Dear Christian friends:

How many of you have prepared bomb shelters in your home? Are you prepared to hide or escape in case Russia decides to attack? We have been living with the continual possibility that Russia could and might bomb our cities, yet we have done little to escape or to meet it. We are used to living with trouble, wars and rumors of war. Indifferent!

We are also indifferent about Jesus' second coming. The Bible tells us that Jesus will come quickly to judge all men, the Last Day of the world is nearing, but we do not think much about it. We are like the people of Noah's time. They fully attended to eating, drinking, getting married, planting, buying and selling refusing to hear Noah's preaching and change, until the day when Noah went into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them. Our text and this Advent Season call us to give more serious thought to the Lord's coming. It is very necessary for us to do this, or we many lose our faith. Our text reminds us that:

I. The Kingdom of God is here already.

A. Some are confused about this.

1. Pharisees of text wanted a kingdom like the Romans verse 20.

2. Today Jehovah's Witness and Seventh Day Adventists expect Christ to come and establish a Kingdom of power and force like the Kingdoms of the world. Jesus told Pilate: "My Kingdom is not of this world" Last Sunday's sermon.

B. Jesus says His Kingdom is already here verses 20, 21. "Cometh not with observation," with outward show and force like worldly governments: You can't say about His Kingdom: "Look her or look there; because it is in man's heart, a Kingdom of truth. Jesus told Pilate he was a king who ruled by truth: "That's why I was born and that's why I came into the world to bear witness unto the truth. He that is of the truth heareth my voice." (John 18:38)

His truth is His Word. That Word proves all men lost and condemned sinners with no ability to help or save themselves: "There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20) "Cursed is everyone", "the wages of sin is death." Yet that Word tells of God's mercy and love for us sinners and how He sent His Son to preach to suffer and die and rise again for man's forgiveness.

By that beautiful and strange preaching God establishes His Kingdom among us and in our hearts. He has no sword, no bombs, no ICBMS to establish and defend His Kingdom. It is established and built and grows by the truth, His Holy Word.

II. Yet we must remember that the Kingdom of God is not yet fully shown.

A. Jesus won the main victory against Satan when He died and arose again. Yet Satan and his powers still fight on. Example: World War II and the Battle of the Bulge.

B. These days of tribulation and testing are here. Communism in Europe! Materialism in America! Faithful long to see Jesus come and end the struggle.

C. Some think so much about that they go wild about dates when Jesus will come. False prophets say: "See here; or see there." Jesus warns: "Go not after them nor follow them."

III. How, therefore are we to wait for Jesus' coming, the end of the world?

A. Not in fear but in patient hope and faithful service. Not necessary to join a monastery. But our hope in the Lord's coming encourages us to be more faithful in worship and witness. Noah's building a ark is a good example of stewardship. Witnessing, giving of time and money.

B. We worship to keep our faith alive and strengthened lest we become like the people of Noah's day fully interested in material things.

C. God help us to hope and wait patiently as Noah and thus save ourselves and many others from the doom to come!

Amen!