I began this on Tuesday, so go back and read Part 1 if you've not read it yet. My main point in understanding the coming of Christ is that it must be tied to the Message of the coming of the Kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus himself said in Matthew 24:14...
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
Here's the point: The fact that we don't know WHEN Jesus will return does not mean that we don't expect that He WILL return again.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
The reality is that the Kingdom of God is come in Christ's rule, authority, upon the earth and in the Church. This is how I ended Part 1....
We must realize we are living RIGHT NOW as citizens of Christ’s Kingdom.
Colossians 1:13 (ESV)
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
Revelation 1:5-7 (ESV)
5 … Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
5 … Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
That is the Right Now aspects…and
then John quickly adds…
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
OK, now Part 2:
The Kingdom Is Our Future Hope of
Jesus’ Coming Again
Peter wrote two letters
at the end of the New Testament…
In his
second letter he begins by talking about faith, virtue, knowledge,
self-control, godliness and love as qualities to be developed. THEN
2 Peter 1:10-11 (ESV)
10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Here’s the Key, the
Kingdom is NOW upon the earth, and we enter into it through faith in Christ
Jesus – this is what it means to be born again by the Spirit…but that is just a
precursor to our entering someday into the Kingdom in Heaven… SO, it’s the NOW
and The NOT YET.
1 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The Reality is that for us, there is a truth that
we hold onto…Jesus will come back and take us to himself. Whether that is in our death, or at a time in
the future when that occurs.
Two Basic Questions For Us To Ask:
1.
Do We Have an Assurance of Jesus’ coming
again?
2 Peter 3:4
(ESV)
4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
John 14:3 (ESV)
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
John 17:24 (ESV)
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Acts 1:6-11 (ESV)
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
The scripture is clear… “yes, I believe the
word…I don’t know when, but I do know He will”.
Not
knowing when isn’t the same as not expecting.
We've all seen videos of soldiers returning home and surprising their families... THey are amazing because the families knew their parent or spouse was coming sometime, but didn't know it was going to be that day!
Lastly, because of Grace not yet affrimed, we can understand in part Why Jesus has not returned Yet?
2 Peter 3:9-10 (ESV)
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
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