Revelation 1:7,8 Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him. And all the families of the earth will mourn over Him. This is certain. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.” My dad worked a lot when I was kid and for a while they had him working any one or three different shifts on any given day. This made it impossible for me, as a kid, to know when he would be home. When my mom would say, "Wait 'til your father gets home", it would depend on whether or not I was behaving or misbehaving to determine if that was good news or bad news for me. In our passage today we read of Jesus' second coming. For some it is the best news but for others it will be the worst.
There was another time that Jesus was associated with clouds like in today's passage, it was at His ascension and we we're told then that He would return in the same way. After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11 Just as sure as we sit 2018 years on this side of the calendar so Jesus will return. Whether you believe in Jesus, are not sure or just plainly do not believe, we are living 2018 years since His first coming. Our calendar is measured by His first coming whether you want to call it AD and BC or BCE and CE it is still the same dividing point. Since so much time has passed, people to this day mock the teaching of His second coming as the Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:3-9... "First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires, saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God. Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded. But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. Similar to our passage today there is the certainty of judgement and salvation. Which will determine how you anticipate His coming? Are you ready for His coming? Have you placed your trust fully in Him or are you just playing church? He will come as sure as He said He would and He will take up His own, those left behind will perish even as those did in the days of Noah. My prayer for all of our ESM students is that the Lord will open your eyes that you would know fully where you stand today and that you would look for and long His second coming. Have a great day Loved Ones and God bless you real good!
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