Ready or Not, Here I Come!
(Heaven Series: Part 4)
2 Peter 3:1-18

I.    Introduction

There is joy and hope in the anticipation of a visit from someone we enjoy, especially when we haven’t seen that person in a long time.  We are encouraged throughout God’s Word to live each day in eager anticipation of Jesus Christ’s return visit to planet Earth.  

We are on week four in our exploration about what the Bible reveals about Heaven.  So far, we’ve discovered:
• That right now we live in the “already-but-not-yet” kingdom of God between Christ’s first visit and Second Coming to Earth.
• That through Christ’s life, death, Resurrection, and sent Holy Spirit, living in this “in-between” stage means that life right now is full of joy and sorrow, tragedy and triumph, fulfilled and shattered dreams.  
• That when we die, every one of us faces eternal judgment based on God’s gospel and grace that determines whether we go to a place of darkness called “Hades,” or into God’s presence in the present Heaven.
• That when Christ returns to planet Earth, He will create a New Earth and a new Heaven where all those embraced by grace will live forever in a perfect, eternal, and ever-expanding kingdom of God.  

So, since this Second Coming of Christ is what has to happen before God creates our future and eternal home, let’s explore what the Bible has to say about Christ’s soon return.

When Bible scholars and theologians study the Bible to discover what is suppose to happen in the “End Times, in the last days before Christ comes back, the fancy word for such study is called “Eschatology,” a word meaning the study of last things.  Now on every topic the Bible addresses, there are some matters that are undeniably clear, and many more matters that are not so black and white.  This is why intelligent, gifted, and highly educated scholars can all study the same Bible passage and come up with different interpretations.  

Now, fear not, everything that we must know concerning who God is, and how one can become a saved, forgiven adopted child of God is so clear that a kindergartener can understand.  But when it comes to this Eschatology stuff, this knowing what is going to happen for sure during the end times, clearly this is an area where there is much debate and differences of beliefs.  

So, in this sermon, we are going to touch on three questions:
(1) What Do We Know For Sure?
(2) What Seems Fairly Certain?  And
(3) Why Does it Matter?


II.    About Christ’s Second Coming: What Do We Know For Sure?

So what can we learn from this passage, and other associated passages on the Christ’s Second Coming, that we can say we conviction, this is what will happen for sure?

• Christ’s delayed Second Coming will cause many to doubt that it will ever happen, which will cause many to live as if there will never be any eternal judgment for their life
“….you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?”
  • God’s people must resist this faithless response, and instead live in the tension that Christ could come immediately or delay His return another 1000 years or more
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”
• Christ delays His return because our triune God of grace desires all to come to faith and be granted the gift of adoption and eternal life in God’s kingdom
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
• When Christ does decide to come back and put an end to this current evil age, it will be an unexpected, dramatic, and apocalyptic event
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare….That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.”
• When Christ returns to planet Earth, He will execute final judgment, send the unsaved into eternal Hell, and create a New physical Earth that combines Heaven and Earth into one unified place, and on which all the redeemed will co-rule with Christ forever
 “….But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
• Knowing this truth should foster in all a healthy fear of judgment so as to live lives pleasing to God.  And it should foster in God’s people a sustaining, purifying, comforting hope that empowers us to live lives of persevering, risky faith, and sacrificial, gospel-proclaiming love!  
“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?  You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming….So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God.”  

That’s all folks!  That’s everything we know for rock-solid certain about the Second Coming of Christ.  One page of crystal-clear truth.  No elaborate charts.  No clearly predictable timetables.  This is what we know:  Christ is coming back.  He can comeback anytime He wants.  Christ doesn’t need to wait for certain signs to be fulfilled.  So people get ready….Jesus is a comin soon!

Now, in addition to what we know for certain, the Bible does give us some additional details about Christ Second Coming.  However, even though many teachers place these details into the category of the “What we know for sure,” the Reformed heritage that we embrace, place these details into the category of “What seems fairly certain.”

Our Reformed heritage also gives us a reason why we believe that God does not gives us a specific timetable or too many details regarding end times and Christ’s return.  That reason is because God wants our faith to be in Him, not in our own understanding, and God wants our “Blessed Hope” to be in Christ’s return, not on whether or not we are raptured out the tribulation or not!

So let’s now explore some of the details about Christ’s Second Coming that fall into this “What seems fairly certain” category.


III.    What Seems Fairly Certain?

This timeline and details I am about to present is one that many Reformed theologians would agree with, but not all.  The Reformed Heritage is a large umbrella that allows for different interpretations of these events.  This does not mean that there are endless possible interpretations.  There are clear boundaries of interpretation.  So you may disagree with me on some of my interpretations.  But nonetheless, what I am about to present, still falls firmly within acceptable Reformed theology.  

We obviously don’t have time now to read every Bible passage on Christ’s Second Coming.  But let me read some excerpts from some these passages before sharing my observations.
•  Selections from Matt 24:3-44
•  1 Thess 4:16-17
•  2 Thess 2:1-3, 8
•  Rev 19:11-16

In reading these, and associated, passages, we can gather some fairly certain details about Christ’s Second Coming:
• This current world will get increasingly more wicked until Christ’s Second Coming.
• This increasing wickedness will eventually usher in a final time period right before Christ returns of anarchy, apostasy, persecution, and severe divine judgment.  This period is often called the “Great Tribulation.”  
• Christ’s gospel of grace will still be proclaimed throughout the world until the very last day, and there will continue to be a series of great harvests of people getting saved, even through the “Great Tribulation.”  
• The spirit of the “antichrist,” who has always been at work in the world, will make one final surge of rebellion through a world ruler who will exercise supernatural powers.  But this reign only last a very short period of time when Christ will return and destroy him.
• God’s people will not be “raptured” out of this Great Tribulation,” but rather protected through it.
• There will be some kind of world attack on Israel that God will use to turn the hearts of the Jewish nation to Christ as Messiah.
• Just when it seems as if the human race is going to annihilate itself, Christ will come to the rescue!
• There will be one Second Coming of Christ, not phases of His coming before and after the “Tribulation.”  This Second Coming will be a dramatic event seen by all.  
• Christ will “rapture” all the redeemed to meet Him in the air as He is descending, but then we will immediately all continue His decent to Earth with Him.    
• With Christ and the redeemed on the decimated planet Earth, the final judgment of God will be executed.
• After this judgment, Christ will create a New Heaven and New Earth.
• Christ will then bring down to this New Earth the New Jerusalem, which will be the capital city of God’s perfect, peaceable, and ever-expanding eternal kingdom!


IV.    Why Does it Matter?

The inescapable reality of Christ’s Second Coming should instill a healthy fear of God in everyone of us as we will be held accountable for how we lived our life in this current age.  The absolute certainty of Christ’s Second Coming gives purpose to every tear cried, and every injustice suffered for when Christ returns every injustice will be made right, every sorrow given its meaning, all your life, and all human history will be seen in the light of God’s good plans.  The delay of Christ’s Second Coming should stir within all God’s people an inconsolable ache as we grieve over the current evil age, and an unquenchable drive to proclaim the gospel knowing the our Lord’s patient in returning is so that all might be saved.

Rev 22:12-21 gives us this promise, this warning, and this invitation to live in longing:
12 "See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work.  13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."  14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs (the unsaved), those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."  17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Maranatha!  Come Lord Jesus Now!"  And let everyone who hears say, "Maranatha!  Come Lord Jesus Now!."  And let everyone who is thirsty, com!  Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift!  The deepest groan of our heart everyday should be, "Maranatha!  Come Lord Jesus Now!"

The deepest cry of Christ everyday until He returns is: “Let everyone who is thirsty, come to me,” invites Christ.  “Let anyone who wishes, take the water of life that I give as a gift.”  Come to Christ now in this day of grace, before Christ comes to you in His Second Coming as the executer of God’s righteous wrath.  Every time Christ spoke of His Second Coming whether in direct teaching like we read from Mathew, or in parables like the faithful steward, or the ten virgins and their oil lamps, His message was always the same:  Be watchful for Christ’s return!  Live every day in the light of Christ’s return and judgment!  Live ready!