The Second Coming of Christ

Temple Baptist Church - 9-22-2019

Revelation 1:4-8

Introduction:

A.  The Revelation or Apocalypse means an unveiling.  The unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 3:2-3  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  (3)  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

B.  The Second Advent has been referred to as the “Other Advent” by a preacher that I know, and I fully agree with his reasoning.  Everyone talks much about the First Advent or Coming of our Lord, but little is said or thought about an equally important one, the Second Advent or Coming.

1.  Most people love the First Advent because Christ came as a babe and left as a Lamb.  Everyone loves the babe in a manger.

2. He came to become a Sacrifice for sin and that is certainly wonderful and exciting to this preacher.  People in general love the babe in the manger because a babe is not seemingly a threat to anyone.

3.  Christ’s death on the cross is a wonderful thing as He became sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

4.  When Christ comes the Second Time, He will come in power and glory.  He will come as king of kings and Lord of lords.  He will come as both Potentate and Judge.

5.  There will be Accountability when He comes so the Second Advent becomes the less popular and less spoken of “Other Advent.”  Most people do not like the thought of being accountable for what they have or have not done.

C.  When Christ comes again, we will see Him as he is, not as we think of Him.  Now, back to 1 John 3:3—which says— “we shall see Him as He is.”  Then those who look for His coming will purify themselves, even as He is pure.

D.  Do you see what I mean by the unpopularity of His Second Coming?

Hebrews 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

E.  As the world slept in darkness when the Lord came the first time, so they sleep in the darkness of sin as He prepares to come the Second time. 

F.  Very few people ever look up to the heavens each day and say, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

1.  He is coming “with clouds.”  He is coming as the Judge of the World instead of the Lamb of God.

Psalms 97:2-3  Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.  (3)  A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

2.  He is coming with visibility.  “Every eye shall see him.”

Jude 14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

3.  He is coming for Israel.  “they also which pierced him.”

Zechariah 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

4.  He is coming in great power.  “all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him”

Matthew 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

G.  Three things concerning His Second Advent.

1.  The Promise of His Coming.

John 14:1-3  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  (2)  In 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.  (3)  And 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.

John 14:27-28  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  (28)  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

2.  The Prophecy of His Coming.

Acts 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Colossians 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  (18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

2 Thessalonians 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

Hebrews 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

1 John 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3.  The Performance of His Coming.  Revelation deals with both the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming in Power and Glory because, at the time of John’s writing, both were future events.  Revelation, chapter 4, tells of the Rapture of the Church while chapter 19, describes His Second Coming in Power and Glory.  I will not deal with these in depth because we will look at them in context at a later time.

a.  The Rapture of the Church - Revelation 4:1-2  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.  (2)  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

b.  The Second Coming in Power and Glory - Revelation 19:11-16  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  (12)  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  (13)  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  (14)  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  (15)  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  (16)  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.