A father and his 10 year old daughter, both good swimmers, entered the waters of the Atlantic at a New Jersey seashore resort a few summers ago. When some distance from shore they became separated, and the father realized they were being carried out to sea by the tide. He called out to his daughter: "I am going to shore for help. If you get tired, turn on your back; you can float all day on your back. I'll come back for you." Before long many searchers in boats were in the water hunting for one small girl. Hundreds of people had heard the news and waited anxiously on shore. It was four hours before they found her, far from land. She was calmly floating on her back and not at all frightened. Tears of joy and relief greeted the rescuers as the girl was brought to the shore safely. The child took it calmly. She said, “My Dad said he would come for me, and that I could float all day, so I swam and floated. I was not afraid because he had promised to come get me.”
For 2,000 years there has been a promise that believers like you and me have held on to. It’s a promise made to us by Jesus. It gives us comfort in our suffering. It gives us peace in our confusion. This promise gives us joy in the midst of sorrow. Which promise? The promise of Christ’s return.
The Bible is clear that the return of Christ is a promise that can be counted on. John 14:1-3: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My 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? And 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.”
The disciples of Jesus in the NT were absolutely convinced that Jesus would return. His resurrection was proof. His ascension was proof. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)
Here are some thing the Bible tells us about the return of Christ.
The return of Christ is our blessed hope.
“…we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)
The return of Christ will happen suddenly.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:42-44)
Christians are told repeatedly in the New Testament to be watchful for the Lord’s appearing. No one knows the day or the hour, but we do know the signs.
Only God knows the complete time table and the events that will occur and the time frame. Many signs. In Matthew 24, Jesus himself gives us several signs that His return would be near.
The return of Christ will result in our rapture.
“According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
Today’s Challenge: Hold onto the promise of Christ’s return. This world is not our home. Jesus has prepared a place for us and he will come again.
