Opening illustration: A pilot’s flying over a mountainous terrain, and as he’s flying, he looks down to see two vehicles driving down the highway. The first vehicle is a semi-trailer, pulling his load up and down that ol’ highway. The second vehicle is a sports car driven by a guy who’s got better things to do than be stuck behind a semi that can’t always maintain the speed limit up the mountain grades. Well, what the pilot can see that the drivers can’t is that there is no traffic coming the other way. The car could easily pass the truck with no danger. The problem is that neither the truck nor the car driver can see that. They can only see what’s immediately in front of them. They can’t see the big picture.
You see, we only see things from the perspective of the created, not the Creator. We don’t see the big picture. Only God does.
This morning we will be looking into God’s Word to get a godly and biblical perspective of Christ’s second coming (return).
Introduction: About 1/3 of the Bible is prophecy ... Both the Old and New Testaments are full of promises about the return of Jesus Christ. Over 1800 references appear in the O.T., and seventeen O.T. books give prominence to this theme. Of the 260 chapters in the N.T., there are more than 300 references to the Lord’s return--one out of every 30 verses. Twenty-three of the 27 N.T. books refer to this great event...For every prophecy on the first coming of Christ, there are 8 on Christ’s second coming."
1. Will Christ come?
(a) The Good News
Most people do not believe Jesus Christ will return to earth. Considering that Christians are a minority of inhabitants of the world, this fact is obvious. What is surprising is that in the United States, where the majority of the population professes Christianity, only some six out of 10 believe in the second coming. Those who do believe that Jesus will come again are further divided over whether it will be a literal return. Many think that good people, through the leadership of the church, will bring about a utopian age, making it unnecessary for Jesus to actually come down from heaven. From this perspective, many believe He will return only symbolically. The people of the Islamic faith believe that Christ will return and then become a Muslim, quite absurd. The Jews believe the Messiah has yet to come, so far He has not even come once, thus refuting Christ to be the Lord, God and Messiah. For them deliverance means a physical one. The Hindu scriptures talk about Christ’s death on the tree for salvation of the world, but they just don’t see it. Jesus repeatedly said that no one would know the day nor hour of His second coming (Matthew 24: 36, 50; 25: 13). Of course, that hasn’t prevented many from trying their hand at prediction. Many well-intentioned religious figures have set dates, prophesying Christ’s return at various times over the centuries. Those dates have all passed without the great event taking place. Was the promise of Jesus’ return simply an empty pledge, a vain attempt to foster hope in weak people who need the crutch of the hopeful expectation inherent in the gospel message? Was Jesus merely a great leader who imparted to mankind lofty humanitarian ideals? Or can we believe in the literal return of Jesus Christ?
(b) The plan and prophecies from the beginning
Past Reputation ~
• Micah 5: 2; Isaiah 9: 6; Matthew 2: 6 ~ the first coming (birth) of Christ as a Savior.
Present-Future Reputation ~
Isaiah prophesied extensively of Christ’s first and second comings. Many of Isaiah’s words do not apply to Christ’s first coming.
• Daniel 7: 13; Matthew 16: 27; 24: 30; 26: 64; Zechariah 12: 10; Revelation 1: 7; John 19: 37; Mark 13: 26; 14: 62; Luke 21: 27 ~ second coming as a Judge.
Illustration: Out of 453 prophecies about the Coming of Jesus, 196 told about His FIRST Coming. On the day that He was crucified, every one of those 196 prophecies had been fulfilled. If there are 453 prophecies in the Old Testament about the Coming of Jesus and 196 were fulfilled at His first coming that leaves 257 signs left to be fulfilled for His SECOND Coming. The Lord doesn’t want us to be in the dark when it comes to prophecy for these end times. He wants us to be watching. Mt. 25:13 says, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."
2. Why will He come?
The answer isn’t mystical or obscure. In fact, it’s quite plain when we just look. The Bible gives the answer, although it’s not popularly accepted. God inspired the prophet Hosea to write: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you . . .” (Hosea 4: 6). Here we see an important principle at work. God cuts off understanding when we cut off our willingness to understand. This is the straightforward message of Hosea 4: 6. God says people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Why do they lack knowledge? Because they have rejected knowledge. The problem isn’t that the knowledge is not available or that it’s unclear; it is that the knowledge is rejected. Jesus Himself said His second coming is certain. After describing the earth-shaking events that will precede His return, He adds: “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24: 30-31).
The apostle Paul further describes this gathering of the elect: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17). Paul explains that at Christ’s return “the dead in Christ will rise first.” Accompanying them will be those “who are alive and remain”: the faithful followers of Christ who are alive at that time. What else happens at the time of this resurrection, and what happens to Christ’s followers who are still alive? Paul gives more details in 1 Corinthians 15. “Now I say this, brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality” (verses 50-53, New American Standard Bible, emphasis added throughout). Paul is clear about this resurrection: The dead are to be raised imperishable, and Christ’s faithful followers who are alive at the time will be changed. God will instantaneously transform them from perishable to imperishable, mortal to immortal. Those in this resurrection, and those who are “changed,” will be “raised in incorruption,” “raised in power,” “raised a spiritual body” (verses 42-44, NKJV). God gives them eternal life at Christ’s return, not before His return. How can some ignore, as they preach that the Kingdom of God is already here, Isaiah’s statement that a time will come when a lion and a wolf will lie down with a lamb and a calf, and a child will lead them? (Isaiah 11:6).
3. How will He return?
A good place to begin understanding how Christ will return is to note how He left. After a discussion with His disciples concerning the Kingdom of God (Acts 1: 3), we read that “when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’” (Acts 1: 9-11). Though Jesus will return in a way similar to His departure, there is one distinction about His second coming that Jesus Himself (Revelation 1: 1) revealed to John: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him . . .” (verse 7).
Jesus’ return will be a public event; everyone will see Him. Besides the spectacular sight of the returning Christ, the apostle Paul identifies other miraculous events that will accompany this historic event. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17). Nothing is going to happen in secret as every eye will See Him. [Revelation 1: 7]
4. Where will He touchdown?
This will take place at Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives, where He will first set foot on earth (Zechariah 14: 1-4). The apostle John recorded a vision of Jesus at His return. Shocking to the sensibilities of some, it clearly identifies Christ as prepared to wage war. “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19: 11-16). This picture is strikingly different from the loving, peaceful demeanor most often associated with Jesus. Since the purpose of the Kingdom of God is to bring about peace for the world (Isaiah 9: 7), why does it begin with warfare? After all, one third of mankind will have already been killed in the events leading up to Christ’s return (Revelation 9: 15, 18).
5. Can we know when Christ will return?
Jesus plainly stated that no one can know the day or hour He will return (Matthew 24: 36, 44; 25: 13; Acts 1: 6-7). We may recognize the general period when conditions are right for Him to return (Matthew 24: 32-33), but no person will be able to determine the day. Why won’t God let us know the day? Perhaps it is because, if we knew the time, we would lose our focus. The Scriptures teach us that we must be continually centered on this reality. Jesus told us to be alert, spiritually awake, aware and diligent (Matthew 24: 42-44; 25: 13; Mark 13: 33, 35, 37; Luke 21: 34-36). Even though the everyday routines of life will always require our attention, Christ told us to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6: 33) and pray, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6: 10). We are not to lose sight of that future reality.
Even though we may not know the exact date of Christ’s return but according to Matthew 24: 32-33 if you are wise and have godly discernment, you will surely know the season of the second coming of Christ.
Illustration: In his autobiography, Just as I Am, Billy Graham tells about a conversation he had with John F. Kennedy shortly after his election:
“On the way back to the Kennedy house, the president-elect stopped the car and turned to me. ‘Do you believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?’ he asked.
‘I most certainly do.’ ‘Well, does my church believe it?’ ‘They have it in their creeds.’
‘They don’t preach it,’ he said. ‘They don’t tell us much about it. I’d like to know what you think.’ I explained what the Bible said about Christ coming the first time, dying on the Cross, rising from the dead, and then promising that he would come back again. ‘Only then,’ I said, ‘are we going to have permanent world peace.’ ‘Very interesting,’ he said, looking away. ‘We’ll have to talk more about that someday.’ And he drove on.”
Several years later, the two met again, at the 1963 National Prayer Breakfast.
“I had the flu,” Graham remembers. “After I gave my short talk, and he gave his, we walked out of the hotel to his car together, as was always our custom. At the curb, he turned to me. ‘Billy, could you ride back to the White House with me? I’d like to see you for a minute.’ ‘Mr. President, I’ve got a fever,’ I protested. ‘Not only am I weak, but I don’t want to give you this thing. Couldn’t we wait and talk some other time?’ It was a cold, snowy day, and I was freezing as I stood there without my overcoat. ‘Of course,’ he said graciously.” But the two would never meet again. Later that year, Kennedy was shot dead. Graham comments, “His hesitation at the car door, and his request, haunt me still. What was on his mind? Should I have gone with him? It was an irrecoverable moment.”
Conclusion: The second coming of Christ is imminent and irrevocable. It is a literal return of Christ accompanied by His saints and angels enveloped in clouds, which will apparently be visible to every single being. Do you have any people on your mind who you really love and care about? Do they know Christ as their Savior and Lord? Are there some you know who don’t have a clue of what they are up against? Time to tell them! You might regret not letting them know about Christ at the right time. It is time you go for it. When the prophets prophesied about Christ’s first coming, they weren’t wrong. Christ Himself and the prophets even prophesied about His second coming. If their first prophecy was right on dot, why not the second? May all glory and praise belong to God alone. He alone is to be exalted and focused upon. There is nothing in this world as important as Him. Are you ready?
