Scripture Reading: Matt. 16:27; 24:3, 7-8, 27, 30, 42-44; Luke 18:8; 21:27; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; James 5:2; 1 Tim. 4:1; Phil. 3:20; 1 John 3:3; Rev. 22:20
I. There are many prophecies in the Bible that speak of the second coming of Christ; when the Lord was on the earth, He promised His disciples that He would return; therefore, the Lord’s second coming is a matter of His personal promise—Matt. 16:27; 24:30, 44; Luke 18:8; 21:27:
A. “This Jesus…will come in the same way as you beheld Him going into heaven”; the angels promised the disciples that the Lord would come in the same way that they beheld Him going into heaven—Acts 1:11 and note 4.
B. This promise has not yet been fulfilled; may the Lord not delay, and may we even compel Him to come quickly—Heb. 10:37; Rev. 22:21; cf. 2 Pet. 3:4, 9.
II. The Lord’s second coming involves a hidden aspect and an open aspect—Matt. 24:43-44, 27, 30:
A. The Lord’s second coming involves a coming that is hidden and secret, like the coming of a thief in the night; this is the first aspect of the Lord’s second coming—Rev. 3:3; Matt. 24:43-44.
B. His coming as lightening across the sky, which will be seen openly by everyone —v. 27, 30.
C. The Lord’s parousia, the coming of His presence, secretly begins before the great tribulation; at this time the Lord will come and secretly rapture the overcoming believers to His presence, just as a thief steals precious things—vv. 43-44.
D. If we want to participate in the hidden aspect of the Lord’s second coming, having a part at the beginning of the Lord’s parousia, we must be a watchful, ready overcomer, waiting for the Lord’s coming—Rev. 3:3; 16:15.
III. There are signs related to the Lord’s second coming; these signs remind us to be watchful and ready while we wait for the Lord—Matt. 24:3, 7-8; 2 3:1-5; James 5:2; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 3:3-4:
A. There are three signs related to the Lord’s second coming: wars, famines, and earthquakes—Matt. 24:7-8.
B. “In the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, wihout natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, not lovers of good, traitors, reckless, blinded with pride, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having an outward form of godliness, though denying its power; from these also turn away”—2 Tim. 3:1-5.
C. “And even as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man: They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage… likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building”—Luke 17:26-30.
D. Some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, this will also be a sign of the Lord’s second coming—1 Tim. 4:1.
E. Another sign of the Lord’s coming is that people will not tolerate the healthy teaching, but according to their own lusts will heap up to themselves teachers, have itching ears, and turn away their ears from the truth and be turned aside to myths—2 Tim. 4:3-4.
F. By the time of His second coming, many of the believers will have little faith; a lack of faith among believers is a sign of the Lord’s second coming—Luke 18:8.
G. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come; the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to the whole inhabited earth is a sign of the Lord’s second coming—Matt. 24:14.
H. “Learn the parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branch has become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near; when Israel, like the fig tree, becomes tender and puts forth leaves, the Lord said that His coming would be near—vv. 32-33; Luke 21:29-31.
I. It is a sign of the Lord’s second coming when worldly people speak of peace and security—1 Thes. 5:3; cf. 6:14.
J. Before the day of the Lord’s second coming, the apostasy will come, and the man of lawlessness, Antichrist, will be revealed—2 Thes. 2:3.
K. Antichrist will set up his image in the temple; when this happens, the day of the Lord’s second coming will be very close—Matt. 24:15.
L. When the Lord’s coming is very near, there will be extraordinary changes to the situation in the heavens and on earth; there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and there will be anguish among the nations on earth; the powers of the heavens will be shaken; these matters will be signs of the Lord’s second coming, and they will be some of the last signs—Luke 21:25-26.
IV. We should respond to the Lord’s second coming by being watchful and ready, waiting for Him; we should not be loose but instead testify for the Lord—Matt. 24:42-44; 25:10, 13:
A. Our hope today should not be on any person, matter, or thing upon the earth, our only hope should be on our coming Lord; when our hope is placed on Him, we will be those who are waiting for the Lord’s coming; we will be be a proper, overcoming believer—Phil. 3:20; Heb. 9:28; 1 Thes. 1:10.
B. If we are waiting for the Lord, we must also be those who love His appearing; our heart should desire the Lord’s second coming; we should lovingly think of His appearing—2 Tim. 4:8; Titus 2:13.
C. No one who loves the Lord’s appearing can allow himself to be stained with any impurity or mixture. We must forsake everything that is filthy and remove all mixture if we want to be worthy of waiting for the Lord’s coming—1 John 3:3; 2:28.
D. May our heart desire the Lord’s coming, and may our attitude be positive toward His coming; may we pray with a desperately desiring heart and an absolute attitude, “Come, Lord Jesus!”—Rev. 22:20.
V. In order for us to follow the Lamb and go on to maturity to become the firstfruits, we must be faithful in service in the Lord’s commission to give God as food to the members of His household so that we may win Christ as our reward in the coming kingdom─Matt. 24:45-51:
A. God has set faithful and prudent slaves over His household as household administrators, stewards, channels of supply, to give His people food at the proper time─v. 45; 1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 3:2; 1 Cor. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:10; Phil. 1:25.
B. Give them food refers to ministering the word of God and Christ as the life supply to the believers in the church; Christ as life-giving Spirit is our food, embodied and realized in the word of life─Matt. 24:45-51:
1. In order to enjoy the Lord as our spiritual food so that we can feed others, we must pray over and muse on His word, tasting and enjoying it through careful considering─Eph. 6:17-18; Psa. 119:15; 3:1-4.
2. We must devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word─Acts 6:4; 2 Cor. 3:6, 8; John 7:37-39.
