The Message of Jesus' Return
As we start into the twenty first century we do so with quite a bit of history! The true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has been present on earth for two millenniums! For two thousand years the Church has been hearing the message of Jesus second coming! It's very interesting to note that during every, documented, spiritual awakening or revival the message of Jesus soon return has had a prominent place! Why?
The message of Jesus return to earth was preached and taught by the first Disciples and Apostles. They not only taught it, they lived in anticipation of it! It was real them to! If it was real to them 2000 years ago why shouldn't it be real to us today? Why shouldn't we be living our lives in anticipation of this great climatic event?
1Thes 1:3 - As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your continual anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tit. 2:13 - while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
Ph. 3:20,21 - But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
As we make our way into the twenty first century we should do so asking the Lord to give us His heart regarding Jesus second coming. Let's ask Him to open our spiritual understanding and give us ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is speaking to the Church in our generation! Lets also ask for the courage to believe what we hear Him speaking to us, and the grace to allow His Words to positively and powerfully effect life change in us!
What To Expect of the World:
As we near the days just preceding Jesus' Second Coming there will be a very definite and distinctive spiritual climate in the earth. Jesus said in Lu 17:26 "When the Son of Man returns, the world will be like the people were in Noah's day." There is no need for guessing what things will be like on earth prior to Jesus' return. It will like it was before God unleashed His "flood judgment"! The sixth chapter of Genesis gives us a clear picture of how far sin and ungodliness had gone!
Gen.6: 5 - Now the LORD observed the extent of the people's wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil.
Gen.6: 11-13 - Now the earth had become corrupt in God's sight, and it was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, and he saw violence and depravity everywhere. 13 So God said to Noah, "I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Yes, I will wipe them all from the face of the earth!
The world's trend will be corruption, depravity and violence everywhere! Humanity without Christ is corrupt and violent. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul warned us of this trend in 2 Tim. 3:1-5 - You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. In the thirteenth verse we're told, "evil people and impostors will flourish. They will go on deceiving others, and they themselves will be deceived."
God is love! Bible history clearly reveals Him to be a compassionate and merciful God! In 2 Peter we find out why God's judgment has not come before now! It's because He doesn't want anyone to perish! 2Pe 3:9 -The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. Because God is love we know that His righteous judgment is the last alternative! We can rest assured that God will give humanity every opportunity possible to repent and turn to Jesus. Judgment will only come when God knows peoples hearts are filled with evil and they voluntarily reject God's love through Jesus Christ and choose rather a life of rebellion and sin.
Sin like a cancer in God's awesome creation must be cut away and permanently removed. This God will do when Jesus returns to earth! 2 Thes.1:7-10 - And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power 10 when he comes to receive glory and praise from his holy people. And you will be among those praising him on that day, for you believed what we testified about him.
What Are We To Do?
The world is in general is showing some major signs that the return of Jesus Christ is fast approaching. This can be a very disheartening time to live in. All around us it seems as though wickedness is being exalted! Fundamentals of the Christian faith are being mocked and eroded! Definitely it is a time for us to take stock spiritually, set goals and establish priorities that will not only benefit us spiritually but will also accurately represent Jesus and His Kingdom here on earth.
There's a verse of Scripture in Isaiah is very encouraging for our time. Isa. 60:2 - Darkness as black as night will cover all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the LORD will shine over you. Before Jesus returns to earth things will be very spiritually dark in the world yet for God's people it does not need be that way! The darker things get the brighter the light shines! During the darkness, light is more distinct and obvious! It will be our time to let our light shine. Mt 5:16 - In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. This will be a very time for lifestyle evangelism. As we life in "love obedience" to the Word of God and are truly doers of the Word and not just hearers our lives will demonstrate to a lost and spiritually confused world that the Gospel is the power of God bringing salvation that changes and transforms into the image of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Peter was inspired by the Holy Spirit to give specific instructions to those Christian who would be around during the days just prior to Jesus return! 2 Peter 3:9-14 - The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 11 ¶ Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! 12 You should look forward to that day and hurry it along-the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God. Clearly the way we live in the last days is important! A quality decision needs to be made to, make every effort to live pure and blameless lives.
Believing Effects Living
What we believe about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ will effect how we live! Well documented, revival reveals that the doctrine or teaching about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ was prominent! Genuine revivals have this one unique thing in common: Peoples lives change! They turn from various sin to live in "love obedience" to the revealed Word and will of God! 1 Jn. 3:2 … But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.
When Jesus was talking to His disciples about "end time" events He gave some very interesting instructions to them!
Lk. 21:28 - So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!" Did He mean this physically? Does He want us all walking around gazing upward to the sky? That could prove somewhat dangerous but on the other hand, fixing our spiritual sights on the Lord will prove to be both safe and secure!
If we really believe the Word of God then we understand the present physical realm to be temporal and as a result we spend our "earth time" investing heavily in the spiritual eternal kingdom of God. it is impossible to invest in the spiritual kingdom of God with it effecting how we live day to day. Believing in the soon return of Jesus Christ motivates us to prepare for that day. It's time to get our houses in order!
2 P.3:7-12 And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish. 8 But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! 12 You should look forward to that day and hurry it along-the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. Jesus is coming!
Looking Forward
Jesus taught that His kingdom was not of this world! As God's people we are not to be of this world either! This is definitely the time to readdress our priorities and be sure we're focused on the eternal things of God. We are to be looking forward to Jesus return in power and great glory! The
Believers were commended for their right focus!
1Th 1:3 - As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your continual anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. They lived their lives in this world but were not apart of it! They looked forward to time when the full kingdom of God would be manifest at the return of Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:12-14 - And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right.
Jesus will return to earth again! Are we properly prepared and ready for Jesus soon return. Do we love His appearing? Are we looking forward to it with great anticipation? If we are in anyway in doubt as to our true heart attitude towards the return of Jesus and if it is not in agreement with the heart of Christ then we need to seriously seek the Lord for some spiritual heart surgery.
