THE REST OF THE STORY
Christmas 2016
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year when we celebrate the birth of Christ. We rehearse the scenes and wonder of God sending the Christ child to earth to save us from our sin. But the birth of Christ is only the first chapter in a two-chapter book. The return of Christ is the second chapter. Christmas is complete with the second coming. Let’s talk about it…
I. WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING CHRIST’S RETURN
A. Jesus is coming back in His New Resurrected Body
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11
B. He Comes Back the Same Way He Left –on a cloud. Acts 1:11
C. His coming will be different than His first coming.
1. First coming just one little star; second coming lightning from the east to the west
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. - Matthew 24:27
2. First coming little helpless baby; second coming as a full grown man
3. In the glory of his Father.
27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father. Matthew 16:27
4. In flaming fire.
When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ - 2 Thess. 1:7-8
5. With a shout and the voice of the Archangel.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel - 1 Thessalonians. 4:16
6. Accompanied by Angels. Matthew 16:27; Thess. 1:7
7. With his saints.
13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. 1 Thessalonian. 3:13
8. Suddenly.
32“But of that day and hour no one knows…36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” Mark 13:36
9. As a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians. 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10; Rev. 16:15
II. THE FACTS OF CHRIST’S RETURN
1. The Meeting – 1 Thessalonians. 4:17 A Huge meeting up in the air. Trumpets blowing and arch Angels shouting etc.
2. The Marriage – Rev 19:7 The Bible is the only Romance book that truly ends happily ever after.
3. The Meal – The feast, Banquet, Supper – Jesus himself will be the waiter
4. The Coming Kingdom – Jesus will set up His promised Kingdom
III. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMING KINGDOM
1. There will be tremendous peace.
6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea. Isaiah. 11:6-9; 2:2-4
2. Christ alone will govern.
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah. 9:6
3. There will be joy unspeakable.
3 You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. Isaiah. 9:3,4
4. There will be childbearing.
23They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them. - Isaiah. 65:23 (Jer. 23:3-6; 30:19-20)
5. There will be labor.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They shall not labor in vain. Isaiah 65:21-23
6. The offspring of some mortal believers may be disobedient at times.
16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles - Zechariah. 14:16-19
7. Longevity will be greatly extended but there will be aging and death.
20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old… Isaiah. 65:20
8. There will be Holiness.
26 I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness - Isaiah. 1:26-27
9. There will be joy.
And in that day you will say…the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:1-2
10. There will be full knowledge.
Isaiah. 11:9
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.
11. There will be no sickness.
Isaiah. 33:24.
24And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.
12. There will be freedom from all forms of oppression that presently ravage mankind.
Zechariah. 9:11-12.
11 “As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.
IV. HOW TO GET READY
1. Get Saved (Trust Jesus)
2. Continually Serve God – Hebrews 11
3. Live Holy – Living in such a way that we won’t be embarrassed when we see Him. Preparation for a wedding.
4. Endurance – In 2001 268,000 people died because they were Christians. We will be hated by all nations
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