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Jesus is Coming!
Intro: The Old Testament Prophecies
There are two Christian high holidays, Christmas & Easter. The two are intricately connected, but is that the way the people of Jesus’ time looked at it? Let’s explore the Jewish expectation of Messiah today.
Isaiah 9:6-7, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
In these two verses from Isaiah we see two elements of Jesus’ coming and they paint a wonderful picture of the reign of Messiah here on earth.
These words were written over 700 years before Jesus was even born and their fulfillment spans over more than 2 millennium. This is what confused many Jews of Jesus’ time. They saw the prophecies of Messiah as all being fulfilled at one time.
We have the advantage of having both Old and New Testaments including Jesus’ own words concerning His fulfillment of prophecy.
The first element of His coming is:
- His Birth
Luke 2:1-7, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
This is the part of the story that we all know. It’s why we are gathered here today. We have come to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Over 2000 years ago a baby was born in Bethlehem and the world has been changed ever since. One baby, one man, one Messiah came to bring healing to all of humanity.
The penalty of sin was paid by this one perfect man, who was the perfect sacrifice, the holy God paying the price of sin for a fallen humanity. This is the good news, the gospel.
The perfect Son of God left His home in heaven and came to earth, not a modern day, luxury filled earth, but an ancient world filled with hardship.
Come on, He had no plumbing, no AC, no internet, no heating except for a fire. He was basically camping for 33 years without the advantage of an RV.
Then He was gone. Killed on a cross, died and buried but on the 3rd day He arose. He appeared to more than 500 witnesses then He ascended into heaven.
End of the story, or is it? He made a promise…
- His Return
John 14:2-3, “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.”
With these words Jesus comforted His disciples after He had told them that He must leave them soon.
After Jesus ascended into heaven His disciples were starring into the sky when 2 angels appear and say this:
Acts 1:11, “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.”
When we speak of the 2nd coming of Jesus those who know Him as Savior get excited for that glorious day, but for those who have rejected Jesus it’s a terrible day. Matthew describes that day like this:
Matthew 24:26-31, “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
So, in Jesus’ return the question you have to answer is ‘will you be one of the elect that are gathered by the angels, or will you be one of the people of earth who will mourn?’
Just as Christmas and Easter are forever linked, so is Jesus’ first and second comings are forever linked. Today we celebrate His first coming, how will you celebrate His second coming?