Audio transcript
How can we put together for the second coming of Christ? The query is nice and at all times related. And at this time it involves us from a podcast listener named Sarah. “Thanks for this podcast Pastor John,” he writes. ” correctly put together for the second coming of Christ? what am i able to anticipate what's to come back What ought to I do now that I'm impatiently ready for his return?
One solution to summarize our preparation for the Second Coming is to say that there are three impulses that assist us to be prepared:
- The impulse that comes from the wonderful prospect of seeing the Lord
- An impulse that comes from having to undergo earlier than it comes
- An impulse to be discovered devoted and watchful in our specific callings when it comes
So let me illustrate every of those three impulses as a result of that's the reply to the query, “How do you put together? You put together by first responding biblically to those three prompts.
1. Attempt for Christlikeness now.
First, the impulse that comes from the wonderful prospect of seeing the Lord. First John 3:2-3:
Beloved, we’re God's youngsters now, and what we will be has not but appeared; however we all know it when it exhibits up [the second coming] we shall be like him as a result of we are going to see him as he’s. And everybody who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he’s pure.
“When you actually wish to be like Jesus by seeing him when he comes, you’ll attempt to be like him now.”
So take into consideration the psychological dynamics of those verses. When he says, “everybody who thus hopes in him,” he means hope be like him. “When he seems, we shall be like him.” . . . [Whoever] thus hope in him” — hoping that he shall be like him — will now be purified. So the purpose is, in case you actually wish to be like him by seeing him when he comes, you'll attempt to be like him now. You can be.
So the impulse to turn out to be a radically pure, holy, loving, self-sacrificing, Christ-like particular person is now an intense hope and need for that to occur when he comes and we see him. That's the primary impulse.
2. Put together to undergo.
Second, the impulse that comes from the need of struggling earlier than Jesus comes. Now I imply all Christian struggling, for Paul stated that “in lots of tribulations we should enter the dominion of God” (Acts 14:22). And I imply the struggling that shall be much more intense in direction of the top, when Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:8: “The depraved one will seem, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and destroy him. the revelation of his coming.”
Now Jesus speaks of this time of lawlessness in Matthew 24:11-13: “Many false prophets will come up and can mislead many. And since lawlessness will improve, the love of many will develop chilly. However he who endures to the top shall be saved.”
It follows, then, that (1) we must always put together for the approaching of the Lord by being spiritually and mentally alert to Devil's deception and false educating; (2) we must be utterly topic to God's Phrase, slightly than being lawless or arbitrary; and (3) we must always domesticate a robust religion in God's sovereign goodness in order that we will persevere to the top in no matter struggling comes our means.
And just some phrases about how this is applicable at this time, maybe greater than at every other time in historical past. (I could possibly be mistaken about this, however that's my guess.) Human beings have developed standard in addition to mental and complicated methods to disclaim the existence of any divine regulation or norm. We’ve got discovered a solution to declare credibility for creating our personal reality, creating our personal proper and mistaken, creating our personal id.
When you had been born a person and also you wish to be a lady, then there isn’t any regulation in God, no regulation in nature, no regulation in tradition to cease you. You do what you suppose you wish to do. You might be your personal regulation. That is what Jesus means injustice. And it multiplies and will increase. And Jesus says that such lawlessness will multiply, will improve, and that the result’s a tragic coldness of affection amongst Christians.
One solution to put together for the Second Coming and its previous tribulation is to submit with intelligence, knowledge, and pleasure to absolutely the requirements of God's regulation for the sake of heat love, not chilly love.
3. Work faithfully for Christ.
The third impulse to be prepared for the second coming is the impulse to be discovered devoted and watchful in our specific callings. Over and again and again within the New Testomony we’re informed to be watchful, to be awake, to be prepared. What does it imply? I feel the parable of the ten virgins is an effective instance of what this implies.
The dominion of heaven shall be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to satisfy the bridegroom. [So this is a picture of being ready for the second coming, the return of the bridegroom.] 5 of them had been silly and 5 had been sensible. Or when the silly took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them, however the sensible took their vessels of oil with their lamps. As a result of the bridegroom delayed [that’s Jesus’s hint that there will be some distance of time]everybody was drowsy and asleep [all ten]. However at midnight it was stated: “Right here is the bridegroom! Exit to satisfy him.” Then all of the virgins arose and adjusted their lamps. And the silly stated to the sensible: “Give us a few of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” However the sensible answered: “Since we is not going to have sufficient even for you, go slightly to the retailers and purchase yourselves.” And as they went to purchase, the bridegroom got here, and people who had been prepared went in with him to the marriage feast, and the doorways had been shut. Then the opposite virgins additionally got here and stated, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” However he he answered: Amen, I say to you, I have no idea you. [And here’s Jesus’s conclusion:] Watch subsequently, for you realize neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)
The conclusion of the entire parable subsequently solutions this query: put together? “Watch subsequently, for you realize neither the day nor the hour.” What does it imply? Each the sensible and the silly virgins slept and there was no criticism. It’s not an issue. Watching, subsequently, means no synthetic evening wakings, window gazing, a lot consideration to conspiracy theories in regards to the finish of time.
“Grasp gave us all duties for the time he was gone – presents, assets, skills, cash, relationships.
On watches means doing all your job rather well for Christ. They’d a job: Have your lamps. Have your oil. Reply to notifications when given. Mild the best way for the groom to enter. They usually did their job precisely as they had been imagined to and entered. They had been morally, spiritually, and one may say professionally awake. They did their work the best way God supposed it for them.
That is what you discover all through the New Testomony. The Grasp gave us all assignments for the time he was gone—presents, assets, skills, cash, alternatives, relationships, non secular disciplines. These are all areas the place we do our work with constancy and diligence.
Blessed servants
One of the essential texts for me over time as a pastor, and even continues to be, is Luke 12:42-44 the place it says (I hear it was spoken on to me, John Piper):
Who then? [John Piper], is he a devoted and sensible steward whom his grasp will set over his family to provide them their portion of meals on the correct time? Blessed is the servant whom his grasp will discover doing so when he comes. Actually, I say to you, he’ll set him over all his possessions.
Have you learnt what meaning to me? This implies, “Piper, work your loyal fandom to inform the reality Ask Pastor John. And if the Lord comes and finds you preparing the day earlier than the taping, you'll be glad you had been at work.” Sure, I’ll.
Let yourselves subsequently be guided by (1) the impulse that comes from the prospect of seeing the Lord, (2) the impulse that comes from the need of struggling, and (3) the impulse to be discovered devoted, watchful, full of affection for Christ in our specific callings. After which we hear him say, “Enter into the enjoyment of your grasp” (Matthew 25:21, 23).
