Sabbath: The Second Coming of Jesus
Read for This Week’s Study: John 14:1-3; Matt. 16:27; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Matt. 24:3-14; Matt 24:42, Matt 24:44.
Memory Text: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also
(John 14:1-3, NKJV).
The Second Coming of Jesus, mentioned more than three hundred times in the New Testament, is the capstone of our teachings. It is essential to our identity as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. The doctrine is engraved in our name, and it is a crucial part of the gospel that we are called to proclaim. Without the promise of His coming, our faith would be in vain. This glorious truth gives us a sense of destiny and motivates our missionary outreach.
It could be argued that the stretching of time beyond our expectations would undermine our belief in Jesus’ promise to return. However, this has not happened. For many, our passion for Christ’s return is stronger than ever.
This week we will review what Jesus said about the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
(Titus 2:13, NKJV).
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 27.
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In view of the Second Advent and as we draw near to the end of a series of studies on some fundamental doctrines from the perspective of Jesus the proclaimers of truth are recharged to share the message of hope.
To this end Jesus example in teaching is invaluable. The Creator of the mind and framer of thoughts, the All-Wise One places much value on intellectual awareness, as is evidenced by the logical presentation of scripture. Still as He walked this wayward planet His speech was often directed at the heart, the spiritual dimension of the mind. The Holy Spirit was His constant companion to give His words power.
As far as possible we do well to pattern the Master Teacher, and not just engage the intellectual curiosity of the lost, but address the heart of the hearers. By the strongest arguments known to mankind we cannot convert one soul. Such a work is the peculiar right and privilege of the Holy Spirit. Let the Spirit lead and appeal to where He is focused.
Remember too some things are spiritually discerned and will not be accepted by mere explanation (1 Corinthians 2:14). Proof texts are valuable, but have limitations. It serves us well too to preserve a teachable spirit, for as we share we may learn and have opportunity to correct some of our own private interpretations.
So pray always (Luke 18:1), introduce others to the Living Word (Truth), ever communicate the written word (truth) and keep in mind that Jesus is coming. O joy, O delight! He is coming again!
Very good.
I believe the Holy Spirit converts the soul. I also believe that if it were not for us there are souls that would be lost. I am looking forward to eternal life. The second coming of Christ is part of it. The other day I was listening to Bill Gaither and his vocal men and women sing, "The King is Coming". Their joy while singing the song so many of us are familer with, is heart warming. Through you tube I had the privilage of hearing modern and not so modern randitions by his vocal band, groups and tours through the years. To be honest with you my heart is also thrilled pulling up youtube, singing with and listening to the VOP reunion sing the same song. I get also warmed with them singing "I am going to get carried away when I get carried away." How else are we going to rise other than get carried away? I can see the joy in the Voice of Prophesy Reunion Singers also. We are not sad we are glad.
Indeed Jesus a message that resoundingly true. I tried to share this truth to a non-believer who is also my work colleague. On hearing what I had to say, he displaced the words as mere stories. He takes the bible just like any other book. I wondered whether God really cares about his spiritual condition. Anyway I know one thing, that I have told him the little he needs for salvation and I will continue sharing with him whenever an opportunity presents itself. Who knows, perhaps he will be among the many that will be changed in the last minute.
The truth about second coming is indeed the message remaining in the name of the "Midnight Cry"
a question
the writer stated that "The doctrine is engraved in our name (SDA), and it is a crucial part of the gospel that we are called to proclaim." what is the meaning of the sentence? where can i get an evidence that seventh day's are the only one required to proclaim the second coming of the Christ and not other religion?
Hi Anna,you did ask a question which is a very good thing to do for a person who really needs a more cognitive understanding of the gospel.however in your questioning it seems you already have an answer though you really didnt understand the meaning of the gospel being engraved in our name (SDA).Seventhday Adventist.An Advent or adventist is someone who is waiting for the second coming of Christ.thats the meaning of the afore-mentioned engravement my dear not to say only seventhday Adventist are looking forward to Christ's 2nd coming
SDA-Seventh Day Adventist keep the Sabbath according to "..thus says the Lord.." and are waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ,our Lord and savior.FDA-First Day Adventist keep the first day of the week as a day of worship according to ".. human traditions..." and against God's express instruction and are also looking forward to the second coming of Jesus.Surely the judgement in Mathew25:34,41 will come to pass.Am looking forward to be on the right hand of God
".... Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20)
To my way of thinking this week’s topic is perhaps one of the most important especially if we honestly believe we are living at the end of time. I think one of the dangers in this period of history is not seeing how bad things are getting. Even Christians have accepted some moral issues that traditionally were never accepted as a whole. Also especially in the US but also in other countries freedoms are eroding right under our noses and we don’t seem to give it much notice. With the right government and conditions the entire political machine can turn and become very ugly, very quickly.
What is most alarming to me considering these things is that we won’t know until some time after probation has closed that there is no time left and that we have already been judged. That point in time I believe will sneak up on us and one day we will wake up and realize that it is done deal.
What I think we need to understand about signs is that the seven last plagues will simply be a continuation of the problems that are happening now and that the only reason they are called the seven last plagues is because that is what they are – the seven last. It doesn’t mean that they will be substantially different than what happens before them. I don’t think the devil will even know for sure when they officially begin.
So it seems to me that we should, therefore, concentrate on being good Christians rather than constantly looking for signs that the end is near but that seems to be asking more than I am able to do. I see what is happening and it appears to me that things are indeed getting set up for the climax of history and Christ’s second coming.
One of the messages that I get from the Bible about the second coming is its unexpectedness. Seventh-day Adventists are experts in conspiracy theories that will usher in the final events of earth's history.
You are right Tyler. We have a job to do and we need to get on with the job of sharing God's love rather than postulating endless theories about signs and persecution. Luke 12:40, Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Most of us know the story of the boy who cried "Wolf!" and have been told that it means that we should not call people out for danger when there is none! And no doubt you have heard the story applied to Seventh-day Adventists who have been repeatedly saying, "Jesus is coming again soon" - and of course he hasn't.
Let us turn the story on its head for a moment. If the people of the village were expecting a wolf to come, it seems that leaving a little boy on watch was woefully inadequate preparation. They deserved what they got!
For the record, I am a 4th generation Seventh-day Adventist and I have grandchildren who are of course 6th generation Seventh-day Adventists. My father told me he never expected to grow old enough to get married because he thought Jesus would come. He told me that I might never have children because he expected Jesus would come before I could get married. And now that my grandchildren are old enough to understand, what do I tell them.
Here is what I tell them: Jesus is coming again, and we need to be ready, not by watching for the signs (and making them up when they seem to be in short supply), but by doing what Jesus has asked us to do: "Occupy till I Come!" I tell them that if we love Jesus we will do our very best to be kind and understanding, to love those less fortunate than us - simple theological insights for primary school children to understand.
I will skip all the persecution stuff. I grew up reading books about the persecution of the Waldensians etc (Missionary Volunteer Society reading course books) and I used to go to bed at night scared spitless. I will skip all the conspiracy theories I hear Adventists expounding because I have heard enough of them in my 60 odd years to believe that many of them are fallacious.
I will tell my grandchildren that Jesus will come again, and that we are disappointed that he has not already come, but that it is our responsibility to show others what it means for Jesus to come into our lives now.
Preparation is more important than prediction!
What do you tell your grandchildren? Exactly what you were told, that you have this hope and that even though you realize that Jesus may not come in your lifetime you still have faith in the promise that He will come again.
The problem with looking at signs is that even though we have sketches of what the end will be like we really don’t know just how bad things will get. Jesus even told us that we “will hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Mat 24:6 NKJV) right up to the end but to give up on the promise is more dangerous than over stating it. To me if we hide the faith in the second coming because we are disappointed then we will unknowingly be putting into motion the idea that Jesus is never coming and soon we will have a generation that has totally lost faith the promises of Jesus. It is bad enough that the world is slowly turning to atheism but for us to also do the same is tragic.
I constantly hear the drumbeat from those in the ID community and creationist camps how scientists before the middle of the nineteenth century were basically religious and how that drove their curiosity to discover the world that God created. They also say that to a significant extent that is no longer the case that man is becoming increasingly bent on erasing God from everyone’s mind regardless of the polls that say that a very significant population still believes in God. Mankind is slowly changing and becoming more frustrated and irritable as time goes on and with a decrease of vitality and the messing with our food supply along with a constant increased pollution problem things can only get worse. At this point the fishing industry is starting to have difficulty in filling the demand and the water table is steadily going down. How can we miss those omens of the end? If anything they should raise our expectation not trash it. To you Maurice I say lift your sinking head and have faith in God for He has faith in you and He hasn’t lessened His commitment to come again one bit. It’s just that the time is not right for Him to come yet but some day it will be – maybe even tomorrow, who knows!
Jesus is coming soon, without delay. however to us it might appear that He has delayed but never. "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." So Christ is not come because of me and you and He has never delayed. Some will be caught unaware, like in the days of Noe. "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Mathew 24:38-39. lets be ready for His coming.
Lupahla Ishmael,
You are right in your post. Truly, Jesus is coming soon. As christians, we should all be ready, Matt. 24:44 For in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh!
The second comming of Jesus is not a gimic its a really thing
and the Lord Jesus is not comming with oranges or apples he is coming
with judgment. His long suffering shouldn't make us sleep and forget
His promises, are really true and let us be ready as Gods children.
let us live acording to the light that we have received.
Jesus said Iam light of the world any one who live within the light
he will never walk in the darkness. Jesus is comming soon.Its really
and not a comedy.
Would a loving God fulfill His promise of the second advent at the expense of His children? God is not slow to fulfil His promise as Peter states but is so loving that He wants as many as possible to get to repent and accept Jesus. When He said some of the disciples may be still alive when He comes back, Jesus was not just adressing His disciples of that time, Jesus message is not confined to a particular time it is for us, it is for our children and it is for our great great grandchildren and the message we should always pass on to our children as Moses did to the Israelites is that; we are not far from the Promised land. Let us not loose hope.
As for the signs, Jesus walked in this world and knew that there are many of us who are Thomases and we may need signs to believe. Let us learn to accomodate one another in this journey of faith, both the toddlers in Faith and the adults. Just because a thief didn't break into my house yesternight and the night before wont give me assurance enough that he/she wont break in tonight; Yes Jesus can come today, will He find me prepared? or will i have run out of patience and sat down to make up my mind a day before the signs of time tell me He's at the door? God bless us and give us patience to watch and pray; perseverence is a gift that we must pray for daily. Not just for us, but also for those who through our walk with God will believe on Jesus and join us in this journey. Let us also not tire in asking God to use us to fulfil the great commision of going into the world to tell all about God's love and His soon return to take us home.
Truth, truth! and... 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 "You search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life, but, you do not come to me." John 5:39 I am burdened with the knowledge that some of us still pride ourselves over our knowledge of the scripture, emphasizing the truth above a personal relationship with the author and finisher of our faith and all truth. People, in Canada at least, know more about how they feel in your presence than what you know. If the love of God is in your heart there will be a winning influence spread to the entire community you live in wherever you find yourself. If you doubt it, you can't have it, but it is the promise of God. Ye are the salt of the earth, a city set upon a hill, a light for all to see. Matthew 5:
Jesus is coming and that's all that matters. And why he is coming? to take me home. John 14:1-3 1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Not quite all that matters Tamateli. While the promise of Jesus return is one that gives us hope. He has also given us instructions to "occupy till I come". A preoccupation with the second coming without an application to what "being saved" means in the present is presumption.