Jesus Will Keep His Promise
by Greg Johnson
http://www.lovinggodfellowship.org
Right before Jesus went to the cross to die for our sin, He made a wonderful promise to His followers. He said (John 14:1-3 NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. {2} In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. {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."
The disciples thought He would return for them in their day, but He did not return. After the cross, the Christians were persecuted for their faith in Jesus and what He did for them at the cross. Many suffered torturous deaths because they would not denounce their belief in Jesus as the Messiah. But the true believers did not lose faith. In the midst of their persecution and horrific abuse, they held on to the promise of Jesus’ return. When they saw each other in the workplace, marketplace or in their house churches, they would greet one another with the word “Maranatha” which means “O Lord come!”
Now, over 2,000 years later as we live in a world that grows increasingly out of step with the Gospel we continue to wait for the return of our Lord. To us, it’s a long time to wait. It’s like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting until the next morning to open gifts. The hours seem to pass by so slow, but Christmas morning comes. It’s like a teenager waiting for that special birthday to come so that they can get their driving permit. The months and days seem to pass by so slow, but the birthday arrives. It’s like the student counting the days until they graduate and get out of school. Graduation day seems to never get there, but one day they walk across the stage and receive their diploma. It’s like the couple in love setting the wedding date and waiting anxiously for the day to arrive, but the days seem to come slower and slower. It’s like awaiting the birth of a child. The due date seems to never arrive. It’s like the middle aged person counting down the days to retirement so that they can spend their days as they please, but retirement seem so far away.
It may seem like a long time coming, but rest assured that Jesus will keep His promise. God’s Word says (2 Peter 3:9 NIV) “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."
The Lord is not slow, just patient.
Beloved, what would have happened if Jesus would have returned for His followers 100 year prior to you being born. If that would have happened, you would not be in existence today and you would not have opportunity to spend eternity around the throne of God. But you see, God loves you so much, He wants to spend eternity with you. You are not an accident. You are not here on earth by chance. God has willed you into existence!
Beloved, what would have happened if Jesus would have returned for His followers an hour prior to you letting go of the nets, getting out of the boat and answering His call to follow Him? What would have happened if Jesus would have returned just a minute prior to receiving Him as your Saviour and making Him the Lord of your life? I will tell you what would have happened. You would have been left behind.
Peter continues and writes (2 Peter 3:10-15 NIV) "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. {11} Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives {12} as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. {13} But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. {14} So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. {15} Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him."
Beloved, Jesus has been patient with you because He loves you and He wants you to be with Him for all eternity!
The Lord’s patience reminds us that there is a lost world around us.
God’s Word says (2 Peter 3:9 NIV) “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." The Lord is patient because His heart is that none perish. His heart is that all be saved from the wrath that is to come. As we wait on our Lord’s return, may we be reminded that there is a lost world all around us. God in His infinite wisdom uses ordinary folk like us to reconcile lost people to Him. We are imperfect vessels that have allowed our imperfections to compel us to Jesus. When we come to Jesus, He fills us with the Holy Spirit to regenerate us into newness of life and empower us to continue His ministry until He comes.
Jesus said (John 3:16-17 NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. {17} For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." God came into our world to save us through Himself. He has left us in this world, not for us to be condemning, but for us to seek to save the lost through continuing the ministry of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I want to make a statement that will rattle the cages of the religionist of our day. Our mission on earth is not to condemn sinners. Our mission is not to condemn those that are different and those that make choices that we don’t agree with. We are not to be condemning. Jesus was not condemning. We are to be pointing people to repentance and salvation in Jesus until He comes. We are to lift up the Cross of Christ and allow God to draw lost people to Jesus. That does not happen through condemnation. That happens through love. Jesus has given us the Great Commandment of loving God and loving people (Matthew 22:36-39, Luke 10:25-37).
Beloved, God reveals His love for us through the cross of Christ and through His patience with us. He will fulfill His promise and send Jesus to rescue us out of a world that grows increasingly out of step with the Gospel. Until He comes, our mission on earth is simple. We love God and we love people continually pointing them to the cross of Christ where salvation is provided for all those who repent and believe.
Everywhere He went, Jesus preached a simple sermon when He walked this earth. (Mark 1:15 NIV) "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" His message has not changed. Let’s proclaim it in our day until He comes.
http://www.lovinggodfellowship.org/greg_johnson_blog
