The Second Coming of Christ • 12.31.23
Jack Flaherty   -   December 31, 2023

The Second Coming of Christ 
2 Timothy 4:8; Matthew 24-25; Revelation 19-22 

Reasons to believe in and worship the Christ 

  1. Jesus Christ’s second advent is all over the Bible
  2. Jesus Christ will defeat his enemies finally and forever 
  3. Jesus Christ will glorify and dwell with his people for eternity
  4. Jesus Christ is coming back soon 

Good morning! My name is Jack Flaherty and I serve as one of the Pastors here at Harvest. It’s a joy and privilege to open God’s Word with you all this morning. We’ve spent the month of December “Beholding the Christ.” We’ve done this by seeing the plethora of prophecies concerning the Christ, by looking at the birth of the Christ who is clearly identified as the person of Jesus of Nazareth, by studying the life, cross-work, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and last week we looked at what Jesus Christ is up to right now–reigning as king of the universe who saves, sustains, and empowers his people. Such glories we have beheld in the Word of God which indeed are reasons to believe in and worship Jesus Christ! And today we end this series discussing the seconding coming of Christ.

 

Invite ushers for Bibles. There are many places we could turn to and many passages we will look at. To guide you through the sermon, we will start in 2 Tim 4:8 to get at the heart of topic, and then dabble in two larger chunks, Matthew 24-25 and Revelation 19-22, to flesh out the main points. Don’t worry we won’t get into detail on all these chapters but if you want to go ahead and find them and keep them marked. This is a topic that brings a variety of responses and levels of interests. It can be a divisive topic. There is much that has been revealed but also much that is still concealed. All that to say I think we can probably boil our responses down into three big categories, which to illustrate with a tale of three NYEs.

 

December 31st, 1999—For those of us old enough to remember I can image there were some different responses, but let me tell you mine–fear! The Y2K phenomenon was that technology couldn’t handle going from 99 to 00. It would set computers back and possibly bring down infrastructure and industry and life as we knew it! Many, including my family, stocked up on gallons of water, canned goods, flashlight batteries, etc. It was the first midnight I ever saw because I was up worried and waiting for which city’s midnight would do it. Nothing came. Even still January 1st I was fearful. Watching the Rose Bowl, we lost power! AHHHHHH! It was a car who slid on some ice and knocked out a power line. Ultimately Y2K did not pan out as in my brain BUT the unknown of the New Year brought fear and worry and dread!

 

December 31st, 2012—This was Christmas break of my senior year in college. It was also ten days after the world was supposed to end according to the Mayan calendar. Remember that? 12/21/12 was the day the world was going to end and was the day I proposed Emily. Lets just say after surviving a second apocalyptic scare and a successful engagement, I was much less worried about ringing in the new year. I was caught up with the here and now of the world, wedding plans, finishing school, etc. I gave little attention to the celebration of the New Year.

 

December 31st, 2018—We went into the hospital that day knowing sometime in the next 24 hours we would be welcoming our baby girl into the world. There had been build up and birth pangs, and plans, and many days overdue, and more. We were ready! We were excited! We were gonna sneak in a 2018 tax credit! It was a joyous occasion and so blessed by our sweet Ellarose. Though much was happening around us, we loving and eagerly and longingly anticipated this New Year’s Eve.

 

When it comes to something much more important, the Second Coming of Christ, which is more true for you? Are you preoccupied with apocalyptic fears and worries and anxieties OR ever fear just to get into debates? Are you totally not even remembering it and giving in a far back row seat in your mind and daily operations? Or are you keeping it in view with an eager longing and love for Jesus to return? Found this quote from DA Carson a challenging one on the subject of eschatology, which means study of the last things. “Not many years ago we fought over eschatology, over what we thought would take place at the end. Today few of us are willing to fight over such niceties. There has been a commendable gain in tolerance. But we have lost something as well. Succumbing to the overreaction of too much emphasis on eschatology many of us have jettisoned not only divisiveness over details but also interest to what is central. We are losing our anticipation of the Lord’s return…even though we do not disavow central truths for many of us their power has been eviscerated…instead of investing in the bank of heaven we may be seduced into devoting almost all our time, energy, and money to things that merely temporary.” (Praying with Paul, 27-28)

 

How do we behold the Christ in his second coming? The Bible has much to say on this and for Christians it starts with our heart’s disposition Read 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” This is how our hearts ought to respond. Paul does say I finished the race and get the crown and you will get a crow in you finish too. He says this crown is also for those who love! The context here even continues to emphasize love by contrasting with Demas who loves this world but you and me are to love the appearing of Jesus. Been reading a book titled Come Lord Jesus by John Piper which I highly recommended. It’s a bit long but has been humbling and helpful for me. That passage we just read is the foundation of his book. He challenges us by going to passage after passage to love the Second Advent, the Second Appearing of Christ.

 

Today I hope to help us better grasps why we ought to respond with love of the second coming. I do hope as our subtitle says to give us four reasons to believe in and worship the Christ as we consider his second advent.  By looking at the Bible we need to continue stoking the fires of faith and worship through the Word as we behold Christ and what is said of his Second Coming.  Again, we are zooming out to several chapters today but before we even get there the first reason to believe in and worship the Christ is that…

  1. Jesus Christ’s Second Advent is all over the Bible

As we said, eschatological means the study of the last things. Zach Horn said it all the time in seminary. I understand why because its everywhere! Here are some interesting stats to consider.

  • There are 1500 OT passages that refer to the second coming of Christ (17 of 39 books)
  • There are 330 NT passages that directly speak to the second coming (23 of 27 books)
  • That’s 7 out of every 10 chapters and one out of every 30 NT verses
  • Jesus himself mentions his second coming 21 times in the gospels and Acts 1
  • For every 1x time the first advent is mentioned there are 8x second advent references.
  • Only subject mention more than that second coming of Jesus is faith.

 

What are some examples? In the OT there is some concealing about the two advents of Christ in OT. Like two mountain ranges appearing as one. Nonetheless, a careful look at Old Testament prophecies shows an underlying assumption of two advents. Many Old Testament prophecies foretell the birth, life, and death of Jesus like Genesis 3, Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14 & 53, Zechariah 9-11. But also many more speak of the ultimate triumph of Christ, which will occur at the second advent like the books of Zechariah 12-14; Amos 9:11-15; Haggai 2:6; Jeremiah 3:16-17; Ezekiel 37-39; Daniel 7 & 9 which describe the Messiah coming in triumph to lead Israel into salvation.

 

Here is a sample of many from the NT. Reading several to feel the weight of this reality:

  • Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30
  • 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11
  • For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thess 4:16-18
  • And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. – Hebrews 9:27-28
  • Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8
  • Therefore preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.1 Peter 1:13
  • And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming…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. 1 John 2:28; 3:2
  • Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. – Rev 1:7

Why would it show up so much? If the Bible is true and God’s own self-revelation, why does God care to share so much? Ask another set of questions. Why does any team talk about winning trophies? Because that’s the goal and the best part. Why does any family talks for days, weeks, months about a vacation or any employee talks retirement? The end goal is the focus! The best part!  Also in God’s kindness he wants us to know the end goal and the best part. Not just to be on the lookout but to be ready. Like you don’t have surprise wedding! He wants to give people warning and hope. We live in the already and not yet. Jesus has conquered via the cross yet there is finality to come. He is ruling and yet he is still coming to rule. The kingdom has been inaugurated but we await the consummation. But just because we are in the not yet doesn’t mean we lack information to think on, believe in, and live by!

 

Do you spend much time thinking of the second advent of Jesus Christ? Advent means arrival. We often refer to December as the season of Advent meaning we look backwards to the arrival of Jesus the first time around, as a baby in a manger who would go on to sacrificially serve to the point of death on a cross. This looking backwards stirs up all kinds of excitement! We have traditions, and decorations, and get together, and services, and songs we start singing way back in October (maybe that’s just me ). But the First Advent stirs up big emotions and that’s looking backwards. The Second Advent gets a bit less time in our brains and hearts even though it is the one we are called to look forward to! We could do more, but let me just from my own personal testimony say I have been challenged 1) to continue reading my Bible more because there is much I need to learn and 2) as you read pay attention to this particular seem and see how it comes up as an encouragement, a warning, a promise, a prophecy, a means of motivation, a factual reality, everything! Read and study and see and believe and worship because the second coming of Jesus Christ is all over the Bible.

 

Well what are some of the details of this second coming of Jesus Christ? What does the Bible say about what will happen? Obviously a lot and we wont be able to cover it all. But for these next three points we are going to primarily sit in Matthew 24-25 and Revelation 19-22 and hit the highlights. I again would encourage you to read and study them more in-depth, come to me or the Pastoral team with any questions, walk humbly with the things that are less clear and what will focus on the things that are very clear. So, something that seems very clear and our second reason to believe in and worship the Christ is that…

  1. Jesus Christ will defeat his enemies finally and forever

 

This is the emphasis of Revelation 19-20. After 18 chapters of some very interesting and cosmic and confusing things some clarity comes. Defeat! Read Revelation 19:11-21. There is some gruesome stuff here, but what we see is Jesus returns and isn’t messing around. This is Jesus finally putting his enemies under his footstool! He is the righteous judge. He brings justice!  He reigns on earth! Sliding into chapter 20 we will summarize a bit. Jesus throws Satan, the beast, and the false prophet into the pit for 1000 years. We are a premillennial church meaning we believe Jesus returns before a literal 1000 years to rule and reign on earth. After that 1000 years Satan is loosed gathers opponents of God around the globe for a final battle that doesn’t last long. God wins and as v10 says the enemy is thrown into the fire finally and forever! We can disagree on some of the details around the millennium, but we must agree the enemies defeat is final and forever. No comeback ever. From there is also judgment. A separation of sheep and goats, heaven and hell, God’s people and not.

 

Jesus actually told us about this in his time on earth. Looking quickly at Matthew 25:31-46 he will gather and separate all peoples of the earth. Sheep followed the Shepherd! They did what God said. Their salvation wasn’t by those works BUT those works evidence their new hearts and righteousness of Christ at work in them. Goats did not live in light of or follow the shepherd. The result in v46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 

Now I want to make clear here something that’s maybe been implied—hell is a real place. From Matthew 25 and Revelation 19-20 and many other passages, we see hell is a place of eternal conscious punishment for the devil and all who follow him. That’s what we see happens to the devil in 20:10. Satan isn’t in charge of hell actually God is! His presence to punish and pour out just wrath forever and ever. That’s what happens for any who has rejected their image bearing responsibility to their Creator, for anyone who is not in the lambs book of life as 20:15 say. That’s not where we want to be!

 

How does beholding this reality of Christ coming stir up belief and worship? First, recognize its a gracious warning of a kind God to write this down in his Word! We could be left in the dark but we aren’t.

 

Second, we ought to respond to these warnings with submission to Jesus Christ in faith and repentance! When he comes it will be too late at that point (more on that later). And once we have responded in faith and repentance we ought to share this message with urgency with others! We know there is a punishment for those who are not in the Book of Life. Those who are the enemy of God. Not just Satan or the beast or false prophet or the harlot of Babylon. Real people who we know, and love will face the wrath of God. So pray for people to be saved share the good news! This is a hard reality but not one we should reject.

 

Third, we ought to rejoice in God’s justice and righteousness. The only place we see “Hallelujah” in all the Bible is these six verses Rev 19:1-6. Not because we rejoice in the eternal punishment of others but because we glory in the justice and righteousness of God. Again it can be hard to swallow but if we believe God’s Word to be true we can’t reject it or even hate it. Love it and all that comes with it AND heed the warnings and motivation now. We also rejoice because it’s not just Satan and those who reject God that are defeated, but all the things that sin has brought about. Have you ever thought about what all this means! Revelation 20:14 tells us that death and hades are thrown into the lake of fire. The death of death! And the death of a whole lot of other things. All things that come from the lies of the enemy. We will read more in Revelation 21 in a minute but hunger, sadness, pain, anxiety, political maneuvering, favoritism, illness, injury, ignorance, deception, death, all GONE! Love not just those realities, but the God who brings it about by his mercy and grace! He does away with the evil and brings about eternal blessedness in his presence!

 

Bringing us to the third reason to believe in and worship the Christ which is that…

  1. Jesus Christ will glorify and dwell with his peoplefor eternity

When we think about the Final Judgment, did you realize this is for believers and unbelievers. Jesus comes to judge all! First and foremost, this is based off the righteousness of Christ. Like the Passover in Exodus, only those covered by the blood of the Lamb are saved. From there, thought saved, there is a judgement of what was done in the flesh. Though not a matter of heaven or hell, our words and deeds will be laid bare before Jesus! Matthew 25:14-30 illustrates this in in the parable of the talents. We get more into this in our next point but for now I want to highlight Matthew 25:21 & 23 which says those who are faithful servants “enter into the joy of our master.” We are with him and experience joy! David yearned for this in Psalm 27.

 

This is what so much of the OT is about. Jordan preached about the presence of God in the church and I’d encourage you to go back and review or list to that. God’s presence is the big thing!  And with God’s presence comes God’s glory. What Jesus prayed for us to experience in John 17 that we would be with him where he is in glory. And when we behold his glory, we too are glorified. Like we just read in 1 John 3:2 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. In this life we become more Christlike over the long haul by beholding him as we read in 1 Cor 3:18. At his coming we become Christlike instantaneously by beholding him face to face. This means no more, death, or sickness, or sin ravaging our bodies! If we had time we would read and study the glories of Christ to behold in Romans 8 and 1 Corinthians 15 which detail even more the glorified creation and glorified resurrection bodies Jesus Christ redeemed by his blood shed on the cross which we receive in the twinkle of an eye at the appearing or second coming of Christ! This is absolutely incredible!

 

Its so incredible it worth reading the details in Revelation 21:1-5 Its like a flashback to Genesis 2 in the garden or like Isaiah 65 in the OT. Do you long to be with Jesus? Do we recognize how glorious this will be? Do we acknowledge that we will be glorified and dwell with him? This is a comforting truth. If we are hurting and going through it, look to this day. CS Lewis in his chapter on “Hope” in Mere Christianity helpfully says  “most people do find all sorts of things in this world want something that cannot be had in this world. The longings which arise in us are never satisfied. We can think the things are broken and keep trying new ones. We can think its all fake and lower expectations/cares. Or the Christian Way is if I find myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world.  If earth doesn’t satisfy that doesn’t mean the universe is a fraud but simply that earthly pleasures were meant to satisfy but only to arouse and suggest the real thing!  Don’t despite earth on one hand AND don’t be mistaking them as real thing on the other.” Enjoy this creation and all that is in it. But also look forward to the reality that because of Jesus we will be with him and like him and experience joy forever more!

 

The final reason we will discuss today that we ought to believe in and worship the Christ is

  1. Jesus Christ is coming back soon

Lets see the repeated testimony of Scripture on this .

  • The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. Revelation 1:1
  • Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. Revelation 1:3,
  • And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” Revelation 22:6
  • 7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Revelation 22:7
  • “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. Revelation 22:12
  • 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20

Well of course Revelation mentions Jesus return. The point of the book is for us to be ready for his return right? Anywhere else? Just a snippet from each NT writer.

  • 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; Philippians 4:4-5
  • For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; Hebrews 10:36-37 (quoting Habbakuk 2:3-4 “the tarrying one won’t tarry”)
  • 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. James 5:8-9
  • The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7

“At hand.” “At the door.” “Won’t delay.” “Coming soon.” The testimony is clear that Jesus return is imminent. Jesus said we are in the last days. We are in the place in history between the first and second advent. How ought we respond to this? First, we ought to eagerly and expectantly away! How soon is soon? What date or time? HE wants us less to worry about time schedule but more our attitude is to be ready! We don’t know! Matthew 24:1-25:30 speaks to this. Specifically that’s the point Matthew 24:1-31 speak about realities that will happen before the Lords coming. In v7-9 wars and earther quakes and famines. In v15-26 false teachers. Much of this happened in AD 70 at the temple destruction no one knows the day or hour. But also, and as Nick preached on this back when we studied Matthew a few years ago, these things happened and are happening. These are the birth pangs as v8 says. They are tremors for the coming earthquake! And we still experience tremors that are meant to serve as reminders Jesus is coming soon! All the signs culminate in v29-31 the appearing of Jesus on the clouds. So don’t get worried about hard things but see them as reasons to hope in Christ coming.

 

Second, be ready to be held accountable. Don’t presume on a delay like Matthew 24:36-51 warns. That’s bad news! That’s the warning of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. Stay awake and alert. When we look at the mountain range that we are closer than history has ever been! Also that’s what Matthew 25:14-30 parable of the talents says. Be faithful to do the work we were called to do because you will give an account! You will answer for how you used what you’ve been given knowing the master is returning.

 

Wayne Grudem says, “to some extent then the degree to which we actually long for Christ’s return is a measure of the spiritual condition of our own lives at the moment and gives some measure of the degree to which we see the world as it really is. (Systematic Theology, 1093). How do you see the world? As all there is or as a fleeting time to do the most for God? You’re not too busy! Go do stuff for the Lord! Short life, spend most time possibly preparing and helping others to prepare. Luke 12 talks about blessed is the servant found faithful when he comes. Not gazing into the clouds but doing work and in our Bibles. That’s much of what Paul writes to the Thessalonians about. Worried about he already came back or he is about to come back and so they stop working and are idle! Also, why we ought to go to church and stir each other up as we read in Hebrews 10:24-25. We can glorify God through all the things. But are all the things actually being used all the time to the glory of God? Do you think about enjoying God in heart, mind, action, attitude?

 

That brings a third consideration for us, that God’s time isn’t our time! That’s where 2 Peter comes in. He is addressing mockers and says. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9. Don’t assume you can wait till your old enough or done enough. Don’t wait till its too late! Repent!

 

The details of the second coming we have are not a train schedule to be deciphered. Not a puzzle or code BUT a source of divine blessing for God’s people awaiting eternity. If we would behold Christ we can live in light of the second coming and the way God instructs with endurance and faith. Belief and worship! Again Lewis in Mere Christianity says “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next! Those who left their mark on Earth did so precisely because there minds were occupied with Heaven. Those who have largely ceased to think of the other world have become ineffective.”

 

We have another tale to consider, our own on this Dec 31st, 2023. Are you longing and eagerly awaiting our savior? How might you take the next step to overcome the factors in your life that contribute to a lack of longing? How might you consider the ways you are already longing and stir up a greater hunger and fight for the mission in others? Don’t be lazy, be a worker. Don’t be selfish, be selfless and an empower. Don’t be caught sleepy and drunken as so many texts warn, be sober minded and ready. If Jesus showed up in 2024 would you be ready? Let’s start everyday with that consideration.

 

Let’s end 2023 by beholding Christ. Let’s close by asking as Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6 for his kingdom to come. Like Paul ended his letter to the Corinthians 1 Cor 16:22 “Maranatha!” and like the whole Bible ends Revelation 22:20 “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

 

Pray

 

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