The second coming of Christ is a central and urgent doctrine that the New Testament emphasizes far more than many modern sermons acknowledge. The sermon highlights that over a quarter of the Thessalonian epistles, and over three hundred New Testament references, speak of Christ's return, contrasting this with the infrequent mention of baptism or giving. This doctrine is presented as essential for spiritual growth, motivating believers to live godly lives, give generously, and obey the Lord. The sermon concludes that neglecting the second coming leads to unbalanced preaching and a spiritually anemic church, urging listeners to embrace this hope as the glorious climax of the Christian faith.
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Now I want to read quite a few verses this morning because after all it's what the Word of God has to say on this very important subject, the second coming of Christ. So let us read verse ten of chapter one of first Thessalonians. And to wait for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come. Verse nineteen of the next chapter. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
For ye are our glory and joy. Verse thirteen of the next chapter. And to the end he may establish your heart unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Verse thirteen of the next chapter. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God. and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Chapter five, verse one. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh, as a thief in the night.
Now, Second Thessalonians chapter one, right, following Second Thessalonians and verse seven. And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day.
The next chapter, chapter two. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him. Verse eight. And then shall that wicked, or wicked one is the right Vendring, wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him, that is Christ whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness, of unrighteousness, and them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. In the last text, the next chapter, verse five. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Now we could have read more verses in chapter five, and also more verses in chapter two. But altogether we have thirty-seven verses in these eight small chapters on the subject of the Lord's coming.
Now that's very amazing when you start to think there are only a hundred and thirty-six verses altogether in these eight chapters. and one quarter of those hundred and thirty-six verses are taken up with the second coming of Christ. The reason I mention this, or mention that, is this. A lot of people say, well, the New Testament doesn't say much about it, and possibly some will question or add in the newspaper, over three hundred references in the New Testament speak of the second coming of Christ. I've just pointed out quite a few, and I say more are found in these eight chapters, telling us in unmistakable language that Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth.
And you may read these two little books at your leisure, it'll only take you possibly a half an hour or less to do it, and be convinced yourself. In other words, God attaches great importance to truth. By the number of times he refers to it. Yet if God says a thing once, it's true. God only has to say a thing once for it to be important. If the President of the United States makes a statement, why it's scrutinized throughout the world. So much more God. If God makes one statement, is it not true? Should it not be believed? Yet he makes three hundred statements or more in the New Testament.
relative to the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now for instance, baptism is only mentioned nineteen times in the New Testament. Think of it, just nineteen times, the word baptism. And yet think of how many sermons is preached on baptism. Some denominations just harp on it constantly, baptism, baptism. And once again, the word or any connection with giving is mentioned only nineteen times in the New Testament. and many of those references are giving to the poor and not to the church, and yet that subject is hammered home every week. Almost every servant, give, give, give, give. What about something mentioned three hundred times in the New Testament?
Hardly mentioned. One year's end to another. The subject of the blood of Christ, the blood is mentioned fifty-four times in the New Testament. Isn't it strange that the subject of baptism and giving is mentioned so often, so frequently, and emphasized so emphatically when the two main important things, the blood of Jesus Christ by which we are saved, and the second coming of Christ, the glorious climax of the Church, is hardly mentioned. I am giving you these figures to show you how out of balance a lot of preaching is today, absolutely out of balance. I'm going to tell you one thing.
Preachers don't have to mention giving or Christians obeying the Lord in baptism if they preach the Lord's second coming, because at that grips them, they're going to give. Because they know we're near the end. And they're going to be willing and ready to obey the law. Let thee come and catch them an unbelieving believer, if you might understand that language. One who saved. but hasn't fully obeyed the Lord in the ordinance of baptism is an unbelieving believer and a sad thing for Christ to come and you be that forever. And yet it goes to show how out of balance a lot of preaching is. And I want to say something else.
No gospel sermon is complete without reference to the second coming of Christ. Bible proof, yes. Turn to the fifteenth of first Corinthians. Paul is expounding the gospel. And he said, I preached unto you the gospel. And what is it? Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried. He was raised again the third day according to the Scriptures. And how does he end that wonderful treatise on what the gospel is? He speaks of Christ coming in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last drop. No gospel message is complete without the second coming of Jesus Christ being brought in. For that's the hope of the church. And yet today you can hear many and many and many a sermon, and there's no reference at all made to Christ's second time.
Satan knows the power of this message to alarm sinners and to stir up the people of God. That's why he prevents it from being preached. And he certainly meets with a lot of success. And I'm going to say this. No church is going to be spiritual without it. You may grow materially. You may grow influentially. You may grow numerically as a church. But you will not grow spiritually unless you preach the second coming of Jesus Christ. My Bible makes it very clear that the second coming of Christ had a direct and important bearing upon a Christian's life.
I don't care a snap for a church that's not spiritual. It can be as big as it like, numerical. And it can be as wealthy as it leads. It can have a great influence. But if it's not spiritual, as far as God's concerned, it's missed the mark. What God wants is spirituality. He wants God lives. And if there's anything the second coming of Christ will do, it will make a Christian godly. For he'll live in the light of that imminent coming of the sick. Congregations don't want to hear preach, and preachers accommodate. It makes you smile once in a while to hear one come out with a little message on the second coming just to sue the conscience of some that he preaches the second time.
My Bible has so much to say about it, friend, that It has a major part in my ministry and will be until the end, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now in these five chapters of First Thessalonians, it's very significant and very beautiful how the Spirit of God arranged His things. But it's the second coming of Christ is referred to in five different settings in First Thessalonians. In the first chapter, the second coming of Christ is in connection with conversion. in connection with conversion. He's speaking now about these Christians who turn to God from idols to serve the living and to God and to wait for His Son from heaven.
Here is the hope of the young convert. Yes, the inspiring hope of the young convert. When a person comes to know Christ, when a person receives a Savior, why he frills at the thought that Jesus Christ is going to come. and he may come soon. It's the thing that has thrilled me ever since I was saved, that Jesus Christ may come, and he may come in my day. He may come long before I'm an old man. That's the inspiring hope of the young convert as given us in chapter one. In chapter two, the second coming is there in connection with service.
If the second coming is in connection with the young convert in chapter one, the second coming is in connection with service in chapter two. Here's the encouraging hope of the faithful servant. The second coming of Christ is the encouraging hope of the faithful servant. We applaud on. We applaud on. And many a missionary, a faithful preacher of the gospel, applause on. And the only thing that seems to lift them of times is this. Jesus coming. He may come today. What an encouraging hope to have constantly before. In the third chapter, it's persecution and the second coming.
And I'm going to tell you you'll be persecuted for. I was shocked the other day being in a home. And this lady told me she was visited by a certain individual, a lady from one of our main churches in town. that I thought believed in the second coming of Christ. And so she said to this lady, where do you go to church? She said, I've been going out to the Albany Gospel Chapel. Well, she said, but you're a Baptist option. Well, yes. Well, that's on denomination. Yes, she said, they preach the second coming of Christ, and I love to hear it.
Don't you, oh, no, I don't love to hear it. And she left. that shock. For the old time Baptist believed in the second coming of Christ. And an odd one now preached it, but nothing like it should be. In other words, you'll be persecuted today if you stand up and preach the second coming of Christ. And yet it's mentioned three hundred times in your Bible. It's the steadying and purifying hope of believers in chapter three. In chapter four, it's bereavement and the second coming. Second coming of Christ and bereavement.
And if you want something to comfort your heart, if a loved one has been taken from you, read the fourth chapter of First Thessalonians. And it's the comforting hope for the bereaved, Christ coming for his church. And then in the last chapter, it's alertness. and the second coming of Christ, to be on the tiptoe of expectation. In other words, it's arousing hope to the sleeping Christian in chapter five. And there you have the second coming of Christ outlined in first Thessalonians, mentioned in every chapter in the connection that we have given. But then you come through the next chapter or next book, second Thessalonians, and what do you have?
Chapter one, And this is a sad chapter to read. Remember, Christ comes for his church in First Thessalonians. He comes for his people to catch them up into the air, just like you're expecting a very important friend. And they're supposed to be at your place at seven o'clock. and you walk out to meet them. You may meet them three or four blocks from your home and there you stand and you chat for a while and then you return to yourself. Christ is coming and the church is going to be caught up into the air to meet them and there we'll meet them and gather around them in the air as we read in chapter four.
Then after a short period he's coming with his church in judgment upon the earth. He comes to the air first. He remains there with the church, and we'll explain that more tonight. And then he comes the rest of the way in judgment. In first Thessalonians, he comes to the air for the church. In second Thessalonians, he comes the rest of the way in judgment upon the ungodly and upon the world. And I want you to notice this language. How is he going to come? Notice in verse seven. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, how is he coming with his mighty angels?
And over in the Old Testament in Second Kings chapter nineteen, one angel, just an ordinary angel, slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand Syrians. One ordinary angel slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand Syrians. What will Christ do and what power will be at his disposal when he comes with all his mighty angels? Really he doesn't need their assistance but he'll use. He comes with all his mighty angels and notice again how he's coming. In flaming fire. In flaming fire.
Just what that means, I'm not prepared to say. I don't possess the word, the vocabulary, the expression to tell you what that will mean when Christ will come in flaming fire. Third, how is he coming? In taking vengeance. There's no mercy here. Read it for yourself. Taking vengeance. This is what you have in Revelation chapter. If you haven't time to go into it. Why is he coming? Verse eight, inflaming fire, taking vengeance on them, and I want you who are not saved to listen to these words and listen carefully.
He's coming in this awful display of vengeance and power. Do you want to take vengeance on them that know not God, and that's you, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? That's you. There are those of you sitting here this morning and you don't know God, and you have not obeyed the gospel, and Christ is coming in judgment upon you. Is that an awful thought? Not only is he coming to punish the wicked, but he's coming for something else that's more glorious in verse ten to be glorified in this sin.
He's coming to be glorified in this sin. Furthermore, we could extend that the set of his kingdom. He's coming to punish the wicked. He's coming to be glorified in his people. And he's coming to set up his kingdom here upon the earth. That's why he's coming. When is he coming? You say, I wished I knew. So do I. But I know the time is near. He's spread of signs and seasons in verse one of chapter five when he shall come to destroy the wicked to punish them with everlasting destruction all that those words would sink into your heart the opening words of verse nine to punish those who are not ready who are not saved with everlasting destruction that's not annihilation that's eternal punishment and When is he coming?
As far as this chapter and the next chapter is concerned, chapter two of Thessalonians two. He's coming after the church is gone, verse eight, and then shall that wicked one be revealed. That's after the church has been taken to heaven, caught up to meet the Savior in the air. Then what happens? Then shall that wicked one be revealed, whose coming shall consume, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his after the church is caught up. Then this wicked monster of a neighbor, this military expert, this economic genius, this man of sin that the Bible speaks of, or the Antichrist, if you will, is going to arrive after the church is gone.
And he'll continue for a little while, and it tells you more about that in verse ten, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perished, In other words, he's going to carry on such a reign as you have at the close of verse nine, with all power and signs and lying wonders. Because Satan is going to enter that man. The Bible tells you that in Revelation twelve, the great red dragon gives all his power unto that beast, that man of sin, that wicked monster that's coming up. And it will be a time of hell on earth after the church is gone.
And Christ will allow things to run their fearful course for a little while. and to prevent all flesh being destroyed, it says, in Revelation, he's going to come to deal with that monster of iniquity and with the world at large and at the battle of army dead and in particular. That's what your Bible has to say. So he's coming after the church is gone. He's coming after the great tribulation. In verse nine of chapter two and after the man of sin has reached his peak. Where is he coming? right to the earth this one. He's caught his own out first.
There's a lovely illustration I haven't time to go into this morning, we'll give it tonight. Catching his people out first, and then later coming with them after that fearful rain that turned on earth where you have most of all that's in the book of Revelation executed and happening on the earth. Then he comes the rest of the way of the way right through the earth. And the Bible says, In that day his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives. He's coming all the way down. What are some of the signs that he's coming? You know, fifteen, twenty years ago, when I began studying the book of Revelation, and I didn't touch it until I was saved quite a few years, I thought it little out of my depth.
But about... fifteen or eighteen years ago, I began studying. And I was amazed what I saw in it. But there were some things I thought that will never happen in my day. Sign number one that we're near the end, the casualty list, given the book of Revelation of Possibility today. I read back in those days, fifteen, eighteen years ago, about one-third of the inhabitants of Europe being wiped out, or one-quarter, first of all, by the sea, being wiped out, leaving three-quarters.
Then I read that one-third of those three-quarters being wiped out, which means only half of the original population left, and many of them yet to be destroyed. And I used to read, and I thought, well, I'll never live to see that. We're living in days when the whole business will be destroyed, not just heaven. And in ten or fifteen short years, the casually lit, the fearful sloth, the awful destruction predicted in Revelation, the fight here. Sign number two that we have in time to elaborate on The return of the Jewish nation to Palestine, what a beautiful story we have the time to dwell on.
They're back, waiting for their kids. Christ is going to come. The one they rejected will return to be their monarch. Third, and listen to this, in the book of Revelation we have Christendom united under rule. Chapter seventeen and eighteen, the Scarlet Woman. The city that sits on seven hills beside the sea is right there. And only two weeks ago an Episcopalian came out, and of course there's much more going on. But he came out advocated, and there are societies, there are agencies, working hard night and day, to bring back all Protestantism under oath.
And this man, it was in your local paper, he advocated the uniting of the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Episcopalians, and a liberal wing of the Catholic. And it's accepted. The uniting of Protestantism. You know they've even advocated the dropping of the word Protestant. What does Protestant mean? It means that under Luther... The world rose up in absolute protest against the slavery of Catholicism. They protested against the doctrines of Rome. They protested against the barbarity of Rome in seeking to kill all within the Greek.
And Protestants have had its work in the Reformation, in the Reformation. Now, the two camps have come so close together that they're advocating dropping the word Protestant. They're getting back to what the Word of God teaches. One big church on earth. But I want to say this. What's going to prevent it from crystallizing? The church is still here. The real born-again believers are still here. And when they're taken to heaven, when the church is gone, when the salt is taken, the Bible says...
year the salt of the earth, and when the salt, which is the preservative from corruption, when the real born-again Christians are gone, the whole thing will just gel. And what's going to prevent this one big church dominated by the Vatican, those who are born again known as the fundamentalists? They'll go Christian to their dying day. When Christ comes and takes every born-again believer out, then that which has been a restraint, the law has gone and the whole thing will come to its ugly head as seen in Revelation chapter seventeen and eighteen. Another sign, there shall come a falling away first.
You read that in second Thessalonians here, chapter two, verse three. A falling away. Falling away from the truth. The old-fashioned gospel, modernism. Modernism, as we mentioned earlier, on your TV just a week ago, a man supposed to be a leader of a prominent denominations, spoke of the Old Testament as a book of myths and legends. Have I heard a new one this week? And it's this. In a Sunday school quarrel, the man told me that his wife was to teach Sunday school. And he said he picked it up. And he read this and