Advent & The Four Corners Of My Heart

The Four Corners Of My Heart

11/29/2020 Matthew 24:36-51 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means the “coming.” The Bible is divided into two parts. The Old Testament and the New Testament. The books of the Old Testament points to One who is going to come to put things right in the world in regards to our relationship to God. The advent they were looking forward to was the birth of Jesus Christ who would save them from their sin. We celebrate the first Advent every time we celebrate Christmas.

The New Testament looks forward to a second Advent. The second Advent involves one who is going to come who will both claim His people as His own, and will judge the nations. He will also judge those who have refused to yield their lives to Jesus. This is commonly called the second coming of Christ. Some may refer to it as the rapture.

If I were to tell you, that I heard from someone, that tomorrow you are going to receive a million dollars, what’s one of the things you would want to know? Most of us would want to know who it was that told me, that you were going to get a million dollars.

We know that if the person was not reliable, or was a liar, or was a lunatic, we could keep on doing whatever we were doing before we got the news. No matter how good the news might seem, if the source is unreliable, then the news just might be something they made up in their own head.

When you hear that Jesus is coming back, what comes to your mind? Unbelief-“I think that was just something the church made up.” Doubt-“If he was coming, he would surely have come by now.” Hope—"As bad as things are today, I hope He comes real soon”. Joy-“I’m doing all I can to have him say well done.”

Whether or not we should believe “Jesus is coming back” should hinge on who said this was going to happen. Was the person reliable who told us to expect it to happen? The person who introduced the doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus, was none other than Jesus Himself.

Even before he was crucified, Jesus told his enemies and his followers that he was going to die and be raised again after three days. Sure enough, Jesus was killed and three days later both his enemies and his followers acknowledged that he had risen from the dead.

If nothing else, Jesus proved that His words were reliable. If he told you that something was going to happen, you could be certain that it was going to happen. In our New Testament reading, Jesus stated plainly that he was going to return. He even tells us what signs to look for and what the world would be like prior to His return.

The only thing he does not tell us, is the moment at which it is going to happen. He lets us know that everyday people will be going about their business as usual. He gives us an accurate description of what will be taking place in our society.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV2011) 1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Why does Jesus go through with telling us that He is coming back? Why not just do it, in secret and get it over with?

Do you remember when you were a kid and your mother or father had to go to work or grocery shopping or somewhere. They told you, make sure you have the house clean, or the lawn cut, or the dishes washed before I get home. They told you that because they wanted the reunion that was going to take back to be a happy one.

Your parents were not thinking, “I sure hope they don’t do what I told them, because I can’t wait to get me a switch.” You were not thinking,” it doesn’t matter whether I do the chores or not, my parents love me and everything is cool whether I listen or not.”

You actually appreciated them telling you what was expected upon their arrival back at the house. You knew what it took to be in a good standing upon their arrival.

Jesus took the time to tell us about His second coming because He loves us and wants the second coming to be a time of joy and hope for us. He wants it to be the best of reunions. It’s like seeing someone you love, and you haven’t seen them for a long time.