THE DAY OF THE LORD Zephaniah 1:4-6, 14-16, 2:3 Deacon Gerald Hampton June 2, 2016 Christian Education

“MARANATHA!” The first century church The writings of the early Church Fathers reveal that one of the earliest prayers of the Church was “Maranatha!” (I Cor. 16:22). That word is actually an Aramaic phrase that means “Our Lord come!” or “Come Lord Jesus!”

They expected the Lord to return at any time. This was a prayer that expressed the First Century Church’s ardent desire for the soon return of Jesus. They expected the Lord to return at any time. They not only expected His return but they yearned for and desired His return so much so that they lived in constant readiness of His return I John 3:1-3, Titus 2:11-15, II Peter 3:14

The twenty-first century church seems to have lost its desire for the coming of the Lord. Today’s church is not looking and longing for Christ’s return as the first century church did. Preachers are not preaching His return with consistency and fervor anymore.

Instead many are preaching a ‘live forever, things will get better’, ‘live in ease for grace will appease’, ‘continue in sin for there’s no judgment at the end’, plus prosperity, education, and success messages that have left the church apathetic concerning the coming of Christ.

In the second epistle of Peter, chapter 3, Peter warns that there will be scoffers in the last days who will make light of the teachings concerning Jesus’ coming. But be assured the Lord’s coming is nearer than when we first believed.

THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING. Scriptures are replete with warnings to the wicked that a day of reckoning is coming in the last days. The day of the Lord will be a day of doom and horror for many. It’s a day of the Lord’s anger in which He will spew out His wrath on the wicked.

Zephaniah 1:14-16 14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

Zephaniah’s prophecy of the day of the Lord is in stark contrast to the prophecy of Joel who also said that in the ‘last days’ God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. We must then conclude that the ‘last days’ began on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out.

ITS TIME TO GET EXCITED AND REJOICE – THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING! Even though the Day of the Lord will be a day of doom and destruction for the wicked, it will be a long awaited day of joy and victory for the church. “we look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” He further stated, that Jesus will reward those who love His appearing.”  The Apostle Paul in Titus 2:12 says

There are many reasons why the church should anxiously await the coming of the Lord. 1) Jesus will be exalted from suffering/servant to LORD, 2) Satan will be destroyed 3) We who are saved shall be changed into our glorified bodies 4) there will be peace and the absence of war 5) the saints shall reign with Jesus. 6) we shall forever be with the Lord!! What a day of rejoicing that will be!

There is, however, another reason we should want Jesus to return. It has to do with the fact that when you love someone, you want to be with them. We love to fellowship with Jesus in worship, in prayer, and in His Word. But these forms of fellowship are no substitute for being with Him.

We love Him, and therefore… we want to be with Him. We want to bask in the presence of His love and holiness. We want to see the glory of God in His face. We want to kiss His nail- scarred hands,

“Thank you!” Thank you for… We want to tell Him “Thank you!” Thank you for… dying for us, forgiving us, changing us, guiding us, comforting us, and for giving our life meaning and purpose.

And we want to join the Saints and the Heavenly Host in singing, “Worthy is the Lamb!” Let us rejoice and shout with the saints of old “Maranatha” ***End of Lesson***