Jesus Is the Returning Son of God

Jn 12:34(NIV)--(34) The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

Several weeks ago I began talking about, "Knowing The Real Jesus?" I believe a person has to be right about Jesus. If you are not right about Jesus you cannot be saved. I know that is strong statement, but you can't be wrong about Jesus. I have no doubts or reservations about what the Bible says about Jesus.

·        When it declares that Jesus is the eternal Son of God, I believe it.

·        When it says that Jesus is the virgin born Son of God, I believe it.

·        When it says that Jesus is the miracle working Son of God, I believe it.

·        When it says that Jesus is the sinless Son of God, I believe it.

·        When it says that Jesus is the crucified, resurrected and ascended Son of God, I believe it!

·        When it describes Him as the interceding and heaven preparing Son of God, I believe it.

·        When it says  that Jesus is a God of Love and Wrath I believe it.

·        The Bible is about Jesus and Jesus is who the Bible says He is.

Today, I want us to see Jesus as the returning Son of God. What a way to end a series! In the scripture we looked at last week as we thought about Jesus as the heaven preparing Son of God, Jesus made this promise, Jn 14:3(NIV)--(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

There are people who want us to believe Jesus is not coming back. Satan wants us to believe it is not now that we have plenty of time.

You hear this today quite a bit. It is just a way for people to say that some preachers and churches are out of date and unenlightened. Old fogies you might say. Well, I am in that group and proudly so. I'm in the group that does not see the Second Coming as just some story from apocalyptic literature or just a Bible metaphor. I'm in the old school that sees it as a Bible truth. Jesus will come again. He is the returning Son of God. There is a day when just as He promised, He will come again.

I)                  Realize The Truthful Message Of Our Lord’s Return

Alexander Maclaren said, "The primitive church thought more about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ than about death or about heaven. The early Christians were looking not for a cleft in the ground called a grave but for a cleavage in the sky called Glory. They were watching not for the undertaker but for the uppertaker."

The early church firmly believed in the return of Jesus Christ. They lived each day believing that Jesus would come again. Why were they looking for the uppertaker rather than the undertaker? Jesus had said He would return and they believed His promise.

Now, when I think about the promise Jesus made that He would come again, I am mindful of:

A)    The Mystery Concerning the Time of His Return

1)      Jesus said He would come again but left no time frame

Mt 24:36(NIV) --(36) “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

a)      We have this idea about knowing every thing

b)      We won’t

2)      Jesus tells us

Mt 25:13(NIV)--(13) “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

3)      I don’t understand why people try to figure the date

In 1988 Edgar C. Whisenant, then fifty-six, a retired NASA rocket engineer living in Little Rock, Arkansas, published a paperback booklet titled 88 Reasons "Why the Rapture Will Be in 88." The publisher, a firm in Santa Rosa, California, claimed they sold or gave away over six million copies. The book predicted that the rapture would occur on September 11, 12, or 13, 1988. When the event failed to rake place, Whisenant found a slight error in his calculations, and moved the date ahead to September 1, 1989. Of course he was wrong the second time. Jesus made it very clear that we could not set a date for the Lord's return.

B)    The Certainty Concerning the Truth of His Return

Jn 14:3(NIV)--(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Ac 1:11(NIV)--(11) “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.”

In 1947 on the cover of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist there appeared for the first time its famous clock that has become known as the "Doomsday Clock." The clock has marked nuclear danger, reflecting international tensions and development. Since 1947 the clock has moved forward and backward.

·        In 1947 when it first appeared it showed a clock with hands reading 7 minutes until midnight.

·        In 1949, after the Soviets exploded it first nuclear bomb the clock read 3 minutes to midnight.

·        In 1953, after the United States successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, it read 2 minutes until midnight.

·        In the past few years the clock has moved backward.

·        In 1991 after the U.S. and Russia signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the clock was reset to 17 minutes to midnight.

·        In 1998, India and Pakistan tested a series of nuclear devices and it was reset to 9 minutes to midnight.

·        In 2004, the clock is set to 7 minutes to midnight.

·        The clock has moved a total of 18 times

·        On Jan. 18, this year it moved closer than ever before 2 minutes to midnight

1)      If we look at God's prophetic clock, from all indications, His return is getting very close.

2)      There is no way we are able to set a date, but everything seems to say it won't be long before He returns.

Lk 21:28(NIV)--(28) When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

William McDonald in his "Believer's Bible Commentary" lists several things as an indication that the Lord's return may be near:

1. The formation of the State of Israel in 1948.

2. The rise of many other nations.

3. The return of Israel to their land in unbelief.

4. The ecumenical movement.

5. The world-wide increase in Spiritism.

6. The drastic decline of moral standards.

7. Violence and civil disobedience.

8. People with a form of godliness but denying its power.

9. The rise of the anti-Christian spirit.

10. The tendency for nations to confederate along lines that approximate the line-up of the latter day.

11. Denial of the impending intervention of God in the affairs of the world by way of judgment.

All these things seem to indicate that our Lord's return is near. Now, we may not know exactly when, but we know that He will return. That is His promise. 

II)              Realize The Thrilling Moment Of Our Lord’s Return

1 Th 4:16-20(NIV)--(16) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. --(17) After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. --(18) Therefore encourage each other with these words.

A)    A Promise That Is Realized

1)      The Lord Himself shall descend. The Lord will personally come back.

2)      Notice 3 sounds

·        First, the Lord will descend with a Loud Command. It is like a military command that describes a commander calling his troops to fall in.

·        Secondly, there will be heard "the voice of the archangel." Whoever this archangel is, his voice will be heard with the shout of the Lord.

·        Thirdly, there will be heard "the trumpet call of God."

1)      Trumpets were used in Scripture for many reasons.

a)      They sounded at Israel's feasts, celebrations, and convocations.

b)      They were also used to sound an alarm in time of war or for any other reason it was necessary to gather a crowd or make an announcement.

B)    A People That Are Removed

Ac 8:39(NIV)--(39) When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

Just like Philip, one moment we are seen and the next we are missing.

·        A few years ago I saw an imaginary newspaper that was written from the perspective of what newspapers might be saying the day after the rapture. One imaginary headline read:

MILLIONS MISSING AROUND THE WORLD: At 12:05 last night a telephone operator reported three frantic calls regarding missing relatives.  Within fifteen minutes all communications were jammed with similar inquiries.  A spot check around the nation found the same situation in every city.  Sobbing husbands sought information about the mysterious disappearance of wives.  One husband reported, "I turned on the light to ask my wife if she remembered to set the clock, but she was gone.  Her bedclothes were there, her watch was on the floor...she just disappeared."  An alarmed caller from Brooklyn tearfully reported, "My husband just returned from the late shift...I kissed him...he just disappeared in my arms."

All major TV and radio networks canceled late programs and have been operating on a round the clock news service.  By 12:45 this morning mass hysteria had gripped the world.  No other explanation has been offered as yet. 

One day scenes like that will become a reality. Millions will be missing, and thank God, I will be one of them. Jesus will return just as He promised and every saved person dead or alive will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

One of the thrilling things about the Lord's return is that it will bring about a glorious reunion. The Bible says that dead will rise first. This is talking about those who have died in the Lord. Then those that are alive will be caught up. Then we are given one of the most precious words in all the Bible and that is the word, "together." The return of the Lord Jesus will bring about a glorious reunion. There will be a great family reunion!

III)           Realize How Tragic TO Miss Our Lord’s Return

As we saw earlier, only those that are saved will be caught up when Jesus returns. Tragically, not only will there be millions missing, but there will be millions upon millions that will be left behind. When I think about Jesus as the returning Son of God I am mindful of the urgent need for many to be saved so they will not be left behind.

If you are here today and are not ready for the Lord's return, there are two reasons why you need to get ready

A)    The Nearness of the Lord's Return

I think about two gas company servicemen that were out checking meters in a suburban neighborhood. They parked their truck at the end of the alley and worked their way to the other end. At the last house a woman looking out her kitchen window watched the two men as they checked her gas meter. Finishing the meter check, the senior supervisor challenged his younger co-worker to a footrace down the alley back to the truck to prove that an older guy could outrun a younger one.

 As they came running up to the truck, they realized the lady from that last house was huffing and puffing right behind them. They stopped immediately and asked her what was wrong. Gasping for breath, she replied, "When I see two gas men running as hard as you two were, I figured I'd better run too!"

·        I know what the devil says, "Oh, don't worry about it, you have plenty of time."

1)      Are you sure?

2)      How do you know you have plenty of time?

3)      Does the Bible indicate you have plenty of time or does it seem to indicate that your time is running out?

4)      In my opinion, it indicates time is running out and that Jesus is soon to come.

B)     The Sureness of the Lord's Return

I can't say that Jesus will come in my lifetime or yours, but this I can say with absolute confidence and certainty--HE WILL COME AGAIN! Because we do not know when He will come, then it stands to reason that you need to be saved now. He could come a hundred years from now or He could come this very day. His coming is sure, therefore, you need to be ready.