Future Tense – Week One
Fear seems to surround us at every turn: the pandemic, the election, education, physical security and financial stability. With all the chaos surrounding us, our spiritual questions and fears can grow and distort. This week, we’ll address the fear of the future by examining:
- Reactions when it comes to how we handle our fear.
- What Jesus said about the future and His return.
- The ways in which we will be judged.
- There are all kinds of reactions when it comes to how we handle our fear.
“Show me a man who doesn’t know the meaning of fear and I’ll show you an idiot that gets beat up a lot.” Dean Martin
2 Timothy 1:7 – The Holy Spirit doesn’t make us fearful but gives power, love and self-discipline.
“Fear not” appears 189 times in the Bible.
- Jesus spoke and taught about the future and His return.
Matthew 24:3-8 – Jesus says that we will hear about wars, rumors of wars, pestilence, disease, famines and earthquakes. But, it doesn’t mean it’s the end.
Matthew 24:12-14, 36 – The end will not come until the gospel has been preached to the whole world, but the time will be unknown.
Can we speed up the return of Jesus?
2 Peter 3:10-12 – People should be living a holy life and trying to hasten the coming of the Lord.
The Greek word, “spuedo,” means “to cause something to happen soon; to hurry something up.” Don’t waste your time talking and worrying about how and when the end will come. You should focus on spreading the gospel.
The return of Jesus is mentioned more than 300 times in the New Testament.
“The trouble with the world is not people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain’t so.” Mark Twain
Jesus is Coming! This is the main thing to know and remember.
- There are ways in which we will be judged.
After Jesus’ return, there will be a believer’s judgment, and there will be an unbeliever’s judgment. (Ecclesiastes 12:14, Revelation 20:13, 1 Peter 1:17, Matthew 16:27, Revelation 22:12)
“Can we work our way into a relationship with God based on doing good deeds? NO! (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We must distinguish between Belief and Behavior. Our belief determines where we spend eternity (heaven/hell). Our behavior determines how we spend eternity.
There will be two judgments. The Judgment Seat of Christ is for the believers, and The Great White Throne Judgment is for unbelievers.
1st – The Judgment Seat of Christ (for the believers/Christians)
If you are a Christian, you’re either laying up treasure on earth, or you’re laying up treasure in heaven.
As Christians, the more responsible you are on earth with what God has given you, the more responsibility you will have in heaven.
2nd – The Great White Throne Judgment (for the unbelievers)
The unbeliever will be judged on his/her life and will go to hell, but there are degrees of punishment in hell.
Even though this is our future, Jesus has given us the cure. We will all face judgment, but we can choose which judgment we attend. (Hebrews 9:27) Jesus is the answer.