Will Jesus Come Again?
Rev. Brian Bill
5/20/01
This past Tuesday night Beth had a meeting here at church. As the girls and I watched her get ready, we noticed that she was leaving with two wonderful desserts. When we couldn’t get her to give us some before she left, we pleaded with her to bring some home after the meeting. She promised that she would.
As the night went on, the girls repeatedly asked me just one question, “Dad, when’s mom coming home?” When it got dark, the questions crescendoed. I told them I wasn’t sure of the exact time but I knew she was going to come. At about 8:30, the troops were getting restless so we went outside to wait for her. No one had shoes on and some of us were in our pajamas (you can tell that I was in charge that night!).
At first we sat on the front porch and just waited. But then, the girls started doing cartwheels in the grass. Eventually, one of them got out her pogo stick and we all tried jumping on it. The girls really laughed when I attempted to hop around. The later it got, the more distracted we became. We were so focused on just being goofy that we stopped asking about mom. Megan got tired so I put her to bed (that way I could eat her portion of the dessert). About 9:20, Beth rolled into the driveway. She was startled to see us outside in our pajamas and we were glad to finally get our dessert.
The second coming of Jesus is a bit like this. We know He’s coming but we don’t know when. While many of us are filled with expectation, several of us are distracted by other things, and some of us have just fallen asleep.
Before we jump into this topic, I want to make some preliminary comments.
1. I’m just going to scratch the surface. This is a huge subject matter that deserves a more in-depth treatment than I can give it this morning. One scholar has estimated that there are over 2,000 references to the second coming of Jesus in the Bible. For every prophecy concerning the first coming of Christ, there are eight that look forward to His second! (Today in the Word, April 1989, page 27).
2. There are differences of opinion among Bible-believing evangelicals. The theology of the end times has been debated and argued down through the centuries. My own understanding of this doctrine has not been without some struggle. When we come to terms with what we believe the Bible to teach, we must be gracious towards those who have a different view.
3. Having said that, the second coming of Christ is a very important doctrine. As we strive to understand this key part of theology, we’ll discover that it has some relevant ramifications to our lives today.
I want to ask and answer three questions this morning:
• Will Jesus come again?
• When is He coming?
• What difference does it make?
Will Jesus Come Again?
Let’s begin by looking at the first question: Will Jesus come again? According to a recent survey in U.S. News and World Report, 61% of Americans believe in the Second Coming of Christ. A Newsweek poll reports that 45% believe that Christ will return in their lifetime. Even though theologians differ over the details of His return, there is widespread agreement that He is coming back.
The Bible is clear that the return of Christ is certain. John 14:3: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” After His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to people for 40 days. After giving some final instructions, He was transported to Heaven before their very eyes. Two angels then appeared and said in Acts 1:11, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand 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.”
The early Christians were convinced that Jesus was going to return. In fact, they thought it was going to happen in their lifetime. From the first century up to now, Christ followers have always believed that Jesus could return at any time.
That’s exactly how the doctrinal statement of Pontiac Bible Church reads, “We believe in the literal, personal, imminent, pre-tribulation, and pre-millennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ…” Literal means that He’s actually coming back. Personal means that it will be Jesus Himself. Imminent means it could happen before we take our next breath. Pre-tribulation refers to the belief that Jesus will remove true Christians from the world before the terrible time of tribulation, which will last 7 years. Pre-millennial means that Jesus will return to the earth with believers at the end of the tribulation period and set up a thousand-year reign.
When Is He Coming?
The timing of His return is a bit more difficult to establish than the certainty of His coming.
Please turn in your Bible to Matthew 24. This chapter contains more about the end times from the lips of Jesus than any other section of Scripture. The material here has reference not only to events that were about to take place in Jerusalem but also to those stretching far into the future. Specifically, two momentous occurrences are intertwined throughout the chapter:
• The coming judgment upon Jerusalem
• The final judgment at the close of the world’s history
It had been a wonderful day in the temple for the disciples. Their master had answered every question thrown at him and had lambasted the Pharisees for their hypocrisy in chapter 23. I picture them strutting as they walked away from their wonderful worship center when some of the disciples came up to Jesus and pointed out the beauty of the temple building in verse 1. I think they were pumped because they were convinced that Jesus was going to set up his kingdom and they would have some prime personal office space.
Jesus shocks them in verse 2 when he drops a bombshell on their plans: “Do you see these beautiful buildings? They will be obliterated.” Then, without any further explanation, Jesus walks about another ½ mile and sits down on the Mount of Olives, where they can overlook the temple mount.
By the way, it is highly significant that Jesus chose to teach on the end times while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives. When I cross-referenced this passage, I discovered an amazing prophecy in the book of Zechariah that gave me goose bumps when I read it. Referring to the second coming of Christ, Zechariah 14:4 says, “On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.”
After hearing the prediction of the temple’s demolition, they turn to Jesus and ask Him some questions in verse 3: “…when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
In the first part of his answer in verses 4-14, Jesus gives us three significant signs to let us know that His return is right around the corner. Let’s look at these briefly.
3 Signs
1. The first sign has to do with False Things. We see this in verses 4-5: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”
There have been many examples of false messiahs in recent memory. Jim Jones in Jonestown. David Koresh in Waco. As we near the return of the real Jesus, there will be an increasing number of leaders who will claim that they are the Christ. A lot of these so-called saviors have been surfacing in the land where Jesus actually lived. According to a recent TIME magazine article, a Psychiatric Hospital in Jerusalem treats over 50 false messiahs a year.
There will also be an increased amount of false teaching and a false sense of security as the end nears. The Bible clearly pictures the coming of Christ at a time when the world does not expect it. 1 Thessalonians 5:3: “While people are saying, ‘Peace and Safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”
2. That leads to the second significant sign in verses 6-13. Our world will increasingly experience Bad Things that will range from cataclysmic natural disasters to an outpouring of evil like we’ve never seen before.
Doesn’t it seem to you that natural disasters are on the increase? Killer hurricanes, deadly floods, and life-shattering earthquakes are almost a daily occurrence in the news. The bad news is that these disasters will only get more frequent and increase in their intensity as we approach the end of time as we know it. Jesus very clearly taught that earthquakes and famines are only the beginning of birth pains in verse 8. Coupled with natural disasters, we will see an acceleration of unbridled evil. 2 Timothy 3:1 says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.”
I don’t like to be a prophet of doom, but I need to warn you that based upon the very words of Jesus, things are only going to get worse! If these are the last days, and I believe they are, then we ain’t seen nothing yet! Random violence will continue to break out around the world. Nuclear weapons will appear in the hands of unstable people. Societies will break down, families will fall apart, and chaos will increase. Things are bad but the greatest evil is yet to come. Verse 12 tells us that even love will be in short supply: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.”
3. These first two signs are negative, let’s take a look now at a positive precursor that will indicate that the return of Jesus is close at hand. Sign #3 refers to some Good Things.
The first good thing that will happen as a prerequisite to the Second Coming may surprise you. Listen to the words of Jesus in verse 14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” The word ‘nations’ in this verse does not refer primarily to political entities but to the various ‘people groups’ of the world. In other words, every group of people must hear the gospel message before the end will come.
As we approach the end times, there will be a marked increase in the tempo of world evangelization. There will be a renewed interest in communicating the good news of forgiveness and eternal life through Christ. We will see a new sense of urgency to penetrate the entire world with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
I believe that is precisely what is going on right now. There are reports from China, Latin America, Africa and from the former Soviet Union of unprecedented church growth. As people hear about Jesus they are responding to His offer of a new life.
One of the reasons why Jesus has not returned yet is precisely because He wants to give everyone a chance to hear about His first coming. For the last 2000 years, the life-changing message of Jesus has penetrated cultures, nations, and thousands of languages. While there are still a number of people groups that have not yet heard the good news, the progress of the gospel is truly amazing!
In tandem with the spread of the good news around the world, we will see an openness to spiritual matters in the last days. You see, God not only wants to give everyone a chance to hear, He wants to give each of us an opportunity to respond. 2 Peter 3:9 says that, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
I sense this spiritual hunger on a regular basis. In just the last two weeks, I had the privilege of leading two individuals to faith in Christ. When I’m out in the community, I’m asked on a regular basis for our worship service times. One of our neighbors reads sermons from our web page. God continues to use the Jesus Video– I know of at least one couple who is attending PBC right now as a result of this video. As we continue to pray the Prayer of Jabez, God will burst our ministry boundaries. I love seeing the excitement among our new members and recent attendees. There is a measurable sense of enthusiasm for the things of God in this church!
What’s going on? I think it’s another indication that the return of Christ is closer than we think. Sure, there’s a lot of false stuff and a lot of bad stuff going on. But, at the same time, there are a lot of good things happening. The gospel message is going out around the world -- and it’s penetrating hearts right here in this community as well.
In verses 15-28, Jesus reveals some specific events that will take place just prior to His return. Then, in verses 29-31, He speaks of His return to the earth in great power and glory. I want to focus now on the last part of chapter 24, where Jesus addresses the question of “when.” Let’s consider 3 facts about the timing of His Second Coming.
Fact # 1: We can know the general time but not the precise moment. Take a look at verses 32-33: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.”
The story of the fig tree has two applications. First, it is a truth from nature. When the leaves begin to come out in the springtime, we know that summer is near. By the same token, when the signs of Matthew 24 begin to take place, then we will know the return of Christ cannot be far away.
Second, the fig tree is a common biblical symbol for the nation of Israel in Hosea 9:10. It may be that Jesus is here alluding to the restoration of the nation of Israel in the end times. Historically, Israel ceased to exist after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70. But in 1948 Israel became a nation once again. This restoration is likely the first step in the fulfillment of the prophecies of Ezekiel 36-39, Daniel 9:24-27, and Romans 11:26.
No one will ever know the precise moment of His return as Jesus declares in verse 36: “No one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” The best we can do is to read the signs and know that the time is at hand. If anyone ever tells you that they know exactly when Jesus will return, don’t believe him. That person is either a false prophet or a seriously deluded Bible student. Jesus strictly forbids setting dates for His return.
Fact # 2: Jesus will return at a time when the world is completely unprepared. Look at verses 37-41: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.”
Here Jesus makes a very simple comparison to the days of Noah. What was it like in Noah’s day? It was “business as usual.” While Noah patiently built the ark and warned people of coming judgment, people laughed at him and said, “It will never happen.” Noah’s day was like our day - an age of skepticism and moral relativity. The more Noah preached, the more his contemporaries mocked him. They refused to believe that anything like a worldwide flood was possible.
For years and years life continued without a change. With each passing day Noah looked like more of a fool than the day before. But finally the heavens opened and the rains came down. When Noah entered the ark, I’m sure his friends pounded on the door and said, “Noah, we’re sorry. You were right and we were wrong. Open up. Let us in.” But it was too late.
And just as the flood brought sudden judgment to the world, the return of Christ will do the same. When Jesus returns to the earth, unbelievers will once again be “taken” in death and judgment and only believers will be preserved by God. And just as the ark saved Noah, even so Jesus Christ is the “ark of safety” for those who believe in Him.
These verses teach us that this present age will end in a sudden, dramatic judgment with a complete and final separation of the saved and the lost. We had better be prepared.
Fact # 3: We are called to be ready because Jesus may return at any moment. Look at verses 42-44: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Note the two main commands: “Keep watch” and “Be ready.” How does a thief come to your house? Sudden and unannounced. After all, if you knew a robber was coming, you’d be ready for him, but thieves rarely call and make appointments in advance.
Jesus is coming like a thief in the night. When we least expect Him, He will return to the earth. Therefore, keep your eyes on the skies and be ready at any moment to meet the Lord face to face.
That leads me to ask a simple question: When was the last time you got up and said to yourself, “Jesus may come today?” For many of us, it’s been a long time since we’ve thought about His return.
What Difference Does It Make?
The final question relates to the relevance of the Second Coming. What difference does it really make? I see at least three ways this doctrine can transform the way we’re living.
1. Encourage one another. This topic is not meant to make us apprehensive or terrified. After a lengthy discussion of the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul points out the comfort that comes from knowing that Jesus is returning. In verse 18 he challenges us to do something: “Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
The message of the coming of Christ ought to fill us with tremendous excitement. These are great days to be alive. Let’s encourage each other to “go for it” spiritually. Let’s be completely committed, fully engaged, passionately involved in kingdom living. This is no time to play it safe.
The first Christians used to greet each other with the phrase, “Maranatha,” which literally means, “Come, Lord Jesus!” We see it used in the second-to-the-last verse in the Bible in Revelation 22:20: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Believers also used it when they wanted to emphasize something. I wonder if we could start using this phrase in our conversations? Let’s say, “Maranatha” to each other. Another goal would be to talk to at least one person every day about the return of Christ.
2. Live pure lives. Here’s a good question to ask yourself when you’re involved with something that may be questionable: “Would I want to be doing this when Jesus returns?” Wouldn’t it be terrible to be ashamed when Jesus comes back? 1 John 2:28: “And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” We don’t have time to study verses 45-51, but here’s the Biblical balance as we await the return of the Lord: Live as though He might come today.
If you knew that Jesus was coming tonight at 8:00 p.m., what would you do differently? What changes would you make? Here’s the deal. One day He will return. Therefore, let’s live in light of His coming today.
3. Ask Jesus to save you. If you have never turned your life over to Christ and received His salvation, then I want to appeal to you with all my heart. Be reconciled to God before it’s too late! Listen to 2 Peter 3:9-10 in the Message Translation: “God isn’t late with His promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining Himself on account of you, holding back the end because He doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. But when the day of God’s judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.”
Friend, I can’t beat around the bush. The consequences are too staggering and the stakes are way too high. Let me say it as clearly as I can. If you have never made a decision to put your faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, you will be in deep trouble when Jesus comes back. Your judgment will be certain, swift, and severe.
Don’t be left behind. Jesus right now is seeking a relationship with you. Respond to Him before it’s too late!
First Service Conclusion: Pray and then “Until He Comes” song.
Second Service Conclusion: Set up “Left Behind” video clip.
We want to close this morning by showing a clip from the Left Behind movie. In this scene, Rayford Steele comes home to discover that his son and wife have been taken to heaven. He’s now left behind because he never put his faith in Christ.
Show Video
