Jesus is Coming

This is our last week in our sermon series “We Believe” where we have been studying of our church’s statement of faith. This series has afforded us the chance to examine what we, corporately believe as a church and through that study, to strengthen our faith. This morning, I want to look at the last line in our statement of faith - the one about Jesus’ return. It’s a theology that most of us hold to, but many of us don’t really look forward to it. Why? Because too many Christians live their lives by fear, instead of faith. We are afraid that when Jesus comes back, it means the “END OF THE WORLD.” We are afraid that when Jesus comes back, we will be separated from our friends and families. We are afraid that when Jesus comes back, it means we are going to miss out on some parts of life that we were looking forward to.

Story about Joel T.

FOMO - fear of missing out is a deep issue for us that can lead us to make unwise decisions in our lives as well as, ironically, miss out on the joy that contentment through faith gives us. Instead of being driven by your fears, let your faith drive your life, including your faith that Jesus will return.

Jesus will return (Main idea)

The New Testament makes it abundantly clear in over 300 references that Jesus will come back. Jesus declares it himself in Matthew 24:30

Matthew 24:30 NLT

And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Throughout history, people have claimed to be Jesus returned. Jim Jones, who organized a mass murder/suicide in Jonestown in 1978, claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus. David Koresh proclaimed the he was “the final prophet” and “the Son of God, the lamb” and in 1993, during a raid on their compound in Waco, Texas, Koresh burned himself, 54 other adults and 21 children to death. Charles Manson thought he was the reincarnation of Jesus.Todd Kincannon, a former politician in the US, was arrested in 2018 for killing and mutilating his mother’s dog. He claimed to police he was the second coming of Jesus Christ and that God had told him to do it, because “every 1,000 years there needs to be a sacrifice and blood must be spilt."

To be sure, not everyone who makes the claim is a mass murderer, but in every case, they get the whole idea wrong. Not only do none of them actually act like Jesus did when he was on earth, when it comes to his return, it won’t be a reincarnation into someone else’s body. His return won’t even be similar to his first coming, when he was born of Mary. In the Acts 1:11, Luke recounts an angelic encounter the disciples had.

Acts 1:11 NIV

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Jesus’ return will be obvious and visible to humanity and the biblical truth of Jesus’ return is important for us to understand so we don’t fall for the charismatic strategies of people who may try to manipulate us into following them because they claim to be Jesus returned. No, we can rest assured that when the real Jesus shows up again, there will be no confusion as to who he is. Everyone will see and acknowledge who Jesus is.

But what’s going to happen when Jesus comes back? The rest of our statement unpacks that idea, starting with the return of Jesus will bring about the resurrection of the dead.

Bring about the resurrection of the dead

I’m not sure you how you feel about them, but I have a “love/hate” relationships with cliffhangers in shows or movies. As fans of the marvel movies and shows, we recently finished the show “Loki” on Disney+ . Seeing the complex, but entertaining character from the Thors and the Avenger movies get his own show, which added to his complexity and depth was an enjoyable experience. But the show, in its final episode, ends on a cliffhanger and we are left what it will mean to Loki and to the greater Marvel universe as a whole. But then, hope abounded when, in an after credit scene, we are told Loki will return for a second season. Whew!!

I hate cliffhangers because I like it when something finishes and wraps up neatly. But I love them as well because they give me hope because I know there is more to the story than what I have experienced so far.

For those of us in the Christian faith, death is the ultimate cliffhanger for us. We call the time between our death and our future resurrection the “intermediate state” because it is incomplete. Those who haven’t studied what the Bible actually teaches about death and what happens after may believe that when we die, we go to “heaven.” This isn’t the full picture. In our intermediate state, we are spirit but we are without body, awaiting the great and glorious day when Jesus returns and brings about the resurrection of the dead. Just like how Jesus redeems our hearts and transforms it from being a heart of stone to a heart of flesh according to the prophet Jeremiah and how Jesus transforms our nature when Paul tells us that...

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

so too, God redeems our bodies. Paul writes

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NLT

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

Paul’s desire here is to give grieving Christians hope by teaching them what happens when we die. For us, death is not the final word. It’s the middle act of the play, if you will. If we were to leave the story at death, then despair and insignificance may overtake us. But it’s not the end of the story, it’s just the cliffhanger. When Jesus returns, he will bring about the resurrection of the dead. Not a re-animation of our previous bodies though, but a transformation into something suitable for the eternal and glorious life that awaits those of us in Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:51–53 NLT

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

What a hope and promise. Most of us are acutely aware of how our bodies are deteriorating. Every morning, I wake up and I stretch my arms and my elbows crack. I put my feet on the floor and my knees crack. I bend over to tie my shoes or cut my toenails and find I am holding my breath for some reason. And yes, there is a health aspect to some of that, but even the healthiest person experiences the deterioration of their body. But praise be to God because when Jesus comes back, he will bring about the resurrection of the dead where we will get new bodies that will never degrade, never get weak, that will never experience the ravages of cancer, of Crohn’s disease, of COVID. We will receive new bodies that last forever. And I am believing by FAITH that mine will have a six-pack and full mane of glorious hair that would make Jonathan Van Ness from Queer Eye jealous. I name it and claim it, O Lord.

So what does the resurrection of the dead mean for us? Does it mean that I can eat all the Chick-fil-a that I want and that the only walking I need to worry about is my walk with the Lord because I am getting this new body? No. As much as I love Chick-fil-a and I don’t love exercising, what the Bible teaches is that this body I have now matters to God. Just as my soul mattered enough for Jesus to redeem me through his death and resurrection, so too does my body matter enough that Jesus is coming to redeem it. So, just as I care for my soul here and now with prayer, with studying the Bible, and with fellowship so that I might be better connected to Jesus, so too, should I care for my body with diet and exercise so that I can minister to others in his name. That’s why I have taken up biking lately - trying to get in a little better shape, not for my ego, but for the sake of the kingdom. We have to be people who take care of our bodies and not abuse them, not for vanity’s sake, but because of our love and adoration of God and to him, our bodies matter.

When Jesus returns, he will bring about the resurrection of the dead. He will also bring about the judgment of all people.

Bring about the judgment of all people

Nobody really likes the idea of judgment. What we all want is rainbows and puppies and happiness for everyone. But that’s not reality, here or after Jesus returns. Starting with the book of Genesis, when God expels Adam and Eve from the Garden because of their sin, and throughout the rest of the Bible, we see God acting as the judge over all creation.

Romans 14:10–12 NLT

So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance praise to God.’ ” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

God will judge each person who has ever lived, including you and including me. No one escapes this process. And what does God judge us by? The criteria of his judgment will be our thoughts, our words, our motives and our actions.

Romans 2:16 NIV

This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Matthew 12:36 NIV

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Whether we like it or not, judgment is coming for all of humanity, both the Christians and everyone else. But I must confess that I wonder what is the nature of this judgment? I mean, if we are already saved by our faith in Jesus, why are we going to be judged? Terry Tiessen, author of a commentary on our statement of faith answers that question well.

The point of the judgment is not to decide our destiny; that is already settled at the point of death. In fact, the eternal destinies of the saved have been predetermined from eternity (Eph 1:4). So our destiny becomes apparent at the moment of our deaths, in the intermediate state, but the judgment day is a day of revelation, when the basis upon which the judgment was made about us is revealed.

So when we stand in judgment before God, it’s not about God determining “Yes” or “No” as to who gets into heaven. That answer is already determined. On judgment day, the answer is revealed - as is the reason for the answer. For those who reject Jesus as their saviour, judgment day will show them exactly why they are getting the punishment they deserve but for those of us in Christ, God’s judgment will be a time spent in thankful worship as we realize the extent of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

When we think of judgment day, although it should make us worship God in anticipation of understanding the fullness of his grace, it should also make us think through our lives here. It should make us want to please God through the words we speak, the thoughts we think, and the lives we lead.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable. He says,

Matthew 25:14–30 NLT

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

May we use the life God gives us for his glory and hear those blessed words on judgment day, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Jesus’ return brings about the resurrection of the dead and judgment for all people. It also brings about the consummation of God’s kingdom.

Bring about the consummation of God’s kingdom

When the angel Gabriel came to a young woman named Mary and declared to her that she would give birth to God’s son, he said about Jesus that

Luke 1:32–33 NIV

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Jesus’ kingship is firmly established in the New Testament and Christians around the world today still recognize him as not only their king, but as the KING OF KINGS; the one who rules over all creation. Even Jesus’s preaching ministry was focussed around the concept of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of Heaven. In fact, it is the primary thing he speaks about because abundant life is not found anywhere else. Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven at least 126 times in just the four gospels because he knows that the most-satisfying life - the life that is full of abundance - is the life that is fully surrendered to Jesus as his or her king.

Jesus’ kingdom though has an "ALREADY” and "NOT YET” aspect to it.

Luke 17:20–21 NIV

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

One aspect to the kingdom is the current state where the kingdom is the rule and reign of Jesus in the hearts, minds and lives of his followers. It is an invisible kingdom in that it is fully spiritual. It’s about our surrendering of our lives, our plans and even our desires to serve God. In that sense, the kingdom came when Jesus was baptized and began his ministry on earth. But there is another aspect to the kingdom. The “NOT YET” - the kingdom that is to come. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he told them to

Matthew 6:9–10 NLT

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

This future aspect to the kingdom where Jesus’ rule and reign will become visible happens when Jesus returns. According to the scriptures, God will create a new heaven and new earth. This is not a new thing that did not exist, but he makes our earth new again - free from sin, destruction, disease and death so that we might live forever in the way that we were always supposed to. It’s the restoration of Eden over the whole earth for us to enjoy forever. We should, as Paul says, “wait with eager hope for that day.”

But for here and now, how does this view of the future help us? First, it should give us hope that it will not always be this way. Reading the news lately - the unrest, the wars, the injustices, and the catastrophe’s that permeate every headline - weigh on me heavily. But I find hope for the future and strength for my soul when I remember that there is a day coming where humanity will live peacefully with an abundance of justice and equity for all forever under the rule and reign of our Triune God.

Second, just as God redeems my soul and my body and therefore they matter to him and I should care for them, so too, God will redeem our planet and therefore I have a responsibility to do my part to care for it. Look for ways that you can make an impact, even a small one in caring for our environment because God has called us to steward this resource in his name.

Third, it reminds me to check inward to evaluate my actions and reactions, to review how I spend my resources and to think about what I think about all with the idea of better aligning my life to the rule and reign of Jesus in my life. Is Jesus my figurehead king, that is there, but doesn’t impact me, or have I truly surrendered my life to him and made him my functional king?

We believe Jesus Christ will return, bringing about the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of all people, and the consummation of God’s glorious eternal kingdom.

Conclusion

In October, 1864, just before Union General William Sherman commenced his famous march to the sea, while his army lay camped in the neighbourhood of Atlanta, the confederate army led by John Bell Hood, sneaked past the right flank of Sherman’s army, and gaining his rear, they commenced the destruction of the railroad leading north, burning block-houses and capturing the small garrisons along the line.

Sherman’s army was put in rapid motion in order to save the supplies and larger posts, the principal of which was located at Altoona Pass. General John Murray Corse, was stationed there with a brigade of troops, numbering about 1,500 men. At this depot, a million and a half of rations were stored there, and so it was highly important that the military post that guarded the Pass and protected the supplies should be held.

Six thousand men, under command of Gen. William French, were detailed by General Hood to take the post. Soon, the union soldiers guarding the post were completely surrounded and summoned to surrender. General Corse refused, and sharp fighting commenced. The union defenders were slowly driven into a small fort upon the crest of the hill by the confederate army that outnumbered them five to one. Hopelessness began to set into those soldiers. At this moment an officer caught sight of a white signal flag, far away across the valley, upon the top of Kenesaw Mountain. The signal was answered, and soon the message was waved across from mountain to mountain: The message: “Hold the Fort; I am coming. W. T. Sherman.”

Cheers went up, the men took courage; and under a murderous fire, which killed or wounded more than half the men in the fort, they held the enemy at bay for three hours, until the advance guard of Sherman’s army came up, and General French was obliged to retreat.

Sometimes, life feels like a battle. A battle to overcome sin. A battle to overcome fear. A battle to overcome apathy. And sometimes, it feels like it’s easier to give up in the fight. But stand strong brothers and sisters - hold the fort - because one day, the Lord is coming and when he does, all will be made right.