Power Power in the Clouds

Power 

Power in the Clouds

Clouds are amazing

They do more than tell us the weather

They remind us of the coming of Jesus Christ

A Day of Judgment

A day of setting up His Kingdom 

Be more than a cloud watcher

Tell others about Him who is coming in the clouds

Power in the Clouds

Clouds are amazing.

These visible masses of liquid

droplets change a sunny day.

Clouds come in all sizes and shapes.

They can bring relief from the hot

sun or terror as they grow and

darken with lightning and thunder.

 

I love a sunny day, but when

clouds come, I like to watch them.

One night the clouds were full

of lighting and thunder.

 Sandy and I got up, made nachos’ and sat

outside on our porch to watch the display in the sky.

The next morning, we found out that just a few

miles from our home there was great devastation.

A large tornado had taken thousands of trees

like they were toothpicks, homes, schools

and churches and had taken several lives.

While we were enjoying the amazing

sights in the sky, people were dying.

The Bible has a lot of things to say about clouds.

We see that when Jesus was taken up into Heaven,

His disciples saw Him go up into the clouds.

I can just imagine those clouds being the fluffy

white ones that we think of when we are dreaming.

     

Then there are the clouds describing the return of Christ.

We get a picture of evil increasing on the earth and

with the increasing of evil, the increase of the clouds.

                           

                            "But in those days, following that distress,

"'the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light;

 the stars will fall from the sky,

and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'  

"At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds

with great power and glory.”

Mark 13:24-26

Imagine the clouds that day,

the day Christ returns.

Clouds are predictable.

Weather men tell us every

day what tomorrow will bring.

Clouds also remind us in the

darkness, if sin, there is judgment.

As we see sin grow in the earth we

should expect clouds of judgment…

Days when the sun does not shine on the earth.

It is a fearful time for both the believer and unbeliever…

  

As the rain falls on the just and the unjust.

When that tornado I described earlier

took lives, it took the lives of

Christians, as well as, unbelievers.

We all should take sin

seriously and its consequences.

Just because you are not doing the evil

things others are doing, does not mean

you will not suffer because of their actions.

 We are responsible to preach righteousness

and turn the lives of others to Christ.

So when you and I see clouds,

let’s look at them in a way that

reminds us to tell sinners to repent.

And let us also look at them with

amazement and wonder…

 Knowing someday Jesus Christ will come in the clouds

not only to bring judgment, but to set up His Kingdom.

   

Scripture Reading

Mark 13:1-14:1 NIV

13:1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

2 "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down." 

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

5 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

9 "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

14 "When you see 'the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong — let the reader understand — then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now — and never to be equaled again. 20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. 22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect — if that were possible. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

24 "But in those days, following that distress,

"'the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light;

25 the stars will fall from the sky,

and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'  

26 "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

28 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

32 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

35 "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"