Hello again,

I prayerfully hope these messages are a blessing to you.  Today's topic is Christ's Coming.

Jesus personally promises to come again to take us to be with Him.  Some 300 times -- approximately one text out of every twenty five -- the New Testament promises that Jesus will return!  Some samples include:

• cf. Matthew 16:27.
• cf. Luke 21:27.
• cf. Hebrews 9:28.
• cf. Revelation 22:20.

John 14:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

The Old Testament, likewise, speaks of Jesus' coming.

• cf. Psalm 50:3-5
• cf. Isaiah 66:15, 16.
• cf. Daniel 2:44, 45.
• cf. Jude 14. Enoch, the seventh in descent from Adam, prophesied of Jesus' coming.

Job 19:25-26

New International Version (NIV)

25 I know that my redeeme lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I will see God;

The New Testament apostles speak of Christ's coming.

• cf. Titus 2:13.
• cf. 2 Peter 3:10.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

When Jesus comes again, He will reward each person according to the life's record.

• cf. Matthew 25:31-46.

Revelation 22:12

New International Version (NIV)

12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

When Jesus comes again, He will judge the living and the dead.

• cf. Revelation 6:15-17.

2 Timothy 4:1

New International Version (NIV)

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:

When Jesus comes again, He will put an end to sin and sinners.

• cf. Nahum 1:9
• cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:8.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8

New International Version (NIV)

7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Jesus will return literally, in person, with clouds of angels.

• cf. Revelation 1:7

Acts 1:9-11

New International Version (NIV)

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Jesus will return with power and great glory.

• Matthew 24:30, 31, 23-27.

Luke 21:27

New International Version (NIV)

27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

These verses describe the reaction of the wicked to Jesus' coming -- and their fate.

Revelation 6:15-17

New International Version (NIV)

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their[b] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

These verses describe the reaction of the redeemed to Jesus's coming.

Isaiah 25:9

New International Version (NIV)

9 In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;
    we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

"Watch and be ready!"  Christ appeals to men and women to be ready whenever Jesus returns.

• cf. Titus 2:11-14

Matthew 24:42-44

New International Version (NIV)

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

See you back in a couple days.