ANTICIPATING HIS RETURN
TEXT: John 14:3 (KJV), "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."
INTRODUCTION: "Biblical prophecy provides some of the greatest encouragement and hope available to us today."__Sandra Jean Pathik, Evangelist in Cebu, Phillippines
One of the many reasons for God's children to appreciate prophecies concerning Jesus' Second advent is the information found in 2 Timothy 3:1-3. This Scripture portion tell of intense meaness occurring prior to the rapture of the Church. These things have almost always been; but, we cannot help noticing they are greater intensity and frequency of occurrence at this time in which we live. They are: You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good,...__The New Revised Standard Version
Just as the Old Testament is saturated with prophecies concerning Christ's first advent, so both testaments are filled with references to the second coming of Christ.
One scholar estimated that 1,845 references of Christ's second coming are found in seventeen Old Testament books .
23 of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event.
For every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ's first advent, there are eight which look forward to His second!
The Rev. Dr. John Walvoord, second president of Dallas Theological Seminary, stated,
Prophecy at its very heart
is designed to unfold the
beauty and loveliness of
our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
Now, please consider these five points:
I. What We Already Have
II. His Promise To Return
III. Reasons For His Return
IV. How He Will Come Back
V. Then What?
THEME: The anticipation of Christ's return is a vital encouragement to live holy and seek to do God's will.
I. What We Already Have
A. rich provisions from God
1. promises
2. remarkable blessings
3. advantages in this life that outweigh present troubles
a. needs being supplied
b. divine direction available
c. sins covered/guilt taken away
d. assurance, i.e., 1 John 5:13
e. peace with God
f. ability to live harmoniously with others
g. sicknesses healed
B. Jesus return to earth will be His ultimate revelation
1. 1 Cor. 15:19 (KJV)
2. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
most miserable."
II. His Promise To Return
A. Jesus often told His disciples He would return.
B. Some say circa 300 vss in N. T. concerning the 2nd advent.
1. Jesus taught most of that number.
2. It is a doctrine common to all the New Testament writers.
a. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
b. Paul, Peter, Jude, and James
c. angels--Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 14:6
III. Reasons For His Return
A. to reward His people
1. Revelation 22:12
2. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
B. Jesus' return will prove, once and for all, that the Heavenly
Father is truthful.
1. Some doubt and some deny.
2. Jesus will return.
C. Good ultimately overcomes evil.
D. There is a created moral order in the universe.
IV. How Will He Come Back?
A. As he left--Acts 1:9-11, And when he had spoken these things, while
they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their
sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said,
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
B. There will be two phases of His second coming.
1. coming for His saints (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
2. coming with His saints ( Matthew 24:27; Revelation 11:19-15)
a. This return is like lightning for all the world to see (Matthew 24:27).
b. "...the heavens will be ablaze with the glory of God accompanied
as He is by millions of holy angels and saints [Jude 14], who are
moving from heaven to the Mount of Olives..."
__ Walvoord, Dr. John F.
V. Then What?
A. The curse on this earth will be removed.
1. curse of sin
2. A curse settled over the earth when man rebelled against
God's Lordship.
B. Earth will become as God intended it to be.
CONCLUSION: We have considered these five points:
I. What We Already Have
II. Jesus' Promise to Return
III. The Reason for His Return
IV. How He Will Come Back
V. Then What?
Satan hates this doctrine of Christ's coming because it is a purifying doctrine.
Faith in the fact of His return should lead us to live lives of watchfulness, activity (being about the Father's business), simplicity, self-restraint, prayer, loyalty, wisdom and abiding (in Christ).
Luke 12:35-40 (NRSV), Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit;be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks.Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them.If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.“But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
Christ's second coming will begin a new world order.
We can look beyond His coming to the final triumph.
Peace will prevail.
Access to the Tree of Life will be made available.
Now, the end of the Book shows a beautiful picture of no more hunger, thirst, or tears (Revelation 7:17).
As we eagerly await the return of our Lord there are at least eight things we ought to do, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (RSV).
Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances;
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise the words of prophets,
...test everything;
hold fast to what is good;
abstain from every form of evil.
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