John Mulligan spoke to us about living with the enigma of knowing Jesus will return, but not knowing when. Living with the unknown isn’t easy for us mortals. We may know the ‘why’, but not knowing the when and where confounds us. But 1 Thessalonians 1:2 says clearly that “...the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

So how do we prepare for something that may occur today, or decades, or millenia, from now? John used the analogy of fire drills. If you don’t know when something is coming, you have to be ready at any time, so you practice.

If we want to be ready to stand before God in judgment, we need to be living the kind of lives that He wants us to live. And because God wants everyone to come to repentance, we need to live as role models for those who do not yet accept Christ. God uses us to affect those who aren’t ready.

Each day brings us closer to eternity. It’s not ours to say when. Let’s use our days well and be ready to go when the great day comes. You’ll never regret being ready for Christ’s return.

This lesson, Seeing the Unseen, taught us to look beyond the obvious in our lives and to believe that there is more here than meets the eye. That, in fact, there is a more perfect Reality just on the other side of what we can see, offered to us by the all-powerful Lion and Lamb who conquered not with the sword, but by being slain.

Revelation is actually a political book. For instance, John’s vision in Rev. 4:4 of a throne surrounded by 24 elders seated on 24 thrones speaks to the fact that the Roman emperor had 24 lictors (attendants). The emperor even wanted to be called Lord and God.

Of course, no mortal should be worshipped that way. In Revelation, even the most exalted creatures (man, eagle, ox, and lion) didn’t praise themselves or each other. In Rev. 4:7-9 they constantly praise God: “Day and night they never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty…”

We, too, worship that blessed Lamb who was slain. Josh said, “Revelation encourages us to remember that beyond what we can now see, lies a greater reality where no weapon formed against us can stand, that victory has already been won by the Lamb who was slain.” Our duty is to worship Him who leads us to that more perfect Reality, just on the other side.

Josh’s message on Sunday was about taking some of the mystery out of Revelation. For starters, revelation does not mean “apocalypse”; it simply means a revealing, a disclosing, or unveiling. For another thing, it is absolutely not a prophecy. It IS about what God needed to say.

It was dangerous to say you were a Christian in the 2nd century Roman Empire. People were being killed for it. The Empire expected nationalism and emperor worship from their people. So God had messages for seven churches whose people had disappointed God by their actions (or inactions). God gave John a vision with seven specific messages, one for each church. It would be advisable for us to look at these messages at an individual level.

Chapters 2 and 3 of revelation detail these seven messages:

You have forsaken the love you had at first. Repent!

I know your poverty - but you are rich! I know about the synagogue of Satan.

Some of you follow Balaam, sacrificing to idols and being sexually immoral. Repent!

You follow Jezebel, sacrificing to idols, committing adultery. Repent!

Your reputation is of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Your deeds are unfinished.

You are neither cold nor hot. Because you are lukewarm, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

But to the church in Philadelphia, (Rev 3:10), “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial.”

Which of these messages “gets to you”? Do any make you uneasy? Josh encouraged us to ask ourselves, “Am I the one…”

Am I the one who has forsaken the love I used to have? Am I the one who succumbs to the eroding culture around me? Do I know that I do wrong, but I won’t repent? Am I lukewarm about my faith; has the fire died? Or am I the one who will be faithful even when persecuted?

As we start this new year, let’s take some time for introspection and answer these questions. God, grant us the courage to be honest with our answers.

On Sunday, John Mulligan’s message reminded us that the return of Jesus is imminent - it could happen at any time. Our goal is to prepare ourselves for his return. Our challenge in keeping that goal foremost in our minds is the busy-ness (or mayhem) of our everyday life. Will this task get done; can that deadline be met; can I do this errand tomorrow? But these earth-centered activities don’t have eternal consequences. Being ready for Jesus’s return does.

Remember, when Jesus returns, this earth, with all our things, will be destroyed:

2 Peter 3:10-12 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

Take note that the Bible never says “IF Christ returns”. It talks about WHEN Christ appears. Jesus PROMISED his return. John 14:3 -- “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

We live in a world of broken promises. People fail us, but Jesus is faithful to us - ALL of us - always. So while we wait (Titus 2:13) “...for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” let us live the holy and godly lives Jesus wants us to live. His greatest wish is for us to join him in that “new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” Let's not let Him down!

Michael Rankins’ message on Sunday was that this particular battlefield, where we are to contend for the faith, is not out there in the big, bad world. It’s in us, in our church, within other groups of the faithful, but most importantly, in our own hearts.

Jude uses some strong metaphors for people within the church who don’t truly live God’s Word: that they are shepherds who feed only themselves - clouds without rain - wandering stars for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Jude refers to the “grumblers and fault finders”; I think we all know a few of them! These are the people who will ignore the rose to curse the thorns (or the hay fever, or the price of roses). Jude also reminds us of what the apostles foretold (Jude verses 17-19) that “These are the people who divide you… and do not have the Spirit.”

So what is our defense? First, rather than try to fight those people, we need to build up our own faith and keep ourselves in God’s love.

Secondly, we must look out for each other. Be merciful to those who doubt. Remember that we are all only flesh and blood; we all have weaknesses. Show mercy to those who falter in life or in faith. We will never know how difficult their trials have been. Don’t think that you would have done better in their shoes. Just be with them, with mercy.

Hold the mirror of God’s word up to your face. Examine yourself; know that Christ is in you. Do you see what YOU want to see, your own natural instincts? Or do you see our Lord Jesus Christ? Before we look for the enemy “out there”, let’s be sure the enemy is not us.

The Gnostics (from the Greek word ‘gnosis’, to know) were people who thought they knew it all. They saw themselves as elevated above everybody else by their higher, deeper knowledge of God. That kind of knowledge leads to arrogance, which is absolutely not what knowing God is about.

Knowing God is knowing that God is love. 1 John 4:7-9 says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God… This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”

Is there any physical or monetary way that we can repay God for His love? Of course not. But we can SHOW God’s love by loving one another. Josh acknowledged that this isn’t always easy. Frankly, some people are hard to love (or even to like), but he gave us 3 tips about love:

1. Love is more than something you feel; it’s something you show,

2. Liking someone is not a prerequisite for loving them, and

3. Love is risky.

Your love might be rejected, but do it anyway. This is a “pay it forward” effort. Jesus’ prayer for us is to LOVE FORWARD. When we do, we honor God. Since we have received God’s joy and love and hope, how can we not do something with these greatest gifts?

If you know God, you know love. Love forward.

On Sunday Josh gave us two reasons that Jesus had to come. One, to be a merciful and faithful High Priest and, two, to make atonement for our sins (Hebrews 2:17). Josh’s lesson concentrated on the first point.

Jesus had to come to us as fully human in order to be merciful to us. Only a High Priest who himself had weaknesses and temptations would be able to understand, and empathize with, our struggles. Someone who is sympathetic will only say, “Sorry that’s happening.” But someone who empathizes with you is someone who has lived through it, has truly felt your pain. So even more than that friend of yours that really “gets you”, Jesus totally “gets” us. He feels our pain because he knows our pain. He knows us, utterly and completely -- and he wants a close personal connection with us anyway!

Josh said, “In empathy, Jesus came near. To rescue, Jesus became a pioneer. God knew that if He could come into this life, He could become a Pioneer to lead us, not just to safety, but into His very presence in Heaven.”

Advent is that moment when our Rescuer arrived! Whatever struggles we’re having, whatever pain and heartache we’re going through - Jesus knows. And, hallelujah, He is here to rescue us!

What is hope made of? It usually includes waiting, it might include optimism, but it can also include tension. Hope isn’t necessarily an easy feeling, as Lamentations 3:24-28 notes, “I remember my afflictions and bitterness and my soul is downcast”. One way that Advent intersects our lives today is by reminding us to look behind us, to remember what we were, to acknowledge our brokenness. But Lamentations continues “… Yet this I call to mind and have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed…The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him.”

What is OUR hope? Titus 3:11-14 explains, “the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people … teaches us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives…while we wait for the blessed hope -- the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”. So another way that Advent intersects our lives is to remember that our brokenness is fixed and that we can look ahead with hope. After all, WE are God’s treasured possessions!

What do we do while we wait for the blessed hope? As Titus says in chapter 2, we can live in ways that no one will malign the word of God, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us, and to make teaching about God, our Savior, more attractive.

While we live in hope (harking back to last week’s message about how our spiritual growth can change others), our charge is to live our lives in such a way that those around us soon eagerly want the joy, the love, and the HOPE that we have.

Following up from last week's lesson about changing ourselves to have a better relationship with Christ, Michael Rankins’ lesson on Sunday, from the Book of Colossians, focused on our relationships with other people. Once we are living a more Christ-like life, we need to be aware of how we appear to others. Colossians 3:12-13 says clearly, “...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

When you “put on love”, know that love is not about how YOU feel. It’s about how you connect with people. Spiritual love is constant and won’t fluctuate with your emotions.

Colossians continues with 3:16-17, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... And be thankful… as you teach … with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

We can teach others by example as we sing to God with gratitude in our hearts. When we are changed, we will change others. Colossians 1:16 says, “...all things have been created through Him and for Him.” This includes you.

As Michael said, we’ve all known someone who claims to be a Christian but demonstrates few of those attributes. Let’s strive to be kind and compassionate examples of living in Christ. We may be the first loving face of Christ someone sees in this life.

Josh asked us to recall if starting a new relationship had ever changed us - like a new friendship, a new work colleague, or a love relationship? Paul’s job in the Book of Ephesians was to teach the new believers the changes necessary to have a worthy relationship with God:

Eph. 4:1-3, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” So the first (perhaps unwritten) rule is that it won’t necessarily be easy! Paul continues the lesson:

Eph. 4:17-18, “...you must no longer live as the Gentiles do… They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God… due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impunity, and they are full of greed.” The believers needed to accept that their new lives were no longer centered on their own selfish desires. That’s not an easy change either. As Josh said, “New callings, like new clothes, do not always fit us at first.” We all need to learn how to be worthy of the calling.

Happily, (Eph. 3:8), Paul would also “preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ”. Eph. 5:8, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” And Eph. 5:17-19, “Do not get drunk on wine… Instead be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”

To that glorious end, we need not be afraid of change. These changes will make us more like Christ. The journey is open to us if we listen to the Holy Spirit’s call to follow Him.