And He Will Come Again Not to Deal With Sin but to Gather Those Who Are Eagerly Awaitng Him
Some other imitation teacher recently joined the historic accomplice who've arrogantly thought they had figured out when Christ will return. This is tragic on ii levels. Offset, there are many who were duped. Tons of people believed the prediction and invested time, free energy, and money spreading it. Secondly, it's tragic that many will now motility toward the reverse extreme. They suspected Jesus wouldn't render someday presently and now see this false prediction as confirmation he actually isn't. This is an equally tragic error. Jesus said a lot about his return and one of the overarching letters was His followers should keep themselves ready and waiting.
Here are 10 things Jesus actually said almost his return.
one. No one knows the day or the 60 minutes of my return.
In Mark thirteen:32, Jesus had been teaching his disciples about his return and says, "But apropos that twenty-four hours or that 60 minutes, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, only just the Father." Luke records it this mode, "You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not look." (Lk 12:40).
Jesus told his disciples even He didn't know exactly when He would return. At this point in history, God the Father knew the exact number of years, months, days and seconds until Christ would render and Jesus didn't. We need not speculate about future details Christ himself didn't know.
Too, Jesus practical this truth to their lives, "Be fix." Jesus didn't know if he would return in their lifetimes, merely his command to them is his command to us almost 2,000 years later. Keep picket. Stay awake.
two. There will be several signs, increasing in intensity, as my render draws near.
Christ'southward followers should pay attending to the signs of his render. They should speculate nigh the exact mean solar day or hour but should pay attention to natural events and recognize the potential fulfillment of Christ's words as they happen.
Jesus promised at that place would be wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes in diverse places (Matt 24:6-7). And also, "signs in dominicus and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the body of water and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will exist shaken. And then they will see the Son of Homo coming in a deject with power and neat glory" (Lk 21:25-27).
Additionally, Jesus used the term "birth pains" to describe these signs. Similar the pain of childbirth, these signs volition get more intense and frequent every bit the twenty-four hour period draws close. When we see increasing numbers of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and other natural disasters, Jesus instructs, "straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing well-nigh" (Lk 21:28). Once again, Jesus instructs us to pay attention to the signs of His return in lodge to be ready when He comes.
3. Pray for the strength to escape the things that are going to take place.
In Luke 21:36, Jesus taught his followers, "But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take identify, and to stand before the Son of Man." From the context, the "escaping" Jesus refers to is escaping from the judgment and wrath God will bring upon those who have rejected Christ. Jesus teaches his disciples to pray for the forcefulness to escape. As well many believe Christians volition escape past default, but Jesus told his disciples to pray for force to escape, and and then nosotros must.
4. Information technology volition seem like a normal mean solar day.
In Luke 17:26-30, Jesus compared the day the Son of Human volition be revealed to God'due south judgment in the days of both Noah and Lot. In both these times, people were going about the normal business of life: eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and edifice. In the midst of this credible normalcy, God'due south judgment and wrath fell. Jesus said this is what it will be similar when He comes. It will be a neat cosmic break that will be similar lightning which "lights up the sky from one side to the other" (Lk 17:24).
5. I will repay anybody for what he has washed.
In the concluding chapter of Revelation, Jesus told his followers He is coming and "bringing his recompense…to repay everyone for what he has done" (22:12). Matthew 25 describes the scene when Jesus will sit on his glorious throne and all nations will exist gathered before him to exist judged (31-33). All people volition stand before Jesus and give account for what they did in life. How glorious it will exist to stand confidently in the imputed righteousness of Christ in that 24-hour interval.
6. Non anybody who expects to brand it into Christ'southward kingdom will.
Some of the most sobering words of Jesus are about those who will non exist immune to enter the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew seven:21-23, Jesus said, "Non everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the 1 who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did nosotros non prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and practise many mighty works in your proper name?' And so will I declare to them, 'I never knew y'all; depart from me, you lot workers of lawlessness.'" What could be worse than hearing these words from Jesus?
At the finish, in that location volition be many people who will think they are in because of their ministry credentials. And Jesus will say, "I never knew y'all" and call them "workers of lawlessness." Their repentance was in word only. They acted like followers merely didn't have a saving human relationship with Christ based on faith and repentance as the foundation of their lives. Jesus said there volition exist many people in this terrifying condition, living their lives thinking they were in and finding out in the final analysis they weren't.
7. There will be not bad persecution and many volition fall abroad.
Jesus promised peachy persecution would suspension out against his followers and would crusade many to fall away (Matt 24:9-10). It's relatively easy to follow Christ when things are going well, but when times get tough we find out what we're fabricated of. Is our religion in Christ only as strong as the comfort we enjoy? If God'due south enemies come and take everything will we cling to Christ or fall away? Jesus promised many would make the incomprehensible choice to autumn away.
8. Because of lawlessness, the love of many will grow common cold.
Jesus promised that sin would lure many away from Him (Matt 24:12). These are people who once loved Christ warmly who have cooled in their angel for Him. They've traded in their desires for Christ for worthless idols. Sex activity, coin, power and other false gods have replaced the love of Christ in their hearts. Their love grows cold equally they lose the war against temptations to sin. Stoking the heart's fiery love for Christ must include destroying the wet buckets of sin that can so quickly quench it. True Christ followers must repent oft and much.
ix. Be on your baby-sit. Keep awake.
Jesus continually told his followers to stay awake, to watch their lives, and to be ready for his render. In Matthew, Jesus gave 4 parables to explicate how and why his followers should be prepared for his coming: the homeowner and the thief (24:42-44); the adept and wicked servants (24:45-51); the 10 virgins (25:ane-13); and the talents (25:xiv-30). In each of these parables, Christ described readiness with working to complete the work Christ gave us, namely fulfilling the Bang-up Commission. Every Christian is to diligently use the gifts and opportunities God provides to reach the earth for Christ.
To exist awake is to be ready and willing to do Christ's will. In Gethsemane, Jesus' disciples slept instead of joining Him in prayer. They weren't doing what Christ asked but slept. In the same way, many Christians today are asleep to Christ's will. They don't seek him or inquire for his direction. Instead, similar the disciples in the garden, they slumber. Hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Awake, awake, put on strength" (51:9).
Peter says it well, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. In a higher place all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter four:vii-8).
x. I am coming soon!
Four times in the book of Revelation, Jesus said to the churches, "I am coming soon!" (Rev 16:15; 22:7,12,20). It was originally meant as an encouraging word to onest century Christians suffering by the hands of Rome and has continued to encourage Christ's followers throughout the ages. Christians in every generation are to hold tightly to the promise that Christ will return soon.
As the writer of Hebrews reminds, "Christ, having been offered in one case to behave the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to relieve those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Heb nine:28). Like young children eagerly longing for Christmas morning time, Christians eagerly wait for Christ to return. In doing so, we live out Paul's wonderful promise to the church in Thessalonica, "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught upwards together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess 4:17). Null is greater than to be with Jesus Christ always and forever.
Recommended Resources
The Time to come of Everything: Essential Truths Virtually the End Times by William Boekestein
The Last Days according to Jesus: When Did Jesus Say He Would Return? past R.C. Sproul
Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis Johnson
Source: https://cultivatingepiphanies.com/2011/05/24/10-things-jesus-really-said-about-his-return/
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