Carl wrote:
> =
> The title of P.G. Mathew's sermon makes the topic quite clear concernin=
g
> Jesus' second coming sometime in the future and how glorious it shall b=
e.
> =
> May God bless,
> Carl
> my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
> my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
> =
> ---
> =
> The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ
I suggest we verify the first one before going one step further
> by P.G. Mathew
> =
> "But now [Christ] was manifested once for all at the end of the ages f=
or
> the purpose of canceling sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man i=
s
> appointed to die once, and after, judgment, so Christ was sacrificed on=
ce to
> bear the sins of many. And he will appear a second time without sin, [t=
hat
> is, not to deal with sin] but for salvation of those who are eagerly wa=
iting
> for him." - Hebrews 9:26b-28, author's translation
> =
> Can you imagine that the God of the Bible used a flood to destroy all b=
ut
> eight people for their wickedness? Can you imagine that this same God
> destroyed by fire all but three of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah for=
> their immorality? It is true: God punishes sinners in their lifetimes, =
at
> their deaths, and at the final judgment.
> =
> The God revealed in the Scriptures is a moral God who both saves and
> punishes. Educated fools often speak of a "closed universe," meaning th=
at
> God is shut out from the universe and has nothing to do with it. The tr=
uth,
> however, is that ours is an open universe in which God acts in history.=
If
> anything is closed, it is the minds of such fools. They are closed to G=
od.
> But all people shall face him in due time, either as Savior or as Judge=
=2E No
> philosophical materialism can save anyone from having to face the infin=
ite,
> personal God.
> =
> Have you ever wondered where your parents, relatives, and friends are w=
ho
> have died? Are they enjoying salvation in God's presence, or are they
> experiencing eternal torment away from God? In God's plan, there is
> salvation for those who trust in Jesus and judgment for those who rejec=
t
> him.
> =
> The apostle Paul writes, "God is just: He will pay back trouble to thos=
e who
> trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled and to us as well. =
This
> will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire=
with
> his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do no=
obey
> the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting
> destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the maj=
esty
> of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and=
to
> be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, be=
cause
> you believed our testimony to you" (2 Thess. 1:6-10). May God help each=
of
> us to heed the gospel call and be saved from the coming wrath of God.
> =
> The First Coming of Christ
> =
> Let us look at the first coming of Jesus. The purpose of Christ's
> incarnation was to cancel our sins through his sacrificial suffering an=
d
> death (Is. 53:10-12).
> =
> Hebrews 9:26b tells us that the eternal Son of God entered history in h=
uman
> flesh over two thousand years ago "at the end of the ages." This is the=
> climax of history, what Hebrews 1:2 calls "these last days." Christ ush=
ered
> in the messianic age to which all the prophets had pointed. The infinit=
e
> became finite, the immortal became mortal, God became man.
> =
> The eternal Son became man that he may die. The Hebrews author speaks
> clearly of the purpose of incarnation: "Since the children have flesh a=
nd
> blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might de=
stroy
> him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil-and free those who =
all
> their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death . . . For this
> reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that =
he
> might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and=
that
> he might make atonement for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:14-15, 17).=
> =
> Every sinner is a slave to Satan and death, but Christ died to set us f=
ree
> from such slavery. Because of Adam's sin, every child of Adam comes int=
o the
> world dead-spiritually stillborn. We come into this world as sinners to=
live
> lives of sin and experience eternal death. Ezekiel spoke of this: "The =
soul
> who sins is the one who will die" (Eze. 18:20), as did Paul: "[S]in ent=
ered
> the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, deat=
h
> came to all men. . . The wages of sin is death . . . In Adam all die" (=
Rom.
> 5:12, 6:23, 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22).
> =
> Every man born is a sinner, except Jesus, who came into history to defe=
at
> sin. He accomplished this by suffering in our behalf. Christ himself bo=
re
> our sins away, paying for them by his death in our place. He came as th=
e
> Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world by his sacrifice of hi=
mself
> once offered on the altar of the cross. He suffered the just wrath of G=
od
> that was against us due to our sins and guilt. The full cup of God's wr=
ath
> that was ours was given to him. Jesus drank the foaming wine of divine =
wrath
> to the last drop, leaving nothing for us. He came as our kinsman-redeem=
er,
> substitute, mediator, and representative to blot out our sins. Christ f=
reely
> accepted our sins and guilt that the Father put on him. He endured our
> punishment of death and was crucified and buried. But on the third day =
God
> raised him up from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pr=
oof
> that God accepted Christ's death as atonement for our sins. By his deat=
h,
> our sins have been put away, buried in the depths of the ocean. He thre=
w
> them behind his back and remembers them no more. Our sins have been pai=
d for
> and removed from our shoulders.
> =
> We were once weary in sin. Then we heard Christ's call: "Come to me, al=
l who
> are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). He cam=
e to
> put away our sins. Paul writes: "God was reconciling the world to himse=
lf in
> Christ, not counting men's sins against them" (2 Cor. 5:19). Because Go=
d is
> holy and just, he must count our sins. He counts our sins either agains=
t us,
> or against the Son of God, that God may be just and the justifier of th=
ose
> who believe in Jesus (cf. Rom. 3:26). Paul says, "God made him who had =
no
> sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness =
of
> God" (2 Cor. 5:21). Our sins were imputed to Jesus, and his righteousne=
ss is
> put into our account.
> =
> The one who believes in Jesus is as righteous as Jesus Christ himself. =
Our
> sins are gone; not even one sin remains to be punished in us. David
> understood this and exclaimed: "Blessed is he whose transgressions are
> forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord=
does
> not count against him" (Ps. 32:1-2). The Lord does not count our sin ag=
ainst
> us because he counted it against Jesus. We were born cursed and lived c=
ursed
> lives, but in Christ we are blessed now and forevermore. We are new
> creations in Christ; the old is gone, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).
> Enemies of God have been made beloved children of God in God's Son.
> =
> Christ came the first time to cancel our sins, and now our sin, with al=
l its
> penalty and power is gone: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for=
> those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). He dealt with our sin, both =
its
> root and its branches. Death is gone for us forever, and we are given
> eternal life, to live forever in the life of Christ. The infinite holin=
ess
> of the person of Jesus demands the infinite worth of his atonement. Chr=
ist's
> atonement is effective eternally for all who trust in him. We have been=
> justified by faith and have peace with God. We have been admitted to th=
e
> kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spir=
it.
> =
> Death is terrible and certain. But when Christ said from the cross, "It=
is
> finished," our sins and death were dealt with forever. Jesus came into
> history the first time to cancel sin. His mission, as expressed in Hebr=
ews
> 2:10, was to bring many sons from the pit of shame to the glory of heav=
en.
> Peter also speaks about this: "For Christ died for sins once for all, t=
he
> righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" (1 Pet. 3:18). In A=
dam
> we were banished from God's presence, but through Christ we can now dra=
w
> near to God.
> =
> The Second Coming of Jesus
> =
> Christ is coming again to end history. History is not cyclical, as the
> Greeks and the Hindus believe. History had a beginning and will have an=
end.
> Jesus Christ is the Lord of history. Christ's first coming ushered in t=
he
> last days; his second coming will mark their end.
> =
> The Hebrews writer says that it is appointed for men once to die, and t=
hen
> he uses the Greek word krisis, from which we have the English word "cri=
sis."
> There is a twofold purpose to Christ's second coming: the first part is=
> krisis. There is a crisis awaiting every unbeliever, from which there i=
s no
> escape. Krisis is the process of judgment, which ends in condemnation a=
nd
> hell. It is the eternal judgment of all who refuse to repent and believ=
e in
> Jesus Christ. Such people mock him, spit on him, beat him, and treat wi=
th
> contempt his offer of peace and reconciliation with God. Although these=
> people reject Christ, he is going to come again to produce a crisis fro=
m
> which they can never escape.
> =
> However, we are also told that Christ is coming to bring the fullness o=
f
> salvation for his people, to those who eagerly await him. The Bible say=
s we
> are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. When Christ comes
> again, we will be resurrected and given a glorious body like unto his
> glorious body. We shall see him, commune with him, and enjoy the fullne=
ss of
> salvation that is awaiting us.
> =
> Christ's mission is to bring many sons to glory; he is coming again to =
do
> that. We will dwell with God in a new heaven and a new earth of eternal=
joy,
> where there will be no pain, tears, or parting.
> =
> The text says it is appointed for men to die once and then judgment. Wh=
o is
> making the appointment? God himself. This is not an appointment like on=
e we
> would make with a doctor. Adam sinned, and in him all d ied. We must di=
e. Do
> not believe the evolutionary hypothesis that says that death is based o=
n
> natural processes. Death is based on divine decree and appointment.
> =
> This revelation refutes certain human ideas. First, it refutes the idea=
of
> reincarnation. All are appointed only once to die and then face judgmen=
t. It
> also refutes the notion of evolutionary atheists who say that our death=
is
> final, like that of an animal, and there is nothing afterwards. Death i=
s
> followed by a final judgment in which we will have to give an account t=
o
> God.
> =
> This revelation also refutes the notion that after someone dies, we can=
help
> that person achieve salvation by giving money to the church, or through=
some
> good work, or by asking saints to pray for that person. All these ideas=
are
> false. God deals with what we have done in our bodies, whether good or =
evil.
> There is no other way. That is why now is the accepted time, now is the=
day
> of salvation.
> =
> Not only will God keep this appointment he made, but all sinners will a=
lso.
> Though they die, the day is surely coming when he will raise them up fr=
om
> the dead to face him who died on the cross, even the Judge, our Lord an=
d
> Savior Jesus.
> =
> Jesus himself made this point: "And he has given him authority to judge=
> because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is c=
oming
> when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out-those=
who
> have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will ris=
e to
> be condemned" (John 5:27-29). He whom men reject is going to be the jud=
ge
> because it is the decree of the Father. When he calls, all will come.
> =
> There is a crisis of eternal death awaiting people. In 1777 Samuel John=
son
> said, "Depend on it. When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight=
, it
> concentrates his mind wonderfully." Friends, we have only a limited num=
ber
> of days to live. (PGM) It is appointed for men to die once. We all must=
die.
> But for us who trusted in Christ, the terror of death is gone. We die i=
n
> faith and appear before the presence of God in glory.
> =
> Our times are in God's hands, not ours. We have no control over our bir=
th or
> death. It may be today that we die. Old and young must die. May this tr=
uth
> concentrate our minds wonderfully. The psalmist says, "Teach us to numb=
er
> our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Ps. 90:12).
> =
> Have you been thinking about Christ's second coming, which was the bles=
sed
> hope of the early church? Jesus spoke about it: "Do not let your hearts=
be
> troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many=
> rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to pr=
epare
> a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come b=
ack
> and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am" (John
> 14:1-3).
> =
> At his first coming, Jesus died on the cross and canceled our sin by
> suffering for it himself. But he also rose from the dead and went throu=
gh
> the heavens to the presence of God, where he is seated on God's right h=
and
> as King of kings and as our high priest, ever interceding for us.
> =
> Soon Christ shall descend to this planet again: "For the Lord himself w=
ill
> come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archan=
gel,
> and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise firs=
t" (1
> Thess. 4:16). Paul writes elsewhere: "But our citizen****p is in heaven,=
and
> we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the=
> power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will tran=
sform
> our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body" (Phil.
> 3:20-21). Jesus himself said: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here lo=
oking
> into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven,=
will
> come back in the same way you see him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
> =
> What are some of the characteristics of this second coming? First, it w=
ill
> be personal-the same Jesus who ascended will come back. Second, it will=
be a
> visible coming-every eye shall see him (Rev. 1:7, Matt. 24:30-31). It w=
ill
> not be a secret. Jesus was manifested to the world in the first coming =
and
> he is going to be manifested in the second coming. Several Greek words =
are
> used for the second coming, including apokalupsis (unveiling), and
> epiphaneia (appearing).
> =
> Christ's second coming will also be glorious: "When the Son of Man come=
s in
> his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in
> heavenly glory" (Matt. 25:31). No longer will anyone mock Jesus and tre=
at
> him with contempt by plucking out his beard, beating him, and crucifyin=
g
> him. Christ is going to come again in glory.
> =
> The second coming will be purposeful. Jesus is coming not only to save =
but
> also to judge. Paul writes of the judgment to come: "But because of you=
r
> stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against
> yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will b=
e
> revealed . . . This will take place on the day when God will judge men'=
s
> secrets through Jesus Christ as my gospel declares" (Rom. 2:5, 16). Whe=
n he
> comes, men will cry out to the mountains and hills to fall on them and =
hide
> them, because the wrath of the Lamb has come (Rev. 6:15-17).
> =
> We must surrender any superficial or cultural understanding we have of =
Jesus
> and replace it with the revelation we receive from the holy Scriptures.=
> Matthew 25:31-36 and Rev. 20:11-15 are among the many passages where we=
find
> this twofold purpose of judgment and salvation. At the end of all thing=
s,
> every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ i=
s
> Lord, for the glory of God the Father, and every enemy shall be put und=
er
> his feet.
> =
> "He is coming soon, he's coming soon; with joy we'll welcome his return=
ing."
> Why with joy and not sorrow? Because Christ has canceled our sins. By h=
is
> sacrificial suffering and death, he bore our sins away. He died our dea=
th,
> suffered our wrath, and set us free from guilt and death. His coming ag=
ain,
> therefore, is not a tragedy, but our jubilee and coronation. Jesus is c=
oming
> to save those who are waiting for him.
> =
> When soldiers are away at war, many have wives waiting for them to come=
> home. They may be separated for months or even years. During this time,=
some
> wives are not faithful to their husbands. In fact, some hope that the
> husband will not return. But then there are others who are waiting and
> praying: "O God, spare him and bring him safely home." These women are =
not
> committing adultery, but exercising self-control. They are reading thei=
r
> husbands' letters over and over again, fixing up the house, and doing
> everything for that day when their husbands will come back.
> =
> Christ is coming for those who are waiting for him. He came first to at=
one
> for the sins of those who are given to him to save. Those whose sins he=
> atoned for will repent and trust in him, and will wait for him with gre=
at
> jubilation and patience. They are hoping in Christ and waiting eagerly =
for
> his return. They are not waiting idly, but they are laboring for the Lo=
rd as
> they wait. When they speak, they will talk about their wonderful brideg=
room
> who died for them. As the bride of Christ, we will love, not the world,=
but
> our heavenly bridegroom and wait patiently for his coming. We will not =
dirty
> our wedding dress with sin as we wait.
> =
> As Christians, we long for the second coming of Christ. Before his
> martyrdom, Paul wrote, "For I am already being poured out like a drink
> offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the goo=
d
> fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in=
> store for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Ju=
dge,
> will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who h=
ave
> longed for his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:6-8). Christ is not coming again to=
deal
> with sin. He did that in his first coming. Now he is coming to judge al=
l
> rebels and to grant full salvation to those who trusted in the way of t=
he
> cross. He is coming that he may be with his saints, and they with him,
> forever.
> =
> What about You?
> =
> Are you eagerly waiting Christ's second coming? Are you waiting for him=
in
> holiness, righteousness, love, hope, and labor? Are you loving Jesus by=
> loving the word of God, his love letter to us? Are you loving him by ob=
eying
> his commands, which are not burdensome? Does prayer to him give you
> pleasure? Does wor****p give you exhilaration and sheer thrill? Are you
> careful with your wedding dress, or are you dragging it through the mud=
? Do
> you cry out, "Marana tha, come, Lord Jesus"?
> =
> The end of history is coming. Peter writes, "Since everything will be
> destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought t=
o
> live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and spe=
ed
> its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by=
> fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his
> promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the hom=
e of
> righteousness" (2 Pet. 3:11-13). John says, "Everyone who has this hope=
in
> him purifies himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:3).
> =
> In the parable of the ten virgins Jesus gives a sober warning: "At midn=
ight
> the cry rang out, 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then a=
ll
> the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to t=
he
> wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 'No,' they
> replied. 'There may not be enough for both of us and you. Instead, go t=
o
> those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' But while they were on=
> their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were =
ready
> went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. Later, =
the
> others also came. 'Sir, sir,' they said, 'open the door for us!' But he=
> replied, 'I tell you the truth, I do not know you.'" You are not my bri=
de.
> "'I do not know you.' Therefore, keep watch because you do not now the =
day
> or the hour" (Matt. 25:6-13).
> =
> Are you a foolish virgin with no oil in your lamp? Such people are fals=
e
> professors in the church. Or are you a wise virgin who brought enough o=
il
> for the long wait? If we are the bride of Christ, we will love him with=
all
> our heart and wait patiently for him, being always ready to meet him. M=
y
> prayer is that you may hear from our glorious bridegroom, "Thou good an=
d
> faithful bride, enter into the joy of your beloved Lord," and not, "Dep=
art
> from me, you evildoer."
> =
> There is an appointment with God that we all must keep. The first comin=
g of
> Christ provided us an escape from God's wrath, and those who trust in J=
esus
> shall fear neither death nor Christ's second coming. Like the bride, th=
ey
> will rejoice at the midnight cry: "Here is the bridegroom. Come out to =
meet
> him!" But though all shall see him, the vast majority shall weep and wa=
il
> when Christ comes again.
> =
> There is no salvation outside Jesus. Death can come any time, as can Je=
sus
> Christ. Now is our time to repent, believe in him, and be eternally sav=
ed.
> Now is our time to live a holy life and wait eagerly for his appearing.=
> Praise God for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
> =
> Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyrig=
ht =A9
> 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of
> International Bible Society.
> =
> "NIV" and "New International Version" are trademarks registered in the
> United States Patent and Trademark office by International Bible Societ=
y.
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