If you have your Bible, will you turn with me to the book of Titus? The Epistle of Paul to Titus, chapter two. I'd like to read a little section in that letter, beginning, if I may, at verse ten, verse eleven, if you please, and reading through verse thirteen. Titus, chapter two, verse eleven, and reading through verse thirteen, Paul writing by the Holy Spirit to say, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good work. May God bless the reading and the hearing of this section of his precious work. You are the blessed realization, as Paul has well written for us, the realization that why the Lord Jesus came into the world. By the grace of God, he brought to us the great joy and privilege of salvation. And note the words particularly before we go further in verse ten. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. And with what confidence and joy we know, the coming of the Lord Jesus into this world was to bring salvation and note the expression for all men. Unfortunately, we cannot say, which we could, that all men and all mankind will be saved. But may I emphasize all mankind can be saved if they will. And the only reason that all men are not saved is because they will not. The greatest responsibility to be saved is for one to declare, willfully, readily, their need of the Lord Jesus and receive him as their Savior, though unworthy, as sin as we are. But I wish you to note something. Paul not only speaks of salvation, but as you go to the next verse in verse eleven, he speaks very faithfully of the Christian life. Let me emphasize it very briefly. It will not be my main subject. But he also reminds us that he would teach us how to live soberly, righteously, godly in this present world. So the message of salvation needs to be followed when received with a life of soberness, righteousness, godliness while we're in this present world. In other words, you've got a past in verse ten. You've got a present in verse eleven. We now know verse twelve, rather, in verse eleven and then verse twelve, and then in verse thirteen. You've got a future. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Let me re-emphasize this. The Lord Jesus came into the world to provide salvation. that he has already done. And any and every man, woman, boy and girl that puts her faith in him as the joy of knowing salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. For neither is there salvation in any other. For there's none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. And then we find, and let me re-emphasize it, we all need it, particularly we who are Christians. the realization how to live, and the importance of living out what God has done for us inwardly in saving our souls. And thus in soberness and righteousness and godliness, while in this present world, but then there is the future. Looking for what? That blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Paul, without question of doubt, means when the believer has been saved, while the believer is living in this world, he or she is to be looking forward to the coming again of the Lord Jesus. What a joy to realize, and I would like to emphasize particularly in my message today, the importance of knowing, not only believing, but considering very carefully the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. And let me suggest to you some truth we would like to follow. First of all, the reality of his coming again, and then the rapidity of his coming, and also our responsibility toward his coming, and last of all, the result of his coming. Can I repeat this? Consider, first of all, the reality of His coming again. Second, the rapidity of His coming. Third, our responsibility toward His coming. And last of all, the results of His coming again. If there is any one message that I would, and I do feel upon my heart and conscience today, to be faithful to present in the times in which we are living, We need to know, we need to believe, we need to be looking for the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me give you some thoughts regarding the reality of it. Is it real? Is he coming again? You may read in Second Peter, chapter three, and you will read in that chapter, that there are those in the last days of whom Peter writes are scoffers. saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the Father solemnly, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. Peter also reminds us of very ignorant. There was a flood in a past occasion when all the world suffered the judgment of God in the days of Noah. And many have forgotten that. But the reality of his coming I don't know how many times you may have read the New Testament through, but may I present three facts which I believe give to us and present to us the three greatest subjects you'll find in the New Testament. Can I repeat it again? They're not the only subjects, but I would suggest they present themselves as the greatest subjects you may consider in the New Testament. First of all, the great fact, and you've got it in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and John, the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world, born through the Virgin Mary, lived and died upon the cross of Calvary, and then rose again and went back to heaven. Can I repeat it? I'm sure you will agree if you've ever read the New Testament. The first presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament is in Matthew, Mark, and Luke and John. The great fact, he came from heaven and lived, was born and lived and died and buried and rose again and went back to the Father's home above. Then may I also say another great fact, beginning in chapter two of the book of the Acts, you have the coming into this world of the Holy Spirit. That third person, as sometimes we call him, of the Trinity. And he came at Pentecost, sent by God the Father and God the Son. And the Holy Spirit came into this world. And he is still here. May I point out obviously why the Lord Jesus came into this world. He came into this world, as you well know, to save us and to do the work of redemption by his sacrifice upon the cross. And God would ask every man and every woman, what have you done with my son? Remember the day when Pilate, thus weighing the Lord Jesus, as he stood before him, what he should do with him? You recall when the people clamored for the slay to be crucified and Barabbas to be released? Pilate said, what shall I then do with Jesus? which is called the Christ and what a dilemma. And we know he missed the great opportunity of his soul in refusing the Savior. So what shall I do then with Jesus? And God the Father would ask every man, woman, woman, boy, and girl, what have you done with my son? Have you received him as your Savior? Have I received him as my Savior? For me I suggest The answer to that question will resolve your eternal destiny. If you receive him, you will have eternal life. If you reject him, eternal judgment. Make the choice. Likewise the Holy Spirit came into the world, and Jesus said in John sixteen, When he is come, he will reprove or convince the world of sin. Of sin and righteousness and judgment. Of sin because they believe none on me. Of righteousness because I go to my father and he see me no more. Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. And may I present to you the solemn truth. He came into this world to be a powerful convictor. To convict the souls of men and women, boys and girls, of their need of Christ. And if ever you have felt and known in your heart the power of the Holy Spirit preaching through the Word of God and ministering the gospel to your heart, your conviction of sin, needing a Savior, he came to convict you. And he came to convert you and regenerate you as by faith you trust the Savior. And impart that eternal life. God would ask the question. What have you done with my spirit? Have you listened to his voice? Have you responded to his call? Have you received my son as your savior? But then the third great truth in the New Testament is this. Jesus is coming again. I don't know how many times you have ever noticed this. But if you read your New Testament through, you will find three hundred and eighteen times the mention of the second coming of Christ. An emphatic mention, an average of once in every twenty-five verses of the New Testament. There are two hundred and sixty chapters in your New Testament. And once in an average of every twenty-five verses, the coming again of the Lord Jesus is mentioned. You cannot say that it's not important. It must be, and it is important, the second coming of Christ. And as the truth of it is mentioned, as it is brought before us in the word of God, please may I say that the question that God would raise in regard to the coming of the Lord Jesus is not a similar question to the preceding one. When God would ask, what have you done with my son? When God may ask what have you done with my spirit, but when my son comes back again, this is the question. What will he do with me? Right? What will he do with me? When the Lord Jesus was upon the earth, he made very direct reference in John five twenty-two, the father judges no man. but have committed all judgment unto the Son. And my beloved, please may I say, the solemnity of the fact, when he comes to the earth again, he's not coming as a savior. He came once, and he did the work with faith. But when he comes again, he will appear as the judge. Well, did Paul say to the Athenians, as he spoke to them in chapter seventeen of the Acts, on Mars Hill and the Areopagus, that God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world by that man whom he has ordained, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus. Beloved, may I sing again, please may I put before you the reality, he is coming again. It's a great subject of the New Testament, proportionally greater than any other theme. I won't say it's the greatest subject, but it's greater in proportion, three hundred and eighteen times. Then may I go even further, not only the reality of it because of that, but the Savior's promise. It's the promise of the Lord Jesus. And let me quote John fourteen. You know the words well. Let not your heart be troubled. you believe in God, believe also in me, in my father's house and many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will, literally meaning in the Greek text, I am coming again to receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also. The reality of his coming, his policy would come, and we have the promise of the Lord Jesus himself. You go back to the Old Testament, you can go all the way back to the days of Adam, and you'll even find in the book of Genesis chapter three, verse fifteen, the promise of the coming of a Savior. You can go through the Old Testament again and again and find again and again the promise of a coming Messiah and Savior. And he came, though it may have taken four thousand years approximately before he was born, May I remind you too that when he was living upon the earth, he himself made the statement that he would be slain and that he would be buried and that he would be raised again, that he would die, that he would be buried, that he would be raised. And it happens. And I know that his promise of John fourteen is just as sure, I will come again. But then another reality proves it. You've got the angelic confirmation of it in Acts chapter one. Remember when the Lord Jesus was ascending to heaven? And if they watched him, the disciples looked up and saw him going out of sight. And a cloud, and may I point out to you, the Lord Jesus didn't go to heaven very rapidly. The disciples watched him go up until a cloud received him out of their sight. If you remember the day of Elijah when God took Elijah to heaven, and Elijah wanted a blessing from Elijah, a double portion of his spirit, Elijah said, if you can see me when I go, you'll have it. But remember, Elijah went up in a chariot? I tell you, that chariot went pretty fast. But when the Lord Jesus went up, they saw him go out of sight. disappear into the cloud above. And immediately as while they were looking up steadfastly into heaven, there appeared under them two men in white apparel, angels without doubt. Who said ye men of Galilee? Why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is gone into heaven shall so come again in light manner as you've seen him go. And the angels confirmed it. He's coming back. Now I might ask you, do you believe it? You've had it. Because Sunday is going to happen. But then you not only have the promise of the Savior and the confirmation of the angels. You can go all through your epistles. And I defy you to find in one epistle. None of the writers ever omitted telling Jesus is coming again. And thus from the rest of the book, all the way from Romans, all the way through the book of the revelations at the end, you've got the truth. They present the coming again of the Lord Jesus. Oh, may I emphasize that fact again. The reality is coming again. Now, if you have your Bible, will you go with me to First Corinthians chapter fifteen? I'd like you to consider with me the rapidity of his coming. For in chapter fifteen of First Corinthians, we have brought before us the blessed truth regarding the rapidity of his coming. Please note it very carefully with me. Paul writing by the Holy Spirit in this great resurrection chapter, beginning if I may read at verse fifty. I note with you the revelation that Paul writes relative to the return of the Lord Jesus. Reading in verse fifty and going down if I may through verse fifty-five. Now this I say, brethren, The flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. May I pause for just a moment. Please consider the meaning of these words. With this present body of flesh and blood. That present body of flesh and blood that is yours. With these earthly bodies that we possess now. We shall not enter into that glory that is yet to come. You can't take it with you. Now why is it that you can't take this body with you? You know why. It's a body of sinful nature. It's a body of sin by nature. And you well know it. I think of the words of Revelation twenty-one, twenty-son, of the close of their wonderful chapter, telling of the glory of the new Jerusalem. Neither shall therein to end into it. Anything that works as an abomination unto telleth a lie, the day whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Please let me say, emphasize it, you cannot take this body. I cannot take my body. into the kingdom of God above, and in the glory of that kingdom that is yet to come. In this particular capacity, it's got to be changed. Now listen to what Paul writes, and this is what he writes concerning. As you go to verse, as you go to verse fifty-one, behold, I show you a mystery. Something never revealed before. I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. And the expression means the body in death. For when you read the Holy Scriptures regarding the death of a believer, their body is spoken of as being asleep. You know the word cemetery from the, I think from the Greek word, will get the meaning sleeping place. Sleeping place. And when you read the Scripture, let me give you a Scripture for a live way of example. Remember when Lazarus was dead? Remember that the Lord Jesus, though he was bitten by the sisters, please come, for he who now loveth his sick. He carried two days until Lazarus is dead. And as he went his way to Jerusalem and Bethany toward that place, the disciples wondered about it. And he told them, Lazarus sleeper. Well, Lord, if he's sleeping, he will do well. That's a good sign if he's asleep. Jesus said bluntly, Jesus, Lazarus is dead. And in reference to the body of a believer when dead, the word is used by saying the body is the sweet. I'll tell you one thing, the soul is not a sweet soul, but the body is sweet. And here Paul is writing, when the Lord comes, now let me follow on through, behold, I show you a mystery we shall not, all be all sleep, but we shall all be changed. There's got to be a change. As already in preceding verse, this present body cannot enter into the glory. I cannot go into heavenly glory and kingdom glory with this body of mine as it is in the present. It must be changed. Now please note. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. And we who are living shall be changed. For this corruptible, meaning the body and the grave, must put on incorruption. This mortal, the body that is still alive at the coming of the Lord, must put on immortality. And so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, this mortal body shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written. Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is thy sting? And oh, grave, where is thy victory? Now meditate with me for a few moments. Paul is describing the rapidity of this event. May I say very earnestly and lovingly, it's not the Lord coming back to the earth to reign, it's the Lord coming back for his redeemed people. Now let me link it. While Paul links it with his first Thessalonians fourth, when writing for the comfort of those who have been bereaved in Thessalonica, he reminds them, so sorrow not, as others who have no hope, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive shall not receive them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, And the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together in the cloud to meet the Lord where? In the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord. It is of the same blessed event Paul is writing in first Corinthians fifteen. And I want you to notice something. Particularly. Not only the reality of it. But please mark the rapidity of it. Note the words in verse fifty-two. In a moment. In the twinkling of an eye. Strange. The word moment in the Greek Testament is the only place in the New Testament you have the word atom. A-T-O-M-O-S is the word in the Greek text. Adam, when I was a boy in school, and that is a long time ago, But when I was in Janssenary school, the word atom meant indivisible. You couldn't divide. You couldn't split the atom. And if you know your history, and if you know a little bit about your science, you don't have to know too much. There's so much so unbelievable. If you're known enough to remember that it's only in this past century that present, recent time, the atom has been split. Thanks to Mr. Einstein and a few other scientists. And you know what an atom bomb is, don't you? We know that it would have gone through the Second World War. And the nuclear dangers, all due to the knowledge of how to split the atoms, blow the whole world up. And someone has very tritely said, Since they have split the atoms, men can wonder if they made a wise crack after all. So you've got a tiger behind the tail. Please, and I say it lovingly, earnestly, all the present program of the nation, with all respect to the desire of men, some of them, not all of them, but some of them, the one and a half feet in the world, they'll never make it. on their own. They're sitting on a bomb. And the theory of nuclear power. Now Paul uses the word Adam. And may I suggest the thought? He refers to the time element. The time element. And then he adds. The twinkling of an eye. Just as fast as the upper lid and the lower lid can closed together. That's the rapidity of the coming of the Lord. And all the context telling what takes place. And please let me say frankly, as far as the world around will never, never, never see us. So, Queen, the dead in Christ raised, the living saints changed. not done, together to meet the Lord in the air, to be forever with all. Now, my beloved friend, let me please raise a question. If the reality of his coming is so definite, and if the relativity of his coming is so quick, can I raise the question? Are you ready? Are you ready? Our responsibility. Will you go with me to Matthew twenty-four? If you have your Bible, Matthew chapter twenty-four, please. Let me point out very carefully to you. Matthew chapter twenty-four, the words of the Lord Jesus. And in Matthew twenty-four and twenty-five you will find the Savior talking of his second coming. But I would like to read verse forty-four in chapter twenty-four concerning all that may have proceeded and all that may follow in the reference of this wonderful sermon on Mount Olivet, the Olivet Sermon that the Lord Jesus made. But note verse twenty-four. Therefore, let me go back to verse forty-two, will you? Let me get the connection with you. Watch therefore, for you know not what our Your Lord does come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known him what watch the thief would come, he would have watched. He would not have suffered his house to be broken up. And you know as well as I do. Well, I don't know whether you folks have as much trouble here as we do in Charlotte. But in my own neighborhood, every house around me has been burglarized. I mean that every hour but mine. I'm praying every day the Lord will keep me from having it too, but nobody wrote a letter to the folks of the house telling them they were coming. You know that. You know that. And therefore, look what the Lord Jesus goes on to say in verse forty-four. Therefore, because you don't know the hours. Be he also ready for in such an hour is your signal. The Son of Man comes. Many years ago down in Miami, after speaking along similar lines on the second coming of our Lord Jesus, I remember after the close of one meeting one evening, one of the Christian men said to me, Brother Bram Hall, I can tell you the hour, the Lord's coming. Well, I sure looked at him quick, sharply. I said, go ahead. And he answered, in an hour that you think not. Well, I said, I'll have to agree with you. Not to agree? Now, let me think with you two things. The responsibility in view of the coming of the Lord, first of all, If one is not saved, you've got to confess such a person is not ready. Such a person is not ready. And may I very clearly, though very perhaps briefly but clearly, present how you can be sure that you're ready. Oh, please may I say, It's not only important to know that you're ready to die. Now that's an important fact, too. And I hope you are. I think of a dear man many years ago. As a dear old fellow was in the hospital. And after the examination by the doctors, the doctor had to come to the dear old chap and say, Sam, I'm sorry, sorry to tell you. You're not going to live. You'll be dying very soon. And you know what the old man said to him? That's all right, Doc. That's what I've been living for. He was ready. But now look. If the Lord comes, I don't know when you're going to die. Neither do you know when I will be dying. Any of us. Neither do we know when the Lord's coming. But note the word. In an hour that you think now. And the Lord says, be ready. And here is what one must do if he, they or she, or she is not ready. But, one thing you have to do to get ready. First, you have to confess yourself a sinner to the Lord. I am a sinner. Let me quote these words from Romans five, six, and eight. In due time, Christ died for the ungodly. and chapter five and verse eight. While we were yet sinners, God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God only saved sinners. And let me please confirm the fact that everyone is a sinner. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. John Paul writing to Timothy said, Christ Jesus came into the world to save whom? Sinners. And he added of whom I am chief. And the first thing you must come to the Lord and confess, I am a sinner. Listen to the man in chapter nine, eighteen, rather, of loose gospel. Two men went into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee. And he had eye trouble. All he talked about was himself. He told God what a good father he was. And all the time God wasn't even listening to him. But the publican will not lift up his eyes to heaven. Make his breath. Make the confession. God be merciful to me, a sinner. And Jesus said he went home saved. Just be mine, rather than the other. Confess, I am a sinner. Second, confess the Lord Jesus is the only one who can save you. The only one who can save you. Let me quote Acts four verse twelve. Neither is there salvation in any other. For there's none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. He's the only one who can save you. Your good words can never save you. Let me quote Ephesians two eight nine. We are saved by grace, through faith, that none of yourselves. It's the gift of God, none of us. Blessed any man should look. I am a guilty sinner. The Lord Jesus died for sinners. I must confess. She alone can save me. A third, I must receive it as my Savior. Let me quote John one twelve. To as many as received them, to them gave him the power, the right, the privilege, the authority to be called the sons of the children of God, even to them that believe on his name. Ready. Ready. Trusting the Savior, having confessed, I am a sinner. But Jesus loved me and died to save me from my sin. And their judgment. And I received it. by faith. Let me quote the words of Romans ten, nine and ten. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be once saved. For with the heart man believeth, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. And what joy to realize, I am a sinner. Jesus is the only Savior. I receive that ready to go. I think of a dear man over and such a many years ago, though I would say over fifty years ago now, as I saw it for the last time on his bed, I led him to the Lord after many, many years of wandering away from God and even from his family. And on that last occasion, as I looked down at him, he looked up at me. He said, Mr. Bramhall, I'm going to be looking for you when I get to heaven. Well, I looked at him. I said, Mr. Wetherley, how do you know you're going to be in heaven? I wanted to hear his confession again. He looked up with a bright smile, and he said, Oh, Brother Bramhall, I'm trusting the precious blood of Jesus. I said, Praise the Lord. I'll see you. And you know, he's been waiting for me over fifty years. Don't worry, I'll see you. I'll be there, ready. Can I ask the question? Are you ready? But then may I give a word of exhortation for those of us who are Christians? Our responsibility too. You say, what is that? When we read something about it, in Titus chapter two, and particularly in verse twelve, how we should live soberly, righteously, godly. Oh, beloved, please let me be reminded in my own heart, as a Christian, I have a responsibility to live for my Savior, for save me, but because I am saved, ready to meet him with a life. and a testimony that will please remember the parable the Lord Jesus told of those who would become before the master and be examined for the work that they've done and a commendation well done thou good and faithful service enter thou into the joy of thy love I offer to you as a believer and to all of us who are believers a responsibility Only one life will soon be passed. What's done for Christ only will last. That's responsibility. And thus you can realize the reality of his coming, the repidity of him, the responsibility toward him. Let me just say in closing, the inevitable results when he comes. Two results. One. Blessing. The other? Judgment. You think of the scripture of Matthew twenty-five, thirty-one through forty-six, where the Lord Jesus tells in that chapter regarding the judgment of the living nation, he counters the living who remain. He separates them. The goat on the left, the sheep on the right, to the sheep. He says, Come ye blessed that my Father inherit the kingdom and so on. to those on his left depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels? Please let me save. The results of his coming, there will be eternal results. The saved will be blessed forever. Aren't you glad you're saved? Am I glad I'm saved? But if you're not saved, please think carefully. Be sure you are that the Lord is your Savior. For he's coming again. Again I say. Watch therefore. Be ye also ready. For in an hour that you think now. The Son of Man comes. Well I'm sure glad I'm ready. I'm not even ready's brother. I'm ready. I hope you are too. Shall we pray and give God his thanks? And pray you pray.