Christmas Time?

Let me ask you a question, when is the second coming going to occur? I know it sounds like a trick questions but over the course of the next few weeks you will be asked to seriously consider this question and I think it’s very important that we do. Some of us have grown up as Seventh-day Adventists and have always had an awareness of the nearness of the second coming. Our parents told us we probably wouldn’t ever have kids because Jesus was going to come back any time. Some of us came into the church recently as a result of an evangelistic series and we’re still studying and trying to understand exactly what the bible means when it talks about the end of time and all of those beasts. Some of us, well we just don’t think about it. We’ve just never really given it that much thought.

Instead of focusing on the intricacies of prophecy, and I do believe that God intends for each one of us to have the ability to understand his prophecies, lets look at the big picture for a few minutes. What is God’s plan? Remember it’s all about the great controversy, the struggle between God and Satan, and who will be proven right. This is a spiritual battle. All the imagery in Danial and Revelation talks about beast and battles and kings and armies and those things matter and figure into the final scenario but this is a spiritual war. The battle on this earth is taking place in the hearts and minds of the people and in the churches of the world as the masses come to worship.

God’s plan is for his son Jesus, at the conclusion of the Judgment, when he has been proven just, to return for those who have lived and are living as faithful followers of God. Jesus will return for his people as he has promised. This is the most important point for us to remember. The second coming of Jesus has faded into secondary importance and rarely mentioned within the mainstream churches. We should not forget that this is the most important event in this universes’ future because it will mean the completion of the judgment and the end of the great controversy. The war between God and Satan will be over.

So when will Jesus return? When the judgment is complete and the controversy is over. When God finishes exposing Satan’s deception to the universe Jesus will return. Easy enough answer but what does that mean for us? Think very honestly about this question: when you think about the second coming of Jesus what do you think about? If I were to answer this honestly I would express some sort of relief relating to my own trials. Jesus’ last words on earth dealt with this issue. He wanted us, when we think about the second coming to think about what we need to do to make sure no one is left behind. As we consider the nearness of Christ’s return think about what you can do to help someone else be ready.

(Next time we will ask the question: What is the big deal about spiritualism anyway?)