When Christ Returns

of today's sermon is when Christ returns. When Christ returns, perhaps you've seen on blogs, on internet pages, FAQs. FAQs are frequently asked questions. In the world of theology, one of the most asked questions in religion today is when will Christ return? All the answers from all the know-it-alls are out there. You've seen them, you've heard them. If you haven't, you will. Do you have a guess? Because that's all it is. It's a guess.

But how many people have read or you have this new book or this new book? Remember, in the 90s it was going to be 2000. Why 2k? And then, oh well, it's going to turn in, and it's going to start the tribulation. That's going to be the end. I remember I had my little stove over here and had this little extra food and had all this stuff because I wasn't sure. I was married to a programmer and I said, how could this happen? She said, I don't think it is, but anything's possible. Remember 2008 when we were having a financial meltdown, 2008-2009, in this country. It was like there were books, one by the harbinger, written by Jonathan Cahn. Yes, I had the book, read it. Oh, it's like, oh, it's the start of the tribulation. Seven more, you know, in seven years, it's, wow, 2015, it's going to happen.

2012, yes, that was another date. All these things come out. Yet in Matthew 24, verse 36, Christ says, no one knows the hour or the day. Yet, what did we have? We have men coming up saying, oh, I don't know the hour day, but I know the month and I know the year. Christ put it out so saying, even that small. No, you don't. But crazy after crazy still wants you to listen to their foolishness, don't they? It's out there, no matter where you turn. From the far left to far right to churches of God, just as everybody has an opinion. But to be honest, Christ asks the ultimate question about His return. If you would go with me, please, go with me to the book of Luke. Luke 18. Luke 18, I'll read from the New King James Version. Luke 18 and verse 8.

It says, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith? That's the ultimate question. He didn't just say, will He find faith? He put the adverb, and it's in the original Greek manuscripts, really find faith. That should make us stop and think.

Why would He ask such a question? There is a quandary. There is serious doubt here as Christ looks down through the years. Remember, He stood outside of Jerusalem and said, in not too long a time, there won't be a stone standing as He looked down through history 30, 40 years later and could see all of Jerusalem being destroyed. He looks down through time before His return, and He asks us, asks the world this serious question, when the Son of Man returns? Because He has come. We don't know when, but He says, will He really find faith? Why? Is it because we happen to be a faithless generation? Is it because we cannot believe half of what we hear anymore? That lies are just a statement that, oh, I misspoke. Right? Oh, I'm sorry. I was just disingenuous. Don't we hear it? They said, no, I lied. Oh, I made that up. We don't have a book that comes back out that says, no, I lied about my book I wrote seven years ago about Christ's return. It might be a bestseller because nobody's ever read one like that. All these predictors, right? Oh, He's doing this and this and this. No wonder there's going to be a question about faith. The book of Hebrews, it says, it is impossible to please God without faith. Right? Faith. PEW Research. I have it in my hand here. PEW Research, the latest poll from 2018. PEW is a nonpartisan, they just do. They do a lot of religious studies, research, polls. They call a lot of people. And I found this to be so interesting because it just came out the end of last year. It's the latest one. Their question to tens of thousands of Americans that they call across the whole United States, do you believe in God or not?

What percentage of Americans do you think said yes? I'm going to shock you. 80 percent. 80 percent of Americans polled said they did believe, they believed in God. 19 percent said no. What you will find interesting about this when I broke this down is that of the 80 percent, 56 percent of those people said they believe in God as described in the Bible. So now when you take over the whole 100 percent and you only take those who believe in God of the Bible, you're less than 50 percent. You're in a 40 percent range. What will it be in five more years? How about ten?

Will the Son of Man find faith? Now why is they polled? They did of Jewish Americans. Okay. They were the originals who had the...of Jewish Americans in the United States, only 33 percent said they believed in a God in the Scriptures. A lot of people believe they believe in a higher power, some type of spirit, but not this, not in this. I think it's going to get any better. You should go back and look at the results from 15 years ago. We've dropped a lot. They don't either believe God or they don't need God, and it's going to become even more. So who was Christ talking to at that time? Because when he said this, as he looked down through time, the church, Ecclesia, Ecclesia, the called-out ones of God. All indications that's the ones he's talking about. Because the world is a whole, and they get their own beliefs and thoughts. I hope we can get this, that there is doubt raised by Christ for the faith in the last generation. Go with me, if you will, Matthew 24. Matthew 24. Matthew 24, verse 32. The Christ had just described in the previous verses about the end time, what it will be like, the signs, because they wanted a sign. And he says, well, here are some things that's got to happen first. And he describes all those things that will come, the Great Tribulation, what will happen before that, coming of the Son of Man, the martyrdom, the heavenly signs, he described all this. So they heard it all. And then he said, now learn this parable. Now learn this parable. Okay, you got everything else. Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know the summer is near. Well, we have summer almost all year around here. Back in Tennessee, we looked at our fruit trees or anything else we had there. And through the winter, there's not anything. But all of a sudden, you see some greenery coming on the branches. Guess what? You know, man, come on, I'm tired of this cold weather. You know spring is coming, and summer will be here, and you can have fruit. So he said, it's that simple. You can look at a tree. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near at the very door. Surely I say unto you, this generation, and we had some men here discussing that last week, and I appreciate your discussing. I appreciate iron sharp and iron. I appreciate what generation is talking about. Well, take it in kindly. It's pretty easy. It's that last generation. That's the generation he's looking for, just like he looked forward to what he saw at 69 AD. He can look forward and see what all this is surely. I say, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are for fuel. Where is it? 24, chapter 24, verse 22. Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved alive before the elect's sake. There's been no time where man could have wiped himself off the face of the earth until the last 40 or 50 years. Could it go another 30 or 40? Yeah. Yeah. Could have come sooner. Oh, yes. Well, he says, surely I say this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. Why? That's a strange thing to put in there, isn't it? All of a sudden, he has his tone, and then he says, but my words will never pass away. So his words are going to stand. His words are going to stand 2,000 years after him. They will be here 2,000 years from now. But he's saying his words, we need to watch his words, listen to his words. And think about it.

This generation are the ones living now. They don't believe in the words. They don't even believe in this book. Much less, they know I was somewhere, and I was killing time waiting for someone, and I had it on my Google, and some site said, oh, take a Bible quiz. And so I'm going, okay, I should be able to handle it. I looked there. It said, most Christians can't answer these questions.

And they were so simple. On that right, I even thought, oh, I need to bring those and hand those out to the congregation because everybody knows 90% of that. It was so simple. And I go, Christians don't even know this? Well, because they don't care about this. They don't need to read this. They don't need the Word. And where there are no words, there's no faith. And where there is no faith, there is no belief in what's really, truly important.

Let's go back, if you will, with me back to Luke 18. Luke 18. Because I want to take that verse because context is so important. Context, context, context. And if you look in the previous verses in chapter 18, Christ is there, again, describing the events at the last days or before His return. What you're supposed to be seeing, what's going to be happening. But in chapter 18, verse 1, then He spoke a parable. Isn't that interesting? As soon as He gets done giving these signs of what's going to happen, telling what you need to know, these impassioned words, He says, then there's a parable.

He said, then He spoke a parable to them. Why? What? Why? This should be very, very important because it's tied to the last days. It's tied to those signs. It's tied to this faith question. It says that man always ought to pray and not lose heart.

Isn't that a given? No. No, it won't. It's not a given. That man always ought to pray and not lose heart. Two different things, isn't it? Pray and not lose heart. Why? Is He saying that? Because people are going to be praying. They're going to quit. And they're going to go, I can't do this anymore. You know, how long is this going to go on? He says, make sure you do not lose heart.

You need to pray. You need to have that connection. Let's see what it says here. It even says, there was a certain city, a judge, who did not fear God nor regard man. He was just a pagan heathen judge, did whatever he wanted to do. When he wanted to do it, he didn't care who liked it or not.

Typical. Now, there wasn't a widow of that city. She came to him and said, avenge me of my adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterward he said with himself, though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because his widow troubles me, I will avenge her lest by her continual come she weary me. Or as the Greek says, hit in the eye. Drive me crazy. Okay.

When I had my business in Tennessee, I remember working for this woman and we did this job and everything's fine. She called us back. She called me back and said, well, you know, you worked on the back of the house and everything's great there, but after you guys worked on the house on the front of the house, the house now leaks. And I need you to come and fix it. I said, well, okay, tell you what, let me come when I get time and I'll look at it.

When I went there, it had nothing to do with anything we did. You know, Mike? Had that? Mike's a ruever? You know, nothing. I don't know the side of the house. We didn't touch anything. It was our legging. So I said, ma'am, this is really not our issue. You might want to call a ruever and see what you do. And if I'd had Mike's name, I'd have given her Mike. But she said, oh, no, I think it's you.

But she called a ruever. Okay. She called a ruever. You know what the ruever told her? Oh, it's because of what they did on the back of the house. And it's going to cost you about a thousand dollars for me to fix it.

So she said, no. So she called me. She said, you need to fix this. I went back out to the house. I said, ma'am, it's not. But I'll tell you what. When I get time and our guys, we slow down. It's not going to take that long to fix it. I'll come and do it. She said, well, thank you, Chuck. Yes, just so nice. Okay, I get back to work. We got plenty of stuff to do.

And I forget. And that woman calls, and she calls, and she calls every morning for about two weeks to where my secretary finally said, I'll go out there and fix it. I just don't want to hear. I said, okay, I'll go. Oh, yeah, because just like this judge, I'm like, I've heard enough. So I went out, took me an hour and fixed it. Okay. But here, that worked. Then the Lord said, hear what the unjust judge said, and shall God not avenge his own elect who cry out to him day and night?

Though he bears along with them, he expects us to petition, petition, petition, petition. Verse 8, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Oh, so now we pray. Okay, so I can go home right now, and I can pray for Haiti, and I can pray to everything. And then all of a sudden, everything I get up in the morning, Haiti's all back to normal. Right? That's what it sounds like.

Well, he will avenge them speedily. No. But look at this incredible word that is put there. In the New King James, it's, nevertheless. You know what that means in other translations? But, but there's something else. There's something else.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?

That means you're going to see answered prayer. But we are the ones who may have to wait and cry day and night. And some of us are just going to get tired. And we're going to go, how long have I got to put up with this?

Yeah, it's interesting. It's just before he was put to death. Second Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3, verse 3 through 4, that in the last days, he says, scoffers, scoffers, you know what a scoffer is? Okay. Scoffers are going to come to God's people and say to them, where is, when is he coming? Where is the promise of his coming?

You think he's coming? No, they're going to make fun of us. Well, how bad could it be? It's going to get a lot worse than this. Oh, you idiot!

Hebrews! Let's go to Hebrews and have 10 minutes to finish this on time.

And you were right on time there, Mr. Maurice. I appreciate that very much. You didn't make me get up in the middle of your message and walk out. Hebrews 10, verse 37, for yet a little while, and he, capital H, talking about Christ, for yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry or delay. He's coming, but it's going to feel like there's a delay. Yeah, it's going to look like, when is this ever going to happen? Now, because you need to understand that, the just, justified, righteous, the just shall live by faith. But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in you. But if you don't have perseverance, you do not have the patience, and you just decide, I've waited long enough. He has no pleasure. That's why he says, the just shall live by faith. Meaning, we have to have faith while Christ is delayed. How many parables did he say? Oh, and the owner of the vineyard delayed his coming. A master, the bridegroom. It's all over everywhere that there's going to be a delay because we all want it to happen.

And most people lose heart.

That's interesting. Mark 13, verse 13 says, this is the last days. Now, what's going to happen? Let's go back there. Just real quickly. Mark 13, verse 13, he tells about things that are going to happen, signs and times of the end, just like we looked at the other ones. But then in verse 13, he says, how do we know that it's there? Because, frankly, I don't know where we're there yet. Why? Because look at this verse. It says, and you will be hated for all men for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end or bears patiently will be saved. Think about that. You're going to be hated. Why? What are the reasons?

We have his name. It says we're going to be hated for that name. How are they going to know you have his name? It's going to be obvious. What are the other reasons? They don't believe you. You don't take somebody that quotes the Scripture today in the news, and they just go ballistic.

Call us homophobes. Call us bigots. Call us anything. If you quote a Scripture and say, well, this is why. This is why I believe what I believe. All of a sudden, shame on you, except it shows it's not just going to be shame on you. It's going to be doom on you because there's going to be hate towards you.

And that's where we're going to have to be patient. And that's where we need to be praying. Instead of, let's take the path of least resistance. Well, maybe I just won't say anything. When somebody condemns God's Word in my presence or asks me a question, and it's easier just to go, I don't know, than to say, well, the Word of God says, hmm, is that what's going to happen? Faith. Faith, the faith chapter, as we wrap this up, let's go to Hebrews 11. Let's go to Hebrews 11. You know why the 11th chapter is called the faith chapter? Anybody? Example, she says right. Example, she says right. Anybody else? Because 18 times in this, it says, by faith. By faith he did this, by faith he did this, by faith he did this, she did this, by faith, by faith, by faith.

You can have living faith.

That's why this booklet was made. To help point people to the church? Absolutely not. To the Word of God? That's where it's at. This doesn't replace this, but this points you to this, because it can't get people to read this! Oh, wait a minute! This is how you can have living faith? Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Oh! What's this? Oh! 30 pages! I'll read that.

See how important faith is? Hebrews 11. Two verses I want you to hopefully understand and grasp why it's so important. Everybody knows Hebrews 11. One. But I'd like you to go to Hebrews 11.3. By faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made by things which are visible. Do we get that? By faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God. God didn't just go over here and go, oh, here we go. Oh, here's a napkin and another napkin and... Oh! I made a planet!

No! He just spoke! This is the power of God! He just spoke a word and boom! It's not the Big Bang! Okay? Big Bang! Now, did God use some of their formulas or whatever they came up? I don't know. He's so much smarter than them. He probably looks at it like it's tinker toys. Right? But he said, all he said was, boom, it happened, because the Big Bang all says what? That something did come out of nothing.

Something did not come out of nothing! God made it! He said a word and boom! It was created! That's what this verse says. Do you have the faith in that verse? Do you believe God? Well, there could have been different ways. A higher power may have caused this to come on.

Go down to verse 6. Verse 6. As we said, but without faith it is impossible to please God. For he who comes to God must believe that he is, that God is, that he is who he said he is. And if somebody doesn't believe it, don't waste your time with them. If they want to tell you, yes, but I learned in Kabbalah that I could do this thing and it was like God is in me and come on. You either believe his word or not. It's the faith that this is the word of God. He who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. That's who he is. Christ will find faith in some. But how many? There may not be many. But he said he didn't need many. He created everything without us, you know? He just tells us to have faith.

When is Christ returning? I don't know and you don't know.

Why is time delayed? You don't know and I don't know. But will he really find faith when he returns? Only you and I can answer that question.