Faithfulness … Jesus is coming back! 

Morning. 

Music has always gotten to me.  In various ways, it has provoked deep thinking and even strong emotional response.  Sometimes it has soothed the deep thinking that came before it.  Huh?  Like when thinking about how long God will tolerate abuse in his name, bad people to prosper, evil and death in the name of religion, and so on, I have been reminded that it isn’t forever.  One day, Jesus is going to return. One such song that brings a smile to my thinking is Amy Grant’s old song: “In a little while,” we'll be with the Father; can’t you see him smile? In a little while, we'll be home forever, in a while... We're just here to learn to love him; we'll be home in just a little while…¹

Maybe it will be today.  Maybe Jesus will return today. Hmmm… will he?  What can we expect?

The last several morning briefings have discussed the faithfulness of our God, even as demonstrated in prophecy and his promises.  The perfect convergence of prophecies that have been foretold and the promises of God is Jesus’ promise that he will come again.  Friends, you and I must bear this in mind.  He told his beloved twelve, "I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.²" Jesus assured them that he would come back, "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with His angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."³ 

The last glimpse of Jesus on earth was on the Mount of Olives, where a gathering of his followers watched as he ascended into Heaven. “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “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.”⁴ Indeed, Jesus himself said, "They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."⁵

God’s faithfulness goes on and on … God has eternity in his hands.

Your eternal future is secure if you have entrusted yourself to him; death cannot hold you, and you will never be separated from him or his love. 

How will it happen—Jesus’ return?  “The Lord Himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God . . . and we'll be caught up together with them in the clouds . . .”⁶ [Interesting that—did you notice Paul’s teaching here confirms what Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, said—Jesus will come in the way he left—in the clouds.]

Perhaps for some it is hard to imagine what it is going to be like.  But I can see it in my mind’s eye—in fact, I believe it will be a day not unlike today, where there are blustery clouds in the sky, sunshine peeking around the back of their silver lining.  A trumpet will sound—our King has come!  Those who have already passed will be the first to meet him in the air, and then the rest who are lucky enough to still be living on that day,⁷ maybe driving down the Pacific Coast Highway!

Whenever … however … our Lord’s already there.  Wait—here’s another song:  “From where I'm standing, Lord it's so hard for me to see where this is going, and where You're leading me…I wish I knew how all my fears and all my questions are gonna play out in a world I can't control

When I'm lost in the mystery, to You my future is a memory, cause You're already there, you're already there… standing at the end of my life, waiting on the other side… And You're already there, You're already there

From where You're standing, Lord, You see a grand design that You imagined; when You breathed me into life and all the chaos, comes together in Your hands like a masterpiece of Your picture perfect plan.

When I'm lost in the mystery, to You my future is a memory cause You're already there…

One day I'll stand before You and look back on the life I've lived--I can't wait to enjoy the view and see how all the pieces fit…⁸

Click to listen and be blessed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrOotpSKOX0

Jesus is coming back.