Good morning and God bless you. Aren't we having a good time already? Amen. Let's stand for the reading of God's Word. I'm going to read 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. And, excuse me, right there. And we'll call today's message, Jesus is returning. We're going to look at verse 10 and look at the first phrase. Then we'll look at the second phrase next week, Lord willing, and call it Jesus rose again. And then finally, the last part of verse 10, we'll call it Jesus will deliver. Jesus is returning. Jesus rose again. Jesus will deliver. First Thessalonians. Chapter one when it says Sylvanus that Silas Paul Sylvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace remember what we said. Grace to you at the beginning of his epistles. Grace be with you." At the end, he's about to give them grace, and then he says, remember what I said. That's what's going on. Grace to you, grace with you. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you. because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction you know what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake and you became imitators of us and of the Lord for you receive the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia that is all of Greece For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth for you from Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven. whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Come now and speak through this jar of clay to show your power is of you and and not simply of clever minds or education or anything else, but rather in demonstration of the Spirit and truth. We thank you in your name, Lord Jesus, to the glory of God the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. You may be seated. Are you a Christian? Now I didn't ask if you said a prayer. Because being a Christian is not a matter of repeating a prayer. Now I want to make this clear. I want you to hear me. That yes, Christianity involves prayer. And you can come to God for salvation through prayer. Amen? It sounds something like this. You confess to God that you're a sinner. You ask for the forgiveness of your sins based on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. And you confess Jesus as Lord, placing your faith in Him for your salvation. Then you come to get baptized. And you begin to live your life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen? Anybody have that happening? Amen? We have some people that are going to be getting baptized soon out in our horse trough out front. Hallelujah! So if you want to be one of those, the water will be there and we all have communion afterwards. We all gather around instead of having you barely be able to see me over the precipice over there. And you know, we're out front. It's beautiful. I've never loved a horse trough so much in my life. and we baptize about 30 something people there or was it 50 I don't know it's a bunch but here's the thing about saying a prayer and and and getting involved in the church and all that the New Testament takes a lot of time describing what salvation looks like in the lives of people and how real Christians will think act and live it's not about perfection but it's about direction you see most people There are so many people that don't have salvation because they reject Jesus Christ. But really, it comes about most often in America, I would say, because they neglect Jesus Christ. Oh, I've heard it. I've heard it. I've heard it. I believe. I believe. I signed a card. I said a prayer. I got dunked. I go to church. I give you money. Whatever it may be. Then why does the New Testament spend so much time describing what make-believers are like? Right? It does. Again, the New Testament takes a lot of time describing what salvation looks like. What real Christians think, act, and live like. Because people who are saved aren't just doing whatever they might want to with no discernible Christian life. discernible Christian witness. Real Christians live out what they say they believe in. Amen? And God had the writers of the New Testament address people who are not really believers, but who are deceived. Because there's people who have said a prayer, who have been baptized, and who might think they're living the Christian life, but they're not really Christians. Oh my. So again, being a Christian is not simply a matter of saying a prayer, repeating a prayer, because being a Christian is a matter of being born again. Which means you have a new life. a different life than you did before. The Holy Spirit resides in real Christians, and it changes the way you think, the way you act, and the way you are. It isn't, again, about perfection. It's about direction. But that direction isn't in general. It is specific. And here's what's happening here in 1 Thessalonians 1, verses 3 through 9, leading up to verse 10, but really verses 6 through 10, the Apostle Paul was giving the Thessalonians evidences that prove that they were born-again Christians. Now let's just run through this real quickly, and then we'll get to where we are. In verse 6 we saw the first two evidences. The first evidence of salvation is community. Paul says, and you became imitators of us and of the Lord. Walking with Jesus means walking with others who walk with Jesus. Pin drop, mic drop, whatever, right? That should be obvious. Walk in... and if it's not, hey, hey, hey. Now if you're bedridden and all that, you can watch online, you know, there's ways, but you get it. Walking with Jesus means walking with others who walk with Jesus. Now the second evidence is perseverance. Paul says, for you receive the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Doesn't that sound counterintuitive? But clinging to God in faith and the power of God to give you joy in Jesus in hard situations. You just can't shake it. You don't feel so good, but you start worshiping, you start thinking about God. There's just something that won't let you go, and that's God. Joy in Jesus even in hard situations is another evidence of salvation. You walk the hard narrow road with others. You walk with others that are walking with Jesus and you walk that hard narrow road with others. Now in verse 7 Paul said, you became an example. Remember we did that one a few weeks ago? Living as an example of faith in a way that's vibrant and growing, this is more evidence of salvation. And again, you think, but I'm not doing that. But if you drop the football and you pick the football back up, if you walk backward then you start walking forward again, you are still an example and a good one. You can show how you get back up when you fall down. Amen? So don't feel beat up. Feel built up. Paul is not castigating. He's not casting them down. He is building them up. He is cheerleading. Say, I know that you love Jesus. You're around Jesus' people. You're listening to Jesus' word. Even when things come against you because of Jesus, you still follow Jesus. Now the Thessalonians had heard about Jesus from Paul. And they began to follow Jesus after the manner of Paul. Then they became examples to others, just as Paul had been an example to them. They were hearers of the Word, then they were doers of the Word, and their lives became teachers of the Word. Amen? That's the way it is. In verse 8, Paul said, your faith in God has gone forth everywhere. This was more evidence. The Thessalonians had become enthusiastically evangelistic. Not just with what their words were, but their lives. People said, the town drunk now is saved. These people that were just absolute drug users and all that, are now clean for 25 years. Hallelujah! You know, that kind of thing. This was more evidence the Thessalonians had become evangelistic. They were spreading the good news about Jesus everywhere. They were talking about the faith, and other people were talking about them. You know how it is, someone you really want to get saved, and you give them our new book there, you know, and they receive it, and all that, and then all of a sudden things start changing. The blade, the ear, the full corn in the ear, little bit of light, big time light, and then boom. It's like they have question mark, the light bulb, To exclamation point. Has that happened to anybody? First you were just a Jesus sort of... Faking. Then you were a Jesus sort of... You know, shy. Then you were a Jesus sort of... Full on. Then you're a full on Jesus freak. And people are like, man... What are you on? Oh hallelujah, I'm on Jesus. Well that's good for you, it's good for everybody. People need the Lord. So they were talking about the faith and others were talking about them. Can genuine Christians tell people about Jesus? It's another evidence of saving faith. Now in verse 9, Paul says, People from all over knew that the Thessalonian church had welcomed the gospel and proclaimed it to others. Paul didn't have to ask how it was going in Thessalonica. Remember he said, Timothy, and Timothy said, These guys are on fire. The Thessalonians were living out loud and Paul was hearing about it before he even asked about it. Now Paul continues in verse 9 by saying the Thessalonians turned to God from idols. Remember we talked about how holy makes you happy? You need to get that one. The PDF is still up. Turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God. This is more evidence. They turn to God from their idols, and they also turn to Christ. Our idols today aren't made of metal, wood, and stone usually. People today have idols when they think there's things they can't live without. Things they can't be happy without. Oh no, that's never been in our life. You keep finding more and more of it. And repentance is about turning from your idols and turning towards God. It is about replacing your idols, one by one, with God as the center of your life. And now here we are. You can listen to those messages. They're up online and all of that. In verse 10, Paul gives the Thessalonians more evidence. And again, we're going to break this up in three parts and look at the first one today. He knew that God had saved them because they were obviously and eagerly looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ. Daddy said, we are going to Disney World. They're looking forward to it. So how they acted between now and then, they were going to do what Daddy said. Why? Because they really had an expectation. He had placed an expectation in them that... Right? And Paul says that Christians have this expectation that Jesus is coming again to deliver us from God's wrath and to send himself to us to live with him forever in a... You will like it. So they were obviously and eagerly looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ. This is the pattern among God's people. Now here's the thing when you're young you think oh I want Jesus I don't want to go to hell and all that. But as you get older and your body gets weaker and things you this world gets more weary for you and you start thinking you know man. I'm really excited about this. When you stop thinking, I'm going to build my own little kingdoms. And you realize, I got nothing to prove. Jesus has proven himself to me. It's not like you don't go, we're going to talk. We're going to talk. Let's talk. Look what it says in verse 10. Are you with me? Amen? It says, and to wait for his son. This word wait is used here in what's called the present infinitive. Oh boy. Think of it like an infinite present tense. Right down the line of time. In other words, this is something that you keep on waiting for however long it takes. You don't give up. You keep looking for it to happen. She said, yes, I will go on a date for you. Just go at my house and wait. And when I show up, then we'll go out. Well, I'm waiting and waiting and waiting. But if I really believed it, it doesn't matter how much. You know, rain, sleet, snow, guns, cannons, earthquakes, whatever. Volcano. Woo! I'm on fire! I'm waiting! Woo! She's the best looking girl in school! At least to me! Right? And you plot, and you wait, and you wonder, and then a year later, hi. And then it's like, OK, OK, well, we'll we'll go out on that Friday. And I'm thinking Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday, and I'm not getting any work done. And what am I going to preach this week and what am I going to do and how are we going to keep this from everybody? And oh, anyway. Because you have that expectation. You wait for a son. That waiting is not this passive thing, it's this active thing. And we know this because of what Paul talks about before this. Their waiting included telling other people about Jesus, being good with Jesus even though it seemed bad for you, and all of these other things we just mentioned. Again, this word is infinite, present tense. However long it takes, you don't give up, you keep looking for it to happen. Someone said they're going to pay off your mortgage, you know. And it's like, I'm not sure exactly I'm going to get here today or tomorrow. You're up the whole, you know, hey. Going to get my house paid off? Hallelujah. I mean, think of anything. You can put motivations in your head, but this is greater than that. The Thessalonians kept looking for King Jesus, even as they kept living for Lord Jesus. And you can see that in verse 3 through 9. They're shaping and supporting verse 10. The future focus of the Thessalonians was manifested in how they were living for Christ right now. If you really believe that I was going to come get you in a stretch limo, and I'm going to have everything you want in this limo, and I'm going to be dressed to the nines and all that, and I'm going to be your tour guide and all that, and we're going to go to, I don't know, wherever. The car flies, whatever. Right? And I said, you've got to be wearing your monkey suit. You know, you gotta be wearing your vest and all that. Well, if you really believe it, well, you would do it, right? Don't you have friends that are like that? They're like, if they say something, it's gold. It's gonna happen. And if not, they're gonna tell you plenty of times and say, okay, well, I got something else. And how hard is it when people that are not like that, they promise, they promise, they promise, and they don't deliver. If you just give 119.75, because Psalm 119.75 says this, then you're gonna get this. And we're still wearing glasses. You know what I mean? I'm still 5 foot 2. I like 5 foot 2. I've had 57 years of it today. But you get my point. Now sometimes, that's why you don't just tell your children. Like when I said to some of the children a day before we were going to have them up for our children's sermon. And I said, you're going to like it. Because some of them don't know me as well. And I said, you're going to like it. And I told the parents, you're going to like it. And did we like it? Yes. Of course we did. Right? And now you know how I am if I said, okay, I want you to go with us to the Texas Roadhouse. But that's it. That's real. That's not wrong. God uses those things he's put in us. But he puts certain things in us. He said, I know you guys are saved. Why? Because you're really looking forward to Jesus coming back. You're not thinking, well, I got so much to do in life. Well, you do. Living for Christ. Winning others to Christ. Edifying your brothers and sisters in Christ. In the context of whatever you're doing. Be the vet tech. Please. Be the doctor. Be the lawyer. Be the husband. Be the wife. Be whatever. The plumber. We need people on all fronts. The job doesn't bring you dignity. You bring dignity to the job. Why am I saying this right now? But that's what the truth is. You're a child of God. And they knew it. And he says, I know it. And he's talking to all of them. How come he didn't pick one? Well, this guy, and I don't know about this guy, he goes, no, this is what it looks like. Is this you? Are you a Christian? Anybody? Amen. We're going to talk a little bit more about this. Now, the future focus of the Thessalonians was manifest in how they were living right now. The other evidence is that Paul gave in verse 3-9 a proof of that. And the rest of the New Testament agrees with that. People who are saved, people who are saved aren't just waiting on Jesus with no... with nothing. Oh, I can't wait till he comes back. Yay! No life and witness? No! Christians live out loud what they say they believe in. Believe in their heart. That's the way it was with the Thessalonians. It was obvious that they had turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. Verse 9. And to wait for a son from heaven. Verse 10. These all go together. Truly waiting on Jesus means truly living for Jesus. A saved life is a life... a saving faith. brings a living faith. Paul says this is the pattern of saved people. And make sure you don't miss this point. The Thessalonians, listen, anybody listen, say amen. The Thessalonians were doing all this living for Christ because they were waiting for Christ. We think it's the other way around, but it's not. The more you're truly waiting for Jesus, the more you're truly working for Jesus. That's the truth, and that's how it ought to be with you and me. God has placed a longing for the return of Jesus in every believer's heart. It isn't something that's just intended to help you when you feel discouraged. Now it is that. Absolutely. Amen. This can only go on so long. If you're a Christian, this life is the worst it'll ever get. But if you're not a Christian, this life is the best you'll ever get. Is that good enough? It ain't for me. I want it all. And I get it all. Hallelujah. And so do you. God's placed that longing in each heart. And it's not just to make you feel better when you feel down, it is that, but it's for the maturing believer, it is an increasing, here comes those words, expectation, motivation, and regulation. So first, longing for the return of Jesus is an expectation. Relishing Jesus' return increases as you realize each day is one day closer to His appearing. Do I know when He's coming back? No. Do I know it's one day closer? One second closer? One minute closer? Absolutely! Romans 13, 11 says, For salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. The closer you get, the more you prepare. I mean, you're thinking seven, eight months out, I'm gonna get married, I'm gonna be married, marital relations, all that good stuff. And then it gets a little closer. Thinking, can we get married three months from now, not six months from now? Right? Because you're motivated. You have an expectation. And the closer you get, you get excited. You get excited. Even I do when I'm preaching the message. Hey, sweetheart. And the closer I got, and the closer I got, okay, we went through session one, session two, session three, session four, session five. We do a lot of sessions, but did they work? Yeah. But as we got closer, we started thinking, yeah, yeah. And I wasn't thinking about Chick-fil-A that you had over there. I was thinking about you guys being together, and us having this, and people watching this, and me knowing you when you were this little, and then you did the baptism, and now you're married to a wonderful man, and you're in the church, and it's a hallelujah. The closer you get, right? Now, when you're father or grandfather, you want that day to come, but you're almost like, oh. I tell Vera, I'm like, you know, I want to stay around long enough to be able to, you know, preach your wedding. And I'll be crying like crazy. And she goes, why? I said, because, she goes, no, I'll always be your baby. Yeah. You build that stuff in, folks. You build it in. Build it in. Don't ever neglect that. I remember the first slow dance, and we're at the wedding, and I'm like, here we go. And then I'm dancing with Pookie, and she's like, oh, Dad, really? Yes. And we're doing it. And then I remember the first time it was at Charlene and Chris's wedding and I dance slow with my sweet peeve 16 year old now. We're now towers above me and get away Not really, but you get it the closer you get the more you prepare All right, you don't get drunk the night before the SAT Please don't get drunk anyway, but you get my point right the day before the big game You get ready gentlemen starts your engines your Right? You're not outside the car, you're in the car. All right, so expectation. Jesus, and I put notes together, and the verses that we're referring to are in the notes, but Jesus is going to rescue his people, he's going to render judgment to his enemies, and he's going to rule and reign in a forever kingdom on earth. And true Christians are truly desiring that day. It is an anchor of hope in your heart. Now if there is no return of Christ, there's going to be no judgment against injustice, no mercy for your sins, no renewal of your body, no renewal of this earth, no reunion with loved ones, and no hope for an eternal future. But Jesus will return and make all things right. And as the things of the earth grows strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. You find that they are incapable of satisfying the true longing of your redeemed heart. When you're young, you think, I'm going to do this, this, this, this, and then you wind up doing some of it and you'll be like Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. And he goes, I tried this, I tried this, I tried this, I tried this. He had all the wisdom, he had all the experience, he could do whatever he wanted, he had all the money, he had everything, and he goes, it's nothing. If God's not the center, and I'm just tacking them on or even putting them first, if He's not the center, and my life's not orbiting around here, it's not worth anything. So at the end He says, this is the end of the matter. Love God and do what He says. But when you find that your true satisfaction is what's going to meet your true redeemed heart. Your heart cries out, come Lord Jesus. That's the end of the book, Revelation 22 20. So, longing for the return of Jesus is an expectation. And a longing for the return of Jesus is also a motivation. The return of Jesus Christ reminds you that this life is going to end. And that your next life will never end. Now a friend of mine, I'm 57 today, she'll be 84 tomorrow. And she said, things are going fantastic. And so good to see her. And we're happy about it. Hallelujah. But you know you and I are both looking forward to something more than this. It's going to be heaven. And I'm going to dunk basketballs. Hallelujah. Just like Johnny Erickson's daughter. She's a quadriplegic. I'm going to pole vault the pearly gates. Right? There's something more. And it's a motivation. This life is going to end. But the next life, hallelujah, will never end. The next life is the motivation and goal for this life. Hear that? The next life is the motivation and goal for this life. Because how you live this life will shape how you enjoy eternal life. You know, the thing is, is people are going to get rewards and they'll all be happy, but everybody's going to be thrown into the lake of, instead of the lake of fire, the lake of God's love, as it were. This is Jonathan Edwards, the one that said, sinners in the hands of an angry God. And he described it this way. He says, everybody's going to be fully satisfied. No one's going to be mad at each other. You can't be mad at anybody. You'll be fully immersed. You're a cup. But some cups are going to be like a thimble. And some cups are going to be like a 55-gallon. He didn't say 55. I'm saying it. 55-gallon drum. Right? And so your capacity to enjoy will change. I have one of my best friends, and he's not here today, and Paul, I'll speak to you. You know, if you talk to me about, you know, horticulture and fauna and flora and all that, because I love you and because my wife works on it, you know, I like it, you know, and I watch it, and my wife does all these things. But if they talk about it, wow, the appreciation's so much more. Why? Because they're in it. So if I talk about barbecue, you might go, well, whatever, I like barbecue. But if I'm talking to Danny about barbecue, he will say, take his six foot two and pound me down if I say Texas isn't the best barbecue. Or he'll go, let's go to Caesar's in Orlando, because that's real Texas barbecue in Orlando. You see? If we talked about computers, if we talked about whatever, right? I was thinking, my brother is sitting right here. We could talk about, and they would be just specific to us. But if I'm talking to him about it, it's exciting. Yeah. And so that's what happens as you get along in this thing. These things you're thinking, OK, I get it. Jesus is coming back. But I've got life to live. Well, sure you do. But I've got eternal life to live. And the more you see your mortality, and this life's finality, the more you see your eternality, and it motivates you to go for God's rewards, that is true by God's design. Let's read some verses here, amen? Matthew 6, 19-21. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. He's not saying don't get a bank account. I got a bank account, hallelujah. I'm planning on passing things down to my daughter, you know? But what's more important? lay up for yourself treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal for where your treasure is there your heart will be also Philippians 3 14 I press on towards the goal of prize for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus 2nd Timothy 4 8 henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness hallelujah which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me but to also who have loved his appearing And your Greek word there is like epiphany. Who are waiting for Him to come. Those that are waiting on that, that really love it, that that's what they're looking forward to. Not that they don't do anything else, but they live their life in light of that. That's the thing that's motivating them most. That's the center of what they're doing. That's the target they're aiming at. And when they love His appearing, That's what happens. Revelation 22, 12. Behold, I'm coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay each one for what he's done. I said it before and I'll say it again. The waiting is not passive, it's active. And that doesn't just mean doing stuff. It means enduring stuff. Persevering with praise to God in hard situations like the Thessalonians were doing. As we sing, just one glimpse of Him in glory will the toils of life repay. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory! Longing for the return of Jesus is an expectation. It's a motivation. And finally, it is a regulation. The hope of the return of Christ is meant to guide and control your thoughts and actions. When you truly live for today by having an eye for tomorrow, it makes a difference in how you live now. We read this morning, Titus 2, 11 through 14. Think about what he's saying here. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions. I can't do that. It trains us to live sober, self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. How? Waiting for our blessed hope. I don't know why I brush my teeth every day. I don't know why I brush my teeth every day. I don't know why I'm doing this. Because then when I'm standing in front of you, I've got the shiners. Those are not dentures, praise God. And if they were, that's fine. But people think, I'm just trying hard. No, no, no, no. And they say, well, just flow in the Spirit. Well, I don't know what that means either. Here's a clue. Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the God, the glory of our great God and Savior. By the way, for you smarty pants, that's Granville Sharp. It's the same person. The God and Savior is Jesus Christ. Those aren't, uh-uh. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify himself of people for his own possession. Woo! He sought, yes I have been bought and paid for. I'll stand up on that stage. I've been bought and paid for, bought with the precious blood of Christ who paid for my sins by his death on the cross. He sought me and he bought me with his redeeming blood. Old time gospel hour, here we go. They're zealous for good works. 2 Peter 3, 11-14, speaking of the big bang. There's just going to be a big bang. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in the lives of holiness and godliness waiting for and hastening? Hastening? Someone's going to be the last one, right? Who's going to be the last disciple? What if you were the one? And they bowed the knee and accepted Jesus Christ. Then whoosh! We go. That would be cool. It's going to be for somebody. Somebody will be the last one. I don't know. Hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn. Talk about a Big Bang. But according to His promise, expectation, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. No one telling me I'm number one on the certain part of their body. the highway no one cutting me in line and because I'm little pushing me around no one's saying you don't belong here you don't have the right education you don't have the right clothes you're not the right size you're not the right smarts you're not the right whatever righteousness dwells there's your prayer Lord may your righteousness prevail therefore beloved since you are waiting for these here So we saw expectation, we saw motivation, here it is again in Peter. Be diligent to be found with him without spot or blemish and at peace. Some of my favorite verses in the Bible, 1 John 3, 2 and 3. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we're going to be has not yet appeared, but we know expectation that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is and everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure that's actually not an imperative that's indicative if you're really believing it that's what happens you're not having to force it you're faithing it not faking it Jesus will return and he'll vindicate himself, his church, and his people who have had to suffer injustice on account of following him. It's a promise and each day is one day closer to its fulfillment. Are you living as if you believe that? It's easy to sort of, you know, give up and coast along, but it's not the right thing to do. Jesus wants you to continue to fight the uphill battle of faith. It's worth it because Jesus is worth it. And you're worth it. In this wicked world, faithfulness through trials and troubles of life is an act of worship. Boy, they're treating me bad. But I'm worshiping Jesus. When they treat you bad, and yet you still treat them good, that's 1 Peter 3.15 when it says, Be ready for the hope that lies within you. Tell it with respect. With humility. Because they're going to ask you. What gives with you? What's your secret? It is no secret. It's Jesus. An act of worship. Are you living for Christ? Winning others to Christ? Identifying your brothers and sisters in Christ? Then, verse 10 again, it says, from heaven. The return of Jesus Christ is mentioned at the end of every chapter of this letter. Did you know that? Look at the end of chapter 1, the end of chapter 2, 3, 4, and 5. At the end of every chapter in 1 Thessalonians, he mentions, and by the way this was the first, this was like around 50. Galatians might have been sooner, but some people say this one was the first of Paul's epistles. And the book of James was before that. That's before the Gospels. He said I'm going to get this out of the way right now. This is what's huge. This is what you focus on. This is the first thing I'm mentioning to you. At the end of each chapter. Christians differ on some of the details regarding Jesus' return. But they know that he is going to return bodily. There's notes for you. And when he returns everyone will see him. This is not going to be secret. This is going to be right out loud. And the early Christians lived, listen, as if Jesus could return in their lifetime. Of course, believers have been anticipating that for nearly 2,000 years, and yet the call to watch and be ready remains the same. There are good reasons that the New Testament exhorts all believers in any era to live in anticipation that Christ could return in their lifetimes. Why? Because to live this way prevents the spiritual slumber and worldly satisfaction that characterizes those who will be surprised. when Jesus comes again. If you read 1 Thessalonians 5 you'll see that. He doesn't talk about the timing of the rapture or anything like that. He just says there's going to be people that are ready. There's going to be people that aren't. And it ain't the people with the prophecy charts. They might have them but it's the people who are living for Jesus now. They're not going to be surprised. They don't know the hour or the day but they'll see it coming. Amen. Thessalonians were not like those who were spiritually slumbering, looking for their satisfaction in the world. They were looking for the coming king and living like he was coming soon. Their hope was not in their own kingdom, but in God's kingdom. Bing, bing, bing, bing, bing. Loud trumpet. Their hope was not in their own kingdom, but in God's kingdom. And when you truly live for today by having an eye for tomorrow, it makes a difference in how you live now. So now let's finish where we started. Are you a Christian? And let's put that in terms that this message told you. Are you longing for the return of Jesus Christ? Doesn't mean you don't have goals. Doesn't mean you put everything else aside. It means you live in the light of that. Are you longing for the... I am! Hallelujah! I want Him to come back. It's going to be way better. And look, I've got people that love me, and this wonderful church, and all these things, and God's Spirit pouring through me to talk to you, and all these... Amen! But I still want Him to come back. Because I want perfect. Are you longing for the return of Jesus Christ? Does the forever kingdom motivate you to live for Jesus right now? You're thinking, but it's not really doing that. That's why you focus on it. That's why you mentioned it so many times. Does the hope of Jesus returning guide and control your life? Being a Christian isn't a matter of simply praying a prayer, repeating a prayer. But you can, as I said earlier, start a real Christian life by coming to God for salvation through prayer. You can do it right here and now. You can do it on your own. You don't have to use my exact words. Just the idea. You confess to God that you're a sinner. You ask for the forgiveness of your sin based on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. And you confess Jesus as Lord, placing your faith in Him for salvation. Admit that you're a sinner. Believe He's the Sater. Confess Him as Lord. ABC. And then things happen. You come to get baptized. And you begin to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. You'll have a new direction in life as you trust in the perfection of Jesus. A new direction because of His perfection. God's Son. And then you'll begin to know what it means to wait for His Son from heaven. Amen. Heavenly Father, come, Lord Jesus. We're weary, but we worship. We're tired. We're troubled. We're tempted. But because you have done the work, we will persevere. We couldn't come to you without you, but we did because of you. We can't meet the conditions you've given us unconditionally. We think about, did Jesus die for me? We can look at the cross and know that you did. We know that we, for years, resist you, resist you, but then fully and finally, at some point, you overcome that. We're so thankful for that. And we know that that faith that you put in us, you will keep. And no one will get out of your hand, the same hand that brought us in, holds us in. But Lord, there's going to be people that can know that stuff. and haven't really been born again. And there's other people that think, I've done this stuff, and yet they're not born again. Lord, but we can know. You say anyone who truly comes to you, you will not cast out. So Lord, we come to you now. And when the devil says, well see you don't really believe, we can come to you right now. and say, Lord, we are sinners. We know that you're the Savior. We can look up at the sky and know there has to be a God. We can look at the cross and know that he is good and that he punishes injustice. But you punished him in our place. That we might receive his reward in his place for ourselves and that we share with each other. Help someone, anyone that hears this message. be saved and those that are saved be strengthened and sent out into the world. As evangelistic disciples of Jesus Christ in his name we pray. Amen.