Christ Coming in Power and Glory

Introduction

For the past several weeks, Luke has been preaching on the Advent of Christ. We looked at the plan God had for Christmas. We saw that the gift of Christ is to all humanity and the treasure of His righteousness is the very basis and foundation of our salvation. Luke explained how the incarnation through a woman brought into the world a sinless Savior. And he explained the importance of knowing how that sinless Savior, through His active obedience, perpetually and vicariously lived a perfect life of obedience to the Law of God so that the righteousness He earned would be counted to His people through faith; it is in this way that we are made right with God. Not only were our sins bore by Christ on the cross in His passive obedience to the Father’s commands, but it is necessary that Christ imputes His righteousness to us by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone; this is forensic in nature—meaning that we are not made righteous, but we are declared righteous in God’s sight. But not only did this long-promised Messiah come into the world by way of a virgin birth, live a perfect and sinless life vicariously for His people, die a substitutionary death on the cross for the atonement of sin, resurrect from the dead, or ascend to His throne in heaven—He promised to return again; finally, and fully—to finish what He began. For the Apostle Paul says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6).” Our salvation through Christ has us looking back to Christ’s first Advent at what He has done on our behalf. But salvation is not just being saved from sin and set free from it’s bondage. It leads to sanctification and the end of sanctification is eternal life (Rom 6:22). These lives of sanctification we live—that process of being purified and conformed into Christ’s image—has us living for and looking forward to His second Advent—His final return to consummate His marriage to His bride the Church and to bring with Him that final realization of our redemption. We know that this world is not our home, but it saturates our thoughts and desires with its less-than-sufficient offerings. It’s concerns aim to consume us. Now, while we are not of this world, we do live in it. We are given liberty to enjoy some of the things the world offers (this is common grace), but we are not to be conformed to it. We are to live as sojourners in a foreign land awaiting our return home.

When the first settlers arrived at what is now the east coast of the United States of America (what they called New England), they looked at their arrival in the New World with, what some have called, an Eschatological Hope (or a hopeful eschatology). They lived as though Christ was to soon return. They lived with their eyes focused on the end, that final return of Christ. They saw that their duty was to do the will of God in every task they had before them. They were devoted to the spread of the Gospel—they felt that this was part of God’s plan for the Great Commission and they deemed themselves as a City on a Hill and a light to other nations. They settled there with courage and with hope relying on the strength only God can provide. And all I would like to point out here is that these men and women lived through persecution, trials, calamities, disease, and hardship, all with the understanding that this life was merely a narrow way to the next and the life that God granted to them was to be lived full of service to Him until Christ would return, or call them home.

As we look at the second coming of Christ this morning, that is what I would like us to do: to follow in the footsteps of the generations of faithful saints before us, not looking at the signs of the times and being concerned with when Christ would return but live as though He was coming today. While we anticipate His return, we must be prepared for the full realization of our redemption and the fullness of the eternal kingdom God has promised to us.

Let us pray…

Our Father in heaven…..open our hearts and our minds to your word this morning. We need our divine Helper, God the Holy Spirit to illuminate your word to us and through your Spirit, may you impart to us wisdom and understanding, and may we humbly walk according to the lamp you set to our feet. May the eyes of our hearts see your glory and be struck with awe of your magnificence, and may we respond with adoration and praise, of which you so deserve. May you help me, your servant, plant the seed of your Gospel which alone has the power to save and through it, may you call your elect to yourself. May you grant repentance unto life. May your word nourish our needy souls. And may you receive all the glory for ever and ever, AMEN.

Luke 21:25–28 25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Church, that is the word of the Lord to us this morning.

Luke chapter 21 (as well as Matt. 24, and Mark 13) contains what we call the Olivet Discourse. On the Mount of Olives, Jesus explains to the disciples that the temple of which they adored and gazed at in amazement, would one day be destroyed. Jesus also prophesies His final return and coming in power and glory to judge the world. Now, just as with any prophecy in Scripture, there is an “already/not yet’ characteristic to it. With the first Advent of the Messiah, came the Kingdom of God. This was partially realized; Christ came and brought an inaugurated kingdom, but not yet the kingdom of God in fullness. The Spirit He poured out on believers is merely a down payment, so to speak, of what is to come. After Christ’s earthly ministry was completed, He ascended to His throne in heaven and is currently upholding the entirety of the universe from there. But there is still work to do—the covenant of redemption made between the first and second persons of the Trinity has not yet been completely fulfilled. So, when we look at today’s text, we see the instruction that Jesus gave to the disciples and we need to see clearly that there are both events things that have been fulfilled, and things that are yet-to-be fulfilled.

In the verses preceding today’s text, describe events that were to be seen in the disciple’s lifetimes. V.5–(beginning of (v.24) foretell of the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem. In history, this occurred in 70AD. Historians like Josephus, have records of these events and clearly, Jesus’ words were fulfilled. The temple was destroyed, the Jews were dispersed, and God’s judgement was upon Jerusalem. The words of Jesus foretelling of the destruction of the temple, turned the thoughts of the disciples immediately to the destruction of the world. They could not perceive the existence of one without the other. They could not see the world as existing apart from the Temple, nor the destruction of the Temple without the destruction of the world. This was because of their understanding (misunderstanding) of the kingdom of God. They looked at the temple in its beauty and turned their heads to Christ and must have thought, “Our King is finally here, and His reign will soon commence.” They looked intently at the prize awaiting them, but neglected the patience necessary to obtain that prize. We know by Jesus’ own admission, that His kingdom is not of this world. His reign is not on an earthly throne. Because of the Jewish traditions the disciples were learned in, they had a superstitious perception of an earthly kingdom. They were too quick to celebrate thinking the end was near and they would finally have joy in fulness in the kingdom of God, but they neglected to see and understand the necessary means to that end. God has his people inherit salvation and the blessed eternal joy it brings through patience and endurance. This is why Jesus was instructing the disciples about the times ahead—they would need patience and endurance to make it to the end. There was still much to do before that would receive that reward they so anxiously desired.

Anticipation

This brings us to the first point—After describing to the disciples of the destruction of the temple, He tells them of His coming in a cloud with power and great glory (v.27). In v. 25–28, Jesus pivots from prophesy of the destruction of the temple, to prophesy of the Day of the Lord—that last day where Christ returns to judge the living and the dead. He is having the disciples look beyond the extent of their lives to that ultimate day of redemption promised to God’s people. Now, some have said that the bible isn’t true because here, Jesus us a liar. They say, “He claimed to return in their lifetimes, but failed and therefore He isn’t who He claimed to be. So, the Bible isn’t true.” Again, in context, Jesus has the disciples look beyond their lifetimes. This exhortation is for all believers of all times to hear and believe. The structure of this passage makes the prophecy true and relevant for all of the people of God. Not only is this prophecy of Christ’s return true for the people of God, it is true for all human beings who have ever existed. Just as Christ’s call of repentance and faith through the gospel is a universal call to all people of all time, so His return to judge the world is also a universal warning to all people of all time. When Christ returns, all of Adams posterity and all of Christ’s posterity will be there. Not a single human being who has ever existed will miss this day.

Revelation 20:11–15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

This anticipation we have, is the day the disciples imagined was at hand in their day. Our King, on this day, will consummate His marriage to His bride the Church and then will His kingdom begin that has no end. All of His and His Church’s enemies will be finally defeated, especially death. Not just the circumstances of death, but death itself will cease to exist. The anticipation of this day is both dreadful and joyful. It is dreadful for those who deny Christ and His gift of salvation. They are to be judged according to their deeds, Scripture tells us, and will be cast into everlasting torment in the lake of fire. So, if this day seems dreadful to you, perhaps you should test your salvation; make sure of it. For Christ does not leave His sheep to fear His return, but to anticipate it with joyful delight. If you have not yet repented of your sin and turned to Christ in faith believing all He did was done for you, then turn now to Him. Do not delay for this day of judgement is near. There is no repentance after death. And the call to repent and believe in Jesus Christ is a call to heed now. For if your hope is anchored in the living Christ and you believe that through His perfect life, substitutionary death, and resurrection from the dead, this day of the Lord, this day of judgement, is a blessed day to hope for in anticipation. This is what hopeful eschatology is. We are hopeful of His final return in power and glory and no matter if that day comes before or after we reach death, we will see that day. That day when He comes, not in meekness on the colt of a donkey, but in power and glory in the clouds.

Here is where I would like to note some issues the Church has regarding eschatology or the last things and the anticipation of the end of the world. If we look back in time, never was there such a dogmatism surrounding the doctrine of the last things. To be brutally honest, the Church ought to be ashamed of itself for making tertiary doctrine primary doctrine—especially concerning things, the knowledge of which, God has even kept from His elect angels. Now, I am convinced that the Church must return to a historical Christianity. In the the spirit of Semper Reformanda, that reformed tradition of always desiring to be constantly reformed by Scripture to a purity of doctrine, and we must repent of our unnecessary schisms and infighting and desire the unity of the Church. This is why being a confessional church is so important. It is a reliance on time-tested summaries of the Church’s beliefs and that is the reason that as a church, we subscribe to the 2LCF—it summarizes succinctly our beliefs but it unifies ourselves with other confessional churches. Regardless of particular views of certain things such as church polity or even baptism, we know that we are in unity and parts of the whole body of Christ. Confessional standards are unifying. Most miss this. They, confessions, are not intended to bring segregation into the church, but to unify it. I now want to look at what our confession says about the anticipation of this day of the Lord:

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God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ; to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.

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The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient; for then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and glory with everlasting rewards, in the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast aside into everlasting torments, and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

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As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity, so will he have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may ever be prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus; come quickly. Amen.

Here the Confession does not aim to point out a view of the Millennium. Nor does it speak of a rapture. But it speaks to the same end and all sorts of eschatologies point to; the triumphal return of our Savior who will come to wipe every tear from our faces and bring with Him everlasting life. I have my own personal opinions of the details of these tertiary things like the Milennium and a rapture. But in the grand scheme of things, I’ll humbly admit that I know none of it for sure. But one thing I do know is I have a hopeful eschatology—one that does not aim to dogmatically parse out the fine details of things. I do not look for a divine eject button from this world. I look forward to and desire the return of Christ. With His return, He will instate a kingdom with such purity in understanding, we won’t need prefixes to the word Millennium to define us—just Christ to behold in all of His infinite glory.

Now that day is unknown to us. This is by design. Jesus tells us that even the angels in heaven do not possess the knowledge of when this day of Christ’s return will happen. This is to humble us for if the angels do not even know, then how could we ever claim to have that knowledge ourselves? Putting dates to Christ’s return only facilitates disappointment. Many have ventured into claiming knowledge of that day; that throughout the ages THEY somehow figured it out. But they and those who followed them, were only saddened and distraught. You see, not knowing the day or the hour of Christ’s return should lead us not to anxiety, but away from it. It drives is to place our trust in the perfect will of God and all that He ordains to come to pass. This leads us to the second point.

Preparation

A good question to ask ourselves is, “Am I ready?” For Christ’s return. “Am I prepared?” “If He returns tomorrow, will He catch me sleeping? Or will He catch me awake in anticipation of His return and prepared?” When we look at the final judgement, I believe we neglect the fact that there will be not only a final judgment for those who reject Christ and His gospel, but also a judgement of those who are in Christ according to their works. I believe this is because we tend to have a misunderstanding of good works. As protestants, we reject the Roman Catholic understanding of justification according to works. We believe that we are saved by faith apart from works. This is what Scripture clearly teaches. But, throughout the ages, there has been a neglect of good works either by forcing good works through legalism or by outright denying the necessity of good works by way of antinomianism. My point is this, good works are necessary to salvation and on that day of judgment, the books of our lives will be opened and Christ will judge us according to our godliness. Now, this isn’t a judgement that would condemn us—for there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. But He will judge our preparation for this day.

James 2:26 says that faith apart from works is dead. Now, faith is not consequential to works, but works are consequential to faith. What James is saying, is that faith in Christ with out the demonstration of good works is dead. This is because God saves us, through faith in Jesus Christ for good works, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10).” Now, these good works are not buying coffee for the car behind you at Starbucks or returning a rogue shopping cart back to the cart stall at the grocery store. Good works are fruits of the Spirit residing in us: They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22–23). These are to be done to the glory of God alone and not to be done for sordid gain. These good works are not a condition of eternal life, but they are indeed praiseworthy and they will be judged by Christ and rewarded accordingly. Going back to the disciple’s desire for the kingdom and the perfection that came with it, they desired it instantaneously. But Christ would have His people reach this glorification through patience and long-suffering. This is sanctification. An overlooked process of God’s redemptive plan. Could God save all His elect and bring them instantaneously into glorification—that state of perfection? Yes He could. But with what God has reveled to us in His Word, is that there is a process to His plan of redemption. I have to humbly admit that I do not know why, but I do know that the Ordo Saludis or the order of salvation, involves a process of sanctification prior to a Christian receiving final glorification in heaven (see Rom 8:29–31). It’s a process that is reflective of smelting precious metals from ore. Where molten metal is separated with the impurities being scraped off the top until there only remains the precious metal. This takes time and it takes fire. Likewise, so does sanctification, not that it removes every impurity in us prior to glorification, but it absolutely purifies us. Through patience and fiery trials, God sanctifies us in preparation of the eternal life that is to come.

After describing His triumphal return, Jesus exhorts His hearers, “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34-36).” The concept of staying awake is like a soldier at his post standing watch. He is not concerned with every other post at which everyone else stands, but he is concerned of his own. He is keeping watch for his enemies. He must not fall asleep or relax his focus on his standing guard or else he faces grave consequences. For those in Christ Jesus, we are to stay awake and alert focusing on the guarding of our own hearts. Our hearts themselves are deceitful above all things. Their affections are prone to wander. They are subject to slothfulness, and we face an enemy who is prowling at the door seeking to devour us. This preparation for the return of Christ is guarding against and resisting temptation. It is killing sin. It’s praying always and trusting in God for everything. It’s obeying the preceptive will of God and following His ways (one thing to note here. We do know the will of God for us. It is His preceptive will and it is no secret to us. It is not there to tell us what to name our child, or whether we should take a job offer or not, or whether we should live here or there…is that we would be conformed to the image of Christ). It involves living as if our Master is returning soon and not indulging in the world’s vanities. Luke 12:35–40 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

So Church, we must stay awake. We must be prepared. Though Christ’s return may seem delayed to our finite minds, the timing of His return is perfect according to His infinite wisdom. As Peter states, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed (2 Pet 3:8–10).” At the right time, He will come back. There is no need for the fear of missing out. Whether Christ returns tomorrow or we die before He gets here, we can be assured that we will be witnesses on that great day. We ought to be prepared to not let Him catch us sleeping.

Realization

Back to the text at hand: v.25–26 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Before that day when the kingdom of God is finally and fully realized, there is to be signs and great fear. This was true prior to the sacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70AD. This is also true for all ages; for in every age, there are astrological signs, distress of nations, and the roaring of the seas. No generation of humanity has ever existed without these things. Even future generations, until that full realization of the kingdom of God, will face the same tumult. Peace will only come with Christ’s final return. This is why we await the final realization of our redemption.

When our redemption is finally and fully realized, it will be a day of great rejoicing. We will see the ultimate defeat of Satan, sin, and death. We will inherit a new heaven and new earth. We see this in revelation 21:1–8:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

At the realization of our redemption, the trials and the toil will cease. All the pains this world offers will be no longer. We will see and end to trials and to temptation. There will be no more hoping and longing. Just a full and eternal realization of what was promised to the people of God in the gospel since it was first given in the garden of Eden. Though that first Eden was closed off to sinners like you and I, through the person and work of Jesus Christ we will be partakers of a restored Eden. There will be no need for the sun to light our world as we will have the Sun of God there to be all of he light we will need. Reading through a book by Jim Renihan on the 2LCF, I was studying the last chapter of the confession and came across a quote from a 17th century Christian by the name of Thomas Harrison. He divides the blessings of eternal life into two categories—it’s endlessness and its undecaying:

“1. ‘Tis endless. That fulness of Joy which is in God’s immediate Presence, lasts for evermore: It must needs be so, because that Happiness whence it results will be of pepetual duration. Those Evils from which the glorified saints are freed, shall no more return upon them; they shall never be depriv’d of the Beatific Vision of God, nor dislodg’d from the immediate Embraces of their dear Redeemer. Tho the first Adam was soon expell’d the Earthly Paradise, the Seed of the second Adam shall never be drien out of the heavenly: Their souls shall no more be divorc’d from their Bodies. In short, when millions of millions of Ages are run out in the fruition of Heavenly Pleasures, their Happiness will be no nearer to its Period than at the first moment of their admission into the regions of glory.

2. ‘Tis undecaying. As they shall not cease to rejoice, so their Joy will never be impair’d or diminish’d: There shall be no Clouds to obscure the Splendor of that Eternal Day. Our Happiness will always be the same, and our Perception of it equal throughout an endless Eternity. The long Enjoyment of Celestial Pleasures will not make us grow weary of them. There is infinite variety in God, and whatever is truly desirable is eminently injoy’d in him. An infinite Good produces always the same pure equal compleat Joy, because it arises from its intrinsic Perfection that wants no foil to commend it. In a word, this Joy is no ravishing Rapture, but a constant height of Affection.”

Church, as we end here today, may we live as Christ were to return soon. May we stay vigilant, and awake, prepared for that day of His coming. May we long for that great joy set before us.

Revelation 22: 17 “Revelation 22:17 (ESV)

17The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” 22:20, “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Let’s pray.