The Coming of Jesus

“The Coming of Jesus”

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A young preacher was invited to a little country church to preach his very first sermon. He decided to preach on the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The young preacher wanted to do something to get the attention of this rather dead congregation. He read his text from , where Jesus said, “Surely, I come quickly”.

He prayed, when he finished his prayer, he began his sermon by running to the edge of the platform and shouting, surely, I come quickly! The young preacher thought that the people would get excited, but it did not produce the desired effect. Everybody just sat there staring at him.

He thought to himself, they didn’t get it; so he retraced his steps to the pulpit. And decided to try it again; he took a deep breath and rushed to the edge of the platform. This time waving his arms in the air, he turned red in the face and screamed, surely, I come quickly! Once more the folks set in the pew bored and unmoved. Not one person showed any sign of emotion or even said Amen. By this time the young preacher was beginning to get a little frustrated, but he was not giving up.

He walked behind the pulpit once more, paused for a moment; ran back to the edge of the platform and shouted surely, I come quickly! But this time he went a little too far, his foot slipped and the preacher fell off of the high platform. He stumbled onto the front row, and fail and the lap of an 80-year-old woman. He knocked the Bible out of her hands, and the bonnet off of her head. Awkwardly, he managed to get out of the deer old lady’s lap and back onto his feet. Deeply embarrassed, the red-faced preacher picked up the Bible and the ladies bonnet, with trembling hands, he handed them back to her. Then he began to apologize; he stammered and said “I’m so sorry ma’am, I hope I didn’t hurt you, when I fell on you”.

“Smiling, the elderly lady replied, oh, that’s alright son. I wasn’t surprised, I was ready; after all, you warned me three times that you were coming.

That sweet little lady heard the warning of the preacher, and she was prepared.

The Lord Jesus Christ has been warning people that he is coming for over 2000 years!

Are you Ready? In fact the Lord Jesus has told us over 300 times in the Bible that he is coming again.

1 out of every 27 verses in the New Testament are warnings about the rapture of the church, and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

While no one knows the exact day that Jesus will come again; the Scriptures are clear that Jesus will coming again!

The whole Bible has been summarized this way:

Jesus is coming; Jesus has come; Jesus is coming again.

Just as surely as Jesus came the first time; Jesus Christ is coming again to this earth!

,-“Jesus appeared the first time to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself… He shall appear the second time, without sin unto salvation”

In these verses Jesus is being asked when the kingdom of God would come. Jesus answers the question by giving us three great truths about his coming.

Truth #1;

1. Jesus’ Coming is Sure!

V:20-23.

The Bible tells us about two comings of the Messiah.

The Pharisees, and the Jewish people did not see two comings of the Messiah. They were not looking for a spiritual kingdom; they were looking for an earthly kingdom.

We’re told in -“Jesus spoke a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.”

And at the triumphal entry, the crowd shouted, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel”.

The Jews believed that the Messiah would come, overthrow the Roman occupation, free the nation of Israel, restore the dominance of Israel and righteousness would prevail.

That is what led the Pharisees to ask Jesus in,

V:20-“when the kingdom of God should come…

If Jesus was the king, when would he set up his kingdom, right the wrongs, and make Israel a better place to live.

They asked this, because they did not believe that Jesus was king; after all what King is born in a stable, and his visitors are shepherds, and it grows up in the despised village of Nazareth’s, which was located in Galilee, not Judea.

What King has followers, and cabinet members who are fishermen, tax collectors, and converted sinners? The Pharisees constantly demanded Jesus to perform some sign in the heavens to prove he was the Messiah. When he didn’t, they refuse to believe in him, slandered him, and rejected him.

They thought the kingdom would come with special signs, they were looking for the kind of fanfare that accompanies earthly kingdoms, the prop and circumstance.

Jesus graciously explain to them that the present kingdom of God would not come with outward show and fanfare. V:20-21-Read.

There would be no visible signs of the kingdom of God on earth at that time. The kingdom of God at that time was not an outward, visible kingdom; that would be established by power and bloodshed.

The present kingdom, was in their midst, right there in front of them, because the king was there. The kingdom was present in their midst, because King Jesus had come.

Jesus told Nicodemus, -“Verily, verily I say and do you unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God”.

Jesus tells us, V:21-“ that the kingdom of God is within you”.

The kingdom of God was in their midst, among those people that saw him in that day.

Jesus told them in -“If I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you”.

The kingdom of God arrived when the king arrived! And the spiritual kingdom is set up in the hearts of people who put their faith in Jesus Christ the King!

How sad, the Pharisees were looking for the kingdom, but don’t recognize the king.

Unless you acknowledge that Jesus is the king, you can never be a part of the spiritual kingdom.

Jesus first coming to this earth, was the beginning of his kingdom; and the second coming will set up his kingdom on this earth.

Jesus second coming, and his literal kingdom on this earth is sure; just as sure as the Bible you hold in your hand! Job, Daniel, Zachariah and others in the Old Testament prophesied of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself told us, the apostle Paul, Peter, John also tell us in the New Testament of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The king has come, and the King is coming again.

We are living between the first coming, and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

V:22-Read.

All true Christians who understand the Bible and love the Lord Jesus, anticipate the day when Jesus will be revealed from heaven, and his glory made known!

Were told the Thessalonians, were eagerly waiting for God’s son from heaven…

Titus tells us that Christians are looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus tells us, V:23, false prophets will come saying, the Messiah is here, or he’s there, or is coming on this date. Jesus says do not follow them.

There have always been people who’ve said. I’m the Messiah, come over here, follow me, I’m here to set up the kingdom on earth.

Everyone from, Edgar Whisnant, who said Jesus is going to come back in 1988. Harold camping predicted that Jesus would come back in May 2011. Jesus said no man knows the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come. No man, means no man, that means no NASA scientists, or preacher knows when Jesus is coming again.

We have Jonestown, and Waco, because someone said here is the kingdom, here is the Savior; and hundreds of people were deceived and died.

Jesus said one someone says the Messiah is over here, over there, or is coming on this day; do not be deceived; do not follow them!

Jesus coming is sure, the king came the first time, he tells us he is coming again. There’s a built-in anticipation in the heart of believers that Jesus coming again; the rise of false prophets, and

Date-setters tell us Jesus is coming again.

There’s a second truth Jesus shares with us about his coming.

2. Jesus Coming will be Sudden!

V:24-33.

When Jesus comes the second time we will not need anyone to tell us where he is, are what’s going on! Jesus tells us his second coming will be like a bolt of lightning that flashes around the entire globe.

Like lightning Jesus second coming will be sudden in appearance, obvious in its brightness, and will display the power and glory of God.

Here we are reminded that there is a difference, between the rapture of the church, and the second coming of Jesus.

I believe the order of events will happened this way.

The next event on God’s prophetic calendar is the rapture of the church. Followed by a seven year tribulation. At the end of the tribulation. Jesus will return to destroy the antichrist and the armies aligned against Israel; and he will set up his kingdom on this earth and rule and reign for 1000 years. The earth as we know it now will be destroyed, then the great White throne judgment will take place, and a new heaven and new earth will be created for all the righteous, which will last forever.

The rapture will be invisible to the world-

The second coming will be visible for all the world.

At the rapture, the Savior is returning with a shout.

At the second coming, the Savior is coming with the sword.

At the rapture, Jesus is going to stop in the sky.

At the second coming he’s coming all the way to the Mount of Olives.

At the rapture Jesus is going to come to take us out.

At the second coming Jesus is coming to take over.

Jesus tells us in, V:24.

a. It will be unmistakable!

The kingdom of God will come to this earth: with the triumphant and glorious return of Jesus Christ to the Mount of Olives. No one will have to say look here, look there… Every eye will see him in all of his glory and splendor! Like lightning!

-“Behold, he comes 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.

God’s in his word promises that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be a visible, literally event that will shake up the entire globe.

The book of Revelation goes on to tell us that Jesus will come riding a white horse, representing his conquest and victory.

He will have eyes like a flame of fire, as he judges his enemies and the enemies of Israel. His name is called faithful and true.

Back in the day; of black and white TV; when I watch Westerns, the only way you could tell the hero apart from the villain; the hero was the good guy wearing a white hat and riding a white horse.

One day the greatest hero of all will gallop out of heaven, on a white horse; he will not be wearing a white hat… Instead he will be wearing many crowns on his head because he’s the king of all kings, and Lord of all lords.

Jesus tells us that is what the second coming is going to be like.

Then Jesus says let me tell you about the first coming, V:25-Read.

Jesus says before I come in glory; there something I must accomplish to make it possible for you to be a part of that kingdom.

Before the crown, must come to the cross!

Jesus said, I’ve come this first time, to be rejected by this generation, and to suffer many things; once again Jesus was speaking about his crucifixion on the cross. He had already told his disciples two times in the book of Luke that he must be put to death by wicked men, and that he would die and rise again.

Jesus was telling them in order to establish the kingdom of his grace and salvation, he first had to die for sinners, taking upon himself the judgment that our sins deserved.

His kingdom could not come without his death on the cross for sinners!

If you want to be a part of the kingdom; you’ve got to come through the blood of the cross!

The entrance to the kingdom of God is by trusting that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus Christ; then the kingdom of God comes within you! And you can live with anticipation of the kingdom of God on this earth that is before you!

Were told when Jesus comes in the second coming not only will you have eyes that are a flame of fire, and many crowns on his head. But were told that he will be wearing a vest dipped in blood. There are those who believe that is a reference to the blood of his enemies. I believe the blood on his vest represents the precious blood that he shed for us on the cross of Calvary. His nail scarred hands, and nail scarred feet, and vest dipped in blood will be an eternal reminder that were a part of the kingdom, and enjoying the benefits of heaven because of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ! I’m about to shout!!!!!!

What a sight it is going to be when Jesus comes the second time in all of his power and glory!

Have you ever seen something, and said; “now that’s not something you see every day”?

Every atheist, liberal theologian, blaspheming comedian, skeptic, doubter, Christian killer, and God hater will see Jesus come in all of his glory and splendor.

Every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father.

Jesus coming will be Sudden.

It will be unmistakable.

b. It will be unexpected.

V:26-33.

The coming of Jesus will be so sudden, and unexpected; you won’t have time to get ready for it. In order to help us understand how sudden and unexpected his coming will be he gives us two examples from the Old Testament.

V:26-“As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.

Jesus goes on to tell us in, V:27, that in the days of Noah they were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage… Until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

It took Noah years to build the enormous ark. And while he was building the ark, he was preaching that judgment was coming, come into the ark. But people pay little attention to Noah’s preaching.

It was just business as usual:

“Hey, I’ve got to go to a wedding this afternoon”; “We’re having a dinner at our house tonight”; “We’re going for a few drinks after work”; “We’re having a baby in March”; “I’m takin’ the grandkids to the zoo”; “I finally made manager; my career’s finally starting’ to pick up.”

In Noah’s day, people went through life not thinking about God, they didn’t listen to want God had to say! The preaching of Noah didn’t change them one bit! He preached and preached and preached. He gave invitation after invitation. And then the last day of opportunity passed by, and someone, somewhere, felt the first raindrop that ever fell. Then the heavens opened up and the fountains of the great deep broke loose, and God closed the door to the ark, they were not prepared, but they should have been! But they just laughed at old Noah and called him a religious nut.

The people before the flood mocked the idea of a flood, but it happened. People will be mocking the return of Christ, but it will happen!

People will be living life as usual, sitting down to dinner, or walking the dog, watching television, putting the children down for the night.

Just simply going through the regular routine; when unexpectedly, suddenly, Jesus Christ will return! Are you ready? Try to tell people that Jesus is coming again, they will laugh at you: but don’t forget they laughed at Noah to.

You need to stop laughing and start listening! The only way to get ready for the coming of Jesus, is by putting your faith and trust in Jesus for salvation; that you might be a part of the kingdom of God; when the king comes.

The second example is the days of Lot, V:28-30.

The days of Lot were characterized by flagrant sexual sins; amidst the regular routines of life. On the very day that God rained down fire from heaven the people were eating, drinking, buying stuff, selling stuff, planting gardens and building houses. And without warning, suddenly, unexpectedly the lightning of divine judgment struck; right in the middle of their daily life and routine. Again it will be the same way at the second coming of Jesus, people will be shopping at the mall, drinking coffee at the coffee shop, stuck in traffic, taking out the trash, surfing the Internet, and suddenly Jesus will come!

Will you be ready when Jesus comes?

Get ready today!

Jesus said when judgment falls there will be no time to go back and take care of unfinished business. V:31.

This was true when judgment fell on Jerusalem in A.D. 70, when the city was attacked by the Romans.

And when Jesus comes in the second coming the only thing that will matter is whether your soul is saved or not! Stuff and things won’t matter, at the second coming of Jesus!

Then Jesus gives us the short statement in,

V:32-“Remember Lot’s wife”.

Lot took his wife and family to Sodom and Gomorrah; because of money, and the good life, and lot lost his family and Sodom and Gomorrah. God sent angels to rescue Lot and his family; and the angels gave very specific instructions for their escape, they told them do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley, escape to the hills that should be swept away. But lots wife looked back, and she turned into a pillar of salt. ()

They had given them the warning to escape, to flee from the wrath to come; lots wife was on her way to safety, but she looked back, longing in her heart for the world of sin. Charles Spurgeon said about Lot’s wife she was almost saved, but not quite.

How tragic it would be to end up like lots wife: almost saved… But not quite. Where is your heart?

Are there still some things that bind your heart to this old sinful world; or have you repented, let go of everything that you might have Jesus, and the life that he promises to give. V:33, to save your life, make your life count for time and eternity you must give it away, lose it for Jesus sake, that you might have it forever.

Jesus shares a third truth about his coming:

3. Jesus Coming will bring Separation!

V:34-37.

When Jesus comes, both in the rapture and the second coming, he will make a separation. Some will be saved, while others will be lost.

What happens in these verses is both true for the rapture of the church, as well as the judgment that will come at the second coming.

-“Then we which are alive and remain shall be called up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord”.

The saved will be called up/which is the word rapture, and the unsaved will be left behind.

At the second coming, some will be taken in judgment, and some will be left behind.

But don’t miss the main point, Jesus is telling us there will be a division between those who are saved and those who are lost.

And this separation will divide even the closest earthly relationships.

· Families will be divided.

V:34-Read.

The fact your wife is a Christian, and loves Jesus and reads her Bible, prays and goes to church and serves the Lord; doesn’t mean you’re going to heaven with her. The only reason you come to church at all is because of her. Jesus does not live in your heart. He is not your king; you’re not in his kingdom; you’re your own king, and you sit on the throne of your kingdom. You think because you’re in bed with her when Jesus comes you can hang on to her and go to heaven. No way! You will roll over and she will be gone, and you will be left behind. And the tabloids at the checkout will say, aliens have abducted thousands.

Before I was saved, I used to go in peak in my parents room at night; because I was scared the rapture had happened, and I was left behind.

· Coworkers will be divided.

V:35-36.

You think because you work for a Christian company or for a Christian boss, with Christian people that makes you a Christian. You can be surrounded by Christian people, but if you’re not a Christian, when Jesus comes in the rapture, they’re going, and you’re not. You have never bowed your knee to Jesus in repentance and faith! You will be left behind, you will face judgment!

The only person to be with, is Jesus!

The only person who can get you into heaven’s gates is Jesus!

Today is the moment of opportunity to get ready for Jesus to come! Will you repent of your sins and trust in Jesus Christ and believe that he died on the cross for your sins? If you do you will be saved! Once we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior, we start praying for the people we know who need to come to Jesus. This means loving them for Jesus and talking straight with them about the gospel. Consider what will happen on the Day of Judgment to your husband or wife, to your coworkers, to your friends who sit next to you in class, or to your neighbor who lives next door.

Will they be lost when the time comes, or will they find safety in Jesus?

Jesus gives one last warning of coming judgment in, V:37-Read.

When Jesus comes in the second coming, it will be to the battle of Armageddon, where the armies of the Antichrist will be slaughtered, and the book of Revelation says the blood will flow 180 miles as high as the horses bridal, . And that the vultures will come and eat the flesh of the dead men in the Valley of Megiddo. It is a horrible beyond words to think about the death and carnage that will happen at the second coming of Jesus. And then Jesus will walk through the Eastern gate, and set up his kingdom on earth.

Will you this morning acknowledged Jesus Christ as your king, bow your knee in repentance and faith and become a part of God’s kingdom. That on that day when King Jesus comes again you will reign and rule with him in his earthly kingdom.