The Return of Christ (2)

Introduction

Longstreth, who’s driven over this morning from Tampa, where he lives, and his wife, Stephanie and Jason, have three young children. Two daughters, Hannah, age six, and Kira, age four, and a new son, Jonathan, just five months old. This congregation, many of you know in recent uh weeks we have talked about Brother Longstreth coming and how that this youngest son, Jonathan, uh, was recently born and had some uh problems that even they knew in advance. He is an adopted son, but even told in advance that he would have probably some disabilities when he was born, yet they still said we want to adopt this son. He was born with Down syndrome, but in addition, had some other physical internal problems that required surgery. And only recently have they been able to have Jonathan join with them here in Tampa.

In fact, the lad is still on oxygen and was able to return to their home just a little over a week ago. And that explains why you don’t understand why Stephanie and the children are not with him today. But we’re so thankful for his coming and to be with us. And I might add, too, that while we were making uh aware of this uh new new child and the fact he was in California and there was quite an extensive great expense getting him here, and some might like to contribute to his needs. He tells me that the whole 30,000 or so has been taken care of, and even some surplus of that by generous brethren throughout the land. We’re thankful for that and the goodwill, and I know some even here wanted to help, and as you know, there’ll still be some expenses going on even with this situation.

We’ve asked Brother Longstreth to come, particularly because uh he was well qualified to speak on the subject, realize eschatology. I know several of you said, Well, what is that? And if you were here in the Bible class, you’ve got a good definition of it, an understanding even of some of the points that are being made, pro and con, and both this morning and later tonight at the five o’clock hour, he will continue to speak on this subject. Basically, aschatology means the end of all things. Realize means it’s already occurred. And while some of you that may be totally new, that any one of the Lord’s people would believe that all things concerning the end have already occurred. That Jesus Christ came as predicted, the second coming, and there would be judgment, there would be the resurrection and the judgment, and that the doctrine really says that all privat all prophecy concerning the second coming of Christ has been completed and fulfilled.

And that our existence today is really simply not recorded in the Bible. We do not know really what shall happen to us as such, because the Bible says nothing about it. You may say, Well, why would any Christians believe that? But I’d say to you that there are some many among the Lord’s people who are now teaching this doctrine.

Even that which has been taught, and many scriptures are being explained, shall I say, differently from what you may ordinarily understand them to teach. And the fact that there are other doctrines being taught among the Lord’s people is not new to our generation. The Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 4 said some shall depart from the faith. Acts chapter 2028 the apostle the Apostle Paul urged the elders at Ephesus, take heed to yourselves and all the flock over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseas to feed the church of God which you have purchased with his own blood. After my departing shall grievous wolves enter in not sparing the flock of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.

It is in view of passages like that that we felt it important to ask a man of the caliber and understanding and study of Brother Jason Longstret to come and study with us. In fact you may say well how is he qualified? And he was telling me this morning that as he was working for his master’s degree that his thesis was on Matthew chapter twenty-four, which is really right at the heart, you might say, of this doctrine of realized eschatology or AD seventy doctrine as though all was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. By the way, you adults are in the Bible class that I’m teaching, we’re going to be in Matthew twenty four in about three weeks and I told Brother Jason he need to come back then.

Nevertheless, I think it’ll be a good uh preempt uh to that study and I hope you’ll take your Bibles, you’ll listen very carefully. Brother Jason not only preaches for the Forest Hills Church in Tampa, but also is on the faculty of Florida College and teaches in the Biblical studies department. Well welcome Brother Longstretching I do appreciate so much the opportunity to be with you today. I do wish that my family were able to be here, appreciate the explanation that was given. We do feel very blessed to have Jonathan finally home with us, and we appreciate so much the generosity of so many. He has proven to be a blessing in so many ways already, and we look forward to the time that the Lord will give us with him to raise him and to have that time together.

And I hope on another occasion we’re able to come back and that you’ll get to meet my wife Stephanie and all three of our children and understand what a joy they are to me. I definitely do not feel worthy of any uh praise that would be given. Um I’m just an unworthy slave, trying to do what the master has told us to do. But I do appreciate the time that we are able to come together and study this very important topic. And I do believe that this idea of eschatology, and even realized eschatology, is a very important thing for us to be discussing. Brother Harkwriter pointed out the concept of realized eschatology is basically the belief that every future prediction that was contained in the pages of Scripture was fulfilled by the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

And that many of the prophecies that most of us would interpret as dealing with the end of the world or the return of Christ, have already transpired. Those events have already occurred. They are in past sense. And this morning we introduced that concept. In our other two lessons today, the one this morning now and the one this evening, I want to examine the importance of these doctrines and what the Bible reveals concerning these matters, beginning this morning with the idea of the return of Christ. Realize eschatology really impacts about four different areas very severely. One of those is the concept of the kingdom, and we won’t have a lot of time today to discuss that. That is certainly another area that we could go into. The nature of the Messianic kingdom.

What is the kingdom? When did it come into existence? Is it still in existence today, or has it ceased to exist as well? It’s strongly impacted by this view. But the other three areas that we are going to talk about is the second coming of Jesus Christ, the final judgment, and the resurrection. And you can include with that as well, the destruction of the world, which is usually combined in some way with the judgment, the end of time. And these things really are the basis of so much of our faith. These are basic principles that have always been at the heart of Christianity. It’s sometimes difficult for us to explain or to understand, or in some of our studies, but it’s even been pointed out that in the books of Thessalonians, Paul references some of these things that he taught the Thessalonian brethren in just the few weeks he spent in that city.

He taught them about the return of Jesus Christ. He talked about these things because they were a basic principle upon which their faith was founded. It’s been estimated that nearly 25% of the New Testament deals with the second coming, Christ’s kingdom, the resurrection, the judgment, and the end of the world. Nearly a fourth of it is dealing with those matters. And if you remove those doctrines, I believe you do tear out the heart of Christianity. What we are looking toward and what it’s always been presented as being. And I do want to mention again this morning, if you were in the class, I tried to go out of my way to say that I’m trying to present this doctrine in a fair way. And really, in our two sermons today, I’m not going to focus as much on what they’re saying.

1. A Literal Second Coming of Jesus

We are going to do some comparison, trying to look at what the Bible actually says about these things. But I’m not questioning the motive. I’m not trying to question the integrity of someone who holds to the realized eschatology view. But I would call into question the implications of that view. What it means for us as Christians, if that is the view that we take. Because I believe the Bible promises a second coming of Jesus that is still something that’s a future event. And I believe that it promises a second coming of Jesus that is a literal coming of Jesus. The Bible really talks about only two literal comings of Jesus. The first coming of Jesus was fulfilled in his incarnation when Jesus was born. I believe that to be a literal event.

In John the first chapter of verse 14, the word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory. Glory is of the only begotten from the Father. The Word became flesh. God came in the flesh. That was a literal coming of Christ. He came in the flesh. The second event will be fulfilled when he returns. And there’s only one passage in the New Testament that refers to a second coming. We might expect there to be a whole bunch of those, but there’s only Hebrews, the ninth chapter, and in verse 28 that mentions it in that way. Christ came once and he offered his life for sins. He will appear a second time for salvation without sin or without reference to sin. And it’s connected to that idea of it’s appointed unto man once to die, and after that comes judgment.

It’s in Hebrews 9 28 that we have the only reference to a second coming using that type of terminology. And yet I believe that to be a literal event that would transpire in the future. In fact, I believe that’s what Jesus promised in John the 14th chapter and verses 1 through 3. Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, for 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 to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Now it’s difficult to misunderstand what Jesus is saying there.

He’s promising that he was going away to prepare a place and he would come back again. And he would come back and he would take his disciples to be where he was. That sounds very much like a literal coming. In Acts the first chapter, and in verse 11, after the disciples watched Jesus following his resurrection, we’ll talk more about the resurrection tonight, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and then his ascension into heaven. We read in Acts the first chapter, verse 11, that these angels say to these men, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven.

They told the disciples that they would see Jesus come, or he would come in just the same way, in the same way that you watched his body ascend into heaven. In some way transformed, again we’ll talk about the resurrection, made into a spiritual body, but his body nonetheless ascend, you’ll see him come again, or he’ll come again in the same way. In first Thessalonians, the fourth chapter in verse sixteen, I have a lot of slides this morning that are simply passages. It just lets us go a little bit more quickly through these things. I hope that you will take note of them, that you’ll study the context, and if I’m misusing them, let me know about that. Certainly follow what God’s word says. But in first Thessalonians, the fourth chapter verse sixteen, it says, For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, reminding them of some of the things that he had already taught them, he went on to talk about the second coming of the Lord, or the return of the Lord. And he said the Lord himself will descend from heaven, and there’ll be this voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, and that would be an event that they would recognize. In Second Peter the third chapter, and in verse ten, but the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. James, the fifth chapter, and in verse seven. Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.

The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it until it gets the early and the late rains. And then 1 John, the third chapter, and in verse 2. Beloved, now we are children of God. And it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when he appears, we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. Those passages are just a sampling of the passages in the New Testament that reference a second coming of Jesus or reference a return of Jesus or an appearing of Jesus. And they describe for us a number of different things. But it’s in this event that we place our hope and our trust. I agree with the brother this morning who talked about the crucifixion of Jesus being the focal point of history.

It is the premier event of all history. Not the destruction of Jerusalem, not something else, what Jesus did on the cross and the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the essence of the gospel message. And yet our understanding of our participation in the eternal life that we will enjoy one day is rooted in the return of Jesus Christ as well. That’s what the New Testament, I believe, teaches. It’s through the crucifixion, the death, burial, and resurrection, that we receive the forgiveness of sins. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ is just a foreshadowing, a promise to us of our own bodily resurrection. And our own entrance into heaven. We believe that we will live because he lived. We believe that we’ll be raised up because he was raised up.

And we believe that just as he died and was raised and ascended to heaven, so he will come again. Do we need to be reminded of 1 Corinthians the 11th chapter and verse 26? That as Paul’s giving the church at Corinth instruction regarding the Lord’s Supper, he tells them, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Until he comes is a part of that faith. It is a part of that hope that we’re proclaiming to the world that Jesus Christ died for our sins. That he was buried, that he was resurrected literally, and that he will come back again for us. Which is why we keep this memorial feast, awaiting the day when Jesus will return.

2. The Nature of His Coming

How are we to interpret that? Realized eschatology says that it has already occurred. Did we in some way miss the boat on this? Did we miss the second coming of Jesus? Did that already occur? They say yes. And that it was a figurative event. It was something symbolic in the destruction of Jerusalem that was the second coming of Christ. But in order to understand whether that is possible, I believe we need to examine the nature of his coming. Because not only did Jesus predict his return, that return is described for us. Even in the passages that we’ve already read, we’ve had some hints of what this return was going to be like. And we’re told in these passages that Jesus’ return will be one in which he comes with great power and with great glory.

In Jude verse 14. It was also about these men that Enoch and the seventh generation from Adam prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of his holy ones. A reference to the coming of the Lord. And in Matthew the 25th chapter, at verse 31 and 32, Jesus said, But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne, and all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. A great and notable day. When the Son of Man comes, he comes with his angels. He sits on his throne and he pronounces a judgment. All the nations are brought before him.

And they’re separated the way a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Something that will be recognized, and that all will understand. I believe that the Bible portrays the idea that Jesus will come in person. Two of the passages that we’ve already read in Acts the first chapter of verse 11. Do we need to be reminded again that this Jesus who was taken up from you in heaven will come in just the same way as you watched him go into heaven. I know that language is sometimes figurative. And one of the fallacies that sometimes is brought to a biblical interpretation is always trying to force language in a literal way. Language is sometimes used symbolically. But I have a hard time looking at why the angels would tell these men that you’re watching Jesus go to heaven, and he’s going to come in just the same way if it was some symbolic event in which no one actually saw Jesus come.

Here they watch a physical body, a spiritual body, a literal body. I sometimes get a little confused on physical and literal and spiritual. I hope that you’ll forgive me for that. If you have it all figured out exactly well, you can explain it to me afterwards. But they watched a body ascending into heaven. And in the same way, you’ll see Jesus come back, or someone will see him come back. That sounds like a personal coming of Jesus to me. And also in 1 Thessalonians, the fourth chapter, verse 16, with the other descriptions that are given, the voice of the archangel, the trumpet of God, we’re told that the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout. Himself is what Paul wrote, personally, that Jesus is going to come.

And that’s something that again will be witnessed by every person. In Revelation chapter 1 and in verse 7, as the Lord gave his revelation through John, we’re told there in verse 7, behold, he is coming with the clouds. And every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be. Amen. When the Lord comes back. It’s something that everybody would witness. Every eye would see him in just the same way coming as he went. Every eye would witness Jesus himself returning with all of the signs and the glory that come with it. And that’s different from a symbolic or figurative appearance. It’s difficult for me to imagine how the destruction of Jerusalem would fit those events.

3. A Coming of the Lord Used in Different Ways

That every eye and every tribe would witness this, that he’s coming in the same way that he went, that all of these things would be associated with it. And I’m one that would have to admit that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was a figurative coming. By the way, I think this is also part of the confusion here. Maybe we haven’t studied that event enough. Because Jesus did talk about that event. And there’s a sense in a couple of passages in Matthew the 10th chapter, verse 23. But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next. For truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes. That if you were to expand that in its greater context, I believe what Jesus was describing there is probably the events of 70 A.D.

The coming of the Son of Man in a symbolic way. In Matthew the 24th chapter, again, having done some study there, we have reference made in verse 30 that the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And it’s in a context of Matthew 24 that there is a description of what was happening to Jerusalem. There is a description there of Jesus coming against the city. A punishment upon them. They would finally recognize that he is Lord when He comes in this way and when they are killed, as Jesus had prophesied. As he taught in even the parables, the parable of the vineyard owner, who sends all of his servants to collect the rent, and they they keep beating up his servants, throwing them away.

He sends his son and they kill the son. And Jesus says the owner of the vineyard will come and execute wrath on those individuals. He’ll wipe them out. That was done in 70 A.D. But that was not the second coming. Because that was not a literal coming. There’s a greater sense in which this would be fulfilled someday. And we have to understand this much in the same way that we can interpret references to the kingdom in multiple ways. The kingdom is here, but we await a greater sense of it. We’re in the kingdom now. We have eternal life, but we await a greater sense of the eternal life that God will give to us. There’s a coming of the Lord that’s used in a number of different ways in the scriptures.

There’s a coming of God. In John the 14th chapter, and in verse 23, Jesus answered and said to them, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him. Well, there’s coming of the Lord. That’s a coming of the Lord that’s being used in an entirely different sense. It’s his presence in our life. Is that the second coming of Jesus? That if we love God, if we love Jesus, then the Father will come, and Jesus will come, and he came to me, and that’s what the second coming is talking about. I don’t think any of us would interpret it in that way. In Revelation, the third chapter, and in verse 20, behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him, and he with me. Well, there’s the Lord talking about coming again. And there he talks about coming into the one who opens the door, and I think that’s being used in a sense of fellowship. You know, enjoying this relationship with him. Similarly to what we had in John the 14th chapter and in verse 23. It’s a coming of the Lord. It’s not the second coming. It’s a figurative, symbolic coming. In Revelation, the second chapter, and in verse 5. Remember, therefore, from where you’ve fallen and repent and do the deeds you did at first, or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent.

A warning given to one of the churches. And they’re told, unless you repent, I’m coming to you. And I’ll remove your lampstand. That’s a coming of judgment. That’s very similar to what I believe Jesus was talking about with Jerusalem. But it’s promised of another church. This wasn’t the Jerusalem coming. And this isn’t the second coming. It’s being used in another way. And even in Matthew the 16th chapter and in verse 28, truly, truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. I believe if you compare that to its parallel in Mark the ninth chapter, verse 1. And then you jump over to Acts the first chapter, verse 8, and then you look at Acts the second chapter and verse 4, you come to understand that this was a reference to the events of the day of Pentecost and the establishment of the kingdom there.

That was the Son of Man coming in his kingdom, and yet that was not the second coming that Hebrews the ninth chapter talked about. That coming had already occurred. What does that tell us? Well, it might confuse us, but it tells us that there are many ways in which we could talk about figurative or symbolic comings of Jesus. But the literal coming was the one that’s talked about as a second coming. As the incarnation was something that actually happened, he will come a second time. And that’s not counting these figurative or symbolic usages of him coming into my life or being a part of me or coming in judgment against a particular city or against a particular church or being used in these other senses when the kingdom was first established.

4. The Timing of the Second Coming

There was a second coming. That was something different from the destruction of Jerusalem. That was something different from these other symbolic events. And that’s borne out in passages that talk about this, even in reference to the timing of this coming. There was a timing of the second coming. That was something that was unknown. It’s true. Many in the first century thought it would come immediately. Which is part of why the realized eschatology position has caught on. That they argue those in the first century expected it to be happening any day now. And if it didn’t happen any day now in the first century, then somehow they were misled or misunderstood or deceived, or God didn’t know what he was talking about. And so we have to have it happen immediately in the first century, within just a few years of the lives of those who were receiving the writings of the apostles, the preaching that they were doing.

And yet we have to note part of what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians, the fifth chapter to verse 1 and 2. Now, as to the times and epics, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. I don’t need to really talk to you about the timing of this event, what we’re talking about in the coming of the Lord, the day of the Lord, the second coming of Jesus. Because you already know that it’s something that comes like a thief of the night. What’s the point of a thief of the night? You don’t know when he’s coming. If you knew when he was coming, you’d be prepared.

The thief hits you when you don’t know it, when you’re unprepared for it. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 1 and 2. Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter, as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Don’t let somebody fool you into thinking that’s already happened. Because there’s a lot of other events that will have to transpire first, Paul says. We’ll talk about that more this evening. By the way, it’s an interesting doctrine because one of the dangers in the New Testament was that some people would convince you that this has already occurred and don’t fall for that.

And there’d be those who would upset the faith of people by teaching that the resurrection has already occurred and don’t fall for that. And I don’t think that was a warning just to be given in the 60s or 50s or 40s. But, you know, after 70 AD, yeah, now they’re right. You know, now the Lord did already come. Now the resurrection has already occurred. There is a danger here. That these bedrock principles of Christianity would be undermined by somebody who either willingly or unwillingly, they just don’t understand what’s being talked about here. And it will take away the faith and the confidence of these individuals. Jesus never gave that type of timetable. He claimed he didn’t know in Matthew the 24th chapter, verse 36, of that day and hour.

No one knows. Not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Not understanding what some of this was all about. He says he doesn’t know that timing. And that’s something that’s different from the Jerusalem destruction. In fact, in the Matthew 24 context, I think that’s something that’s borne out. In the early portion of that text, we do have warnings about events that were going to transpire and the timing when the temple was going to be destroyed. He told them about the armies that would surround the city. He warned them to flee to the mountains. There were clear signs that would be seen by witnesses. When you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, get out of there. In Matthew 24, the early portion of the text, where I believe he’s talking about the destruction of Jerusalem.

There’s wording that’s used there. That Jesus says, you can know when this was going to happen, and you will see things, and you will be aware, and you can be prepared. Pay attention, you’ll see the beginnings of it, and you’ll get out of there. But in the latter portion of the text, there are no signs or timetables. That’s the second coming he’s talking about. It’ll be a surprise to everyone when it comes to pass. That’s the potential for many to believe that it would not happen. The warnings about a master who’s gone away on a long journey, and while he’s gone, the servants begin to misbehave. They think he’s never coming back. The way in which people may comment that everything continues to go on, just like it has since the beginning of time or since the days of the fathers.

5. The Purpose of His Return

The love of many growing cold, the faith of so many faltering, the possibility in Luke 18 8, which is one of the scariest passages in the entire Bible to me, that Jesus said, When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth? The long possibility. That so much time will go by that people will forget these things. And they’ll stop emphasizing it. And the concept of a return of Jesus would just simply be mocked and ridiculed. And even those who claim to be believers of Jesus won’t focus on his return because so much time has passed. It implies that there may be a great amount of time before Jesus comes back. But in the purpose of his return, he wouldn’t be coming back to establish a kingdom.

For years we’ve battled with those who contend he’s returning to set up a kingdom. He already set that up. In Acts 2, Peter tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. He was already there sitting on his throne. In passages like Colossians 1.13, we were delivered from the domain of darkness. We were transferred to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. In Revelation 1 9, John says that he’s a fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus. He was in that kingdom already. And Hebrews, of course, 12, 28 says we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken. The kingdom was already in existence. In fact, 1 Corinthians 15, 23 through 25, it says at this time Jesus will deliver the kingdom to the Father.

A fact that we’ll discuss a little bit more this evening when we talk about the resurrection and the judgment to come. Jesus wouldn’t be coming to set up a kingdom. Wouldn’t be coming for a thousand-year reign. Premillennialism teaches that regarding eschatology. We’d have to spend another series considering premillennialism, if you wanted to at some point. But the purpose of Christ’s return is instead to raise the dead. John the fifth chapter, verse 28 and 29, do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth. Those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. Both the wicked and the righteous will be raised.

And again, we’ll talk about that more this evening. This resurrection that was connected with his second coming. To destroy the world, the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with the roar, the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Something that cannot be missed. I believe it’s extremely difficult to interpret it in a figurative way. It’s compared to the flood of Noah’s Day. That’s something you’re going to witness. You’re going to know it’s something you’re aware of. To judge, we’ll talk about this evening. In Matthew the 25th chapter, and that’s connected to the second coming. Earlier in 2 Peter 3 and in verse 7, he’s going to judge everyone.

6. Why Did He Not Tell Us When

Every single person. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess. That’s a future event that’s coming. To reward the faithful, we’ll be with the Lord forever. When he comes back, we’ll be with him forever. First Thessalonians 4 and verse 17. To punish the wicked with eternal separation and destruction away from the presence of God. 2 Thessalonians 1, 7 through 9. All of those promises are being made when Jesus returns. And that’s what the basis of our faith and our hope are on. Now, why did he not tell us exactly when these events would transpire? Because it’s in our best interest that we not know. That’s why God did that. Why does he present them as an imminent event in the first century? Because that’s what the first century Christians needed.

If they thought that it was going to be 2,000 years before Jesus came back, maybe they wouldn’t live the way that they’re supposed to live. Maybe, especially when we’re younger and we assume that we have so many years that will go by, you know, we become a little bit more aware of things as we get a little bit older. Recognizing that chances are we’re going to be meeting our God sooner rather than later. But one of the great equalizers of that in our faith is the idea that Jesus is going to come back one day. And we don’t know whether we’re going to be 18 or 81 when that happens. So we’ve got to be prepared. It was left in that way because that is what helps motivate us to be who we’re supposed to be.

So that we watch and that we pray and that we prepare and that that’s always kept in front of us. And this aspect of the return of Jesus Christ leaves Christianity as a forward-looking faith. That’s critical to who we are. Jesus Christ is coming back again one day. I believe that as strongly as I believe anything about what God has said. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I’m coming back to get you, and I’m going to take you to be with me. Believe in that as strongly as you believe in God. As strongly as you believe in Jesus Christ. We prepare to meet God. We proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Because he’s coming at a time when we won’t know. The temporal references in the New Testament shouldn’t be something that hinder our faith in any way, but enhance it. And Jesus did say he didn’t know. He doesn’t know when God’s going to finally pull the plug on this existence and decide the time is up. That’s left to the Father. When it’s finally going to be over, and then there’s no chance for any further repentance. There’s no chance for any correction. So you do it now. As the thief’s coming in the night. So the Lord will come back again. After that, it’ll be too late. How do we live as a result of that? Tonight we’re going to talk a little bit more about the resurrection. And we’re going to talk about the judgment.

Conclusion

And we’re going to talk about the destruction of the world that are all associated with the second coming of Jesus Christ. But this morning, I want to reassure you, the best of my ability of understanding God’s word, Jesus is coming. He’s coming in the same way that he went up into heaven. He’s coming in a literal coming. And every eye is going to see him. And at that point, it’s going to be too late to make corrections or changes. So if you’re here this morning and you want to be with the Lord forever, you need to be prepared for that. You need to be preparing now. Because we don’t know when it’ll happen. It may happen before you get to lunch. May happen before you come back tonight.

There’s going to come a day when this comes to an end. And that sense of urgency, if we’ve lost that, then that might explain why so many Christians have such a weak faith. It might explain why so many congregations have lost any sense of urgency in reaching out to the world. I think this idea of realized eschatology, whether you believe in the concept or not, perhaps has permeated us more than we really think. We don’t live in such a way as to say each day, Lord, come quickly. Lord, come quickly. Come today. I’m ready to meet you. And if you’re not ready, we invite you to make those changes this morning. To respond to the gospel call if you need the prayers of this congregation. If you’re ready to become a Christian, ready to be baptized into Christ.

Married with Him in baptism, raised up to walk in newness of life, ready to meet him again when he returns, based on your faith, your willingness to repent. There’s some way that we can assist you. Please come forward and let us know what we can do while together we stand and sing.