Sunday, February 17, 2013
am
LIFE OF JESUS (46)
The 2nd Coming of Christ
a.
Mark 16:19 tells us that
Jesus was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of
God.
b.
Seated at the right hand
of God – is a sign of authority.
Jesus is in heaven reigning even as we speak.
There are some who contend that Jesus has not yet established His
kingdom and will return to this earth to reign in Jerusalem.
That is foreign to scripture.
Continually, the New Testament makes reference to Jesus now being
at the right hand of God and thus reigning in His kingdom.
i.
Acts 5:31
as Peter stands before the council threatened for preaching he says of
Jesus that they crucified, “Him
God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give
repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins…”
ii.
Romans 8:34,
“Who is he who condemns?
IT is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
iii.
Colossians 3:1, “IF then you were raised with
Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at
the right hand of God.”
iv.
Heb. 10:12
says, “But this Man, after HE had
offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of
God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.”
v.
Heb. 12:2,
“Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God.”
vi.
1 Pet. 3:22
of Jesus Christ says, “who has
gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities
and powers having been made subject to Him.”
vii.
Over and over it is
clearly established that Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of God
reigning. 1 Cor. 15:25
says, “For
HE must reign till HE has put all enemies under His feet.”
c.
Acts 2 – on the day of
Pentecost, the first gospel sermon as it is called, the message
addressed the rule of Jesus.
Peter establishes that David was dead (Ac. 2:29), yet he had prophesied
about Jesus who would not be left in Hades (Ac. 2:25-28, cf. Psa.
16:8-11). Peter proceeds to
declare that God would raise up from the seed of David, “the
Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the
resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His
flesh see corruption.” (Ac. 2:30-32)
He concludes, “Therefore
being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the
Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, HE poured out this which you now
see and hear.” (Ac. 2:33)
Then Peter says, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made
this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Ac. 2:36)
Thus we have the message declaring that Jesus is NOW reigning in
heaven on the throne of David.
This totally defeats the doctrine of Premillenialism which states
that Jesus is NOT reigning and will return to physical Jerusalem for a
millennial rule.
a.
It’s certainty
– Acts 1:11 declared with certainty that the Lord will return.
John 14:3, Jesus told His disciples that he would go away to prepare a
place, “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 also be.”
1 Thess. 4:16 says, “For the Lord
Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an
archangel, and with the trumpet of God…”
Heb. 9:27-28 speaks of all men dying and then it says, “to those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart
from sin, for salvation.”
b.
When will HE return? The
answer is that we don’t know.
Even while upon earth, Jesus said that the day would come as a thief in
the night. Matt. 24:36 says,
“But of that day and hour no one
knows, not even the angels in heaven, but MY Father only.”
Vs. 44, “Therefore you
also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not
expect.”
Paul in 1 Thess. 5:2 said, “For
you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a
thief in the night.”
2 Pet. 3:10, “But the day of the
Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass
away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat;
both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
Things will be normal and
unannounced. Matt.
24:36-44 – we have examined this passages in our study.
Jesus was teaching of judgment, both of Jerusalem and the end of
time. There are distinctions
between the 2 events. Jesus
spoke of “signs” to know when Jerusalem would be destroyed, but our text
shows that “Of that day and hour no one knows.”
It will be “as in the days of Noah” and life will go on –
marrying, eating and drinking, men and women working, etc.
Jesus then uses the illustration of the thief.
Since we don’t know when He will return, what is our task? To be ready
always! That is why there
are so many warnings.
Consider 2 Pet. 3:11, “Therefore,
since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought
you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the
coming of the day of God…”
c.
How will He return?
Again we refer to Acts 1:11, in the same manner He went to
heaven, so He will return – in the clouds.
BUT, nowhere are we told that He will return and set foot on
earth again. In fact
consider 1 Thess. 4:15-18.
It says that He will descend from heaven, with a shout, the voice of an
archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
IT WILL BE NOISY and VISIBLE!
Many failed “prophets” have said that the Lord returned in
spirit, but that is NOT what is described in this text!
Revelation 1:7 says, “Behold, He
is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced
Him…”
NOTE 1 Thess. 4:16b-17, “The dead
in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet with the Lord in the air.
And thus we shall ALWAYS
be with the Lord.”
d.
What then?
i.
He will return for
salvation
– Heb. 9:27-28 says that after we die we face judgment.
We then read, “To those who
eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for
salvation.” When our
Lord returns, the saints will be carried away to be with Him in heaven.
(Again 1 Thess. 4:17 – “thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
ii.
The elements will
melt – 2
Peter 3:10-11 - the world will be no more.
The elements will melt with fervent heat.
The earth and its works will be burned up and dissolved.
iii.
Judgment will happen
for both the good and the wicked.
Premillenialism seems to teach multiple judgments and appearances
(at rapture when the righteous will disappear from the earth, and later
at the end – a judgment of the wicked). But the Bible teaches ONE
judgment!
2 Tim. 4:1 says the Lord Jesus Christ and God, “will judge the living
and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.”
Jn. 5:28-29 – the hour is coming when all who are in the grave will come
forth – the godly and the wicked.
Acts 24:15, Paul spoke of his hope of a resurrection of the dead, “both
of the just and the unjust.”
In these verses there is NO indication of a time distinction!
iv.
Judged according to
our works
– According to 2 Cor. 5:10 we must all appear before the judgment seat
of Christ – and receive judgment based upon what we did in the body both
good and bad.
Rom. 14:10-12 – we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ
and answer for ourselves.
NOTE: We understand that our hope of salvation is found in the grace of
God and our faith. We do NOT
earn our salvation (Eph. 2:8-10).
Never the less, we will give an account for the way we have lived
our lives (cf. Matt. 25:31-46).
Jn. 12:48 – His words will be the standard.
“The word that I have
spoken will judge him in the last day.”
Rom. 2:16 speaks of being judged by the gospel Paul preached.
Even Revelation speaks of books being opened and man judged by
the things written in the book (Rev. 20:12).
v.
We will be changed
– 1 Cor. 15:50-54 – corruption will put on incorruption.
Flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom of God.
We don’t know exactly what our new bodies will be like, but they
will be new and incorruptible.
1 John 3:2-3 tells us we will see Jesus as HE is.
Recall how the resurrected body of Jesus, which was His physical
body nailed to the cross was in a glorified state.
We don’t know that such is how we will be, but we are going to be
raised and changed for eternal glory.
Phil. 3:20-21 speaks of our citizenship in heaven with the Savior, “who
will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious
body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all
things to Himself.”
vi.
New Heavens and new
earth – 2
Pet. 3:12-13 speaks of a new heaven and new earth.
Some contend this means that earth will be rejuvenated, but in
the very text we are told it will be dissolved.
2 Pet. 3:7 tells us the heavens and the earth are reserved by the
word of God for fire until the Day of Judgment.
I believe this to be a reference to our home in heaven!
Isn’t that what we are looking for?
And thus we can see that the Lord is going to return.
Now He reigns in heaven at the right hand of God.
But on that appointed day He will return and the work He
completed while upon this earth will be brought to its final conclusion.
His faithful saints will have eternity to spend with Him and the
rest will have an eternity of regrets.
Jesus came to this earth to live and die that we might have hope.
He has finished His work and will one day return to claim it.
Only those who have come in contact with His saving work when He
was upon this earth will have hope when this life is over.
What about you? Where
do you stand? Think about
it!