Today, I want to explore the importance of his second coming when all that is promised will be fulfilled.
In the early New Testament, the followers of Jesus anticipated, his second coming, and that was part of their motivation for spreading the gospel throughout the world. Jesus’ coming again, was not just a theme, but they lived it.
The tradition of Christmas is an important reminder because it is about the birth of Christ. The trapping of gifts and the legends of Saint Nicholas/Santa, while a part of this experience, can be a distraction to the simple!
We could not have sin forgiven without the death of Jesus. Sin is pardoned as the result of His death, the perfect lamb. It is in His death that we find life eternal. It is in His tomb that we are set free. It is the death of Christ that we understand the power of His resurrection!
In the last days of Jesus when he was with his disciples, He told them that He would return. His promise gave them strength and comfort as he soon went to the cross, buried in the tomb, and rose again.
During the season of Christmas we find the “Advent” tradition. The lighting of candles that tell us of His “arrival.” It is a tradition of anticipation.
As we look only to his death on the Cross we miss His incredible resurrection! In His rising again and the time He spent with his followers after He rise again we discover the divine.
In the early New Testament, the followers of Jesus anticipated, his second coming, and that was part of their motivation for spreading the gospel throughout the world. Jesus’ coming again, was not just a theme, but they lived it.
The writers spent much of their time thinking about and promoting the importance of the gospel.
1. The gospel is about Jesus’ birth.
Luke 2 is a favorite reading passage on Christmas morning. It’s a tradition that we aimed to instill with our own children before opening any gifts. It was God, Emmanuel that made it possible for us to understand the Kingdom of God on earth in His presence.
It was in that silent night when all was still that the world first saw the face of God - His father gave His only begotten son, Jesus.
2. The gospel is about Jesus’ death on the cross.
Scan through the four gospels and you will find the story told of Jesus‘ death in all four gospel passages. Each of the writers are distinctive yet similar in their descriptions of the death of Jesus.
3. The gospel is also about Jesus’ coming again.
The early church could not express the meaning of the gospel (good news) without the compelling promise from Jesus that He will come again.
The stories of Jesus reveal his vulnerabilities (born as a baby in human form), His sufferings (pointing to His humanity), and also His power (pointing to His superiority).
His humanity makes Him relatable. He understands our condition. He knows our sufferings and temptations, yet, he did not sin.
It is in His coming again that shows us His dominion, majesty, and power! It is in this simple promise (recorded in John 14) that helped the early church be established. It was important to the Church to wait for His return.
Similarly, it is spoken of His coming again. It picks up at His promise to come again.
As we look only to the birth of Jesus, we miss the son of man who did miracles and healing. Who suffered for our sake. Who died and rise again!
As we look only to his death on the Cross we miss His incredible resurrection! In His rising again and the time He spent with his followers after He rise again we discover the divine.
It is in His coming again the will know of His majesty and power. Sure, we learn deeper meaning at each phase of the gospel story. Yet, it is in the anticipation of His coming again the we learn to wait. We learn to watch. We learn to look heavenwards to the savior who promised that he will come again.
