HE WILL COME AGAIN

HE WILL COME AGAIN

Text: Acts 1:9-11.

Delivered on: June 1, 2008. Streetsboro.

Introduction.

1. One popular song says… We walked not with the chosen few who saw thee from the earth ascend… But we believe that human eyes beheld that journey to the skies.

2. The events discussed in this song are recorded for us in Acts 1:9-11.

3. Jesus left the earth on that day long ago.

4. But we have a promise that He will return.

5. This is a blessed hope.

6. Let us notice:

   1. What are we told about His coming.

   2. What are we not told about His coming.

1. WHAT WE ARE TOLD ABOUT HIS COMING.
   
   
   

   1. His coming is certain.

      1. We know it is certain because of the testimony of the angels. Acts 1:9-11. Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, ¹¹ who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

      2. We know it is certain because of the testimony of Peter. 2 Peter 3:3-10. Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, ⁶ by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. ⁷ But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. ⁸ But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

      3. We know it is certain because of the testimony of Paul.

         1. Philippians 3:20-21. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

         2. 2 Timothy 4:1. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

      4. We know it is certain because of the testimony of John. Revelation 1:7. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

      5. Most of all, we know it is certain because of the testimony of Jesus.

         1. John 14:1-3. “Let not your heart be troubled; you 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

         2. Revelation 22:20. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
            
            
            

   2. His coming will be visible.

      1. Sometime you may hear someone tell you that Jesus has already come but His coming was in secret or invisible.

      2. That is contrary to the teachings of Scripture.

      3. John said that every eye would see Jesus when He comes. Revelation 1:7. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
         
         
         

   3. His coming will be audible.

      1. Yes, we will hear Jesus coming.

      2. 1 Corinthians 15:52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

      3. 1 Thessalonians 4:16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
         
         
         

2. WHAT WE ARE NOT TOLD ABOUT HIS COMING.
   
   
   

   1. We are not told when He will come again.

      1. We are not told when He will come again.

      2. We are not told when He will come again.

      3. We are not told when He will come again.

      4. We are not told when He will come again.

      5. Matthew 24:36-39. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. ³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

         1. The angels don’t know.

         2. Jesus says that only the Father knows.

         3. This necessarily implies that Jesus, Himself did not know.

      6. The problems occur when people take passages out of context.

         1. For example… the first 35 verses of Matthew 24.

         2. These verses are dealing with signs of the coming destruction of Jerusalem.

         3. Matthew 24:1-3. Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. ² And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” ³ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

         4. Two questions were asked.

            1. When will these things be? When will the temple be destroyed?

            2. What will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?

         5. Whenever someone uses a passage to try to predict the coming of Jesus, you can know that they are using it out of context. Because Jesus told us that we can’t know.
            
            
            

   2. We are not told that He will ever set foot on the earth.

      1. NO passage that deals with Jesus’ return even hints at Him ever setting foot on the earth.

      2. Rather, we are told that we will meet Him in the air. 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

         1. There are those who believe that this passage teaches that there will be a rapture.

         2. The doctrine of the rapture is the belief that when Jesus returns, only the righteous will be resurrected. Hence, all the bumper stickers that say, “In case of the Rapture, the vehicle will be empty.” Then, at a later time, the wicked will be resurrected.

         3. However, Jesus taught that all, both good and evil, would be resurrected at the same time. John 5:28-29. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

         4. Therefore, if 1 Thessalonians 4:17 teaches that the righteous will be resurrected at Jesus second coming, then John 5:28-29 tells us that the wicked will be resurrected at the same time.

      3. When He comes, the earth will be destroyed. 2 Peter 3:10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

      4. Setting up an earthly kingdom would make Scripture false.

         1. Jesus will not be a King on the earth.

            1. Jesus is a descendant of Jechoniah. Matthew 1:11. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

            2. Therefore, He cannot rule in Jerusalem. Jeremiah 22:28-30. “ Is this man Coniah a despised, broken idol— A vessel in which is no pleasure? Why are they cast out, he and his descendants, And cast into a land which they do not know? ²⁹ O earth, earth, earth, Hear the word of the LORD! ³⁰ Thus says the LORD: ‘ Write this man down as childless, A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his descendants shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling anymore in Judah.’”

         2. Jesus will not be a priest on the earth.

            1. Part of the premillennial doctrine is the belief that the Law of Moses will be re-established when Jesus returns and that Jesus will then be a priest.

            2. If that is so, Jesus could never be a priest. Hebrews 7:14. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

Conclusion.

1. Jesus WILL come again.

2. We WILL know when He comes.

   1. We will see it.

   2. We will hear it.

3. We DO NOT know when He will return.

4. He WILL NOT set foot on the earth when He comes.