Glory Of The 2nd Coming Series

Reading: John chapter 14 verse 1-6.

This is our last but one study in the series ‘The Glory of Christ’”.

• We have covered:

• Glory in his Childhood – Jesus was a boy aged 12.

• Glory by the River – his baptism.

• Glory in the Wilderness – his temptation.

• Glory at the Wedding – his first miracle (water into wine).

• Glory in Confession – his challenge to the disciples (“Who do you say that I am?”)

• Glory on the Mountain – his transfiguration.

• Glory in the Triumphal Entry – his entry into Jerusalem (only time he allowed a display of pubic worship)

• Glory in the Upper Room – he broke read and explained the significance of his death.

• Glory on the Cross – he made the ultimate sacrifice.

• Glory in the Resurrection – he conquered death & proved he was the Son of God.

• Glory in the Departure – his ascension,

Not one of us (not even Mrs Fielder senior as she fast approaches another birthday):

• None of us were eyewitnesses of any of those events;

• We have studied those events;

• But none of us saw any of those manifestations of the glory of Christ!

• Because they are historical, they took place 2,000 years ago!

• Yes they were important, yes they were worth studying, Yes they are still relevant for today;

• The fact remains that they are historical events, they happened & now they are finished!

Note:

• Yet the most magnificent display of Christ’s glory is still yet to happen.

• And this time it will not be to a few thousand people in faraway Palestine.

• When the next magnificent display of Christ’s glory appears;

• It will be witnessed by billions!

• At his first coming those who witnessed it caught small glimpses of his glory,

• At his second coming those who witness it will see it in cosmic proportions.

Ill:

When General Douglas MacArthur was at Army training college, he tells this story:

• The first section was studying the time-space relationship;

• Later formulated by Einstein as his Theory of Relativity.

• The text was complex and, being unable to comprehend it,

• I committed the pages to memory.

• When I was called upon to recite,

• I solemnly reeled off almost word for word what the book said.

• Our instructor, Colonel Fieberger, looked at me somewhat quizzically and asked,

• “Do you understand this theory?”

• It was a bad moment for me, but I did not hesitate in replying, “No, sir.”

• You could have heard a pin drop. I braced myself and waited.

• And then the slow words of the professor:

• “Neither do I, Mr. MacArthur. Section dismissed.”

• Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Reminiscences;

• Recalling a stratagem he carried out while at West Point.

Well I am not out to confuse you with complicated theories:

• Ill: Tony Campolo:

• “I am on the welcoming committee not the planning!”

• But we are going to briefly look at an important New Testament teaching;

• That is ‘The Second Coming’.

‘The 2nd Coming’ is a term applied to the literal return of Jesus Christ to planet earth.

• If there is a second coming,

• Then it follows that there must have been a first.

• The first coming of Christ was His incarnation when He was born.

• And each year virtually the whole world will celebrate this event.

• Although under communism, some countries denied this first coming;

• No serious historian today would doubt the historical existence of Jesus!

• But what about his second coming?

• Will there be a second coming and if so how and why?

Question 1: Will he come again?

Answer 1: The answer to that first question is yes, he will come again!

• If you believe the Bible, then the second coming of Jesus is a fact in future history;

• It is not a question of ‘WILL HE’ but ‘WHEN WILL HE’ come again!

Ill:

Biblical prophecy:

• Just as the Old Testament is saturated with prophecies concerning Christ’s first advent,

• So both testaments are filled with references to the second coming of Christ.

• One scholar has estimated that there are 1,845 references;

• To Christ’s second coming in the Old Testament, where 17 books give it prominence.

• In the 260 chapters of the New Testament,

• There are 318 references to the second advent of Christ;

• An amazing 1 out of every 30 verses.

• Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event.

• For every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ’s first advent,

• There are 8 which look forward to His second!