OceanSide church of Christ

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Part of the series: MAKE CHRIST YOUR KING
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THE KING IS COMING

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   On Sunday, January 6th, brother Gary McDade taught two lessons that kick-started our theme for this year, “Make Christ Your King in 2013.”

1.     He spoke about Jesus being the King of Kings.

2.    He also taught a lesson about our need to submit to this King.

 

B.   Throughout the year we have taught one lesson each month that has centered upon this theme.

 

C.   This morning, we will present our final lesson on this subject.  The title of our lesson is:  “The King Is Coming.”

1.     Over two thousand years ago, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

2.    He lived among men and taught them with authority.

3.     Sadly, His claims of being the Messiah were rejected.  Instead of being honored, He was crucified.

4.    The grave, however, could not hold Him.  He laid his grave clothes aside and walked out of Joseph’s tomb victorious over death.

5.    Forty days later, He ascended to the right hand of God and received a kingdom.  Since then, He has been ruling and reigning as the King of kings.

6.    Prior to His leaving, He told His disciples that He would return.  Thus, for almost 2000 years the followers of Jesus Christ have been anticipating the Second Coming of the King.  This is the subject of our lesson this morning.  We have entitled our lesson:  “The King Is Coming.”

 

I.            THE SURETY OF JESUS’ COMING

 

A.   Jesus taught that He would come again.

1.     This teaching is found in His parables.

a.    The Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:19)

 

But after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

 

b.    The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matt. 25:31)

 

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

 

2.    Jesus also taught His disciples of His second coming at the Passover just prior to His crucifixion (John 14:1-3).

 

Let not your heart be troubled:  ye believe in God, believe also in me.  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.  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.

B.   When Jesus ascended back to heaven, angels appeared unto the apostles and told them of Jesus’ return (Acts 1:10-11).

 

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, two men stood by them in white apparel; 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.

 

C.   Three of the apostles of Jesus also taught that the Lord will come again.

1.     Paul (II Tim. 4:1)

 

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.

 

2.    Peter (II Pet. 3:10)

 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…

 

3.     John (I 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.

 

II.           THE SOUNDS OF JESUS’ COMING

 

A.   I Thessalonians 4:16 reveals three sounds that will be heard when Jesus comes.

 

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God.

 

1.     The Lord will shout.

a.    We are not told what He will say.

b.    John 5:28-29 reveals that He will call the dead to come forth from the graves.

 

Marvel not at this:  for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.

 

2.    The voice of the archangel

a.    Again, we are not told what he will say.

b.    In The Parable of the Ten Virgins, there is an announcement, which says:  Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him (Matt. 25:6).

3.     The trump of God

 

B.   Peter affirms that the heavens shall pass away with a great noise (II Pet. 3:10).

 

C.   Revelation 1:7 states that we will also hear men crying and wailing while beating their breasts in grief.

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him:  and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen.

 

III.         THE SIGHTS OF JESUS’ COMING

 

A.   We will see the Christ (Rev. 1:7).

 

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him…

 

B.   We will see the holy angels (Matt. 25:31 II Thess. 1:7).

 

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.

 

C.   We will see the resurrection of all the dead (John 5:28-29).

 

Marvel not at this:  for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth…

 

D.   We will see our bodies change from an earthly body to a spiritual body in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (I Cor. 15:51-52).

 

Behold, I shew you a mystery:  we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet:  for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

 

E.   We will see the righteous dead rise first to meet the Lord in the air (I Thess. 4:16b).

 

And the dead in Christ shall rise first…

 

F.    We will see the righteous rise from the earth to meet the Lord in the air (I Thess. 4:17).

 

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.

 

G.   We will see the destruction of the heavens and the earth (II Pet. 3:10).

 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

 

H.   We will see all nations gathered before the Son of God awaiting judgment (Matt. 25:32).

 

And before him shall be gathered all nations:  and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.

IV.         THE SAFEGUARDS FOR JESUS’ COMING

 

A.   Obedience to the gospel of Christ (II Thess. 1:7-8)

 

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

B.   Continual preparation in view of the Lord’s return

1.     Two exhortations about the Second Coming are repeated in Scripture:

a.    Watch (Matt. 24:42; 25:13)

b.    Be ready (Matt. 24:44)

2.    The Bible says that preparation involves:

a.    Doing (Matt. 24:46)

 

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

 

b.    Using our talents (Matt. 25:14-30)

c.    Visiting (Matt. 25:31-46)

d.    Practicing holy conversation and godliness (II Pet. 3:11)

e.    Diligence (II Pet. 3:14)

 

C.   Joyful expectation (Phil. 3:20-21)

 

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:  who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.

 

D.   Patient endurance (Heb. 10:35-37)

 

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after that ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   The Lord Jesus Christ IS coming again.

 

B.   His coming will be accompanied by sights and sounds that are hard for us to compre-hend at this time.

 

C.   Until He comes, we must prepare (Matt. 25:44)

 

Therefore be ye also ready:  for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.