The Convergence of Conditions Signals His Coming — E.A. Johnston

Christ’s Return and the Convergence of Last-Days Conditions

I believe in my heart that Christ will come again. I know with my mind that we are living in the last days, right before when Jesus comes again. I've lived a long time, and I've seen society fall apart at the seams because the church has lost her authority with society.

The Convergence of Signs Before Christ’s Return

I believe the signs of the last times are evident all around us, and I also believe that I can point to two events in scripture that by the words of Christ, the end will come when these two events converge.

And that's the title of my message this evening, friends, The Convergence Signals Is Coming. My text can be found in the Gospel of Luke, in chapter 17. You can turn in your Bibles there now, friends. We will be in verses 26 through 30, and let me read us this striking passage of scripture at this time.

Here now is the word of God, and may the Spirit of the Lord attend the reading of his holy word. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

The Days of Noah and a World Filled With Violence

Likewise also, as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded, but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. I will stop there. What this remarkable passage signifies to us in this generation is the heralding of one of mankind's most remarkable events, which is the return of Jesus Christ.

The key to understanding this prophetic passage of scripture, friends, is found in the five words of verse 30, even thus shall it be. What Christ is referring to here is the condition of the earth when he returns.

He tells of two conditions here in our text. Condition number one, as it was in the days of Noah. Well, we have to go back to the book of Genesis to see the condition of the earth in the days of Noah.

In Genesis chapter 6 and in verse 11, we see the condition of the earth in Noah's day. The earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence. Let me ask you, friends, have you ever seen a time in your life when society was so filled with violence?

Our streets are covered with the blood of senseless killings all over this country. Look around the world and see terrorist attacks from London to Paris to Canada recently and even look at Africa and all the senseless murders there and then go around the world and see that the earth in your day and mine is filled with violence.

The Days of Lot and Sexual Perversion

Now look at the second remark of Jesus Christ from our passage where he tells of the time period of his return. Condition number two, likewise also as it was in the days of Lot. Let me ask you, friend, what was the condition of Sodom and Gomorrah?

The condition was one of sexual perversion, of complete homosexuality. I never thought I'd live to see the day when the entire world has embraced homosexuals and promoted their lifestyle by legalizing marriage between them.

Even our apostate religious denominations have voted to ordain homosexuals from ministry and marriage. Now the key to understanding this prophecy of Christ is found in his words, even thus it shall be, meaning that Christ used the condition of Noah's time and the condition of Lot's time to tell us the time period in which the convergence of these two conditions appear together on the earth.

Then it would signal the closing days of this age of grace. Jesus speaks very plainly here in our text from Luke that when these two conditions would meet and converge one upon the other, he would return.

That the condition of the earth in Noah's day was corrupt and full of violence and that the condition of the day of Lot was full of sexual perversion. Are we not living in these very days? It makes the hair stand on the back of my neck to realize how close we are to Christ's return.

Readiness, Repentance, and Confidence at His Coming

Jesus gives us fair warning to watch and look for his imminent return. Therefore, be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh. Dear friends, it is high time for the church to get her house in order.

It is high time for us to wash ourselves in his word and repent and be dressed in robes of righteousness to pay heed to the words of the apostle John. And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

Watching and Praying for Christ’s Coming

O dear friends, how on guard we should be at this tragic hour in the history of mankind where the earth is corrupt and full of violence and where sexual perversion spills over our cities like a filthy sewer.

Let us look up and let us pray.