Coming Soon
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Soon.
I imagine most if not all of you have a memory of travelling in a car with your family as a child and asking the question all bored children ask - “How much longer?” and the response was always the same. “Soon.”
Did that mean 5 minutes? 15? 1/2 hour? An Hour? Apparently this was a secret only the parent driving was allowed to know.
I remember hearing last October that Zaxby’s, the chicken restaurant chain, was Coming Soon to Cambridge. It is now June and it is still Coming Soon.
Some of you have asked what is going on with the renovations to the church? Soon. We are actually getting bids now, so it really is soon!
I know quite a few of you are fans of the popular historical Christian drama, The Chosen. You may remember back in season 2 there was a scene where Peter was conversing with Jesus as they walk down a road together. Jesus indicates that he will not be with the disciples forever - but that is a discussion for another time. Simon keeps pressing him and asks, “will we talk about it soon?” To which, Jesus responds:
“There’s that word, ‘soon’. It’s the most imprecise thing in the world. What is ‘soon’? A few hours? A few days? Years? A hundred years? A thousand years? Ask my Father in heaven how long a thousand years is, then talk to me about ‘soon’.”
Soon is a very imprecise word, isn’t it?
I’m always impressed with the writing of this ficitional but biblically based series - and in this particular dialogue, it was obivious that the writer was referencing 2 Peter 3:8 where the Apostle Peter, later in his life, wrote this: “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 context of this verse is Peter writing on the Second Coming of Christ. He is reminding his readers that the holy prophets of centuries past, and the teachings of Jesus himself, spoke of the coming Day of the Lord.
2 Peter 3:3-10
Most important, know this: in the last days scoffers will come, jeering, living by their own cravings, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? After all, nothing has changed—not since the beginning of creation, nor even since the ancestors died.” But they fail to notice that, by God’s word, heaven and earth were formed long ago out of water and by means of water. And it was through these that the world of that time was flooded and destroyed. But by the same word, heaven and earth are now held in reserve for fire, kept for the Judgment Day and destruction of ungodly people. Don’t let it escape your notice, dear friends, that with the Lord a single day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and lives. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will pass away with a dreadful noise, the elements will be consumed by fire, and the earth and all the works done on it will be exposed.
Soon.
We are wrapping up this series on Revelation today and now as we examine this last chapter, listen to the sense of urgency:
v.6 what must soon take place
v. 10 the time is near
v. 12 Behold, I am coming soon
v.17 The Spirit and the Bride Say Come
Let the One who hears say Come
v. 20 Surely, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
How are we to understand and reconcile the urgency conveyed by these words of Christ in Revelation and the fact that it has been nearly 2000 years since he ascended to heaven?
How do not become like the scoffers who ask “where is this promised coming?”
It is apparent as we read the writing that are recorded after Jesus’ ascension that the imminent return of Christ was on the mind of the apostles and writers of the New Testament. They may not have known the hour, but they had no doubt as to the event itself.
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
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.
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
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.
The followers of Jesus believed because this is what the prophets of old wrote about - the Day of the Lord, prophets like:
The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come!
For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.
And the apostles and followers of Christ lived in expectancy because this is precisely what Jesus told them.
Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
The urgency of the message, and the sense of expectancy that Christians of every generation must possess, is important and relevant for several reasons.
First, you do not know the day or the hour that your life in this world will end. None of us is promised another day - we may die at anytime - that means the time for receiving God’s saving grace through Jesus is now. The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. The Apostle Paul pressed this point in
So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God. Since we work together with him, we are also begging you not to receive the grace of God in vain. He says, I listened to you at the right time, and I helped you on the day of salvation. Look, now is the right time! Look, now is the day of salvation!
Second, Jesus coming as Savior and Lord into our presence is soon - it is today, it is now. While the culminating event relevation describes of Jesus coming back on the Day of the Lord - once and for all to bring salvation and judgment is still before us - He does come to us now, today. When we celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion we participate in the supper Jesus intiated in
And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
It is a mystery, but Jesus said he is always with us and He is present when we share Holy Communion.
He enters into the heart of every person who repents and receives him as Lord. He is present at our baptism, he is present when we gather for prayer, He is present when He calls us to serve Him in some capacity.
Lastly, Jesus will come again soon - at just the right time according to God’s will.
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.
Only God knows when the time is set for Jesus to return. It is out of His abudant love for us that it has not already happen. His desire is that all will turn to Him and receive His salvation.
What is certain is that we are closer today than in anytime in history. And tomorrow, we will be even closer. Are you ready?
In his commentary The Message of Revelation, Michael Wilcox writes
The Message of Revelation 5. The Fourth Revelation: God’s Word Validated (22:6–10)
One of the oldest prayers of the Christian church, found in
It is the prayer we find in the last two verses of Revelation and the one we will end this series on.
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
