christ, we actually had some specialist speakers who would come into your church and do a six week series on the return of Christ, one of them was a member of the name of K.A. McNaughton, and he would come in with charts and elaborate drawings and they'd spread them out across the platform, this was pre-data projectors, okay, pre-overhead projectors, pre-whiteboards, we had blackboards, we had blackboards in those days, and maybe even a flip chart, but I remember K.A. McNaughton is stretching it, you get something from the audience, they stretch out the timeline and it was fascinating stuff, you know, and it was, we were very heavily preoccupied with that in these days, well, in those days rather. Well friends this morning to wrap up this series, we're bringing this topic of the return of Jesus right under center stage, but I'm approaching it in a slightly different way. In keeping with the title of the series, Anchor Points, I want to highlight the ways in which the reality of Jesus' return is meant to be a source of great stability, a source of great security for us here and now, never mind in the future. You see, I want to feature four words this morning, four words, that serve as anchor points for our Christian faith in light of our Lord's return, four words, they all start with "ah" that one of them is not rapture, so I don't want to disappoint anybody, but they all start with "ah". Let's face it, when a preacher announces the return of Christ as his or her theme, people expect a sermon featuring predictions, featuring details of the future, featuring an analysis of the signs. Well that's not my purpose this morning for a number of reasons, not least of which is the fact that there are so many different viewpoints on those, in those sort of areas and all of them can be backed up with proof of text and we could have a huge debate about some of those. But the four words I'm going to present this morning represent aspects of Christ's return we can all draw great encouragement from, irrespective of what your personal theory or attitude to this theological viewpoint may be. And the first word is this, reassurance, that's the first word, reassurance. Let's remember that when Jesus made his promise about a future glorious return on his part, it was in the context of the disciples feeling very anxious and concerned. They'd been wondering about how everything was going to pan out. They just had the Lord's Supper. They had heard Jesus talk about his betrayal. They sensed he was in something of a melancholy kind of mood. He'd actually said that Peter would deny him three times. They were very, very anxious, very confused. What's going on Lord? You know, you've never been to this before. As it's all going to work out. And in that context, Jesus says this, "Do not be worried and upset," Jesus told them. That's why he said that because they were anxious. "Do not be worried and upset. There are many rooms in my father's house. I'm going to prepare a place for you." Friends, it was Jesus' way of reassuring the followers and us that there's a clearly defined cosmic purpose to the work of the kingdom. We must never allow feelings of futility and frustration to dominate our thinking in the work of the kingdom. No matter how tough it gets, no matter how successful the forces of evil may appear to be on certain occasions because there's coming a day, Jesus says, right here, there's coming a day, when good will triumph over evil, when love will triumph over hate, when justice will prevail against exploitation, reassurance. That's the first of the words. And here's the second one, redemption, redemption. The return of Jesus Christ will seal and confirm our redemption. Jesus makes a statement directly relating to this point in Luke 21. Now it's in the context of a description of the signs that will precede his return, his reappearance. He talks about strange things happening in the sun and the moon and the stars. He talks about nations being in despair because of, get this, the roar of the sea and the raging of the tides. He refers to the appearance, his appearance as the son of man. And then he says this, when these things begin to take place, stand up, lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near. Now, of course, redemption is a vitally important word for us as Christians. It refers to God's initiative in restoring us to our rightful position as his sons and his daughters. A couple of Bible references, first Peter, chapter 1, verses 18 and 19. "For you know," says Peter, "that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed, but with the precious blood of Christ." And then in Colossians, Colossians chapter 1, verses 13 and 14, "He, God, has rescued us from darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the sun, he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." When someone comes to Jesus Christ, they are redeemed. They are brought back by a loving God. They are restored as a son or a daughter to his family. Not always do we feel restored or redeemed, am I right? I mean, that's the reality, but not always do we feel restored or redeemed. There are times of trial and tribulation. Some of you are going through those right now. You don't feel all that redeemed. There are seasons of suffering. You don't feel all that redeemed. There are moments when you actually and times when you actually drift away from the Lord. You don't feel all that redeemed under those circumstances. That's the reality of the Christian journey. It's an undulating journey sometimes, hopefully moving upwards, but it is undulating. The struggles, in no way, reduce the truth of our redemption, but they can, under certain circumstances, reduce the experience of redemption. You see the difference. The circumstances of our lives don't reduce the reality of our redemption, but they can reduce somewhat the experience of redemption, depending on where you are in your spiritual life. However, this is the point, when Jesus returns or we precede his return through death and go to be with him, in any case, when Jesus returns, our ultimate redemption unfolds. Our ultimate redemption unfolds because we are ushered into an eternal existence where there is no more sin. There is no more suffering. There is no more mortality. As we discovered last week, we are born to become immortal. Lift up your head, says Jesus. Your redemption is drawing near. The pure ultimate expression of our redemption. That's what Jesus is talking about. It's one of the great anchor points of his return. As is the certainty of reunion. There's a third word for you this morning. The Christians in the city of Thessalonica had many questions for Paul regarding the return of Christ. In one of the many passages written by Paul designed to provide clarity on the subject, he says this in the fourth chapter of verse 14. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe God will take back with Jesus, that is, at his return, those who have died believing in him. It's one of the many references in the New Testament to the gathering of the redeemed in heaven. The gathering of the redeemed is one of the many references. Now, I'm not one to speculate about the details. With what I've learned about the use of symbolic language in what we call apocalyptic literature, I'm not all that strong on streets of gold, and that sort of thing. I don't want to shock anybody. That's how it is fantastic. That's not the sort of picture I necessarily have. I know about the certain type of literature being used here, and that was a very big feature, that sort of extreme symbolism. But it is of enormous comfort. I do know this. It's of enormous comfort and reassurance to me, and I know to many of you to think that we will again see loved ones in Christ who have passed on. I know that's a great source of reassurance for many of you as it is for me. As I say, the details of how and where, to me, are incidental. I mean, the Bible says there's no marriage in heaven. Now, some of you are saying, "Ooh, that's good. That's great." Bit of a break, you know. Now, I'm pleased and proud to say that I can't imagine a heavenly existence without my wife, Beth, as my wife. It's good to say that when she's actually present, you know, if you feel like you've got a heavenly marriage, which I feel I have, then it's really hard to think of heaven a great place without the person you really love. The Bible says, "No marriage in heaven." I guess it's still out for multiple barrages and, you know, all that sort of thing. I know the theory, all that sort of thing. But it's an enormous comfort, I know, to me to know that we're going to be there with loved ones who've passed on before. Others get worried about spending an extended time with certain family members and friends, you know, where like Christmas day can seem like an eternity. So, you know, let alone what it's going to be like an eternity. I mean, well, again, we can just leave all that to God, just leave all that to Him. Friends, the important thing is to celebrate and to savour the fact that one day there will be a day of reunion for those who've passed on in Jesus Christ. The promise of immortality is the only thing that makes any sense when it comes to the struggles of our mortality. I mean, what would be the point, otherwise? If there's 70 years or so, if you're lucky, that's all there is, then it doesn't make a lot of sense. But it does make sense if this period is preparation for an eternity in an immortal state. I've heard some of you talk with great passion and great joy about the prospect of being reunited with husbands who've passed on and with wives who've passed on and siblings and children and friends and loved ones. And I feel the same way in relation to some very special people in my life. It's one of the promises associated with the return of Christ and with our transition into eternity at the point of death, whichever comes first. It's just one of those real strong anchor points. It's just great to be able to believe that and to live that. Well, there's a final R word. The final R word is readiness. Readiness. That's the response we are meant to make in light of Jesus' return. He himself said, quite clearly, "You must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting Him." Readiness. That's our best response to these future events. Not prediction. Not speculation. Not lengthy detailed time charts. Our best response is readiness. How the herald campings of this world get around a verse like that I will never know. But they do. You do not know the hour. But people make a lot of money out of claiming they know the hour. People say to me, "Don't you think it's close, Graham? Do you think it's close?" And I say, "Well, you know what? It certainly is closer." I mean, seriously, it is closer. And I believe that. I mean, it's closer than it was a year ago. It's closer than it was three months ago. It's closer than it was yesterday. For the first Christians, the first century Christians, including Paul at one point, they were convinced it would happen in their lifetime. There's a lot of the New Testament devoted to that belief that it would happen in their lifetime. And the so-called signs have been with us in over many generations. Let me give you an example. If the early Christians believed it was going to happen, then Vesuvius in 78E must have really got their attention. And in every subsequent generation, there have been specific catastrophic signs. But, you know, a day with the Lord is there's a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. We've got to keep all that in context. Our response, according to Jesus, is readiness. What is readiness involved? It involves living a life worthy of our calling in Christ. It involves living, by God's strength, a life that sees us growing in our knowledge of God and our application of the teachings of Jesus in everyday life. That sort of maturity, moving to maturity. It also means living, readiness means living a life increasingly open and willing to allow God to come in and do his thing and move in the ways he wants to showing his life and his love into every situation in which we find ourselves. That's being a Christian. That's readiness. With one eye and one ear listening for that which is going to wrap up history as we know it. Friends, why is it important we have these strong anchor points in our Christian lives. We've been through about seven of them these last six or seven weeks. Why is it important? Because they provide stability like an anchor does. They provide stability and certainty when the shifting currents of doubt and disillusionment hit us and they hit us all at one point or another. What have we looked at? We know we're saved. Praise God for that if you know Jesus Christ. You know you're saved. We know that God answers every prayer. We know that forgiveness is assured through Jesus. We're more than conquerors in the face of adversity. Eternity is a reality. And Jesus to wrap it all up will return. My faith in Jesus is a simple faith but it's got me through a lifetime of struggles and tough times and I'll tell you what at my stage of life I'm starting to believe more and more about less and less. You know what I mean? You would not have got him or zealous, pre-millenniused than Graham Agnew at 21 years of age. In fact I could tell your spiritual condition by what you thought of Israel. Has that for a gift? Fantastic gift. You know what? I'm believing more and more about less and less but I'm feeling more assured in that in that is simple beliefs. Life's very complex but the simplicity of the Christian gospel when applied with diligence and faith and courage and all the things that are needed it is the only way. I wouldn't have stayed with the faith and I certainly wouldn't have stayed with the ministry as long as I have if I didn't really believe that. Hebrews 6, 8 and in the 19. Look at this. So we who have found safety in him, God, greatly encouraged a whole firmly to the hope placed before us. We have this hope as an anchor for our lives. Friends, if you're not really sure about any of these points, if you're saying to me today, you know, I'd like to be more certain about my faith. I think I'm going to make it a thing. I might just scrape in. That's no way to live life. Jesus doesn't want that sort of mediocre Christianity. He wants us to live victoriously. He wants us to live triumphantly. He wants us to live with strong anchor points. So maybe the best thing that could come out of this series is some more dialogue. You know, talk to one of the ministry team, talk to your connection group leader, talk to somebody you trust to get your faith firmed up. That's where God wants you to be. Not the perfect Christian. None of us reach that. Not the one with all the answers. None of us are there. But certainly the one with some basic anchor points. Pretty, firmly secured. So let's bow in prayer. Oh, Father God, we thank you for the simplicity of the Christian faith revolving around a series of simple assertions backed up by scripture, backed up by history, backed up by the testimony of countless millions of Christians down through the years. Lord, we can be a part of that great wave of faith and confidence. And in these troubled times, when so much of life is uncertain, when there are signs that maybe are more pronounced than they've ever been before, when people are getting anxious, we can trust in the Jesus who said, do not be worried and upset. It's all coming to a climactic ending. And you can be part of that ending with me in eternity forever. Lord, we want to be on that page. We want to be that certain about our future. And we want as many of our friends and loved ones to be on that page as well. So help us Lord in that area of our lives of communicating the faith in a way that's attractive and appealing so that many more will get on board. So Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen.