Looking Forward to Jesus’ Coming

LOOKING FORWARD TO JESUS' COMING
Christmas is about looking back. During last week’s sermon, we looked back at the glorious coming of the Word (Logos) - The Lord Jesus Christ.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
The New Year is about looking forward. The Biblical narrative of the coming of the Lord, His Second Coming to come and save the elect from their remaining sins and bring them to eternal glory.
PRACTICAL IMPACT OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
James 5: 1-12
How much does the truth of Jesus coming again impact your life? How many times do you think a bout in a day? A week? A month? A year? How many times have you sang it? Does it affect your endurance? What about your faith and trust in God? Does it affect your health evangelism?
Understanding the the doctrines such as the holiness of God or the atonement of sins have practical impact in our daily walk with God. Yet , in all doctrines, it is the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST that must have the most practical impact in our life. Thinking and being impacted by the second coming of Christ is how this doctrine should impact us
The KEY in this sermon is KNOWING OF THE END OF THE STORY HAS A MASSIVE IMPACT THE WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE AND SUFFER.
When you know that in your battle with cancer, depression and injustice you will win, that must have an impact on the way you live and suffer.
In the text for today, the Church is persecuted with injustice. In v4, Christians are being persecuted financially and emotionally. However, it is comforting to know that The Lord sees everything. If you are in this situation, how are you supposed to react? Will you demand justice? Or will you execute justice for yourself?
How can we establish our hearts before the coming of The Lord Jesus while living in this world?
The Bible commands us three things:
1. BE PATIENT. vv 7, 8
When someone commit adultery, we call it a sin. When someone lies about something, we call it a sin. However, when someone is impatient, we normally say, “Welcome tot he club!” Why? Because we are all impatient. We do not see impatience as a sin but it is; it is a deadly sin.
Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, being fourth with the other fruit and self-control being ninth.
1 Peter 3:20 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
In Exodus, God is patient with the Israelites.
Romans 2; Romans 9; 1 Timothy 1:16 and 2 Peter 3:15
The patience of The Lord me and salvation.
God has been patient with you. He waited for you to be saved. And God is still being patient with you.
2. DO MOT GRUMBLE. v 9
The instruction is not simply to avoid it but not to grumble gain at your fellow believers.
Bizarre it is that when we are mistreated by whom we cannot punish directly, we take it to people whom we can. This is a fact about our sinful heart. It’s a tremendous sin. The hardship that should keep couples together, makes them apart instead.
3. ALWAYS GIARD THE NAME OF THE LORD. v 12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.
Swearing for the sake of getting credibility to what you say is a sin.
Deuteronomy 23 is about instruction to the Israelites how to swear an oath.
However, the Bible warns us - let your “yes” be yes and your “no”, no.
Job is not perfect nor no issues but he never dishonour the name of The Lord.
In Job 1: 20-22 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. How about you? Do you revere the name of The Lord in the midst of your suffering?
How did Job able to endure his suffering? In Job 19:25-27
For I know that my Redeemer lives,And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,And my eyes shall behold, and not another.How my heart yearns within me!
It might be too much to say that Job is pertaining to the second coming of Christ but he knows His Redeemer lives!
Saints, now you know the end of the story, now you know that ALL things will be made right, ESTABLISH YOUR HEART FOR THE COMING OF OIR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
Matthew 24:29-31 The Coming of the Son of Man
Maranatha!