It is almost certainly the case that we think of Christ’s return too lightly.
The return of Jesus is spoken of in the New Testament…
--More than 300 times.
--In 23 of 27 books.
--In 7 out of every 10 chapters.
--In 1 out of every 25 verses.
God wants us to continually ponder on and prepare for Jesus's return.
So, today, as we spend a few moments pondering anew the return of Christ, here are several faith lessons to consider.
1. Some say that Christ has been slow to return. He has not.
“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.”
--2 Peter 3:8–9
2. The blessed hope of Christ's return must lead to blessed holiness.
Be living as though Christ’s return could happen at any moment. May we long daily for heaven, pray daily for Christ's return, and live daily content and joyful as we rest daily in the sovereignty of God.
3. Every Lord’s Day / Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus until he returns.
Remember, this is why the author of Hebrews says so clearly in 10:24-25:
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
What a celebration that is ours each week together!
4. Rather than focusing on when Jesus will return, we ought to focus on our God-given mission until he returns.
One of the reasons God has not sent Christ to return is because he is waiting for repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). What if the next person you share the gospel with is the last person ordained to come to Christ before He returns?
Any understanding of the Gospel or ends times that leads to a paralysis in evangelism is in direct opposition to the gospel.
5. The world will be transformed, not destroyed, when Christ returns.
In the New Testament, the "end" doesn't mean the "termination" of all things but the "culmination" of all things, that is, when Christ returns.
6. The reformation won't be over until Christ returns for his elect bride.
We are infatuated with a misappropriated view of the end times. We want heaven now—and we don’t want to stand for our faith and continue the fight of faith here, too, until Christ returns or calls us home.
And, remember: very doctrine is important But our salvation does not depend upon our view of church or the ends (as important as they are!). Rather, it depends entirely upon the biblical truths in the gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-11, etc.).
Yet, God calls us to continually put forth his truth in our lives and the lives of others – humbly, lovingly, and boldly (1 Peter 3:15).
7. We have never been this close to the return of Christ as we are this very moment.
Long daily for heaven. Pray daily for Christ's return. Get your heart right and be ready. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
8. We eagerly look forward to Christ's return…on the bad days and the good.
Instead of privy to mystery, power for our mission:
"It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses . . . to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).
Jesus will return to make all things right. But until Christ's returns, life for us will be a battle of glories. Will we live for created glories or the glory of the Creator? Will we live for him when it is easy … or, hard, too?
