Grant Jeffrey writes, “Mankind stands today, not merely at the crossroads of his historical destiny, but rather at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a bottomless pit. Before him lies an abyss filled with the worst horrors of all our nightmares: Nuclear annihilation, famine of unimaginable proportions, chemical and biological warfare, unleashed international terrorism. Men’s hearts ‘fail them for fear’ as they contemplate the death of democracy in country after country, the rise of dictatorship, anarchy and violence, drug dependence, unprecedented natural disasters; a drastic decline of those family values and love that make life worth while. All of these horrors- and more- are just one small step away.”
In the dark hours of the Pacific war, when General McArthur fled the Philippines, he made a dramatic statement, “I shall return.” In 1944 he did return, with the power of the allied armies. Likewise, Jesus Christ will also return in power and glory and great splendor, with a myriad of angels. If we believe in the first coming of Christ as a child in Bethlehem (known as Christmas) then we should not have any trouble in accepting the fact that He would return to this troubled world for the second time.
There are theologians that teach the spiritual return of Christ. I don’t know what that means. I know that the first time He came to this world, it was in a bodily form. Born of a Virgin to save all who trust in Him. He did not come as a spirit. When He appeared to the twelve, Jesus appeared in their midst. He said, “Peace be unto you.” But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have.
After His resurrection, Jesus Christ also promised that he would return. In the book of Acts it is written,
“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth 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 1: 6-11)
This, then, is the Christians great and wonderful hope, the coming of our great Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. When He left us after His resurrection He promised that He would not leave us as Orphans but would sent the Holy Spirit to be with us to indwell and empower us.
Oswald Chambers writes, “With focused attention and great care, you have to “work out” what God “works in you”- work it out so you will exhibit the evidence of a life based with determined, unshakable faith on the complete and perfect redemption of the Lord. God not only expects you to do His will, but He is in you , through His Spirit, to do it.”
In gist we can say that we, as Christians, have a triple blessing. Blessing one: Christ came to fulfill His promise to redeem mankind and save all that trust in Him. Blessing two: He has not left us comfortless, He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead us, and enable us, to fulfill his will for our lives and to share the glorious Gospel with others. Blessing three: He has promised to come again and receive us unto Himself. Since He has fulfilled the first two blessings there is no reason to doubt the third blessing, even the second coming. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!