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The Second Coming Of Jesus (No. 4)

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS (No. 4)

By George W. Sinquefield

John 14:1 through John 14:6 (KJV)

1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

        Do we really believe that Jesus is coming again and do we believe that his coming is imminent, close at hand?

        "Oh, if we only believed that his coming was near, we would loosen our hold upon the world, turn our backs upon some of the things that we are doing, and take a tighter grip upon God and a greater interest in his work." (Ford)

        What would it do for our world if we were to adopt this blessed hope as our perspective? What if our political parties would be controlled by the conviction that Christ is soon coming back? What if our international conferences were conducted in this atmosphere of expectancy? Shat if industry, agriculture, labor and management, science and education, business and pleasure, churches and homes would all be pointed to the return of Jesus? There would be a revolution, a spiritual and moral revolution in every area of life and oh how we need it.

        The truth of the second coming of Jesus will give men a vigor, a life of enthusiasm, a zeal and a passion for souls when all other things will fail. What we are and what we do today will be determined largely by the degree of expectancy we have as to the imminence of the "blessed hope." If properly regarded the day to day matters of our lives will take on a different degree of importance. Proper perspective will give precedence to personal righteousness and positive witnessing over the social and economic pursuits which absorb our energies and passions.

I.   His Coming Is An Incentive To Christian Living.

        A man in his sixties said, "I have made a mess of my life and I have done it by putting second class values first." As Christians, it should be our first concern to see that, so far as we can, the work of our Lord goes forward and to seek to please him in all of life. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." At the very heart of Christian living is the desire to please God.

2 Timothy 2:3 through 2 Timothy 2:4 (KJV)

3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

        It was said of Enoch that he pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5 (KJV)

5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

        Oh, may that be truthful said of you and me.

II.   His Coming Is An Incentive To Purity Of Life.

        Probably the most beautiful fur is that of the ermine. The formal robes of judges are lined with it. The white being emblematic of purity and honor. It is said that the ermine takes pride in his white fur coat and at all hazards, protects it against anything that would soil it.

        In the forests of northern Asia some hunters take advantage of the ermine's passion to keep his fur clean. They find his home -- a small cave or a hollow of a decaying tree-- and daub the entrance and interior with filth. When the dogs start the chase, the ermine flees to his home. He finds it unclean, and rather than soil his pure white coat, he faces the dogs and preserves the purity of his fur at the price of his life. He feels that it is better to surrender his life than to be unclean.

        Dr. John Roach Stratton, one of the great preachers of the past used tobacco. He was concerned about it. People talked to him about it and he talked to the Lord about it. One day he said, "I was never able o overcome the tobacco habit until the truth of the Lord's return gripped my heart and my soul."

III.   His Coming Is An Incentive To Faithfulness.

        After the tragic bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon, the wounded were carried to a West Germany hospital. An officer went in to visit one Marine who was just moments from death. The Marine managed to say "Semper Fi" which is the motto of the Marines. It means "always faithful." The fact that Jesus is coming, if we are expecting Him to come, will certainly motivate us to be faithful.

        The hope of His coming produces patience. New Testament patience is not just sitting down and waiting, it is doing what we can while we are waiting.

James 5:7 through James 5:8 (KJV)

7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Hebrews 10:36 (KJV)

36For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

        Our church supports over one hundred missionaries. During the first term of one of our missionaries in Peru, we received a letter which read, "Pray for us. The entire family has hepatitis and is in the hospital." Another letter came: "Pray for me. I'm in the hospital. My wife and baby have died with infectious hepatitis." The missionary was soon well enough to come home to Chattanooga. I was in Chattanooga at one of the conferences. There I saw this man and said to him, "How are you feeling?"

        He answered, "Well, the doctors have released me, and in two weeks I'll be ready to think about getting back into mission work." I asked, "What do you plan to do?" He said, "I'm going back to Peru, preacher!" I said, "You mean to tell me that where you stood and wept and cried over a baby and a wife who were given in the service of God -- you mean you're going on, that you are going back?"

        He said, "Yes sir, I'm going back to Peru to be a missionary." I thought to my self, O God, how can I think of quitting? How can I think of giving up?

        A fine Christian doctor said, "I do not know when the Lord will return in final glory. But according to the tables of life expectancy, I know that so far as my life is concerned, He will return for me within a few years. Therefore, I must do all I can for him now."

        On May 19, 1970 in Hartford, Connecticut, a terrifying storm arose at noon. The sky became as dark as night. People were frightened -- for they believed it to be the end of the world -- the day of judgment. The House of Representatives was in session. The speaker of the House, Cal Davenport stood up in the midst of fear and confusion and said, "I do not know whether this is the end of the world or not. If not, it will be a waste of time for us to quit our tasks. If it is the Judgment Day, I for one want to be found doing my tasks."

IV.   By The Promise Of His Coming, We Are Admonished Not To Be Ashamed Of Him In This World.

2 Timothy 1:8 through 2 Timothy 1:9 (KJV)

8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

1 Peter 4:16 (KJV)

16Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

Mark 8:38 (KJV)

38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

        The story is told of a farmer and his wife who sent their son to the university. There he fell in with a group of snobbish students. One day the father said, "Mother, I want to see our boy. I'm going over to the university and see mim." He hitched the horse to the buggy and started on the long trip. He arrived late in the afternoon and he saw his boy coming down the street with other students. He, dressed in his overalls, hurried to meet him. As he started to throw his arms around him, the foolish, ungrateful son said to him, "I don't know you, sir." Then he turned his back upon his father and went away. The brokenhearted father made his way home in sorrow.

        I'm afraid we are often ashamed to stand for Jesus. We are ashamed to tell others what He has done for us, but if we will but keep in mind that He may come at any moment, it'll help us to stand boldly for him.

        Let us be real honest with ourselves. Would we be ashamed to face him. Many will say, "Yes, I'd be ashamed to face him because I've failed him in so many ways. I haven't studied his Word as I should have. I let many opportunities to witness for him pass by. I've been so busy with other things that I failed to spend time in prayer. And because of selfishness and my love for things of this world, I did not support his work with his tithe and my offerings. Oh, yes, I'd be ashamed to meet him and have to give and account of my life.

        Thank God, we do not have to be ashamed. We can be prepared to meet him without being ashamed. The Word of God tells us how.

1 John 2:28 (KJV)

28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

        "Abide in him" means, first of all, to accept him as Savior and then permit him to be the Lord of your life. Be obedient to his will and follow him regardless of the price you may have to pay. This is what Paul did and listen to him.

2 Timothy 4:7 through 2 Timothy 4:8 (KJV)

7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

        Paul "loved his appearing" and so will you if you are as surrendered to him as Paul was. You can test the depth of your spiritually by asking yourself this question. Am I looking forward to his coming or am I dreading it?

        A lady in later life went to Israel to study Hebrew. She said, "I want to be able to greet my Savior in his native tongue when He comes." Hebrew wasn't our Savior's native tongue but her motive was right. She was looking forward to greeting him.

V.   His Coming Is An Incentive To Win The Lost To Him.

        A very small percent of the world's population is ready for his return. Most of the world's population is not ready now and they won't be ready when He comes.

        Jesus said,

Matthew 7:13 through Matthew 7:14 (KJV)

13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:21 through Matthew 7:23 (KJV)

21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

2 Peter 3:9 through 2 Peter 3:10 (KJV)

9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

        Notice two things about this verse. The Lord is giving us who are saved more time to reach and win those who are not his, those who have never experienced the new birth. And secondly, the Lord is long suffering toward those who are lost. It is his will that they trust him and be saved. He is not willing that any should be lost and go to hell.

        In his book, "The Bible and Race" T. B. Marton says, "This blessed hope is not designed as a sedative to an inactive mind and complacent conscience, but an incentive to be the fullest endeavor to press on to the farthest limits of the world that all the nations may know Christ and the power of his risen life."

Matthew 24:14 (KJV)

14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

        What is the gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:3 through 1 Corinthians 15:4 (KJV)

3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

        The word "gospel" means "good news." It is the good news that Jesus died on the cross to pay our sin debt and that He was buried and the He overcame death and the grave. He was resurrected and forever lives to save those who will accept him as Lord and Savior.

Romans 1:14 through Romans 1:16 (KJV)

14I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Romans 10:13 through Romans 10:15 (KJV)

13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

1 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV)

21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

VI.   His Coming Is An Incentive For The Lost To Be Saved.

2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)

2(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Matthew 24:42 through Matthew 24:44 (KJV)

42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

        Blessed are those who the Lord finds watching,
        In his glory they shall share;
        If He shall come at the dawn or midnight.
        Will He find us watching there?

                                             --Crosby

        A man who lived on Long Island was finally able to satisfy a lifelong ambition by purchasing for himself a very fine barometer. When the instrument arrived at his home, he was extremely disappointed to find that the indicating needle appeared to be stuck, pointing to the sector marked "Hurricane."

        After shaking the barometer vigorously several times, its new owner sat down and wrote a scorching letter to the store from which he had purchased the instrument. On the following morning, on his way to his office in New York, he mailed the letter. That evening he returned to Long Island to find not only the barometer missing but his house also.

        The barometer's needle had been right -- there was a hurricane! This incident suggests the similar folly of the many who refuse to take seriously the warnings of Holy Scripture.