FORERUNNER CURRICULUM AWO AINOO

MODULE 1 SERMON OUTLINE, SPRING 2013

People Get Read, !e"#" I" Co$%&'
I. INTRODUCTION
In this sermon we are going to look at what I believe to be the much neglected or far off reality that Jesus
is coming back. By looking into what the word of God says about Jesus' return we, as believers, can begin
to understand how this imacts us and how we live on this earth. I believe there are ! things that Jesus'
return means for a believer" #$ %raying &$ %ersevering ' %ursuing and !$ %rearing. (he word of God
makes it known to us that all scriture is insired by God and given for our edification )& (im !"#*$ so it's
imortant to look at what the scritures say about Jesus' return and take them to heart )%s. ##+"##$.
II. THE TRUTH OF JESUS' RETURN
,. (hroughout the Bible, God has revealed to -is eole that Jesus will return. Both the
.ld (estament and the /ew (estament have soken about it in great detail. (he book of 0aniel is
1ust one e2amle where God reveals in detail events that have to do with the return of Jesus.
)0aniel + 3 #&$.
B. 4hen Jesus first came to the earth -e came to bring salvation )5uke #+"#67 Jn #&"89$, when -e
returns to the earth for the &
nd
and final time, -e will come to 1udge and rule the world with us,
believers. 4e are called to rule and reign with :hrist; )Is !&"#$.
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:. It is a fallacy to believe that we cannot know the season in which Jesus will return. Just like we can
tell when there is a change in the natural season because of what creation shows us, Jesus has made
it very clear to us the season in which we will know that -e is returning )<att &8"! 3 #8$. 4e are
seeing signs now on the earth with wars breaking out, famines, earth=uakes but these are 1ust the
beginnings of the end.
III. PRAYING LIKE A PRIEST
,. 4e are a royal riesthood and have been called to ray, not only for the salvation of those that do
not know :hrist but also for -is return )<ark #!" !& 3 !!7 # %et &"+7 >h *"#?7 @ev ?"8 3 *7
@ev &&"#9$. (he 5ord is attentive to our rayers )# %et !"#&$. 4henever God wants to move, there is
rimarily an overflow of rayer that occurs )Joel &"#& 3 #8, #9 3 &#, &? 3 !#7 ,cts &"# A&7
,cts 8"&# 3 !#$.
B. 4e are called to watch and ray. It is by our rayers that God moves. It's by seeking the face of God
that we resist temtation )<k #8"!?" <att &*"8#$ and continue in until -is returning )# (hes. B"#9$.
4e have no need to ray for us to be taken away from the troubles that will increase on this earth,
we ray as Jesus rayed that God will kee us )Jn #9"#B$. It will take a continual connection with
God to kee us in the days to come and this connection will only come through us seeking -is face
in rayer.
FORERUNNER CURRICULUM AWO AINOO
MODULE 1 SERMON OUTLINE, SPRING 2013
IV. PERSEVERING LIKE A SOLDIER, PURSUING AS AN ATHLETE
,. God reveals -is lan for the earth in order that we do not lose heart when the times ahead get
increasingly worse. 4e must ersevere, knowing that we have a great reward. (he reality of our
walk with :hrist will cause us to realise that we have been called to endure hardshi like a soldier
)& (im ! A 8$. (he scritures make it clear that we will face ersecution, we will face trials but we are
not dwell on these. Jesus has overcome them all, therefore we will as well; )Jn #*"#, 8, !!$. -e has
given us the weaons we need to overcome the onslaughts of the enemy )>h. *"#!7 @ev #&"##$ and
knows how to rotect -is own )& %et &"+$.
B. 4hen faced with the true reality that Jesus is returning and that we, as believers will face and go
through trials and tribulations )and if we are still alive, the Great (ribulation as soken about in
@evelations * 3 #+$ we must be watchful. , soldier on duty is always vigilant and we also must be
vigilant. (his is not a time for comlacency or aathy, we must fight the good fight of faith and
contend to the end )# %et B"? 3 +7 # (im. *"#&$. 4hen we look in light of the e2ceeding great
romises )& %et. #"87 & (im. 8"?$, our view of any afflictions we suffer now in this age aear
nonAeventful.
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:. 4e continue to ursue because we know the riCe that is before us. (his great riCe doesn't come
without a rice and we must recognise that in order to gain, we must go through this life which
include the difficulties. It is not what we are doing when he returns that matters so much as what
we have been doing all the time he has been away )4hen Jesus @eturns, 0avid %awson$. 4e want
to be able to say as %aul said that we finished well and we can only do that when we kee our eyes
on Jesus )& (im &"B7 & (im. 8"97 -eb. #&"# 3 &$.
V. PREPARING LIKE A BRIDE
,. (he dictionary defines rearing as making ready beforehand for a specific purpose, as for an
event or occasion. (his is what we are doing as the bride of :hrist 3 we are making ourselves
ready for the day that Jesus returns, when we meet the 5ord in the air and -e takes us to -imself
)# (hes 8"#9, Jn #8"!$. ,s natural brides reare for their wedding day so to must we reare for
our wedding day 3 the day we meet :hrist and are given resurrected bodies.
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FORERUNNER CURRICULUM AWO AINOO
MODULE 1 SERMON OUTLINE, SPRING 2013
B. /o bride reares for their wedding without an expectancy that there will be a bridegroom waiting
to marry them so to we reare as one who is expectant of Jesus' return. (here is an eager
e2ectation of brides to be with the one they love and be 1oined to him forever. (his is the
eagerness and anticiation we must have for Jesus' return because for us who believe in -im it is the
moment we are 1oined with -im forever never to be searated from -im.
:. 4hen the wedding day arrives, the last thing that a bride is filled with is fear and dread; (his is the
day they have been rearing for, looking forward to. (he guests await with anticiation to see the
bride in all her glory and the 1oining of the two. In the same way, the coming of our 5ord is not
suose to fill us as believers with fear and dread. It's a glorious time for us, a time that all creation
)the guests$ is waiting for with longing )@om ?"#+$, a time God had in mind for us all along
)-os &"#*, #+$ 3 betrothed to -is Don, our Bridegroom. to share in -is inheritance )0an 9"#! 3 #8,
&&7 <att &B"!87 >h #"#?$.
VI. CONCLUSION: HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE? REDEEMING THE TIME
(here will be a weeding and a wedding )<att &&"& A #8$. 4e can re1oice in the fact that we will be the Bride
of :hrist, ruling and reigning with -im if we endure to the end. (he Bible says that we should walk
circumsectly, redeeming the time because the days are evil )>h. B"#B 3 #*$. 4e must be watchful,
cautious. 4e are not to be gried by fear because we have a blessed hoe. (he end of this age is not the
end for us but really 1ust the beginning of our intended lives. Enowing the truth, that Jesus is returning for
us as -is bride A one without sot or blemish )#(im. *" #87 >h B"&9$, should both cause us to be sober and
e2cited. Dober because we realise that many need to e2erience and know the saving grace and love of
:hrist before it is too late and also e2cited because our Eing is returning and -e is coming for us, -e is
coming to restore the whole of creation to its original glory )@om ?"#? 3 &&$.
In his book, 4hen Jesus @eturns, 0avid %awson uts it like this, Jesus is not looking for anic action but
loyal service. 4e give Jesus loyal service when we focus on -im, giving us revelation of who -e is, what
-e's done and -is dee love for us. .ut of that revelation we won't be able to hel but want to lease -im
and reare for -is coming. ,s we continue to look to Jesus and meditate on things above that cause us to
fall more in love with -im, the result is we can't hel but give our all to -im and serve -im comletely
)%hiliians 8"?$. 4e are to be a eole who are 1oyous and longing for -is coming because our God wins
and remains with us forever;