Jesus is coming--perhaps today?

I am again thinking about Jesus' return.  Our adult Bible class teacher, just this past Sunday posed a question to us.  Here it is.  "When are the last days?"  Immediately, someone responded with the usual, 'oh, the days just prior to Jesus' return.'  I suggested that the last days began in Acts 2.  Peter, if you remember quoted from the book of Joel to describe the events of Acts 2.   The outpouring of the Spirit, according to Peter, was a fulfillment of the Joelic prophecy of a last day outpouring.  Acts 2:17...In these last days...


So, the last days are days that occur from Acts 2 until the end of time as we know it.  These days will be climaxed with the coming of King Jesus.  Hebrews tells us that Jesus will appear a second time.  Hebrews 9:28

"so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation."


Jesus is coming again, not to deal with sin but to bring 'salvation' to all who eagerly await for him.


Questions:


1.  What is this salvation that I don't already have?   What I have so far is an infinitesimally small portion of what awaits me.  I have the Spirit that is a guarantee of what is to come.  But, as I figure it--that seed of immortality that is within me is so puny compared to what is coming for me.   Paul tells me in Romans 8:23-25

"Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But, if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."


So, I have only the first fruits.  It's like planting a seed of corn that can grow into a whole new plant bearing many husks of corn.   I only have a little seed!  But, in that seed I have a guarantee of something so huge, glorious, indescribable, terrific, awesome--Jesus is coming to bring all that to me!


2.  Am I eagerly awaiting for him?  Remember the Hebrew passage?  "To those who eagerly wait for him…"


Am I eagerly awaiting for Jesus?  Or am I eagerly awaiting:

  • Retirement?
  • My stocks to do better?
  • Hockey season to start?
  • My next holiday?
  • A new car?
  • A visit from my grand babies?
  • A day off?
  • Christmas?


What really turns my crank?

What is really worth waiting for?  A BBQ steak after a five day fast?  A nice warm bed after running out of gas on a cold night?  

A long awaited vacation ?


The way I think the Bible reads is this.  If I want to be useful for the kingdom, I have to prioritize the kingdom.  These are the last days.  I need to prioritize God's kingdom.  I need to eagerly await the coming of Jesus by assigning God's kingdom first place in my life, on my schedule, in my bank account, etc.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Learning to hate your sin

Image
   John 5:13-15 (NLT) 13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.   Lord give me grace, power, and effort to maintain a resilience against sin.  Sin is ALWAYS a dark path. It ALWAYS pays wages.  The wage of sin is death.  Sin will always hurt, always destroy, always wound—you, relationships, stuff, goals, etc.  It is a killer.  It is a wound-er.  It is a consumer of all that is healthy, strong, good, and perfect. Learn to hate sin. Learn to fear sin. Learn to run as fast as you can away from sin. Search deeply for hidden sin. Be disgusted with your sin.  Repent, repent, repent daily for your sin. Be afraid of your sin. Be petrified of your sin. Be worried about your sin. And keep repenting, keeping running into the arms of grace and the arm
Read more

Meditation

Image
Meditation I realize as we move on with this series that there are two things that need some clarification.  We already looked at the idea of silence and quietness—this week we will look at meditation.  Let’s begin by giving you the descriptions of the differences between these two disciplines.  Although from an outsider’s position there may be little or subtle differences, I want to help you process the vast difference between these—-and the immense benefit from both of these disciplines: Silence/ Quietness: Here the idea is shutting out your active mind —leaving lots of space for two things.  First, space to give your mind a rest, relaxing your mind.  It is a stopping of your mind from racing around solving all the problems of the world.  Second, giving space to hear from God! It is laying aside your agenda.  It is putting aside the debris, hurriedness, and hectic pace to relax in God’s presence.  Often music can help you with this.  Using the “Jesus praye
Read more

God is after you! And... for a different reason than you think!

Have you ever been pursued by a suitor—a lover—someone who is very interested in you? Was it pleasant to be liked?  Was it pleasant to be wanted?  Well, yeah—for sure.  Who doesn’t want to be loved? Who doesn’t want to be sought after?  Who doesn’t want to be appreciated? I do!  I am sure you do too! Did you know that is actually the message of Christmas—and the actual ‘story’ of the Bible?  It’s a story about God pursuing humanity. Too often when we think of God, or church, or the Bible—we think of behaving ourselves enough to get God’s attention.  Or, we think of trying hard to impress God—so that God would appreciate the hard work we are doing down here and give us His nod. Well, actually that is not true.  That is not the message of the Bible—nor the core message of Christmas.  It is actually the total opposite.  The core message of Christmas is not our chasing God—it is God chasing us! God is so in love with us—and wants so much for us to be with Him—and wa
Read more