He's Coming Back

We live in a world where most people are ignorant to the fact or have no clue about the return of Jesus Christ. If they were told that Jesus was returning one day, they would call you crazy and tell you to quit believing in fairytales. The world carries on as if this life and earth as we know it will continue on forever. There is no sense of urgency to get one’s house in order. Then there are those who somewhat believe that Christ will return, but they feel as though they have all the time in the world to get right. The times are changing and things just aren’t like they use to be.

For ages sin has crawled and meandered through the hearts and lives of men. The first man and woman to live on this earth fell victim to sin and its consequences, which have resulted in every human being to be born in sin. But sin has not yet climaxed, or has reached its full potential although it steadily increases over time. Although sin has run rampant throughout the history of mankind, there was a time that things didn’t seem as bad as they are now.

Do you remember the time when one could leave their front door, back door, and windows unlocked or open throughout the entire night, and not have to worry about their safety? It was like leaving your wallet or purse in crowded shopping mall alone for hours, and come back to find everything still in place. What about the time when mommy nem (this word nem includes your mother and everybody she knew) had the right to discipline you without having charges pressed against them? No matter what side of town you were on, whether mommy or daddy was around or not, you better had been on your best behavior. Since its youth Sunday let me speak to them as well. There was a time when young people walked pass adults and spoke to them before that adult even had a chance to get a word out of their mouth. But now you have to speak to them first and that’s after they’ve already passed you by, and you’re lucky if you get a response from them.

So you see things just aren’t like they use to be. Times have changed, because leaving your home unlocked is a costly and sometimes deadly mistake these days. Discipline, where? That was thrown out of the window at the same time you decided to throw out your eight tracks and records. What has happened over the years? We continue to hear the phrase that has gained popularity, “What is the world coming to?” People are crazier than ever, natural disasters pay the earth a visit every year. Peace has become rare and sometimes non-existent in some countries. What is this world coming to?

We have to face the fact that we’re living in the last days. We’re living in a time where we are beginning to witness the fulfillment of some of the signs that Christ said would happen before His return. Although no man knows the day or hour that Christ will return, not even the angels in heaven, but we can be assured that Christ, without of shadow of a doubt, is coming back.

I know this isn’t popular preaching, but it’s needed, not only does world act as if this isn’t going to happen, but sometimes the church seems as though this isn’t the next major event on prophetic calendar.

Well, if Christ is returning, if He’s coming back, when did He leave? In our first passage in the book of Acts, we find Jesus preparing His disciples for His departure and also to receive the Holy Spirit. After Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to the disciples on several occasions. It was necessary for Jesus to appear to the disciples so that they could be witnesses that Christ was raised from the dead, and it is because of His resurrection that we as Christian have the victory. But if the disciples had not seen the risen Christ, how could they preach with passion, what would they have to build there hope in? While Jesus was here on earth forty days after His resurrection, He continued to teach the disciples and open up their minds to understanding the scriptures.

Now it was time for Jesus to be seated on the right hand of the Father. Jesus reminded them of the work they had to do as he physically left their presence. After the disciples received the power of the Holy Spirit, they were to be witnesses throughout the world, telling a dying world that Christ lives and that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. When Jesus finished speaking to His disciples, He was taken up and a cloud hid Him from their sight. As the disciples stood there gazing at the sky, two angels stood by them and promised them that the same way they saw Jesus taken up into heaven, the same way He will come back one day.