Seven Key Truths about Jesus
Talk 7: His Second Coming
So far:
Virgin birth
Sinless life
Substitutionary atoning death
Bodily resurrection
Triumphant ascension
Abiding intercession
We must now turn our attention to an event which has yet to take place in world history – the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The fact of his coming
Our certainty about the second coming of Christ is based upon the definite statements of the word of God.
The apostles and leaders of the early church taught very clearly that Christ would return.
James tells us that the Lord’s coming is near (James 5:8)
Peter assures his readers that the day of the Lord will come (2 Peter 3:10)
Jude declares The Lord is coming (Jude 14)
It is Paul, however, who gives us the details:
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet-call of God…
(1 Thessalonians 4:16).
In the light of this glorious prospect, John, exiled on Patmos, cried Amen, come Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).
The apostles’ certainty that Christ would return was undoubtedly based on three main facts
They were directed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as they wrote the scripturesThey remembered the promise of the angels at the ascension:
This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come in the same way as you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).
They were sure he would come because they had seen him go.
They had his personal promise that they would do so:
I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me (John 14:2-3).
The Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his holy angels (Matthew 16:27, Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26)
We may be quite sure that Jesus is coming
It is promised by the apostles, by the angels, and by Jesus himself.
The nature of his coming
There are considerable differences of opinion among Bible-believing Christians as to the precise nature of the second coming of Christ
But certain facts about the return of our Lord must be accepted if we are to be consistent in our belief in the authority of scripture
The statement of the angels at the ascension (Acts 1:11) is sufficient evidence alone that the return of Christ will be personal, physical, and visible
Jesus will return personally for it will be ‘this same Jesus’. It will be ‘the Lord himself’ who will descend from heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
Jesus will return physically, for he is coming ‘in the same way’ as they saw him go. He will descend with the same resurrection body with which they saw him ascend.
And Jesus will return visibly, for he will return ‘in the same way as you have seen him go’
The early disciples were privileged to see him go into heaven
How marvellous to consider that we may very well be among those who are privileged to see him return!
The purpose of his coming
As we examine the New Testament there seem to be five main purposes of our Lord’s return.
He is coming for his church
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us that when the Lord returns
the dead in Christ will rise first. After that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever.
He is coming for the destruction of death
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Paul gives us another description of the events which will take place when the trumpet sounds
Then, he says, the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory (v.54).
He is coming to judge the world.
Those who have rejected him will be judged, for the Lord Jesus will be
revealed from heaven with his powerful angels in blazing fire. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will be punished with everlasting destruction, shut out from the presence of the Lord and the majesty of his power
(2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Christians, of course, will not be judged for their sins
Our sins were judged at Calvary
However, there is to be a judgment for Christians which is related to reward for service (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
He is coming as king
He is coming to reign (Revelation 20:4, 6)
Paul tells us that Jesus must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet
(1 Corinthians 15:25)
The kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11:15).
He is coming to make all things new
There will be no more death, no more sorrow, or crying, or any more pain; they will all have passed away (Revelation 21:4-5)
There are to be new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness will dwell (2 Peter 3:13)
What a wonderful promise! What a blessed hope! Thank God, Jesus is coming!
Preparation for his coming
In the light of this divine revelation, the Bible tells us that we must be prepared
It is not for us to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put under his own authority (Acts 1:7)
Jesus says that no one knows the day or hour when he will come again (Mark 13:32)
The day of the Lord will be as unexpected as a thief in the night
(1 Thessalonians 5:2)
We do not need to know the time of his coming
But we do need to be ready
In Matthew 24:42-51 Jesus warns us of the dangers of those who say, ‘My master is staying away a long time’
In the next chapter he tells us that we are to be ready by keeping watch (v.13)
We are to be ready by making sure that we are using faithfully the talents which the Lord has entrusted to our care (Matthew 25:14-30)
If we do, we may be sure that we too will hear the commendation of our Lord when he comes:
Well done, good and faithful servant… come and share your master’s happiness.
