HoHum:
It seems like stores put out their Christmas merchandise earlier every year. Let’s start selling Christmas stuff in July, beat the holiday rush. Song by Brave Combo- The president was passing laws, Gave a call to Santa Claus He said, "get that toy machine on high. Economy is in a slump I know what could pick it up This year let's have Christmas in July" Oh, we'll have a christmas, a summer Christmas We'll have one fine fun-time unwinding In the sunshine Christmas Oh, we'll spend Yuletide, down by the poolside This year let's have Christmas in July.
How bizarre this would be. It would be bizarre for those who started the tradition of Advent and Christmas to see how we celebrate this today. Advent is observed in December. Advent means coming. During Advent we remember Jesus Christ first coming into this world. However, since Advent means coming, we also need to remember that Jesus Christ is coming again, the Second Coming. At the start of this tradition many remembered and celebrated Second Coming more than first. How bizarre to remember Christ’s first advent but to forget about His Second Advent.
WBTU:
Discussing the community of the church the past several months. Started in the past, in the OT and discussed the background of the community of the church. Working our way into the present and discussing struggles, trials and persecution. Now we are moving into the future.
We are going backwards. Last Sunday night talked about the new heaven and the new earth. We discussed briefly our ultimate eternal existence.
Christ’s return will serve as the transition- a grand, glorious transition- between the present creation and the new creation. Following His death and resurrection, Jesus commissioned His disciples. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “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.”” Acts 1:8-11, NIV.
Jesus had promised this return on multiple occasions. Later, as John’s vision in Revelation came to a close, Jesus promised 3 times in the Bible’s last chapter that He would return soon. Jesus last words in the Bible are recorded: “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Revelation 22:20, NIV.
Thesis: View the Second Coming with 3 images
For instances:
Christ returning as Emperor
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron sceptre.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16, NIV.
This image would have been vivid with John’s original readers. This image shares aspects with a Roman general returning from a decisive triumph over his enemies. White is a color of victory in the NT world. This goes back to when the Roman Senate granted Juilus Caesar permission to drive a chariot drawn by white horses through Rome to celebrate his victory. During such parades, Rome became a “city in white.” On that day, Everywhere white robes citzens were marching. Revelation pictures Jesus triumphant, and the armies of heaven dressed in white linens celebrating with their emperor.
At the Second Coming, “the dead in Christ will rise first. 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 for ever.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, NIV.
N.T. Wright describes how Paul’s original readers would have understood these words, and clarifies a common misunderstanding about our meeting the Lord in the air: When the emperor visited a colony or province, the citizens of that place would go to meet him at some length from the city. It would be insulting to have him arrive at the gates as through his subjects couldn’t be bothered to greet him properly. When they met him, they would escort him as he went about. When Paul speaks of “meeting the Lord in the air” the point is not- as in the popular rapture theology- that the save believers would then stay up in the air somewhere, away from earth. The point is having gone out to meet their returning Lord, they will escort him into His Eternal Kingdom.
Christ Returning as Bridegroom
The Bible pictures the church as the bride of Christ awaiting the return of Jesus, our bridegroom. In an ancient marriage ceremony, a bride and her attendants would prepare themselves then wait at the bride’s home for the arrival of the bridegroom. We see this in the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25: “The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.” Vs. 5, 10
As in the parable of the 10 virgins the bridegroom’s arrival brought great ceremony and festivity. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7, NIV.
Today’s marriage and wedding customs differ from those of the ancient world. However, anyone who has a blissful wedding understands the joy that comes from such occasions. One moment is highlighted in modern weddings: The organist begins the bridal march, and the congregation stands. All eyes dart to the back of the auditorium toward the bride, who after months of dress shopping and experimentation with hairstyles and makeup, beams. When that happens take a quick look back to the front, toward the front of the auditorium. Watch the groom’s eyes when he catches the first glimpse of his bride. He freezes, except for the corners of his lips, which turn slightly upward. The rest of the world melts into blurry obscurity as his eyes drink the beauty of his bride, his love.
In the same way, the bridegroom- the Lamb, the Messiah, the Son of God- longs for His bride with the same look in His eye. When we grow disgruntled with the church and focus only on the church’s faults, we need to turn toward the bridegroom and watch His eyes. In His eyes we discover nothing short of passion for His bride.
Joni Eareckson Tada, who since a driving accident as a teenager has lived from a wheelchair, wrote about the day of her wedding: “I felt awkward as my girlfriends strained to shift my paralyzed body into a cumbersome wedding gown. No amount of corseting and binding my body gave me a good shape. The dress just didn’t fit. Then, as I was wheeling into the church, I glanced down and noticed that I’d accidentally run over the hem of the dress, leaving a greasy tire mark. My paralyzed hands couldn’t hold the bouquet of daisies that lay off center on my lap. And my chair, though decorated for the wedding, was still a big, clunky gray machine with belts, gears, and ball bearings. I certainly didn’t feel like the picture perfect bride in a bridal magazine. I inched my chair closer to the last pew to catch a glimpse of Ken in front. There he was, standing tall and stately in his formal attire. I saw him looking for me, craning his neck to look up the aisle. My face flushed, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to be with him. I had seen my beloved. The love in Ken’s face had washed away all my feelings of unworthiness. I was his ‘radiant’ bride. How easy for us to think that we’re utterly unlovely- especially to someone as lovely as Christ. But he loves us with the bright eyes of a Bridegroom’s love and cannot wait for the day we are united with him forever.”
The Resurrection of Christ’s followers
When Christ returns, those who have died with Him will resurrect to dwell with Him in the new creation. Bizarre to go from a victory parade, to a wedding, now to the cemetery but...
Except for those alive on the earth when Christ returns, everyone who has lived throughout history will have died. Death is real in our world. At the moment of death, we will join Christ in a spiritual realm (discuss more tonight), but only temporarily. When He returns, we will return with Him, and experience on that day a physical resurrection. The reality of death loses its sting in the reality of the resurrection.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, NIV.
N.T. Wright refers to this as “life after life after death.” I summarize, After you die, you go to be ‘with Christ’ (‘life after death’), but your body remains dead. Call this state what we will ‘Sheol,' ‘Paradise,’ ‘Hades,’ ‘Intermediate heaven’ or the present heaven, it matters little. Important to know that the grave is not the end. What is promised after this interim period is a new bodily life within God’s world (life after life after death).
Hank Williams- Graves all bursting Saints a shouting Heavenly beauty all around I'll have a new body Praise the Lord, I'll have a new life
“For a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” John 5:28, 29, NIV.
