When He Shall Appear

1. What do you look forward to?(anticipate)

2. Life seems to be made up of one event after another that we look forward to

3. Some of us look forward to:

• The weekend • Eating out

• The workweek • Vacation

• School • Christmas

• Summer break • Retirement

• Graduation • Grandchildren

4. Our entire life is (anticipating) looking forward to something

• We look forward to going to school… but then what?

• We look forward to getting our driver’s license… but then what?

• We look forward to getting a job/having a career… but then what?

• We look forward to buying a home and raising a family… but then what?

• We look forward to grandchildren, retirement… but then what?

5. The early Christians looked forward to the appearing of Christ (Tit.2:13) (II Pet.3:12) “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day”

6. The most anticipated event of modern, if not of all times (I Thes.1:9b-10)

7. What will the appearing of Christ mean? What will it really be like?

I IT WILL BE A TIME OF COMPLETION

A. Complete Redemption (Heb.9:28) “without sin unto salvation”

1. We have been saved from the Penalty of sin

2. We are being saved from the Power of sin

3. We shall be saved from the Presence of sin

B. Complete Resemblance (I Jn.3:2a) “we shall be like him”

1. Our Bodies (Phil.3:20) “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,

2. Our Abilities

3. Our Behavior

C. Complete Revelation (I Jn.3:2b) “we shall see him as he is”

1. The word, “complete” = whole, total, entire, fulfilled, content(ment)

2. The word occurs only 3 times in the Bible (Lev.23:15)(Col.2:10 & 4:10)

(Lev.23:15) “seven sabbaths shall be complete”

(Col.2:10) “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him…

a. fullness and complete is the same Gk. word

b. We can never be fulfilled or content outside of Jesus Christ

c. God doesn’t intend for us to ever be absolutely content in this life

1. We Are Complete In Our Position “in Him”

2. Not Our Pursuits not anything else in the world

3. His Person not any other person

(Col.4:10) “that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

a. The closest thing to contentment in this life is found in the will of God

b. The closest thing to perfection in this life is found in the will of God

c. Personal fulfillment is impossible apart from our creator and designer

But when He shall appear…we will be complete in Him

II IT WILL BE A TIME OF COMMENDATION

(Col.3:4) “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

(I Pet.5:4) “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

A. The Privilege

1. The Christian Life has it’s own built-in rewards

2. Someone has said, “All this, and heaven too!”

3. Everyone at the Judgment Seat of Christ is going to receive (II Cor.5:10) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

B. The Possibility

1. The Bible says we will receive crowns (Rev.4:4)

a. Two words used in the NT for crown

b. The word diadem = authoritative crown (Rev.19:12)

c. The word stephanos = awarded crown or wreathe

2. At Least Five Crowns are mentioned in the NT

1. The Incorruptible Crown - Awarded for faithfulness - 1 Cor. 9:25.

2. The Crown Of Life - Awarded for endurance over temptation - Js.1:12.

3. The Crown Of Rejoicing - This is the soul winners crown - 1 Thes. 2:19.

4. The Crown Of Righteousness - For doing and living right - 2 Tim. 4:8

5. The Crown Of Glory -This will be given to the faithful ministers who give themselves to lead and feed the flock of God - 1 Pet. 5:4.

3. What will you receive?

C. The Purpose

1. Not to boast, brag, or compare

2. Service is not service unless it’s for others

3. To acknowledge His ability in us (Rev.4:10-11a)

III IT SHOULD BE A TIME OF CONFIDENCE (I Jn.2:28)

“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

A. Confidence in His Appearing

1. Notice, “when” not “if” he shall appear

2. More that 300 references to the coming of Christ in the NT