Sudden Experiences
1 Thess. 5:1-4
INTRODUCTION:
There are many sudden experiences spoken of in the Bible: sudden fear, sudden
destruction, sudden calamity, sudden death, etc. The words “sudden" or
"suddenly' are used 44 times in the Bible.
Let us
look at three of these "sudden experiences."
I)
A SUDDEN CALL. Proverbs 29:1
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall
suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. God calls of Reproof and often reproved. God calls people in a number of
ways.
A) He calls by His Self. Isaiah 1:18 Come
now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool.
B) He calls by His Son. Matthew 11:27-30 All things are
delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father;
neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever
the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For
my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
C) He calls by His Spirit. Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the
bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is
athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 2
Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
II)
A SUDDEN CONVERSION. Acts 9:3-6 And as he
journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a
light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the
Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick
against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou
have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city,
and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Paul was suddenly converted as he met Jesus
Christ on the road to Damascus. There are many sudden conversions spoken of in
the Word of God:
A) The wee man. (Zacchaeus)
Luke 19:1-10 And Jesus
entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named
Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he
sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was
little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to
see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place,
he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come
down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down,
and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured,
saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus
stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the
poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore
him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to
this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is
come to seek and to save that which was lost.
B) The weak man. (Thief on
the cross) Luke 23:39-43 And
one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be
Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost
not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed
justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done
nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into
thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou
be with me in paradise.
C) The wanted man. (Matthew) Matthew
9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew,
sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he
arose, and followed him.
D) The weeping man. (Philippian
Jailer) Acts 16:23-34 And
when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison,
charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge,
thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And
at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners
heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations
of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every
one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep,
and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed
himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud
voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a
light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they
said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his
house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought
them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God
with all his house.
III)
A SUDDEN COMING. Mark
13:35-37 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house
cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest
coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch.
Jesus Christ is going to return
some day, and when He does it will be suddenly. John
14:1-6 Let not your heart be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are 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 come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be
also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him,
Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith
unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.
A) His coming is personal.
(I) John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in
me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing.
B) His coming is promised.
(Will) Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised
before the world began;
C) His coming has a purpose.
(Come again, receive you unto Myself)
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