A Thief In The Night

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Acts 1:9–11 MEV
When He had spoken these things, while they looked, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him from their sight. While they looked intently toward heaven as He ascended, suddenly two men stood by them in white garments. They said, “Men of Galilee, why stand looking toward heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you to heaven, will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
It has been over 2000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven.
What should we expect?
That Jesus is preparing a place for us.
Jesus said:
John 14:1–3 MEV
“Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also.
When will Jesus come back?
Only God knows
Acts 1:6–7 NLT
So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.
Jewish tradition was that as the fathers sons married he would build on to the house to accommodate a growing family.
This is what God is doing. He is continuing to build on to accommodate all those that come to salvation in Christ Jesus.
How will Jesus come back?
Like a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 MEV
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
A thief in the night.
What do we know about a thief that comes at night?
They don’t announce when they are coming
They give you no warning and it may be a little while before you know that they have come.
This is what the scripture tells us about the return of Jesus.
It will be sudden. It will not be announced.
Jesus told us this:
Matthew 24:42–44 NLT
“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 all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
What do we do until He comes?
Be Faithful
Matthew 24:45–51 NLT
“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Be Patient
James 5:7–8 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
It had been around 20 years since Jesus ascended into heaven when James wrote this.
Are you living like Christ will return any moment?
As I am speaking what are you thinking about?
What is your drive to get up everyday? Why do you get out of bed?
What is the purpose behind your life?
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