HIS COMING AND OUR WAITING
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Introduction (10 minutes): The World That Waits—Whether It Knows It or Not
There are two kinds of waiting in this world. One is the idle sort—like a man tapping his foot at a train station, annoyed that time has the audacity to move at its own pace. The other is the watchful sort—the waiting of a sentry in the night, whose very stillness is an act of courage. Christianity, from its earliest breath, has always belonged to the second kind.
From the hills of Judea to the crowded streets of Corinth, from the catacombs of Rome to the quiet chapels of New England, the Church has confessed a startling truth: History is going somewhere, and Someone is coming.
The Second Coming of Christ is not an appendix to Christian doctrine. It is the horizon line of all Christian hope. As the angels declared at the ascension, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
If the first coming of Christ was marked by humility—wrapped in swaddling clothes—the second will be marked by majesty—clothed in glory. The manger and the throne belong to the same Christ.
And so we ask not merely what shall happen, but how then shall we live?
Part I: The Certainty of the Second Coming (20 minutes)
1. Rooted in the Words of Christ
Our Lord spoke of His return not as poetry, nor as parable alone, but as promise.
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself” (John 14:3).
Jesus did not say I may return, but I will. The authority of the promise rests not in our longing, but in His lordship.
2. Proclaimed by the Apostles
The early Church did not treat the Second Coming as speculation. It was proclamation.
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
Paul places the return of Christ alongside the resurrection of the dead. Remove one, and the gospel collapses.
3. Woven Through the Old Testament
Edersheim reminds us that Israel lived facing forward. The prophets spoke not merely of restoration, but of the Day of the LORD—a day of judgment and deliverance.
“Behold, the day of the LORD cometh” (Zechariah 14:1).
The Second Coming is not a New Testament afterthought; it is the fulfillment of ancient expectation.
Part II: The Nature of His Coming (25 minutes)
Following Bancroft’s theological order, we ask: What kind of coming will this be?
1. A Personal Coming
“This same Jesus” (Acts 1:11
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Not an idea. Not a movement. Not a symbol. The same Christ who bore scars will return bearing authority.
2. A Visible Coming
“Every eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Unlike the first coming—hidden in humility—the second will be unmistakable. There will be no need for debate or interpretation.
3. A Glorious Coming
“The Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Glory is weight. The full moral and divine weight of Christ will press upon the world.
4. A Sudden Coming
“As the lightning cometh out of the east” (Matthew 24:27
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
History will not gently fade. It will be interrupted.
Part III: The Purpose of His Coming (25 minutes)
1. To Judge the World
“He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Judgment is not a contradiction of love; it is its necessary companion. A God who does not judge is a God who does not care.
2. To Vindicate the Saints
“When he shall come to be glorified in his saints” (2 Thessalonians 1:10
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
The quiet faithfulness of believers—often mocked, often ignored—will be publicly honored.
3. To Restore All Things
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
The Second Coming is not an escape from creation, but its renewal.
Part IV: Common Errors and False Expectations (15 minutes)
1. Date-Setting
“Of that day and hour knoweth no man” (Matthew 24:36).
Curiosity becomes disobedience when it ignores Christ’s command to watch rather than calculate.
2. Scoffing and Delay
“Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3:4).
Delay is not denial. God’s patience is mercy, not weakness.
Part V: Our Preparation for His Coming (35 minutes)
1. Preparation of Faith
“When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Faith is not merely believing that He is coming, but living as though He might come today.
Illustration: Noah and the Long Obedience
Noah did not preach with a stopwatch in his hand. He preached with a hammer. For decades he built a vessel that had never before been needed. Rain was a rumor; judgment was an abstraction. Yet every nail driven into the ark was an act of faith. When the door finally shut, faith became sight—but by then it was too late for those who had mocked the warning (Genesis 6–7).
So it will be at the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:37). Faith is proven not in the moment of arrival, but in the years of obedience before it.
2. Preparation of Holiness
“Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself” (1 John 3:3).
Holiness is readiness made visible.
Illustration: The Passover Night
Israel was not told to admire the lamb, but to apply the blood. The houses that were spared were not the most moral, the most educated, or the most sincere—but the ones marked by obedience (Exodus 12). The people ate with loins girded, shoes on their feet, staff in hand.
They were ready to leave. Judgment passed over not because they felt safe, but because they were covered.
Holiness is not fear-driven perfectionism; it is the posture of a people packed and prepared for departure.
3. Preparation of Watchfulness
“Watch therefore” (Matthew 25:13).
The wise virgins were not more intelligent—only more prepared.
Illustration: Roman Watchmen on the Wall
In the ancient world, a sleeping watchman was not merely negligent—he was treasonous. Cities fell not because walls were weak, but because eyes were closed. The watchman did not decide if the dawn would come; he was responsible to see it when it did.
Christ does not command us to hasten His coming, only to remain awake for it.
Lot is About Delayed Obedience, Not Ignorance
Lot is About Delayed Obedience, Not Ignorance
Noah speaks to long faithfulness.
Passover speaks to covering and readiness.
Roman watchmen speak to vigilance.
👉 Lot speaks to hesitation.
“While he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand… the LORD being merciful unto him” (Genesis 19:16)
Lot believed the warning.
Lot was righteous (2 Peter 2:7).
Yet Lot lingered.
That makes him the most dangerous illustration of all—because he represents people inside the circle of belief, not outside it.
2. Lot Answers a Silent Question in the Room
2. Lot Answers a Silent Question in the Room
At this point in a 2-hour message, many listeners are thinking:
“I believe Christ is coming… but I’m not really ready yet.”
Lot is God’s answer.
Proposed Subsection Title
Proposed Subsection Title
“Preparation of Watchfulness (continued): The Danger of Lingering”
Illustration: Lot and the Cost of Looking Back
Illustration: Lot and the Cost of Looking Back
“Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32
32 Remember Lot’s wife.
Lot’s family was warned.
They were escorted by angels.
They were told plainly what was coming.
And still:
One looked back
Some sons-in-law laughed
Everything familiar burned
The fire did not fall because they were immoral.
It fell because judgment had arrived.
Salvation was not lost—but everything else was.
4. Preparation of Stewardship
“Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
The Christian life is not passive waiting but active faithfulness.
Illustration: The Entrusted Household
In Roman and Jewish households alike, a master departing on a journey left stewards in charge. Their task was not speculation about the return date, but faithfulness in absence. When the master returned, accounts were settled—not on intentions, but on actions.
Readiness is measured by stewardship.
5. Preparation of Love and Evangelism
“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11).
Those who truly believe Christ is coming cannot remain indifferent to souls.
Illustration: The Jewish Wedding
In Jewish custom, the bridegroom departed to prepare a place. The bride did not know the hour of his return—only that it would be sudden, joyful, and announced with a shout. Lamps were kept trimmed. Garments were kept ready.
When the cry rang out—Behold, the bridegroom cometh!—there was no time to borrow oil.
So the Church waits—not in dread, but in devoted expectation.
Part VI: Living Between the Advents (15 minutes)
We live between the cradle and the crown, between the cross and the throne.
C.S. Lewis once observed that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. Heaven-mindedness does not weaken earthly usefulness—it sharpens it.
“Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour” (Philippians 3:20
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Conclusion (10 minutes): Even So, Come, Lord Jesus
History is not a circle; it is an arrow. It has a direction, and it has a destination.
The same Jesus who once stood before Pilate will one day stand before the world. The question is not whether He will come—but whether we are ready.
For the believer, the Second Coming is not terror, but triumph. Not dread, but deliverance.
“Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
Let us be found faithful. Watching. Working. Hoping.
Invitation: The Door Still Stands Open
If this were mere myth, it could be admired and dismissed. If it were philosophy, it could be debated and refined. But Christianity insists on something far more uncomfortable: a returning King.
The tragedy of the human heart is not that it doubts—but that it delays.
The door of Noah’s ark was open for years, and yet only eight entered.
The blood on the doorposts in Egypt was available to all, yet only those who obeyed were spared.
The bridegroom’s arrival was joyful—but only for those who were ready.
Christ will not ask whether you admired Him, studied Him, or spoke well of Him. He will ask whether you trusted Him.
The same hands once pierced for sinners will one day hold the scepter of judgment. Mercy now is offered freely; mercy then will be remembered, not received.
If you are uncertain today, do not wait for certainty tomorrow. Readiness is not achieved by moral effort alone, but by surrender.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Come while the door is open. Believe while the invitation stands. Trust the Savior before you meet the Judge.
And for those who already believe—trim your lamps. Lift up your heads. The night is far spent, and the morning is at hand.
“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching” (Luke 12:37).
