Are You Getting Excited?

“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.  But at midnight there was a SHOUT, ‘Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet Him.  (Matt. 25:5-6).

Hey Gang:  The Bible refers to the return of the Lord about three times as much as it does His first coming.  Therefore, we take it to the bank that He is coming back! But it is not a popular concept among the rank and file of the world today.  Many, including many church folks, are like the foolish virgin’s there and there is no oil in their lamps.  Jesus Himself said, “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”  (Luke 18:8).

We have two views that might be summed up in the following two statements:  One church leader from southern German said the Rapture is almost taboo in German today. In the 1960’s and 70’s it was often spoken about and folks even prayed that the Lord would return.

 The second view was presented by Dr, Don Carlson, a well-known American Bible teacher who said, “I am reckoning with the return of Jesus during my lifetime.”  Such statements tend to be received with a jaundiced eye as a ‘pie in the sky statement’ by growing numbers of people today.

After all, it has been prophesied since Jesus left that He would return. First Century Believers believed that.  Paul even believed that, in his early ministry years.  But that does not take away the simple fact that Jesus’ statement was right on.’  The Apostles were avid teachers to the early church that they should continue to look for the return of Christ as any moment.  That is why they greeted each other with “Maranatha’ that means “Our Lord Cometh”.

The Apostle Peter told the members of the Church that they should be characterized by ‘holy conversation and godliness’.  “Looking for an hastening the coming of the day of , because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” (2 Peter 3:12).

Notice, we are told not just to expect the coming of the Lord, but to hasten towards it.  John MacArthur put this into perspective when he wrote, ‘To hasten towards means to long for a certain things to happen’.  Is there such a longing in our world today?  How far have we really fallen from the biblical command to hasten the coming of the Lord?

The church is like a ship that is being tossed ‘hither and yon’ while moving further from the safety of the harbor.  Dr. Robert Fischer wrote, “Thy kingdom come! Faith that Christ will return to judge the living and the dead has become an un-preached and un-believed article of faith.”

Has the enemy robbed the church of its hope of Jesus’ return?  Has this theme been placed in the closet for so long that there is not even the desire to hear of it?  In this day of affluence, do we even desire that the Lord comes again?  Are we not more like the unfaithful servant than the faithful one described in Luke 12:42-48?

However, the picture becomes more clear that all of the signs of the Bible are rapidly converging into one very clear mosaic. (Have you read a paper or listened to the news lately?)  This also includes the ever-expanding evilness that draws those who are not up to speed biblically about what Jesus meant when He said, “Do not be deceived”.  And how do we do that?  By increasing our dependence on the Lord God Almighty though time in our prayer chamber and by keeping our nose glued to His Word.  

Blessings,  

Gramps