Is there something God is asking you to do but you keep putting it off? You’re afraid of the unknown, not sure how it’s going to work out. You can’t play it safe your whole life and become who you were created to be. Maybe God is asking you to stay. You want to leave, like David, you have more in you, like Hagar, you’re not being treated right. You’re in a test. If you’ll do the right thing when it’s hard, you’re going to see God begin to turn things around in your favor. There are prophesies He has spoken over your life, things He’s destined you to accomplish. You have not missed them. Keep trusting Him even when you don’t understand. Don’t fight the things that don’t make sense. Your steps are being ordered. Things are happening behind the scenes that you can’t see. Now be sensitive to what He’s saying, and be quick to obey. If you’ll do this, I believe and declare, you will live in your place of blessing.

But the Bible here in this passage of scripture that I just read to you speaks of the second coming of Jesus.
It calls the second coming of Jesus the glorious appearing of the great God and our savior, Jesus Christ, and the Bible calls in there a hope, a certain hope, a blessed hope.
Now, what does the word mean? What does the word hope mean? In the Bible.
It doesn’t mean maybe the Bible word hope means listen to me now.
It means certainty, but not just any certainty. It is certainty based on the word of god.
It is rock rib assurance based on the word of god, but it means more than that.
It means certainty with anticipation. Profound truth simply stated.
This is love worth finding with pastor teacher and author Adrian Rogers.
Would you take god’s word and find Titus chapter two And when you found it, look up here for just a moment.
We’ve been in a series of bible studies on the second coming of Jesus Christ.
And this morning, we come, uh, to the end of this series.
And, uh, today, we want to see what that means to us personally.
We’re gonna be talking today on this subject living in the light of the blessed hope.
If Jesus Christ is coming, and he is, as surely as I’m standing here, if he is coming soon in many field that he is, What does that mean to me?
What does that mean to you? For some people, there is no hope.
As one person said, it looks like we’re looking into the muzzle of a loaded cannon.
Somebody said that hopelessness is the saddest word in the human language.
For other people, they have hope, but their hope is a false hope.
Somebody said there there’s no greater false hope than the first four hours of a diet.
For for many people, there’s hope that it is a false hope.
For other people, They have hope, but it is an uncertain hope. It is not a certain hope.
But the Bible here in this passage of scripture that I just read to you speaks the second coming of Jesus.
It calls the second coming of Jesus, the glorious appearing of the great god and our savior, Jesus Christ.
And the Bible calls it there a hope, a certain hope a blessed hope.
Now what does the word mean? What does the word hope mean, uh, in the Bible?
It doesn’t mean maybe We may use it that way in modern English, but that’s not what the word hope means in the Bible.
The Bible word hope means listen to me now. It means certainty, but not just any certainty.
It is certainty based on the word of god It is rock ribbed assurance based on the word of god, but it means more than that.
It means certainty with anticipation. It means something I know is going to happen.
That certainty is based on the word of god, and I can hardly wait for it to happen.
Jesus is coming again, say amen. He is coming again. He may come soon.
Now what hope is is simply faith in the future tense.
We know that we know that we know that with our eyes, we will see him soon and very soon we’re going to see the king.
Now if that is true, And it is true that how should we be living in these last days?
I want to mention some ways.
I want to mention some things that that blessed hope will do for me and it will do for you.
First of all, that hope is a purifying hope that hope is a purifying hope. It teaches us.
Look in verse twelve, teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, and then take your bibles and turn to first John uh, chapter three verses two and three.
And here’s what John says. First John, chapter, uh, three verses two and three.
John says beloved, now are we the sons of god? And what a blessed privilege? Isn’t that wonderful?
That we are the sons, the daughters, the children of god, Eleven now are we the sons of god?
And it does does not yet appear what we shall be?
Uh, what that means is god’s not finished with us yet.
You can’t even begin to dream to imagine what we’re going to be. But we know that.
When he shall appear, we shall be like him.
Now I don’t know exactly what the resurrection body is going to be like, but it’s going to be like Jesus, glorious resurrection body.
And that’s wonderful. No wonder the psalmist said, I shall be satisfied when I awaken in thy likeness.
Now are we the sons of god?
It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.
Now we all sign off on that, I hope.
Now notice that therefore, in this passage of scripture, And it says, and every man that hath this hope in him purifyth himself, even as he is pure.
What if you absolutely knew? Absolutely new.
That in five hours, you would stand face to face with Jesus Christ. What would you do?
What would you do?
I mean, if you absolutely knew in five You’d be face to face with Jesus Christ.
I think I know what you’d be doing. You’d be cleaning up your life, wouldn’t you?
If you had any animosity, any unforgiveness, any, uh, dirty literature, any, uh, anything that’s not right with god, you’d be saying, hey, I’m going to see the lord.
I am going to meet my savior face to face in five hours.
But what if you knew that you were going to meet the lord Jesus Christ?
In fifteen minutes. You see, we don’t know when Jesus is coming. We don’t know.
And the Bible says that if we have this hope in Him, We’re going to purify ourselves.
We’re going to get ourselves clean and keep ourselves clean because folks, if we don’t realize that Jesus Christ is coming and coming soon, will get very laxed a days ago.
If people have a hope, if people can see that there’s something in the future, then they’re going to take care of the present.
Now folks, you and I have a faith in the future, and therefore, we are to be ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Let me give you another scripture here.
Were you in first John chapter three, go over to chapter two and look in verse twenty eight, and now little children And now little children abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
Did you know some are going to be saved when Jesus comes, but they’re going to be ashamed.
If Jesus Christ were to come right now, this moment, some of you who are members of this church, you’d say, hallelujah.
Others of you would want to crawl under the seat. Be ashamed.
But, oh, folks, listen when Jesus comes, I wanna run to meet him. Don’t you?
I don’t wanna be ashamed. He that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
So put it down in your heart and in your mind.
The second coming of Jesus Christ is a purifying hope.
If you believe that Jesus Christ is coming at any moment you’re going to be want you want going to want to be living a pure, holy life.
And you’re gonna be moving one step higher in holiness. Now I’ll tell you something else, it is.
Not only is it a purifying hope, But the second coming of Jesus is an encouraging hope.
Uh, you don’t have to go around with your head between your knees.
And even if it’s getting dark, as we say, it’s getting gloriously dark. Put this scripture down.
Colossians one, just turn to it in your bibles. Colossians uh, chapter one.
And look if you will in verses sixteen and seventeen. It speaks of the lord Jesus Christ.
Hired here a savior. And it says for by him, where all things created.
This is colossians one. Sixteen and seventeen, for by him.
Were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him, all things consist.
Now what does that verse mean?
It means ladies and gentlemen that absolutely nothing is out of control. Nothing.
You say, well, the devil is having a hay day. God has a leash on him.
There’s only so much that he can do.
And, uh, the Bible teaches that our God is the power of creation. All things were made by him.
What does that mean to you? Folks, we ought to put a smile on our face.
We’ll have to go to the doctor and have her ears move back so we for room make room for that smile.
Our king is on his way.
After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is not a negative note in the new testament.
We’re not waiting to see who’s going to win. Satan’s back was broken at Calvary.
And and, uh, Jesus is coming to rule and to reign.
The second coming of Jesus is a purifying hope. I’m moving up one step higher in purity.
The the second coming of Jesus is an encouraging hope.
I am moving up one step higher in courage and confidence and assurance.
I’ll tell you third thing that that hope is. The second coming of Jesus is a unifying hope.
It brings us together. Take your bibles now and turn to first thessalonians.
And look if you will in verses twelve and thirteen.
First thessalonians chapter three verses twelve and thirteen. First thessalonians three verses twelve and thirteen.
And the lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another.
God wants us to increase, to move up one step higher, and he wants us to abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do, toward, uh, toward you, to the end, now listen, that he may establish your heart unblamable in holiness before god.
We’ve already talked about that, even our father, at the coming of our lord, Jesus Christ, with all his saints.
Now he links the second coming of Jesus with holiness and love for all of the saints.
Now, you know, if his coming is drawing nearer and closer, we ought to be drawing nearer and closer to one another.
Uh, surely there’s some things that ought to divide people.
It’s better to be divided by truth and united in error.
But those who are god’s children, those who love the lord Jesus Christ, if if we believe that Jesus is coming at any moment.
You know what we ought to be doing according to Paul there, as he told the Church at Pestanica, We ought to be having a fervent love, one for another.
This hope, this hope that we have is a purifying hope. It is an encouraging hope.
It is a unifying hope. I’ll tell you what else it is. It is a challenging hope.
What does it challenge us to do? To win souls. Now, Paul, you’re in first thessalonians.
Look in chapter two, verse nineteen. Paul had gone to a place where it was just filled with heathen.
And he told them about Jesus, and they got saved.
And then he says, talking about the second coming of Jesus.
For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing are not even ye in the presence of our lord Jesus Christ at his coming.
He says when Jesus comes, my hope, my joy, my crown will be you, because I led you to Jesus, When Jesus comes, when the church is caught up, Will there be anybody in that crowd that you have led to him?
Must I go an empty handed?
Must I meet my savior so without one soul with which to greet him?
Must I empty handed go? You see, listen.
We preach this this, series on bible prophecy.
Is that just simply meant to settle your curiosity? No. It’s a motivating hope.
It’s a challenging hope to bring people to Jesus Christ.
Some people sitting in this auditorium don’t really believe what they say they believe.
You see, folks, we’re busy about a lot of things, but there’s nothing more important.
Listen to your pastor. There’s nothing nothing nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing more important than getting people saved.
If you believe Jesus is coming again.
We are in the business of bringing souls to Jesus Christ And if you believe that Jesus Christ is coming, you’re saying by his grace and for his glory, I’m moving up one step higher in soul winning.
I’ve never been a soul winner by god’s grace. I will. I don’t want the trumpet to sound.
I don’t want to stand before the lord and not have one soul.
Not one soul that I’ve won to Jesus Christ.
You take people that this world calls unworthy illiterate, impoverished, stupid, sinful, weak, vile.
You name the worst thing you can say about them is what the world says about them.
You lead them to Jesus Christ, and you wait till that day when you see them shining like a uh, a beautiful gem in his crown.
Made like his likeness, and you will realize why the Bible says he that wins souls is wise.
I’m gonna tell you something folks.
All the soul winning you’re ever gonna do, you’re gonna do in this day and in this age.
You’re not gonna do any soul winning after the rapture that I can find in the Bible.
You’re gonna do it. You better get busy doing it. Now let me say something else about this hope.
This hope, this hope not only as a challenging hope, it’s a stabilizing hope.
Turn to James chapter five. Look in verse eight. Here’s what James says.
Be he also patient, stablish your hearts for the coming of the lord draweth nigh.
Don’t be blown about. Stablish your hearts.
You know, the trouble many of us, we’re just not stable.
You know, it’d be difficult to put all to this church in these two services that we have Sunday morning, if they all came on the same Sunday.
Isn’t that true? You come one Sunday, and then next Sunday, you don’t come.
You know why you don’t come Sunday? Well, we had company pastor.
And so we had to stay home. Mama had to stay home and cook for company.
I’ve been a pastor for forty five years.
We have never stayed home because company came. You say, you’re a pastor. That’s right.
I’m a pastor. I’m a tell you something, friend. This is not a job for me.
It is a ministry. And it takes as much of the blood of Jesus Christ to save you as it does me.
And your friends and your company don’t pay you a compliment when they come to you, your house, on the date you’re supposed to be in worship.
That just simply means we know that your worship is not very important to you or we wouldn’t come on that day.
You tell those folks we’re gonna church, you wanna go, oh, we didn’t breathe. And where?
Well, we’ll be here when you get back. Have dinner ready. Listen.
You just Be faithful. Be faithful.
Don’t blow hot and blow cold. James says, stablish your heart.
The coming of the lord draws now. Be faithful, we’re pilgrims.
Our king is on his way. Let me say the last thing.
This this hope is not only a stabilizing hope, and I wanna move up one step higher in faithfulness.
But this hope is a comforting hope. A comforting hope.
Turn if you will to first thessalonians chapter four. First, thessalonians chapter four.
Look if you will in verses sixteen through eighteen, for the lord himself, not some he been in history.
For the lord himself shall descend from heaven.
With a shout with a voice of the archangel and the trump of god and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then we, which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord.
And so shall we ever be with the lord?
And notice what he says, wherefore comfort, one another with these words.
The second coming of Jesus is a great comforting hope.
I was with a friend who has just said goodbye to his wife until Jesus comes when he’ll meet her face to face.
We prayed about it. What do you say?
What do you say to somebody who’s just said goodbye to his wife?
What do you say to a mother who had a little baby snatch from her bosom?
What do you say to the person who’s been to the doctor and gotten that bad report.
What do you say to those people? I’ll tell you what you say to them.
This is not god’s final plan. Our king is on his way.
There’s coming a resurrection. We’re going to get a glorified body.
We’re going to be swept up together to meet the lord in the air.
We’ll sing and shout and dance about The lamb will dry our tears.
We’ll have a grand homecoming week the first ten thousand years when Jesus comes.
Is not over yet. It’s a comforting hope. Former pastor of this church was Robert g Lee.
He used to tell a story that always moved my heart.
He said when I was a little boy, he said we lived on a farm.
It was such a poor farm.
He said it was so poor you couldn’t even raise an umbrella on it much less the mortgage.
And he said, I was lying on the front porch, everybody else had gone out into the fields.
My mama was there. And, uh, I, uh, had my heels sticking up in the air, and my chin cupped in my hands.
And I saw my mama, she was working.
And I looked at my mom’s hands, and they were toil worn.
And I thought about my mom, and I said, mama, Tell me the happiest day of your life.
He said, I thought perhaps she would tell me about the time when my daddy a tall man with dark eyes, spoke to her about his love out by the garden gate.
But she didn’t mention that.
He said I thought maybe, uh, she would tell me about the time over by the corner of the porch.
Where he proposed to her and ask her to be his bride.
But she didn’t tell me that.
He said, I thought maybe she would tell me about the time when they stood in the little cottage and made their wedding vows where they kept all the days of their life, but she didn’t tell me that.
She said, son, You’ve asked me a hard question, but I wanna tell you what I believe was the happiest day of my life.
She said I was a little girl, There was a war between the states, between the north and the south, and my daddy Your grandfather Bennett went off to fight in that war.
We stayed home. The women had to work in the fields.
She said, we we got our coffee from parched corn, our tea with sassafras tea.
We got our salt from the floor of the smokehouse. We just had enough to live on.
We received word that your granddaddy, my daddy, had been killed in the war.
She said I remembered my mother. She didn’t cry much when she heard that.
I wondered if she really cared, and then he said, she said, I would hear her at nighttime, putting her face in her pillow.
Just sobbing out her heart. And Doctor.
Lee’s mother said in my heart was broken as a little girl because my mama’s heart was broken and My daddy was dead.
She said, then one day, she said we were sitting on the front porch of the old river home and said my mama had a bowl of beans that she was snapping and stringing those beams.
And said she looked across down the river road. She saw a man walking.
And she said to me, Elizabeth?
I declare that looks like your daddy, that man. She kept snapping the beans.
Then after a while, she said, Elizabeth, look. He walks like your daddy.
And I said, oh, now, mama, daddy’s dead. Don’t get yourself upset.
And then She said, that man crossed a little cotton patch and started toward the house.
And my mama threw those beans in the air. They went all over the front porch.
And she said, Elizabeth. It’s your daddy.
And he had one arm that was going.
It’s sleeve pinda walking across that cotton field.
And he she said, my mama ran out there and embraced my daddy, and they kissed and hugged.
And he put that one arm he had left around him, around her, and held her up close.
Then she said I ran as fast as my little legs would carry me and put my hand around my daddy’s knees and hugged him and reached my hand up that empty sleeve and felt that funny little arm.
And she said, son, I believe That was the happiest day of my life.
But friend, you wait till Jesus comes. You wait till our lord comes.
Wait till we’re caught up together with the loved ones of all of the ages to meet Jesus in the air, wherefore comfort one another with these words.
We’re not looking toward a hole in the ground.
We’re looking toward a cleavage in the sky when our lord will come.
It is a blessed hope.
And we are to be living in the light of that hope, and we’re to be moving up.
One step higher.