New Beginnings The Great Escape Sermon 18

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02 In 2010, thirty-three miners were trapped

alive deep underground in a copper and
gold mine in Northern Chile.

Seventeen days after the collapse, as

workers removed a drill bit, which had
just completed a bore hole, they found a
hand-written note that said, “We are well
in the shelter, the thirty-three.” Together
these miners survived a record sixty- nine
days underground!

03 Finally, the day came when the

preparations were completed, and the
miners were to be lifted to the surface,
one by one. An estimated one billion
people watched the television feed live, as
joyful families and national leaders
greeted the heroic men emerging from
that hole.

The last miner, coming out of the capsule,

held up a sign that read “Mission
Accomplished Chile.” The rescue had
been a tremendous success!

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04 Today we’re going to detail a rescue story

in the Bible that is even more thrilling and
exciting than the rescue of the Chilean
miners!

05 The Bible says that the world will end

with the triumphant return of Jesus Christ
to this earth!

This world’s problems are beyond the

help of human solutions – only Christ and
His kingdom can solve the challenges
facing the human race! What a blessing it
will be when the King returns!

06 When the apostle Paul was a prisoner in

the dark, damp Mamertine Prison, waiting
for the executioner to chop off his head,
he wrote that he was “Looking for the
blessed hope and glorious appearing of
our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ”(Titus 2:13).

Paul wrote this encouraging letter to

Titus, his “true son in the faith,” to remind
him of the “glorious coming” of our Lord.

07 If you find that your life at times has dark

nights or discouraging circumstances,
look up and remember that “blessed hope”
– the second coming of Christ to this earth
– that will make all things right!

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08 For Christians, the Second Coming is not

just about our lives getting better; it’s
about being reunited with the one we love.

If you’ve ever watched people at the

airport or train station, and seen the
breathless anticipation of the waiting
party as they strain their eyes for the first
glimpse of the one they love, and then the
joy and excitement when the reunion
takes place, you understand just a little bit
of why the Second Coming was near and
dear to the heart of the disciples.

They loved Jesus – and they knew how

much Jesus loved them – and they
couldn’t wait to see Him in person again!

09 The most talked about event in the New

Testament is the second coming of Christ.
Approximately one out of every twenty-
five verses is related to this occasion.

Jesus Himself spent more time talking

about the Second Coming than about any
other event in the New Testament. The
longing of God’s heart is to be reunited in
person with you and me and the saved
people of all the ages!

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10 One of Jesus’ best-known promises is

found in John, chapter fourteen: “Let not
your heart be troubled; you believe in
God, believe also in Me.

11 In my Father’s house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

12 I go to prepare aplace for you. And if I go

and prepare a place for you,

13 I will come again, and receive you to

Myself; that where I am, there you may be
also” (John 14:1-3

14 What a reunion Jesus promises! Over the

centuries, whenever disappointment,
hardship, or death have threatened
Christ’s followers, the promise of His
return has brought them courage and
strength to endure. Later in his life, not
long before he was put to death,

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15 Paul triumphantly proclaimed: “I have

fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith.

16 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown

of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge,

17 will give to me on that Day, and not to me

only but also to all who have loved His
appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7, 8). Paul could
bravely face the sword that day because
he had faith in Christ’s promise to return!
And that promise belongs to you and to
me, as well!

18 When the disciples asked what the signs

of His coming would be, Jesus gave a
long list of events that would take place
just before His return. Jesus said, “Take
heed that no one deceives you.

19 For many will come in My name, saying,

‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”
(Matthew 24:4, 5)

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20 Later Jesus elaborated further: “For false

christs and false prophets will rise and
show great signs and wonders...

21 ...to deceive, if possible, even the elect”

(Matthew 24:24).

22 In other words, Jesus is telling His

followers that before the real Second
Coming takes place, there will be
counterfeits (imitations of things that are
real), deceptions, and cunning
impersonations that almost the whole
world will be deceived!
These counterfeits will be convincing
because they’ll be accomplished through
the supernatural power of Satan himself!
“For such are false apostles, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into
apostles of Christ.

23 And no wonder! For Satan himself

transforms himself into an angel of light”
(2 Corinthians 11:13, 14).

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24 What will such pretenders be like? They

may be very spiritual people. They may
use the Bible when convenient, and even
perform healings and miracles. Many
people will be deceived!

25 But we dare not trust our senses – what

we hear or see or how we feel. There is
only one safe guide for determining
whether someone is genuine or an
imposter. That guide is the Bible. And the
Bible has given clear signs of Christ’s real
second coming so that we don’t need to be
deceived! Let’s consider what the Bible
says about Christ’s return.

26 First, Christ’s second coming is a visible

coming. “For as the lightning comes from
the east and flashes to the west, so also
will the coming of the Son of Man be”
(Matthew 24:27).

27 In fact, in Revelation 1:7 we read,

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and
every eye will see Him.” No one but Jesus
can arrive at Planet Earth like this!

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28 Underscoring the physical nature of Jesus’

return is His promise to return in the same
manner that He left. Surrounded by many
of His disciples and followers on the
Mount of Olives, Jesus rose into the sky
while the crowd watched sorrowfully.
“Now when He had spoken these things,
while they watched,

29 He was taken up, and a cloud received

Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).

30 But the early Christians weren’t left

without promise and encouragement!
“And while they looked steadfastly
toward heaven as He went up,

31 ...behold, two men stood by them in white

apparel, who also said,

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32 ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing

up into heaven?

33 This same Jesus, who was taken up from

you into heaven,

34 ...will so come in like manner as you saw

Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10, 11).
In other words, the angels are promising
that in the same very real way that Jesus
left in the clouds, He will also return in
the clouds!

35 Jesus Himself said, “Then they will see

the Son of Man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory” (Luke 21:27).

36 No one will have to tell you when Jesus

comes. You will see Him coming in the
clouds for yourself. But there are other
signs of the Second Coming that the devil
cannot copy.

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37 Second, Jesus will not be coming back

alone; the angels with be with him and it
will be glorious! Jesus said, “When the
Son of Man comes in His glory, and all
the holy angels with Him,

38 ...then He will sit on the throne of His

glory” (Matthew 25:31).

39 Why does Jesus bring the angels with

Him? He gives the answer: “And He will
send His angels with the great sound of a
trumpet,

40 ...and they will gather together His elect

from the four winds, from one end of
heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:31).
Jesus, accompanied by all the holy angels,
will fill the sky with glory unimaginable!
No false christ can fully duplicate Jesus’
return!

41 Third, we will hear Him coming, and the

righteous dead will be raised back to life!
“For the Lord Himself will descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of an
archangel,

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42 ...and with the trumpet of God. And the

dead in Christ will rise first” (1
Thessalonians 4:16). Christ’s coming will
not only be visible – it will also be audible
and heard by everyone! So penetrating
will the trumpet and voice of God be that
the dead in Christ will be resurrected!
Can you imagine the joy when the graves
are opened and families are reunited? Do
you see how impossible it would be for
Satan to imitate the real coming of Christ?

43 Fourth, the righteous living will be caught

up with Christ. “Then we who are alive
and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds

44 to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we

shall always be with the Lord” (1
Thessalonians 4:17). The faithful
followers of Jesus join the saved ones
who are resurrected to meet the Lord in
the air. What a happy reunion that will be
for many familes!

45 The apostle Paul likewise describes the

scene. “Behold, I tell you a mystery:... we
shall all be changed—in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

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46 For the trumpet will sound and the dead

will be raised incorruptible, and we shall
be changed.

47 For this corruptible must put on

incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
God will give everyone who is saved in
His kingdom the gift of life – and life that
never ends! All other gifts are
meaningless without eternal life!

48 And these immortal bodies will never

again suffer pain or disease. “We also
eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ:

49 ...who will transform our lowly body that

it may be conformed to His glorious
body” (Philippians 3:20, 21). No more
aches and pains!

50 Fifth, the earth as we know it will be

destroyed. “Then the sky receded as a
scroll when it is rolled up, and every
mountain and island was moved out of its
place.

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51 And the kings of the earth, the great men,

the rich men, ... the mighty men...

52 ...hid themselves in the caves and in the

rocks of the mountains, and said to the
mountains and rocks,

53 ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of

Him who sits on the throne’...

54 For the great day of his wrath has come,

and who is able to stand?” (Revelation
6:14-17)

55 “And there were noises and thunderings

and lightnings; and there
was a great earthquake,

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56 ...such a mighty and great earthquake as

had not occurred since men were on the
earth.” Revelation 16:18

57 Jesus warned that His coming will be at

time when few will be expecting it.
People will be wasting their lives in
foolish pleasure. When He comes, “All
the tribes of the earth will mourn”
(Matthew 24:30).

They will be sad, or mourn, because

they’re not ready. They’ll mourn because
they don’t know the Jesus who is coming
to rescue His loved ones and to be
reunited with them. They’ll mourn
because they’re lost forever, and they
know it.

What a sad day for them, and how

different it could have been! There will be
no going back, no more chances, no
waking up and realizing it was only a
dream.

58 Nothing is more important than being

ready to meet Jesus when He comes!
“Watch therefore, and pray always that
you may be counted worthy to escape all
these things that will come to pass,

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59 ...and to stand before the Son of Man”

(Luke 21:36).

60 Let’s just review quickly what we have

learned as we have studied the Bible
together:

• False christs and false prophets will try

to deceive everyone.

61 • The devil can appear as an angel of

light.

62 • The Second Coming will not be secret.

63 • Every eye will see Jesus coming.

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64 • All the holy angels will come with Jesus.

He will come with the loud sound of a
trumpet.

65 • He will come with the shout of the

Archangel. The righteous dead will be
resurrected (raised from their graves).

66 • The righteous living will be translated to

heaven without seeing death. All the
righteous will be given immortality (they
will live forever).

67 • All of earth’s ungodly people will mourn

when they see Jesus. A great earthquake
will destroy the earth.

68 • All the lost will perish (die).

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69 Yes, the Second Coming will be a surprise

for many, but it won’t be a surprise for
those who are watching and waiting for it!
The apostle Paul assures the believers that
they have nothing to fear in anticipation
of Christ’s return: “But you, brethren, are
not in darkness, so that this Day should
overtake you as a thief.

70 You are all sons of light and sons of the

day. We are not of the night nor of
darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:4, 5)

71 For those who are walking in the light of

God’s Word, this will be a wonderful day!
For those who love Jesus, this will be the
best day of their lives! The One who loves
them, who died for them, who has saved
them is coming to be reunited with them!

They will not be frightened or surprised,

but will shout with victory, “Behold, this
is our God; We have waited for Him, and
He will save us” (Isaiah 25:9). What a
wonderful day that will be!

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72 All human imperfections and deformities

are left behind. Angels gather the saved
from one end of the earth to the other.
Little children are carried by holy angels
to their mothers’ arms. Friends long
separated by death are reunited, never
again to be parted. With songs of gladness
they rise together to the city of God.

73 Jesus, with His own right hand, places a

crown of glory upon the heads of those
who have overcome. Great joy fills every
heart, and each voice is raised in grateful
praise!

74 Before the great multitude of people who

are saved is the Holy City. Jesus opens
wide the pearly gates, and from every
nation enter those who have kept the
commandments of God and the faith of
Jesus.

Then, that voice richer than any music

that has ever been heard, saying: “Come,
you blessed of My Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world” (Mathew 25:34).

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75 Jesus invites us to come to Him just as we

are, and simply let Him prepare us for His
soon return. He invites us to simply trust
His word, His promises, and His love. He
invites us today to make the choice to be a
part of His eternal kingdom.

Isn’t that the choice you want to make?

Will you say yes to His appeal right now?
How many would like to join me just now
[raise your hand] in telling Jesus, “Yes!
Yes! I want to be there. I’m not going to
let anything prevent me from being ready
for that day.” Why don’t we stand
together as we pray tonight?

76 [Suggested Prayer]

“Dear Father in heaven, You have seen each hand raised

tonight. You have seen each heart, and now You hear each
prayer.

Thank You for loving us so much that You are longing for the
day when we can be reunited with You. Please save us by
Your grace and prepare us through Your power to be ready for
Your soon return.

Thank You for each decision made (or made again) tonight,
each heart that has said “Yes” to You. Please bless each one,
bless each family, and each home, and help us to keep our
hearts and affections focused on the things of eternity, the
things that really matter.

We love You and we thank You, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

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