Lesson Eight

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Title Page
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Lesson Eight
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Mark 1332-34
Mark 1332-34 32 But of that day and that hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in
heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take
ye heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the
time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking
a far journey, who left his house, and gave
authority to his servants, and to every man his
work, and commanded the porter to watch.
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Mark 1335-37
Mark 1335-37 35 Watch ye therefore for ye know
not when the master of the house cometh, at
even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or
in the morning 36 Lest coming suddenly he find
you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say
unto all, Watch.
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Luke 1235-37
Luke 1235-37 35 Let your loins be girded about,
and your lights burning 36 And ye yourselves
like unto men that wait for their lord, when he
will return from the wedding that when he cometh
and knocketh, they may open unto him
immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom
the lord when he cometh shall find watching
verily I say unto you, that he shall gird
himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and
will come forth and serve them.
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Luke 1238-40
Luke 1238-40 38 And if he shall come in the
second watch, or come in the third watch, and
find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And
this know, that if the goodman of the house had
known what hour the thief would come, he would
have watched, and not have suffered his house to
be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also
for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye
think not.
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Focus Verse
John 143 And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself that where I am, there ye may be also.
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Focus Thought
Ridiculous, rash predictions have not diminished
the scriptural truth that Jesus is coming again
for a watching and waiting church.
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Introduction
Introduction
The coming of the Lord has been the source of
many differing ideas about prophecy throughout
the years. The study of prophecy is called
eschatology, which involves studies of the end
times, judgment, heaven, and hell.
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Introduction
Out of these studies many prophetic terms have
emerged, particularly with regard to the second
coming of Jesus Christ. The terms
pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation,
post-tribulation, and no tribulation all have to
do with what various individuals believe about
certain aspects of the return of Jesus Christ.
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Introduction
Over the years, many individuals have fallen prey
to making inaccurate predictions of the coming of
Jesus Christ, trying to pinpoint the time of His
appearance. These individuals may be sincere in
their beliefs and efforts to prognosticate the
event of His Second Coming, but they are
sincerely wrong. Jesus clearly stated that no
person knows the day or the hour of His return.
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Matthew 2436
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not
the angels of heaven, but my Father only
(Matthew 2436).
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Introduction
In every generation, there are those who have a
new twist on prophetic passages of Scripture.
They seek to prove their theories by quoting
passages they think are contextually correct.
However, when their predictions fail, it is
evident that their application of the Scriptures
was flawed.
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Introduction
An evangelist was preaching one Sunday morning in
a particularly dry church. He spoke about the
coming of the Lord. As he graphically detailed
the things that would lead up to this prophetic
event, the congregations anticipation swelled.
Up the street from the church was a crew who had
been working overtime on a road construction
project. That morning they were using dynamite.
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Introduction
As the minister shouted, Jesus could come right
now! the construction workers set off one of the
loads, which rattled the building. One lady stood
to her feet shouting, There He is right now!
Suddenly, the altars were full and revival had
begun.
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Introduction
Though there are a myriad of opinions as to when
the coming of the Lord will take place, there is
no mistaking the fact that Jesus will come again!
As the angels declared to the believers following
Christs ascension, Ye men of Galilee, why stand
ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which
is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come
in like manner as ye have seen him go into
heaven (Acts 111).
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I. The Promise
The Promise
The promises of God are two-dimensional,
including the promise that the Lord Jesus Christ
will come again. In other words, the promises of
Scripture have significance both for those who
have been born again and for the unredeemed
sinners.
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I. The Promise
While some promises of Scripture represent great
elements of hope for the believer, they also
signify an urgent warning for the unbeliever. The
song that says every promise in the Book is
mine fails to consider that there are some
promises we do not want to claim. The Bible
promises, The soul that sinneth, it shall die
(Ezekiel 184, 20).
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I. The Promise
For the believer, the promised return of the Lord
means escaping the confines of mortality, time,
space, and the limitations of the flesh and it
also means embracing immortality, eternity, and
heaven. To the sinner, however, this promise
represents a missed opportunity to be saved, and
it dooms him to an eternity in hell.
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I. The Promise (A)
The Promise

1. Jesus Promises to Come Again

John 14 contains some of the most beautiful words
spoken by Jesus.
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John 141-3
Let not your heart be troubled ye believe in
God, believe also in me. In my Fathers house are
many mansions if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself that where I
am, there ye may be also (John 141-3).
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I. The Promise (A)
While Jesus acknowledged His approaching death on
the cross, He also comforted His disciples with
the promise of His return for them. He clearly
assured His disciples of the reality of heaven,
and He further promised to prepare a place there
for them.
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I. The Promise (A)
Finally, He stated that He would come again to
gather His disciples unto Himself and that they
would spend eternity with Him. He gave them hope
for their future through His promise to return
physically to the earth.
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I. The Promise (A)
Christ said that His return would occur at a time
when the worlds confidence would be shaken
because of many calamities befalling mankind.
Mens hearts failing them for fear, and for
looking after those things which are coming on
the earth for the powers of heaven shall be
shaken (Luke 2126).
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I. The Promise (A)
The outlook will be one of bleak hopelessness for
many in the world at that time, but in the midst
of these events, the people of the earth will
look up to see Jesus coming in a cloud with
power and great glory (Luke 2127).
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I. The Promise (A)
In 1944, the Japanese attacked the Philippines.
General Douglas MacArthur was assigned to that
region. Being forced to leave prematurely, he
promised the people, I shall return.
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I. The Promise (A)
The President of the United States ordered me to
break through the Japanese lines and proceed from
Corregidor to Australia for the purpose, as I
understand it, of organizing the American
offensive against Japan, a primary objective of
which is the relief of the Philippines. I came
through and I shall return. Three years later he
made good on his promise. He stated, I have
returned.
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I. The Promise (B)

1. The Angels Proclaim Christs Coming

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Acts 19-11
And when he had spoken these things, while they
beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him
out of their sight. And while they looked
stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold,
two men stood by them in white apparel which
also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing
up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven (Acts
19-11).
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I. The Promise (B)
Angels have played an ever-present part in the
plan of God since the beginning of time. Angels
were present at the time of Creation. They were
there to see the handiwork of heaven as the Lord
magnificently flung the stars into existence.
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I. The Promise (B)
When God measured the water for the oceans,
lakes, and seas, the angelic host of heaven sang
together and shouted for joy. (See Job 384-7.)
An angel announced the coming birth of Jesus to
Mary and Joseph. The angels also were present at
the birth of the Lord.
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I. The Promise (B)
When Jesus hung on the cross, the angels were
present and ready to minister to Him had He
requested them to do so. At the tomb of the Lord,
Mary met with an angel who declared, He is not
here for he is risen (Matthew 286).
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I. The Promise (B)
The angels of God also were present at the
ascension of Jesus Christ. After Jesus had
commanded His disciples to go to Jerusalem until
they were filled with the power of the Holy
Ghost, a cloud came and received Jesus out of
their sight.
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I. The Promise (B)
As the disciples stood there awestruck by what
must have been a magnificent sight, the angels
encouraged them with the announcement that Jesus
would come again in the same manner as He had
departed (Acts 111). Their message assured the
disciples that Christ would return to earth once
again!
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I. The Promise (C)

1. Peter Foretells Christs Coming

Simon Peter delivered the first message of the
newly born church on the Day of Pentecost. (See
Acts 2.) He preached Jesus Christ crucified to
the gathered audience on that day, and they were
moved with guilt and remorse.
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I. The Promise (C)
When they inquired of Peter what they should do,
he went on to preach repentance of sins, water
baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and receiving the Holy Spirit
as evidenced by speaking with other tongues. (See
Acts 21441.)
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I. The Promise (C)
Peters life dramatically illustrates the change
that takes place in a person after receiving the
Holy Ghost. Peter changed from a man who denied
even knowing the Lord to a man who became a
pillar of the early church and the writer of two
epistles in what would become our New Testament.
Not only did Peter preach the first message of
the fledgling church, but in his epistles, he
also proclaimed the second coming of Jesus
Christ. (See I Peter 17, 13 413 54 II Peter
310-12.)
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II Peter 310
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the night in the which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up (II
Peter 310).
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I. The Promise (C)
Peter referred to the coming of Jesus Christ as
the day of the Lord. He wrote that it will
come as a thief in the night, which means that
He will catch many people unexpectedly. This is
why the writer of the Book of Hebrews warned,
And unto them that look for him shall he appear
the second time without sin unto salvation
(Hebrews 928). We must be watching for His
return!
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II. The Coming (A-B)
The Coming

1. Will Take Place at an Unknown Time

Many people have tried to announce a date for the
return of Jesus Christ, but they have failed in
every instance. In 1988, the late Edgar Whisenant
wrote a book about the Second Coming, which he
called 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in
1988.
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II. The Coming (A-B)
Many people bought this small booklet and
believed this mans interpretation of prophecy.
But, of course, he was wrong, like others before
and since who have tried to pinpoint the time of
Christs return to the earth. These have failed
because God has withheld the knowledge of the
time of His return. No one knows when it will be
(Matthew 2436).
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II. The Coming (A-B)
We do not know the day or the hour of Christs
return, but there are some things we can know
about that great, future event.
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II. The Coming (A-B)

1. Will Take Place Quickly

We know that the coming of Jesus Christ will be
swift and certain. For as the lightning cometh
out of the east, and shineth even unto the west
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be
(Matthew 2427).
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II. The Coming (A-B)
Three characteristics of the Second Coming 1.
The event of the Second Coming is of God and
not of mankind. In other words, the same God who
summons the lightning from above is the One who
is responsible for the timing of His return. No
human can establish or even know that date it is
known to our Lord alone.
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II. The Coming (A-B)
2. The Second Coming will be literal, visible,
and conspicuous like lightning streaking across
the sky. There will be no mistake about His
second coming, for every eye shall see Him.
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II. The Coming (A-B)
3. The Second Coming will be as sudden and
surprising to the world as is lightning. His
return will gather the elect from the east to the
west. The coming of Christ for the church means
deliverance from this world and an introduction
to eternity.
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Revelation 311
Behold, I come quickly hold that fast which
thou hast, that no man take thy crown
(Revelation 311).
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II. The Coming (A-B)
When John recorded the Book of Revelation, he and
many other believers were enduring especially
troubling times. Many of the disciples had
suffered martyrdom. John was in exile on the
lonely isle of Patmos. Others were also suffering
great persecution. Perhaps to these faithful
believers, it seemed that Jesus was telling them
personally to hold on, not to give up, and to
know that He was on His way to redeem them.
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II. The Coming (A-B)
Many centuries have passed while the church
continues to wait for the appearance of the Lord
Jesus. Still, however, we must remain faithful
and expectant, refusing to fall prey to trials or
temptations or to allow anything to steal our
crown. Waiting for the return of Christ sometimes
may seem long and protracted, but when the time
of His appearing arrives, it will be swift and
certain.
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II. The Coming (C)

1. Will Take Place Unexpectedly

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of
the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night (I
Thessalonians 52).
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II. The Coming (C)
The second coming of Jesus Christ will catch some
individuals by surprise. Many passages of
Scripture speak of the laxness of many people
with regard to watching and waiting for the
Lords return.
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II. The Coming (C)
Some will be engaged in business affairs, some
will be courting pleasures, and others will be
consumed with the desire to make and secure
riches. Those who do not look for and anticipate
the return of Christ will be guilty of pursuing
the wrong priorities in life.
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II. The Coming (C)
The Scriptures are clear But seek ye first the
kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all
these things shall be added unto you (Matthew
633). The person who embraces the priorities of
Christs kingdom will not be caught off guard at
the Second Coming.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
The Charge

1. Be Ready

The challenge of the Lord to His church is to be
ready at any moment for His return. The first
thing one must do in order to be ready for His
coming is to obey the gospel.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
When a person recognizes his sinful state and his
need of God, repents of his sins, is baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and receives the Holy Ghost, he is prepared
for this great event.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
These are all prerequisites for being ready for
the coming of Jesus Christ, but they are only
the beginning of living ones life for God. The
believer is to live his life for Jesus Christ,
walking by faith in holiness, completely
dedicated unto the Lord. Moreover, the believer
also is to live in a state of preparednesswatchin
g and waiting for the appearance of the Lord. The
Scriptures repeatedly caution the bride of Christ
to make herself ready for the Bridegroom.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
During the American Revolution, volunteer
militiamen were ready and prepared to take up
arms at any minute. These men became known as the
minutemen.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
In Matthew 25, when the bridegroom did not return
as expected, the ten virgins slumbered and slept.
Had it not been for an awakening alarm sounded by
someone who shouted, Behold, the bridegroom
cometh (Matthew 256), his return would have
taken all ten virgins unaware. The fact is, Jesus
may not return when we think He will. In fact, He
warned that it would occur in an hour that we
think not (Matthew 2444 Luke 1240).
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III. The Charge (A-C)
It pays for all to be ready for the coming of the
Lord. There are several things that will help
ready us for the Second Coming.
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III. The Charge (A-C)

1. Watch and Pray

Prayer empowers men and women with spiritual
vision and enables them to see things as they
really areand as they can be. Jesus command for
us to watch and pray includes two distinct
actions.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
1. Watch refers to being observant and looking at
the world around usour surroundings and the
signs that will precede Christs second advent.
Many will miss these biblical signs because they
are spiritually dull, caught up in the carnal
concerns of life. Possibly, they may even refuse
to acknowledge the signs that point to the Lords
coming.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
2. Pray involves proactively taking action daily
to prepare ourselves spiritually for Christs
return. In prayer, God chooses to reveal things
about our spiritual condition that we may not
recognize through our natural eyes. Moreover,
prayer equips each person with an ability to
discern the times and the seasons.
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III. The Charge (A-C)

• When Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel to
  look for the fulfillment of Gods promise to send
  rain, he did two things
• He watched for the physical signs of rain, and
• he prayed that God would bring it to pass,
  evidently seeking divine insight and wisdom. It
  was a combination of watching and praying that
  prepared him to receive the promise of the Lord.
  Further, watching and praying also prepares us
  for the second coming of Christ.

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III. The Charge (A-C)

1. Ignore Doubters

If you tell a man that there are 300 billion
stars in the universe, hell believe you. But if
you tell him a bench has just been painted, he
has to touch it to be sure. An old proverb said,
If you stop to listen to every barking dog, the
road will never end.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
When a person is born again, he begins to walk
with the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as there are
obstacles and hindrances on a natural road, so
there are equally difficult impediments on the
spiritual road of life. One such obstacle is the
critical opinion of unbelievers. If we are not
careful, we will stop or encounter delays at
every unbelieving word of doubt expressed to us
along the road to glory.
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III. The Charge (A-C)
In his second epistle, the apostle Peter
encouraged believers to stir up their pure minds
(II Peter 31) because in the last days people
would speak disparagingly and doubtfully of the
second coming of Christ (II Peter 33-4). The
Greek word eilikrines is rendered pure, and it
occurs only here and in Philippians 110, where
it is rendered sincere. The word means judged
by sunlight, i.e. tested as genuine
(figuratively) (Strongs Concordance).
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III. The Charge (A-C)
Peter was warning the believers to be pure, open,
and sincere in remembering the words of the holy
prophets and apostles. Their openness to the Old
Testament prophets writings regarding the Second
Coming would equip them to dispel the arguments
of the doubters of their day. We must exercise
purity and sincerity for Christ so that we too
are ready for His coming.
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IV. The Rewards
The Rewards
When the Lord returns to earth for His people
there will be many benefits. The obvious rewards
in heaven will be an escape from hell and
destruction, an opportunity to escape the trauma
of fleshly shortcomings, and eternal life.
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IV. The Rewards (A)

1. Fellowship with the Master

Perhaps the greatest benefit for the believer at
the time of the Second Coming is the fellowship
he will enjoy with his Master. Believers enjoy
spiritual fellowship with the Lord on earth, but
none have ever experienced fellowship with Him in
the measure that it will be experienced in
eternity.
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IV. The Rewards (A)
Theres a man in yonder glory I have loved for
many years, He has cleared my guilty conscience
and has banished all my fears. He is coming in a
moment in the twinkling of an eye, And no time
will be allotted for you to utter one
good-bye. No time to kiss the husband or embrace
the loving wife, If they are but united in the
bonds of holy life.
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IV. The Rewards (A)
Are you ready, Christian, ready, for shout and
trump and voice? Will His coming make you tremble
or cause you to rejoice? Are you walking, talking
with Him daily, taking Him your care, Do you live
so close to heaven that a breath would waft you
there? (Quoted in Fairest of All, Herbert
Lockyer, Eerdmans, 1936)
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IV. The Rewards (B-C)

1. Appear with Christ in Glory

To appear with Christ in glory has to do with the
resurrection of both living believers and those
who are dead in Christ. When the people of
Thessalonica were concerned about being separated
from their loved ones at death, they questioned
if they would ever see them again.
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IV. The Rewards (B-C)
Paul wrote to them in his first epistle to the
Thessalonians in an attempt to dispel their
fears. He assured them that even though there is
sorrow over the death of loved ones, there is
hope for the believer. He promised that the Lord
would return. At His return, the dead in Christ
would rise first, and then the living believers
would be caught up together with them to meet the
Lord in the sky (I Thessalonians 413-18). The
apostle urged them to comfort one another with
these words of hope.
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IV. The Rewards (B-C)

1. Reign with Christ

The reign of Jesus Christ will be eternal. In
leading the exodus of the people of Israel from
Egypt, Moses led the people in a song that
included these words The LORD shall reign for
ever and ever (Exodus 1518). The prophets
Isaiah and Jeremiah also wrote of the reign of
Christ. Isaiah wrote, Of the increase of his
government and peace there shall be no end
(Isaiah 97).
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Jeremiah 235
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I
will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a
King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute
judgment and justice in the earth (Jeremiah
235).
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IV. The Rewards (B-C)
Paul reminded all those who were suffering
adversity to continue in the faith, for they have
a promise If we suffer, we shall also reign
with him if we deny him, he also will deny us
(II Timothy 212).
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IV. The Rewards (B-C)
After the Rapture, the believer will enjoy the
privilege of reigning with Jesus Christ
throughout eternity. This will include a time
known as the millennial reign of Christ in which
the redeemed will reign with Him. We will rule
and reign with Jesus.
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Reflections
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of
many and unto them that look for him shall he
appear the second time without sin unto
salvation (Hebrews 928).
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Reflections
One cannot underestimate the importance of living
his life for Jesus Christ. There never will be a
sacrifice for which the believer is sorry, if he
is included in this Second Coming. It will be
worth every struggle, every sacrifice, every
hurt, and every pain.
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Reflections
Though many choose to disbelieve the truth of
Christs return for the church, the Word of God
is clear that He is coming in time and on time.
The believer must guard his heart as the coming
of the Lord approaches, avoiding the temptations
of cynicism and radicalism.
81
Reflections
The child of God may suffer temptations,
troubles, and infirmities in this life, but on
that day he will be changed in a moment to be
like the Lord, and he will go with Christ to rule
and to reign for eternity.
82
Reflections
Knowing that the Rapture could take place at any
moment, every believer should remain faithful to
Christ. While we wait for His return, we are to
be busy and involved in the business of His
kingdom. We are to follow the command of the
nobleman in Jesus parable when he said, Occupy
till I come (Luke 1913).
83
Reflections
During his 1960 presidential campaign, John F.
Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story
of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the
Connecticut House of Representatives On May
19th, 1780 the sky of Hartford darkened
ominously, and some of the representatives,
glancing out the windows, feared the end was at
hand.
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Reflections
Quelling a clamor for immediate adjournment,
Davenport rose and said, The Day of Judgment is
either approaching or it is not. If it is not,
there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I
choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I
wish that candles be brought.
85
Reflections
Rather than fearing what is to come, we are to be
faithful till Christ returns. Instead of fearing
the dark, were to be lights as we watch and
wait (Harry Heintz, Second Coming and
Faithfulness, The Timothy Report, December 13,
2003, www.timothyreport.com/dec15_2003.html).