John 14:1-3 NKJ "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. As we wait and watch for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I would like to tell you a story of another famous promise of return. That promise had similar themes to the return we wait for. Our story takes place almost 70 years ago when the world was in a very dark place; hope was scarce at best, and most people could not see an end to the storm clouds all around them. As we will see, many of the events from this time will repeat themselves in the years ahead of us and although we must prepare for them we must always focus on the hope and not the fear. When trials and stress mount it can be easy to let them overcome us. Instead, we need to look for the return of Jesus Christ to this war-torn and weary world as this day, the Feast of Trumpets Picture.

The words “I Shall Return” have become one of the best-known phrases in American history. It was uttered by Douglas MacArthur after his harrowing escape from the advancing Japanese forces during the invasion of the Philippines. These were the early days of America’s war with Japan during WWII and upon arrival in Australia he spoke to reporters and told them – The President of the United States ordered me to break through the Japanese lines and proceed from Corregidor to Australia for the purpose, as I understand it, of organizing the American offensive against Japan, a primary objective of which is the relief of the Philippines. I came through and I shall return. After reading his words the administration asked him to revise his words to say “We shall return”. But MacArthur, always calculating and political refused. It was his personal promise and pledge and he wasn’t going to share it with anyone. Its purpose, though, was to give hope to not only those in the Philippines but as he told and retold these famous words he saw the hope that ordinary Americans were drawing from them. History has been both harsh and kind to Douglas MacArthur, on the one hand he was often self-serving, and on the other hand he was one of the most decorated war hero’s ever to lead forces into battle and is credited with saving many thousands of lives over his career.

Today I would like to focus, not on the man, but on the promise made as that is where we will find the best parallels for our lives today. To understand what it was like to hear these words and calculate their meaning it is necessary to go back to April and May of 1942 and relive the months and years that brought you to this moment in history when everything looked so bleak, so hopeless. In reviewing this history I would like to show the real parallel for us today as we look to dark skies ahead, when hope and faith will be needed most. Often times when two people speak on the same day you hope that each one complements each other and you both don’t cover the same material. God always seems to work it out that both messages, however close in theme always support each other. Today Mr. Light and I have deliberately chosen the same topic for both our sermons. This sermon will be part 1 but I will not be giving part 2. Mr. Light will give part two in the afternoon service. The title for part 1 is: Anticipating the promise (I Shall Return part 1) The Great Depression was sparked by the stock market crash in October of 1929 but occupied the better part of the next decade. The depression hit the whole world as it did in America. As unemployment spread around the world, some countries chose to put their people to work preparing for war. In America, however, we built roads, bridges, and Dams.

The Depression devastated America’s ability to keep itself ready for armed conflict. The materials produced were too few in number and often times the weapons produced were inferior to that of hostile nations. While people struggled here to find work in the early thirties, the seeds for the next war were being sown around the world. In 1931 the Japanese invaded Manchuria in Northern China. 1933 - Adolf Hitler is elected chancellor. Germany and Japan leave the League of Nations 1935 - Germany Annexes the neutral Saar region while Hitler begins conscription to military. 1936 – The German military illegally enters the demilitarized Rhine region. 1937 – Japan invades central China While all this is going on in ’37 the US suffers a recession right in the middle of our recovery from the depression. America is worried about Jobs not a war; just like we are today. We don’t see the coming changes in the world because we can only focus on the next election and whether or not we will have jobs or not. 1938 - Hitler annexes Austria and demands part of Czechoslovakia. Britain and France convince the Czech government this is better than war. The very next year Hitler demands the rest of Czechoslovakia and Britain and France once again turn their back on Czechoslovakia who surrenders before an imminent German invasion.

All of this appeasement did not stop Germany’s desire for conquest. In September of that year Germany invades Poland and WWII begin. The next year the news is dominated by Germany’s gains. Poland falls, then Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and France. Soon Britain is being bombed and the world holds its breath to see if fascism will take over the whole of Europe. Next the Soviet Union is invaded and the Germans seem unstoppable. America finally starts preparing for the inevitable war but time was not on our side. We were trying to build a two-ocean navy and fortify our military bases around the world but time ran out in December of 1941. If you could go back and spend 6 months starting in December of 1941, what would the headlines have been like? I would like to give you a flavor of what you would read each day and how fleeting hope was. December 7, 1941 - Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; also attack the Philippines, Wake Island, Guam, Malaya, Thailand, Shanghai and Midway. December 8, 1941 - U.S. and Britain declare war on Japan. Japanese land near Singapore and enter Thailand. December 10, 1941 - Japanese invade the Philippines and also seize Guam. December 11, 1941 - Japanese invade Burma. December 16, 1941 - Japanese invade British Borneo. December 18, 1941 - Japanese invade Hong Kong.

December 22, 1941 - Japanese invade Luzon in the Philippines. December 23, 1941 - General Douglas MacArthur begins a withdrawal from Manila to Bataan; Japanese take Wake Island. December 25, 1941 - British surrender at Hong Kong. 1942 January 11, 1942 - Japanese invade Dutch East Indies and Dutch Borneo. January 18, 1942 - German-Japanese-Italian military agreement signed in Berlin. January 19, 1942 - Japanese take North Borneo. January 23, 1942 - Japanese take Rabaul on New Britain in the Solomon Islands and also invade Bougainville, the largest island. February 2, 1942 - Japanese invade Java in the Dutch East Indies. February 8 - Japanese invade Singapore. February 14, 1942 - Japanese invade Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies. February 15, 1942 - British surrender at Singapore. (British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the fall of Singapore the "worst disaster" and "largest capitulation" in British history. In just seven days, Singapore, the "Impregnable Fortress", had fallen.) February 19, 1942 - Largest Japanese air raid since Pearl Harbor occurs against Darwin, Australia; Australia braces for full-out invasion. Japanese begin invasion of Bali. February 22, 1942 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders General MacArthur out of the Philippines. February 23, 1942 - First Japanese attack on the U.S. mainland as a submarine shells an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California.

February 27- March 1 - In an attempt to stop the Japanese invasion of Java and Sumatra the Allies had formed a joint Command of the American, British, Dutch and Australian naval forces. Both sides were fairly evenly matched. When it was over 4 American destroyers were left. 5 Cruisers and 5 destroyers sunk. Japan suffered few losses and continued their invasion of Java. March 4, 1942 - Two Japanese flying boats bomb Pearl Harbor – starts new fears of invasion; March 7, 1942 - Japanese invade New Guinea. March 8, 1942 - The Dutch on Java surrender to Japanese. March 11, 1942 - Gen. MacArthur leaves Corregidor and is flown to Australia. (resign?) March 23, 1942 - Japanese invade the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. April 9, 1942 - U.S. forces on Bataan surrender unconditionally to the Japanese. (Largest US since the Revolutionary war) April 10, 1942 - Bataan Death March begins as 76,000 Allied POWs including 12,000 Americans are forced to walk 60 miles under a blazing sun without food or water toward a new POW camp, resulting in over 5,000 American deaths. May 3, 1942 - Japanese take another of the Solomon Islands. May 6, 1942 - Japanese take Corregidor as Gen. Wainwright unconditionally surrenders all U.S. And Filipino forces in the Philippines. Today this is just a footnote of history that few remember and fewer still, can relate to. But to those that heard those words, hope is what they needed more than anything. For so many years there was such bad news and now things have gone from bad to worse. But these words did have power and hope.

In part II you will hear how these words inspired a people to gain courage and resolve. As far as bad times and the worry that inevitably follow, we have Christ’s words on worry and need. Matthew 6:31 - 7:1 31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. So why does the Kingdom take so long to get here? NLT 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 1 Peter 1:1-13 NLT This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God's chosen people who are living as foreigners in the lands of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bithynia. 2 God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by his blood. May you have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace. 3 All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again.

Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. 4 For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. 6 So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7 These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-- and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. 10 This salvation was something the prophets wanted to know more about. They prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you, even though they had many questions as to what it all could mean.

11 They wondered what the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward. They wondered when and to whom all this would happen. 12 They were told that these things would not happen during their lifetime, but many years later, during yours. And now this Good News has been announced by those who preached to you in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. So what should our minds be on as we look forward? James 5:7-9 7 Dear brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who eagerly look for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They patiently wait for the precious harvest to ripen. NKJ Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, NKJ 1 Corinthians 1:7-8 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. NLT 1 Corinthians 1:8 He will keep you strong right up to the end, and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 3 As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your continual anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is encouraging Timothy because he knows his time is short but the focus should be on the Christ’s return. 2 Timothy 4:8 8 And now the prize awaits me-- the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return. So how do we stay energized? How do we keep the anticipation alive through hard times? The answer is in a number of places in our bibles. Let turn over to Luke 8:10 and read a clue that will take us where we need to go. Right after telling the parable of the sower the disciples asked “what does this parable mean?” Luke 8:10 10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.' So here is a clue to understanding the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Look to the Parables. Lets read from some and see what we can glean about our role before the kingdom. Turn over to Luke 19 and we will read verses 11-16.

Luke 19:11-16 11 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. 12 Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 "So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' 14 "But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' 15 "And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 "Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.' We can see here that the Kingdom is delayed past any time that his followers would have guessed and that there is the clue that the love of many will grow cold. We see that what God wants from us as we wait is to be productive. If we don’t do anything with what gifts we have been given, then we will not have any place in His Kingdom.

Luke 12:31-46 31 He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. 32 "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. 33 "Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe-- no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be. 35 "Be dressed for service and well prepared, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, there will be special favor for his servants who are ready! 39 "Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would not permit the house to be broken into. 40 You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." 41 Peter asked, "Lord, is this illustration just for us or for everyone?"

42 And the Lord replied, "I'm talking to any faithful, sensible servant to whom the master gives the responsibility of managing his household and feeding his family. 43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44 I assure you, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45 But if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and begins oppressing the other servants, partying, and getting drunk-- 46 well, the master will return unannounced and unexpected. He will tear the servant apart and banish him with the unfaithful. So our primary motivation in this life needs to be the KOG, not wealth, fame, or personal pursuits. For most of us, wealth and fame have no power over us. But personal pursuits, these can easily take a large amount of our time. In reviewing what we have learned here in part one; we know that we need to be eagerly anticipating the promise of Christ’s return. To do that we have to be about our Father’s business. We have to be doing the work we have been called to do. It is not enough to simply endure to the end. God want’s growth and he wants us to look out for one another. He wants us to be willing to share our hope with those who ask for it. The character we are building we see us through the dark times. In part 2 we will see a promise fulfilled, a light at the end of the darkness. But until that day of His return, we will with eager anticipation, the words, I have returned.