Is Jesus Coming Back?

- All right, everybody, we are starting our new series by popular demand. (audience applauding) How many of you know about, you've been before by popular demand? You already know what it's about. All right, cool, cool. Some of you are maybe a little newer, or don't remember, or maybe you haven't been part of it. So by popular demand is a very, very cool series. I'm gonna share about it in a second. How many Christians brought your Bibles to church? I wanna see how many Christians got your sword. Shoo, shoo, shoo, shoo, shoo. All right, very good, very good. God's word is important. I wanna encourage you, if you have your Bible, start opening up to Matthew 24. That's what we're gonna kick it off. I'm gonna give you four other passages. If you're like me and like to get ahead and put a little marker in your Bible, or take a note, a little bit ahead will be in Acts 1. First Thessalonians 5, and at the end, we'll be closing off in 1 Peter 4. So Matthew 24 is where we'll start off. A little bit ahead, Acts 1. First Thessalonians 5, 1 Peter 4.

We will have everything up on the screens as well. So by popular demand, by popular demand is the series that we've done throughout many of the years here at Vertical Church. And basically what we do is on our Easter weekend, we give a survey to everybody at church, including most of you who were here Easter weekend. We had eight services and everybody's able to do a survey. You guys fill out some answers on that survey, some questions that we ask, including when we ask, hey, what questions do you have? What topics do you want to hear about, preached out here in church? So this series is not like what the pastor wanted to bring, or what the team at church thought would be good to bring. It's actually what you guys by popular demand selected. It's the questions that you guys are asking. And that's interesting, because when we look in the New Testament, often when Jesus starts teaching or preaching, often it's initiated by somebody asking a question. And often people would ask questions, and Jesus would take advantage to answer those questions by telling a parable, or by teaching a spiritual lesson, or by preaching the word, the gospel to them. And so I want to take a moment to affirm you here at Vertical Church for asking good questions.

Every time we do this, you guys really are kind of on top of what's really, I guess what's really impacting what we really want to know about and learn about. So I want our creative and production team always put together state of the art technology. So production team, can you put up the wheel on the board? Excellent, excellent, yes. It's extraordinary. We've put millions into this. And the team has connected this red button to the spinning wheel, so we can discover by popular demand what today's question is. So on the count of three, we're all going to scream out, by popular demand, like we're on a big game show. Are you guys ready? You guys ready? What are you going to scream out? - By popular. - All right, here we go. One, two, three, by popular demand. There we go, there we go, there we go. Let's see what's today. What's the question today? What did you guys ask for today? There it is. Is Jesus coming back? Congratulations everybody. Good question.

You all win a hug from the hospitality team on the way out after service. Is Jesus coming back today? Is Jesus coming back? That's the question today. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for this opportunity to be in your presence, Lord, to open up your word. Holy Spirit, I pray that you would speak to hearts, Lord. I pray for the hardest, hardest heart to be softened. I pray for the most skeptic, skeptic. I pray, Lord, that your Holy Spirit would cut through all of that junk and reach our hearts where they are. Minister to us, we ask in Jesus' name, I pray. Is Jesus coming back? That's a big question. Depending who you ask, you can get some very interesting answers. Even within Christianity, some people see a hurricane on the news and they're like, Jesus, coming back. Some people hear about war breaking out, they're like, all right, this is it. Some people see crazy headlines on the internet and start making their assumptions. Somebody else hears them like, oh, I've heard that all my life. They grew up in church, right?

So it is a valid question. Are we living in the last days, right? I think a lot of us are asking this question. Is Jesus coming back? What does the Bible say about all of this? And so we're gonna talk about this and here's what I want you to know from the beginning. When it comes to the end times and what's to come as believers in Jesus Christ, we don't have to be scared. We don't have to panic. We don't have to be confused. We don't even have to speculate. All we have to do is literally open God's word. And sometimes it's an easy concept, but we just don't do it. And so I wanna do that together today. We can open up God's word. I wanna lead with this concept, this idea, but we do know how we're supposed to live until he does. Okay? So we don't know when Jesus is coming back, but we believe he is coming back, and we can know how to live until he comes. Now, there are a lot of things happening in our world, which cause us to ask the question, hey, are we getting close? Are we in those times when you see a lot of natural disasters happening around the world? When we see a lot of war and rumors of wars, when we hear about the craziness that's happening,

literally all around us when just, it's crazy, six years ago, a global pandemic, which hadn't happened in such a long time previous to that, and we asked the question, everybody's asking, are we in the last days? Now, Jesus said something in Matthew 24, we're gonna go to Matthew 24 verse 36, and Jesus said something very important here that I think is important for us to kind of kick off with. And in Matthew 24, 36, Jesus says, but about that day or hour, no one knows. Pause, who knows? No one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the father. And Jesus is very clear in this statement that nobody knows the day and the hour. So let me give you some pastoral advice. If somebody tells you that they know when Jesus is coming back, don't buy the t-shirt, don't sign up for that club, run, because Jesus said it himself, we don't know. And throughout history, people have tried to predict the date of his coming. Have you ever experienced one of those? But every time they've done so, they have been wrong every single time. Why? Because Jesus didn't give us a date to calculate. He gave us a promise to believe in and trust. And it's important for us to understand this.

Although we don't know when he is coming, we absolutely know that he is coming. We don't need to be scared or confused or paralyzed. We do need to understand the unique times and generation that we're living in, and we need to understand what he's called us to do. Now, every Christian church usually has a doctrine or a belief about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. And there are variations even on that. We have a statement of faith, which by the way, we give to everybody who completes or goes through the vertical connect, used to be known as the vertical growth track, and the declaration of, or the statement of faith basically has our core principles and the truths that we believe in according to the Bible here at Vertical Church, if you're ever interested in that, you can ask us for it. Now, let me give you this one line to just kick it off and be clear from the beginning. All right, here it is. We believe that Jesus is coming back. We believe that Jesus is coming back, okay? That wasn't Arnold Schwarzenegger's original idea. All right, and what was his line in the movie? I'll be back. Somebody said, "I'll still be the baby." That's not the one. That's what Jesus said when he was ascending into heaven. He said, "I'll still be the..."

But what we're waiting for is for him to say, "I'll be back." He said, "I'll be back." And we believe he's coming back. In other words, some generation will be the generation that experiences this. So I want you to think about and turn with me to Acts chapter one. Go to Acts chapter one. And I want you to think about what happened to Acts chapter one. By the way, give you a little context. Jesus had lived among the disciples because he had been crucified already. He had died for our sins. He had risen from the grave for 40 days post-resurrection. He appeared to his followers and then he ascended into heaven. We're gonna read that right now. But he was giving them some last instructions in essence, the Great Commission. Now, Acts chapter one verse nine. I want you to look what it says. It says, "After Jesus said this, after he said this, "he was taken up before their very eyes." Taken where? Up, he started ascending. And a cloud hid him from their sight. Imagine they were looking intently up into the sky as he was going when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them and said,

"Men of Galilee," they said, "Why do you stand here looking into the sky?" Well, of course, we know why they were looking at it. We're watching Jesus ascend. Then they said, "This Saint Jesus, "who has been taken from you into heaven," there it is, "will come back." In the same way, you have seen him go into heaven. Now, I love this phrase, "this Saint Jesus." In other words, the Jesus who loved them, the Jesus who healed them, who forgave them, who died for them and rose from the grave, that Jesus is coming back. Christianity isn't ultimately about escaping the world, it's about the return of our King one day. And we need to be aware of that and we need to be alert. We're gonna talk about that today. We don't know the day, but Jesus did give us some signs. I want you to start turning to Luke, turn back now to a couple of books to Luke chapter 21. We don't know the day or the hour, but Jesus did give us some signs about the season when he would come back. And he talked about some things that would characterize the days leading up to his return because the Bible is very clear and has lots of say about this. Now, Luke 21 verse 25, it says, there will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish

People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time, they will see the Son of Man, that's referring to Jesus, coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads because your redemption is drawing near. Now, check it out. When you see all this craziness increasing, these are signs, and I know it makes some people kind of nervous, but notice that Jesus doesn't say, when you see all these things, run and start screaming. No, no, he says, stand up, lift up your heads. Why? Because for the believer, the return of Jesus isn't bad news. For the believer, the return of Jesus is good news. It's something that we celebrate that we're encouraged by. And so the question is, are we living in the last days? Is this it? My answer is maybe, but like the Bible said in Matthew 24, I don't know, neither do you, the exact day or hour, and that's okay, but here's something I do know. Every generation of Christians has had to live with the possibility that Jesus could return in their lifetime, every generation of Christians.

And I actually believe that's a healthy thought to have, whether it happens in our lifetime or it doesn't. Ask me why, ask me why. Because here's the way that we should live. I heard this from a pastor a few years back, and I love it, here it is. We should plan like Jesus is coming back in 100 years, but live like he's coming back tomorrow. And there's a lot of wisdom in that. In other words, we should build. We should raise our children. Hey, singles, you should get married. You should start a business. We should go to school. We should go to college, we should plant churches. We should plan for the future, but we should never become so comfortable with this world that we forget that the world is not our final destination. Are you with me? Could our generation be the generation? I don't know, but I do know there are some fascinating, unique realities about this generation that the previous generations did not simply experience or have, and I'm not saying that these things prove that we're the final generation, but they remind us that some things that scripture describes are technologically and globally possible today in ways that they never were before. Are you with me? Let me mention three, global communication.

We have worldwide satellite technology today. This is unique to our generation and important to the end times. Ask me why, ask me why. Because Revelation 11 tells us an interesting story about two witnesses for Christ and for the gospel. Most scholars believe, it doesn't say, the Bible doesn't say who those two witnesses are. Most scholars believe that it will be Moses and Elijah. And these two witnesses will preach in the end times. They will preach and the Antichrist will kill them. Their bodies will be lying in the streets for three and a half days and every nation will witness at the same time what happens with them. The Bible says every nation will witness at the same time what happens. So for centuries, people wondered when they would read the Bible, how could the whole world see something happening in Jerusalem at the same time? Well, today we have live stream technology that allows us to be connected with the other side of the world at the same time. Are you guys following me? Technology does improve prophecy, but it does show us that what once seemed impossible is now entirely conceivable. Second one is global economic systems. Revelation 13 talks about the Antichrist. The Antichrist is the leader that the Bible talks about that is gonna be raised up. And it's not gonna be a good person,

but it's gonna seem like a good person. The Antichrist in a show of apparently bringing people together is going to get the world to agree to a one world currency. We already see things pointing that way. And the way that you will buy and sell in those times is by taking what the Bible refers to as the mark of the beast. If you haven't read about this, Revelation 13, the mark of the beast, it's either on your hand or on your forehead, according to what we read in the Bible. And I don't know exactly how it's gonna work. You're gonna go to the store and maybe just swipe your hand or beep, you know, forehead, I don't know, exactly how it's gonna be. But we're not too far from all of that technology already. Worldwide financial technology. We live in the first generation that has the microchip technology that has the capability to do these things. Again, technology doesn't prove prophecy, but it reminds us that this is unlike any previous generation to us. Are you following me? Here's one more, global evangelism. This one's exciting. Jesus said in Matthew 24, 14 that the gospel will be preached throughout the whole world and then the end will come. Okay, the gospel will be preached throughout the whole world. The word for world that Jesus uses in the original scriptures is ethnos, which means to all peoples or people groups. And we are living in an extraordinary time for the spread of the gospel.

Technology allows the gospel to cross borders previously had very little Christian material but now is at the speed at a great speed growing and languages and dialects all over the world are now getting portions of the Bible of the gospel in their language that's why we give that's why we support missions and missionary organizations that's why we plant churches that's why we preach the gospel because we don't know when Jesus is coming but until he does we have a job to do and that is to spread the gospel and so we live in a unique generation that has limited time yet incredible opportunity for global evangelism that didn't exist like it does today generations back are you following me all right so let me let me switch modes here and go into this next portion which is basically this let me make a statement Jesus's return is good news say it with me Jesus's return is good news this is not something to be scared about this is something to be excited about and to be encouraged about as Christians because of the return of Jesus it should produce some things in us let me mention three first Jesus's return gives us hope say it with me hope Jesus return gives us hope in fact it should comfort us look what it says in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 15 it says according to the Lord's word we tell you that we who are still alive who are left until the coming of the Lord will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God and the dead in Christ will rise first after that we who are still alive and our left will be caught up everybody say caught up caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will be with the Lord forever therefore encourage one another with these words the Bible is talking here what the Christian church knows as the rapture everybody say rapture the rapture is the moment where God is going to take out his people he's going to take out those of us who are in Christ will be taken out of the earth out of the world and not experience the tribulation again this is what we believe at vertical church there are different positions and perspectives based on doctrine or

interpretation of biblical texts we believe that the Christian church will not remain on the earth for tribulation but rather be raptured before and not experience the tribulation but we should be encouraged everybody say encouraged we should be encouraged that someday we are going to be with the Lord in heaven can I get an amen that is good news now I know that some of you are walking through some very difficult situations on this earth some of you are walking through some pain and through some difficult situations in this world right now that you never imagined you'd have to walk through and you're praying for an earthly miracle and we should pray because the Bible encourages us to pray we believe that God can heal we believe that God can restore and he can provide but we also need to remember that God's promise isn't simply that everything's going to work out here on the earth this is in our final destination we can never forget that God's ultimate promise is that one day we will be with him forever and that my friends that is good news that's our hope so don't put all of your hope in everything turning out amazing here on the earth because that things on earth won't always be getting better and and the Bible tells us that as we get to the signs of the end it's not going to necessarily get better it might get a little crazier but our hope is bigger than our circumstances our hopes name is Jesus some people are like but pastor I really love South Florida I promise you heaven is much better than South Florida secondly Jesus's return keeps us ready everybody say ready it prepares us God doesn't want us to be ignorant to all of this or unequipped or unprepared did you know this that there are over 300 references in the New Testament to the end times and the return of Christ check this out 216 of 260 chapters of the New Testament talk about these things and allude to it 23 of the 27 books in the New Testament talk about end times and talk about a reference the second coming of Jesus God has a lot to say about this not to scare us but to encourage us continuing on verse Thessalonians 5 verse 1 verse Thessalonians 5 verse 1 says now brothers and sisters about times and dates we do not need to write to you for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a what a

thief in the night while people are saying peace and safety destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape but you brothers and sisters are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief so while there will be a lot of people that are completely shocked about what's happening you and I who know Jesus and have his word should not be shocked weren't prepared everybody say prepared by the way that's why it matters how you live your life that's why it matters the decisions you make that's why your relationship with God As Christians, we are prepared for the reality that Jesus is coming back. And sometimes we need a wake-up call, like this message, good question, good question, you guys asked, is Jesus coming back? Has anybody here ever helped plan for a wedding? Anybody ever helped plan for a wedding? Yeah, whether it was your own or somebody. Okay, okay, when you plan for a wedding, under normal circumstances, it could be even a year ahead that you're planning, or months ahead. I know sometimes there's crazy, like we're getting married next week, right? But most of the time you're planning, and what happens, you're planning for a year, for months, you're planning, it's the dress, it's the venue, it's the flowers, it's the music, it's the food, it's the guest list, it's who do we sit next to, uncle, so-and-so, you know? You know that issue, who do we sit at that table, right? I know you guys don't have any uncles, I know, I know. All these things of preparation for a ceremony

that lasts 20 minutes, right? Why? Because, well, the bride isn't sitting around saying, "I wonder if the wedding's really gonna happen." No, she's preparing, she knows it's coming, she's getting ready for it. The Bible describes the church as the bride of Christ, and one day the bridegroom is coming for his bride, so here's the question, am I living like I'm preparing for the wedding? Because let me tell you something, if I'm engaged to be married, I shouldn't be playing around with other people. And one day the groom's coming back, and the question is, will he find his bride ready, prepared, how you live matters? Jesus is coming, so stay ready. Third thing, Jesus' return keeps us awake. Come on, give somebody a number, say, stay awake, stay awake. (chuckles) First Thessalonians five, continuing in verse five, it says, you are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness, so then let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. And here's what I love about that. Jesus' return isn't supposed to make us obsessed with when he's coming, it's supposed to make us intentional about

how we're living in preparation for his coming. So are these the last days? Well, I don't know, but here's something I do know, I know that in the view of all of time and eternity, you're living in your last days and I'm living in my last days. So in essence, yeah, last days, we're in the last days. And the question is, if Jesus came back today, would anything about the way you live need to change? If the answer is yes, then I would say start changing it today. Why? 'Cause we gotta be awake, we gotta be sober, we gotta be prepared and focused, amen? All right, so let me, as we redirect for this second part, let me start with this line, here it is. If Jesus is coming back then, how should we live? If Jesus is coming back, how should we live? I wanna go back to Matthew 24 where we started this conversation and then I'm gonna give you some tips that Peter gives us in first Peter. So Matthew 24, check this out. This is such a good passage right here. Matthew 24 verse 37, it says, "When the Son of Man, Jesus, "when the Son of Man, Jesus returns, "it will be like it was in whose day? "Know as day." You guys remember Noah, right? In those days, before the flood, check it out. The people were enjoying banquets and parties

and weddings right up to the time, Noah entered his boat. Here's an important phrase right here. People didn't realize, say it with me? People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all the way. That is the way, that's the way it will be when what? When Jesus comes back, two men will be working in the field together, one will be taken, raptured. The other one, look, can you imagine that? I play basketball. Imagine, imagine, six guys playing three on three basketball. And three of them came to vertical church and were real Christians. And all of a sudden, boom, the other three are like, imagine three sisters, three friends, women sitting in a coffee shop, having a good coffee and two of the three, boom, go away. The other one's left, they're thinking, should have ordered the matcha. (congregation laughing) You should have been ready. There it says, right there, two women will be grinding flour at the mill. One will be taken, the other one left behind. So you too must keep watch, for you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this, if a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into, you also must be ready when?

So Jesus uses Noah's days as an illustration. The people were simply living it up, living life, doing, hey, partying, banquet, you know, doing it because it says the people didn't realize. They didn't realize what was happening until the flood came, swive them all away. So Jesus says, you also, you gotta be ready. That's why we're talking about this today here at church. We understand that we are living in unique times. Are these the last days? Honestly, I don't know, but I do know that I will have as many years on this earth as the Lord allows me to so I hope to make good use of them. I wanna make a difference for his kingdom and then I'll have an eternity to spend with the Lord. But until then, we all have people to reach. We have lives to touch. We have a difference to make. So we've talked a little bit about Paul's teaching on End Times. Jesus is teaching on End Times. Let's close off with some tips. Three tips from Peter in first Peter, chapter four. Three tips from Peter. Here we are, number one, here's the first tip. How should we live? Think clearly with eternity in mind. Say it with me. Think clearly with eternity in mind. Write out a first Peter for verse seven, which says, the end of all things is near.

He's talking about End Times. Peter says, therefore, what does he say? Be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Peter's response to End Times isn't panic, it's clarity. He says, you gotta think clearly because when eternity is in view, it puts everything on earth and perspective as well. And notice where Peter takes us with his thought. He leads us to prayer. That word, pray, is important. Prayer is the key to clear thinking. Have you ever experienced that? Prayer is the place where our perspectives get realigned in the right way. I don't know if it's ever happened to you. Sometimes I come into a moment to pray and I come into the moment with my problems, feeling overwhelming, frustrated, disappointed, worried. I come in thinking about what somebody said or what somebody did to me and then I start praying and all of a sudden everything seems like it's changed but the situation hasn't, it's just my perspective on it. That's what prayer has the ability to help you clear your mind. You pray to the Lord and when you have eternity in mind, it helps you change perspective. That's why I love this idea. Let me give you a good light. This is a good line right here.

Prayer is not the time where you inform God about earth. It's the time where God informs you about heaven. And so there's an aspect of prayer where I'm speaking to him, praise God that I can speak. I can share, I can request. But there needs to be a part of prayer where I listen, where I let him inform me. Prayer realigns us, worship realigns us. God's word helps to realign us. That's why in Colossians it says, "Set your minds on things above." Because sometimes, ask me why, ask me why, ask me why. Because sometimes, this is our situation. My problems are so huge. My problems are so huge. I got so many huge problems. And what we don't realize is that that statement is another way of saying, my God is small. But what happens when I begin to pray consistently and clear my mind and his word and connecting to God, I might start off with my problems are huge and then my problems are big. And then as I pray, my problems are medium. And then as I pray, my problems are not that big. And then as I pray, my God is big. My God is awesome. My God is huge. I'm not alone. I can do all things through Christ. It shifts my perspective.

Prayer, clear mind. Get your mind clear. If you're anxious about the end times, pray about it. Get your perspective back. Get your eyes on Jesus. When I remember that Jesus is coming back, I don't panic about what's happening around me. I get perspective about what's happening above me. It's a whole different perspective. So Peter says, be clear-minded. Be clear-minded and have eternity to mind. Second thing Peter tells us is love people deeply. Say it with me. Love people deeply. He puts an emphasis on relationships. And verse eight, the next verse in first Peter four, verse eight says, above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. So do it, but do it with a good attitude. Now, why should we love people? Ask me why, ask me why. Because people matter. Because people matter to God. Actually, did you know this? People are the only thing that will last forever. Buildings will not last forever, money will not last forever, cars will not last forever, businesses will not last forever. Only people.

Because people were created in the likeness and image of God. We were created with eternity. We are eternal beings. The question is where? against people. I don't want to waste my remaining time nursing offenses like a pet cat mad at her I'm mad at him. She did me wrong living life like that I Don't want to waste my time living disconnected or being so busy that I'm not with the people That I'm not loving people deeply. I want to learn how to love people deeply. I want to forgive quickly I want to extend grace abundantly. I want to practice hospitality. I want to live in community by the way That's why at vertical we have groups Until I'm blue in the face as a pastor. I will say at this church get in the group Get in a group. Well, I've been a Christian for 40 years. You're the one who needs a group the most brother We've learned that because sometimes you think you're such hot stuff. You should be leading a group in fact And so there's something about groups something about community So it's it's awesome to come on Sundays, but you can come in on Sundays and sneak out Sundays and nobody saw you Nobody knows your name, but when you get in a group You got to be in a place where somebody knows your name when you're in a group somebody knows you somebody can pray for you Somebody can celebrate with you. Somebody can cry with you. There's beautiful thing about groups I just experienced something beautiful this last past weekend a couple in our church got married And they made a decision to honor God to honor God and do things in God's order and get married and Everybody in their rooted group got together and help them put the wedding together. What a beautiful what a beautiful Moment to see the body coming together. Why did that happen people loving people deeply? Relationships community, so you're benefiting by coming on Sunday, but you're not benefiting from everything this church family has to offer until you're connected in a group Relationships, that's why we do church. That's why we do community. What is a church? It's a spiritual family walking to heaven together Growing and helping others come along It's a beautiful thing. We love people we care about people we connect with people because people matter to God and people will last forever So if Jesus is coming back, what do we got to do? We got to think clearly. We got to love people deeply and thirdly You got to make your life count God has called us we say it every Sunday to make a difference local Peter says at the end of all times is near and Peter says Verse verse 10 continuing on verse Peter 4 verse 10 each one of you should use whatever gift he has received to what?

To serve others how faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms if anyone speaks He should do so as speaking the very words of God if anyone serves he should do it with the strength God provides So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ to him be the glory of the power forever and ever Amen, Peter says that each person should use whatever gifts whatever spiritual gifts Whatever abilities that they have received to do what to serve themselves To serve others and that's a good question. What are you doing with the gifts that God has given you right now? What are you doing with the gifts the resources the experiences the time the energy the relationships with your life? Peter says don't waste your life use it use your gift Because if Jesus is coming back your life has purpose. You're not here by accident. You have a role to play You're not saved to sit you're saved to serve And when you realize that you activate your gifts you activate your calling you activate those things that God has put in you So important This is one of the reasons by the way That we have something called vertical connect here formerly known as the growth track We want to help you discover your purpose We want to help you discover your personality and find and find your best fit in the context of the spiritual family But also in your life so many Christians have been walking with Jesus for years, but have never discovered what their spiritual gifts are We want to help you do that in step three a vertical connect will help you discover your spiritual gifts through an assessment Maybe you're good with technology. Maybe you're good at leadership. Maybe you're a good musician. Maybe you're a good Encourager, maybe you're organized. Maybe you're good with kids. Maybe you're good at using your hands Maybe you're gifted with hospitality. Maybe you're a giver and you have a gift of generosity Maybe you are a prayer warrior. Maybe you're great at serving or coordinating events whatever it is use the gift There's a church here where you can use it and there's a world all around you where you can use your gift Don't bury it. Don't waste it Don't wait for someday make your life count today Amen So is Jesus coming back? Yes, he is. Do we know exactly when no, we don't But we do know the promise that was made this same Jesus will come back So here's how I want you to remember today's message. I Want to encourage you to live for heaven. Don't get distracted

By the things in this world and stay focused here when there's so much more up there Secondly, I want you to stand for truth Don't don't be a lukewarm Christian with one foot in the world and one foot with God first of all that is exhausting Second of all is inauthentic and nobody wants to follow that Third I want to encourage you preach the gospel Until Jesus comes there are so many people who need to hear the gospel We'll tell your story. Do you have a story? Tell your story with Jesus. Pastor, I don't know how to preach a gospel. Invite them to church, 'cause every Sunday, they're gonna hear the gospel here in all of our services. And by the way, if you're a believer who's been walking with Jesus for some years, you should learn how to share the gospel too. We can teach you, we can help you with that. And lastly, prepare to meet Jesus. Live every day in a way that says, "Jesus, whenever you come, I'm ready." You ever seen a kid who's waiting to get picked up to go somewhere they really want to go? Like, you know, you know, I'm not talking about any kids here. I'm not talking about any teenagers here. It's the people out there. But you know, teenagers, like, they can't wake up for school, like, they're possible, I can't wake up. But then they have a fishing trip with a buddy or they have a sports game, and they'll get up at six a.m. And they'll be next to you by the way.

Oh, Dad. It's 555. Somehow they magically got up that day. Not you guys, not you kids here. It's the kids out there. (gentle piano music) You know how ready you are when it's something you want to go and you want to be at? So, Jesus wants us to live that way. Be that ready. Be that ready. Be that ready that Jesus doesn't catch you sleeping. Or he doesn't come out back for his bride to see his bride mess it around with some other guy. Are you ready? (gentle piano music) You know, imagine for a moment that you knew, today's your last day, you have 24 hours left. The countdown starts now. What would you do and how would you live? You're remaining hours. Would you still be thinking about how you're going to win the argument with that person you have a conflict with? Would you care about how many likes you got on your social media posts? Would you be occupied about, you know, all the little offenses about all the people that, you know, offended you? Would you care about what kind of car you're driving that day

because that's what really matters? Would you care about beating your spouse in that argument? Probably not. You'd probably want to be connected with people. You'd probably want to see the people that matter to you. You'd probably want to tell some people how much. I love you. Tell some people how much I'm thankful for you. You're not going to be calling for all your trophies and certificates and the bank account statements so everybody can see all the things you have. You'd be calling for the people that matter to you. And you'd be connecting with the people that you want them to know how much you love them and care about them and you'd want to make your time count. And here's the thing we don't know if today is our last day, but we know that one day will be our last day. We don't know when Jesus will return, but we know that He promised He will return. So why wait until the last day to start getting right? But why wait till when I think is the last day to start being prepared? Why not be prepared and live that way today? Make my life count today. Vertical church, let's be the kind of church that is awake and ready and hopeful. Let's be a church that doesn't spend all its energy on trying to predict the return of Jesus, but rather spends our energy on preparing for the return of Jesus and helping others do so too.

Let's reach people, let's love people, let's serve people, let's tell people about Jesus, chair of the gospel. Let's use our gifts, let's live with eternity in mind. And when Jesus comes, may He find us faithful. May He find us ready, amen? Let's pray two prayers to finish off. You can bow your heads and close your eyes. Lord, thank you, Father, that we don't have to fear the future because you hold the future. Thank you for the promise that Jesus is coming back. Lord, for those who are afraid, I pray that you would fill them with peace. For those who are confused, clarity. For those who are discouraged, fill them with hope, Lord. I pray, Lord, for those who are distracted that we would wake up and for those who are spiritually asleep, that we would be alert, help us think clearly, help us love deeply, help us serve faithfully. Lord, help us live in a way that our lives matter and count, Lord. Even though we don't know when you're coming back, Jesus, we know that you are coming back. And so until that day, may we be faithful, may we remain awake and alert and ready, help us, Lord, make a difference for your kingdom and keep eternity in mind at all times. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen, amen.