The Return of Jesus

“Jesus is Coming Again Soon”

That is a statement that I heard for many years when I was a young Christian, but now I hardly hear it being either preached or talked about.

Acts 1:11 (NIRV)

¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go.”

Jesus is due back at any time, to receive the Kingdom which He entirely paid for by His sacrifice.

As a young Christian, this truth was foundational to my faith, and not just a fanciful whim.  It still is a foundational truth which I hold to.

I heard a preacher once state that…

”Jesus is coming back and He should be here in about 30 minutes…(looking at his watch). Now Jesus might not actually be here in 30 minutes but I am going to live my life as though He is.”

I admit that this is a truly wonderful way to live your life with the earnest expectation that at any moment Jesus may return.  It tends to give perspective on how to live your life.

There have been naysayers who have capitalized on errant Christians who have set dates to the Lord’s return and have brought disrepute upon the Church and the doctrine of the Lord’s return.

Romans 3:3-4 (NIRV)

³ What if some Jews were not faithful? Will the fact that they weren’t faithful keep God from being faithful? ⁴ Not at all! God is true, even if every human being is a liar. It is written,

“You are right when you sentence me.

 You are fair when you judge me.” (Psalm 51:4)

Jesus is returning whether or not we choose to believe it or not.

The key question is:  ARE YOU READY?

Matthew 24:36-46 (NIRV)

³⁶ “But no one knows about that day or hour. Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows. ³⁷ Remember how it was in the days of Noah. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes. ³⁸ In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking. They were getting married. They were giving their daughters to be married. They did all those things right up to the day Noah entered the ark. ³⁹ They knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man comes. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field. One will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding with a hand mill. One will be taken and the other left.

⁴² “So keep watch. You do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³ You must understand something. Suppose the owner of the house knew what time of night the robber was coming. Then he would have kept watch. He would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you don’t expect him.

⁴⁵ “Suppose a master puts one of his slaves in charge of the other slaves in his house. The slave’s job is to give them their food at the right time. The master wants a faithful and wise slave for this. ⁴⁶ It will be good for the slave if the master finds him doing his job when the master returns.

There are some that argue that since we are “saved” we don’t have to worry about the return of Jesus! — that “the finished work of Christ is all that is needed for the believer”. This statement is true.  Salvation is a gift provided by the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross.  However, Paul is quick to point out it isn’t just resting on His laurels that we trust the finished work of Christ, but it is us responding to the spirit of God and demonstrating our faith in ways that produce results.

Philippians 2:12-13 (NKJV)

¹² Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

And also James takes this topic and further develops this thought ―

James 2:14-26 (NKJV)

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

In light of this understanding, we do need to be ready for the Lord’s return by listening to the Holy Spirit and by doing what He puts in our hearts to do. 

Much like the 10 virgins who needed oil in their lamps (which is metaphor of the Holy Spirit) five of them took oil in their vessels to meet the Bridegroom and five did not.  Notice in this passage that all ten virgins were called to meet the bridegroom, five were prepared and five were not.  All ten virgins heard the cry at midnight that the bridegroom had arrived, but just because the five foolish virgins were called to meet the bridegroom, it wasn’t enough. They needed their lamps filled with oil to be known (or recognized) by the bridegroom.

 Matthew 25:1-12 (NKJV)

¹ “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

What are the takeaways of ten virgins?

·         All ten were called to the Bridegroom and they responded.

Matthew 22:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

·         The five wise virgins filled their vessels with oil

Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit

·         All ten went out to meet the Bridegroom

Psalm 130:6 (NKJV)

⁶ My soul waits for the Lord

More than those who watch for the morning—

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

·         All ten trimmed the wicks of their lamps for a better light

John 15:2 (YLT)

² every branch in me not bearing fruit, He doth take it away, and every one bearing fruit, He doth cleanse by pruning it, that it may bear more fruit

·         The five wise virgins entered in.

Matthew 25:23 (NKJV)

²³ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

I believe the greatest take away from this above passage is listening and responding to the Holy Spirit as He speaks to us about how He wants us to act.  Even though the oil is the smallest thing mentioned in the passage, it is the one thing of greatest importance to Jesus.

Jesus is returning soon, and we must be ready for His return with our hearts filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to illuminate us like lanterns, to shine with the love and mercy of Christ into a world that desperately needs it.

Above is a short Message from Corey Russell about the End of the Age

My prayer for you today is that you will be filled with Love and Mercy of Christ, and that the Holy Spirit would speak to you and shine through you today and give you His heart of compassion for this dying world.

Blessings to you today

Stephen Barnett

God is good all the time—all the time God is good!

Wake Me Up

Words and Music by:  Laura Hackett

For I’ve said in my heart “the Lord doesn’t see”,

And I’ve said in my heart “the Lord doesn’t hear”,

Oh I’ve said in my heart “the Lord does not act”,

For I’ve said in my heart “He won’t do anything at all”,

“He won’t do anything at all”.

For I’ve said in my heart “I’ve heard it all before”,

“Jesus is coming”, yea, “He is returning” yea,

When the world cries peace, peace and safety,

Oh I don’t want to be swept away,

I want to be found watching on that day.

I need to wake up, from my slumber,

I need to wake up, for He is coming,

Oh wake me up from my complacency,

I need to wake up, sound an alarm in my soul.

Just around the corner there is a storm arising,

And everything is shaking, yet I don’t realize it,

Something is changing, but my soul is asleep,

The time is drawing near, for the coming of the Lord,

For the coming of the Lord.

©2006 Forerunner Music 
The lyrics above are copyrighted by the respective artists and are posted here for educational purposes only and not for profit.