God has promised disciples a couple of things associated with Jesus’ second coming. This devotion looks at the promises made by God.
Nuggets
- Jesus is coming back.
- He is coming to judge us.
- We gain our freedom when Jesus returns.
- We will no longer be separated from God but live with Him eternally.
- Jesus will return in power and glory.
Devotions in the What I Believe series
Devotions in the End Times category
Second Coming Focus
The Promises of Jesus’ Return
The star of the end-times show is Jesus. It is all about His second coming. In the last devotion, we talked about a scenario of what might happen if God announced Jesus’ return.
No, that isn’t going to happen. No one but the Father knows when that will be (Mt. 24: 36).
I found a neat sermon that explains Jesus’ return. I am going to use it as the foundation for the rest of the devotions in this focus. It is Manton’s The Coming of Christ with His Angels.
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Let's Put It into Context
“They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven’” (Ac. 1: 11 CSB)
When Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels told the disciples that Jesus was going to come back. It is really interesting that all but one of the modern translation say it will be in “… the same way…” (Ac. 1: 11 NIV, NLT, ESV, NASB, CSB, GNT, HCSB, CEV).
Only the New King James Version — because it takes the King James Version and puts it in modern language — says “… in like manner …” Not. The. Same.
It is easy to read that to mean Jesus will come back on the clouds because that is how Luke described His ascension. “After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Ac. 1: 9 CSB).
This is supported elsewhere. “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” (Mt. 24: 30 NLT).
But do people think Jesus will come in a human form again? I don’t think so.
- “Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will 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 incorruptible, and we will be changed” (I Cor. 15: 51-52 CSB).
- “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (I Jn. 3: 2 ESV).
- “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4: 24 CSB).
- “I and the Father are one” (Jn. 10: 30 ESV).
We shouldn’t get caught up on the how-is-Jesus-going-to-look part. Tuck wrote, “The coming of Christ again to his Church in some sensible form is intended to be a secondary thought; bearing relation to Christian culture as holding out before us a high and ennobling object of hope. But it is properly to be regarded as ‘the sweet light away yonder’ which cheers us while we set heartily to the doing of Christ’s work in the world, under the daily inspirations and leadings of Christ’s spiritual presence.”
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The Promise of His Coming
“It was about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied: “Look! The Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all the ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things ungodly sinners have said against him” (Jude 1: 14-15 CSB)
Okay, let’s do some math. (No, it is going to be easy — has to be.)
Let’s say a generation is around 25 years. (I read all kinds of numbers, but remember — easy.) That would make “… the seventh generation from Adam …” (Jude 1: 14 CSB) approximately 175 years.
The Book of Jude was written between 70 and 90 AD. It is ball parked that Enoch was born in 3380BC (Answers).
That was a long time before Jude was written. It was a long time before Jesus was born on this earth.
But this wasn’t talking about Jesus’s birth. Yes, the angels did come to proclaim His birth.
However, Jesus didn’t come “to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all the ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things ungodly sinners have said against him” (Jude 1: 15 CSB) the first time. He was always planning on doing that in the return trip.
Yes, Jesus was always planning on returning. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Jn. 14: 3 ESV).
I read holy ones to mean angels. Croskery argued that would be saints. Saint means holy ones who have been set apart.
The Promise of Remembrance
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (I Cor. 11: 26 CSB)
This verse is talking about the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial instituted at the Passover right before Jesus’ death that uses common elements — bread and wine — to commemorate His death.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
The important piece for this discussion is that a Jesus didn’t want it to be a one-time observance. We are to “… proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (I Cor. 11: 26 CSB).
Jesus started the Lord’s Supper observance by discussing His return. “For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Lk. 22: 16 CSB).
Ker noted that the Lord’s Supper was a “… remembrance of His death and the pledge of the blessings it has purchased for us.” The best blessing will be those Jesus bestows on us after His return.
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The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of life. While it gives us a visual of Jesus’ death, it points toward eternal life with Him. The celebration is to help us focus on His return.
The Promise of Freedom
“The Spirit makes us sure about what we will be in the future. But now we groan silently, while we wait for God to show that we are his children. This means that our bodies will also be set free” (Rom. 8: 23 CEV)
The Holy Spirit dwells within us so that He can instruct us in what we need to know. He will also keep us focused on Jesus’ return, where we will be set free.
I loved reading Horton’s The Coming Deliverance of the Creature. It talked about the liberation of the children of God. We are promised the following:
- Freedom from sin
- Freedom from sickness
- Freedom from “ignorance, forgetfulness, indiscretion, weakness of imagination.”
- Freedom from disgrace and shame
- Freedom from bondage
- Freedom from annihilation
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The Promise of Eternal Life
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3: 16 ESV)
God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.
- We were separated from Him.
- We were still sinners. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5: 8 NLT).
What does believing in Jesus get us? Eternal life. We don’t have it yet. These bodies couldn’t take it.
When Jesus comes again and we are “… changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” (I Cor. 15: 51 CSB), we will receive eternal life then. Why? Because a Jesus didn’t want heaven without us.
What a Beautiful Name
What a Beautiful Name
Vocalist: Elaine Guthals
Keyboard: Chris Vieth
The Promise of Power and Glory
“Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Ti. 2: 13 ESV)
Let’s look at this verse again. “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” (Mt. 24: 30 NLT).
Jesus won’t be stuck in a manger this time. All of the people of the earth will see Him return.
Why shouldn’t He? We “… were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men” (I Cor. 7: 23 ESV). Jesus paid that price.
Jesus shed His blood so that our sins could be forgiven. He deserves the glory and honor.
This was the only way Satan would be defeated. Only Jesus was the perfect Sacrifice.
Making the Connections
- Jesus is coming back.
- He is bringing tens of thousands of angels with Him.
- He is coming to judge us.
- The celebration of the Lord’s Supper is to help us focus on His return.
- We gain our freedom when Jesus returns.
- We will no longer be separated from God but live with Him eternally.
- Jesus will return in power and glory.
Making the Connections to Self-Discipline
We’ve been asking these questions all along so we can prepare for when we are asked to defend our beliefs. Here is the worksheet again. How would explain the promises of Jesus’ return to non-believers?
- What does the Scriptures say?
- What do I believe?
- Why do I believe the same/differently than the Scriptures?
- What are the talking points when witnessing to a non-believer?
Related Links
I have created a worksheet of the questions above. Click on the button below to access it.
How Do We Apply This?
We don’t know when Jesus is coming back — only that He is. Therefore, we have to watch and be ready. There are two things we have to do to be ready.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
Father God. Lord, Your promises are amazing. You love us and bless us so much. We look forward to Jesus’ return. Only then will we receive the best blessings. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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