Certainty in an Uncertain Future

-Introduction

-Few things in life are certain.  (“You pay taxes and then you die.”)

-As we sang earlier:  “I don’t know about tomorrow...”

            -I don’t know what tomorrow holds for me.

            -I don’t know what tomorrow holds for you.

-Now we could dwell upon that thought and let it deeply trouble us, couldn’t we?

            -We like to know, don’t we?

            -As Peter mentioned in one of his lessons during our Gospel Meeting:  “I want to

              know.”  - examples of the ending of Acts, early years of Jesus, etc.

                        -Yet, God hasn’t revealed all that we want to know.  However, He has

                          revealed all that we need to know.  (2 Tim 3:17, 2 Pet 1:3)

-Do We Want To Know What the Future Holds?

-With that in mind, consider this:  We don’t need to know what tomorrow holds.

            -Oh, but there are some things we’d like to know though, aren’t there?

            -To be honest with you, the more I think about that idea, the more satisfied I become

              with not knowing.

            -If I knew about some very good things that were eventually going to happen, it

             would become rather easy to look past some of the enjoyments that life now holds.

            -If I knew, beforehand, of some difficulties that awaited my future, I’m afraid that I

              would live today in dread.

-Example of Ham - Gen 9:20-29

      -“To fully understand the nature of the curse in this passage, it must be noted that the

        blessing or cursing of children by the patriarchs was evidently a prophetic

  event...Noah’s words on this occasion did not directly apply to Shem, Ham, or

  Japheth.  Rather they were the patriarchal prediction of what would become of their

  descendants” (South, 452).

-Notice, as a result of the wrongdoing of Ham, a curse is pronounced upon Canaan.

-Were Canaan and his descendants to be punished for Ham’s wrongdoing?  No.

-In reality, Ham was also be cursed.  How?  He was being provided with information

  regarding future events.  He was being told aforetime that things would not go well

        for the descendants of his son, Canaan.  Eventually, they would rebelliously depart

        from God and sink in the depths of idolatry and be overthrown.

              -Do you think it was pleasant for Ham to have had that information? 

-Certainty Amidst Uncertainty

-Jas 4:13-17 - Our life holds much uncertainty.  Don’t count on tomorrow.  It is not

                        guaranteed.

      -However, if I stopped this lesson with such focus on uncertainty, it could be

        somewhat unsettling, couldn’t it? 

      -That’s not my intention.  So, we’ll continue.

-Once again, consider the song we sang earlier:  “Many things about tomorrow, I don’t
  seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.”

      -I am uncertain about tomorrow.  However, I am certain about who holds tomorrow.

-Therefore, I can be certain amidst uncertainty.

-Revelation 4 & 5

-Following the critiques of the seven churches of Asia, notice what is said in Rev 4:1.

            -The rest of the chapter then describes the scene that appeared before John.

-Rev 5:1-4

            -This book “...contained symbolic visions of what was to come to pass...To open the

              book meant to break the seals and to look thereon meant to see and describe the

              symbols that were written in it.  When no one came forward to open the book,

              John was so affected that he wept much.  Apparently, the promise made in 4:1 that

              he was to be shown things ‘which must come to pass hereafter’ would fail.  Being in

              exile and deeply concerned about the future of the churches, he was moved to tears

              because no one was ready to make the coveted disclosures” (Hinds, 75-76).

-Rev 5:5-10

            -Jesus, the One Worthy, took the book.

            -took - in the Greek perfect tense = complete action, the results of which still stand

                        -example of “It is written”

            -This is telling us that Jesus took the book and kept it. 

            -In these regards we can say, “I know who holds tomorrow.”

-Summary and Invitation

-In Christ, we find certainty amidst a world and life of uncertainty.

-We can and must put our trust in Jesus.  He is worthy of it.

            -He is Lord and Christ.  He is our Savior.  He is our Mediator.  He is our High Priest.

              He is our Advocate.  He is our Hope.

            -He stands beside us and offers us help.

-1 John 2:1-3, Heb 2:9-10, 16-18

-Have you placed your trust and obedience in Christ?

-Since tomorrow is uncertain, today is very significant.

            -2 Cor 6:2 - “...now is the day of salvation”

-Now is the time to be right with God through Jesus Christ.

-What about you?  Have you obeyed the Gospel?  Won’t you do as Jesus says:  Believe

 (Jn 3:16, 824), Confess (Matt 10:32), Repent (Lk 13:3,5), Be Baptized (Mark 16:16)?\

-If you’ve taken these steps, have you continued faithfully?  If not, confess your

 shortcomings, repent of them and pray for God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).

References: 

South, David, 2001 Freed-Hardeman University Lectures, © 2001

Hinds, John T., A Commentary on the Book of Revelation, © 1983, Gospel Advocate

     Company, Nashville, TN