Seven Key Truths about Jesus

Talk 7: His Second Coming

So far:

Virgin birth

Sinless life

Substitutionary atoning death

Bodily resurrection

Triumphant ascension

Abiding intercession

We must now turn our attention to an event which has yet to take place in world history – the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The fact of his coming

Our certainty about the second coming of Christ is based upon the definite statements of the word of God.

The apostles and leaders of the early church taught very clearly that Christ would return.

James tells us that the Lord’s coming is near (James 5:8)

Peter assures his readers that the day of the Lord will come (2 Peter 3:10)

Jude declares The Lord is coming (Jude 14)

It is Paul, however, who gives us the details:

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…

(1 Thessalonians 4:16).

In the light of this glorious prospect, John, exiled on Patmos, cried Amen, come Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).

The apostles’ certainty that Christ would return was undoubtedly based on three main facts

1. They were directed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as they wrote the scriptures

2. They remembered the promise of the angels at the ascension:

This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come in the same way as you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).

They were sure he would come because they had seen him go.

3. They had his personal promise that they would do so:

I am going 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 (John 14:2-3).

The Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his holy angels (Matthew 16:27, Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26)

We may be quite sure that Jesus is coming

It is promised by the apostles, by the angels, and by Jesus himself.

The nature of his coming

There are considerable differences of opinion among Bible-believing Christians as to the precise nature of the second coming of Christ

But certain facts about the return of our Lord must be accepted if we are to be consistent in our belief in the authority of scripture

The statement of the angels at the ascension (Acts 1:11) is sufficient evidence alone that the return of Christ will be personal, physical, and visible

Jesus will return personally for it will be ‘this same Jesus’. It will be ‘the Lord himself’ who will descend from heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Jesus will return physically, for he is coming ‘in the same way’ as they saw him go. He will descend with the same resurrection body with which they saw him ascend.

And Jesus will return visibly, for he will return ‘in the same way as you have seen him go’

The early disciples were privileged to see him go into heaven

How marvellous to consider that we may very well be among those who are privileged to see him return!

The purpose of his coming

As we examine the New Testament there seem to be five main purposes of our Lord’s return.

1. He is coming for his church

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us that when the Lord returns

the dead in Christ will rise first. After that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever.

2. He is coming for the destruction of death

In 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Paul gives us another description of the events which will take place when the trumpet sounds

Then, he says, the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory (v.54).

3. He is coming to judge the world.

Those who have rejected him will be judged, for the Lord Jesus will be

revealed from heaven with his powerful angels in blazing fire. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will be punished with everlasting destruction, shut out from the presence of the Lord and the majesty of his power

(2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

Christians, of course, will not be judged for their sins

Our sins were judged at Calvary

However, there is to be a judgment for Christians which is related to reward for service (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

4. He is coming as king

He is coming to reign (Revelation 20:4, 6)

Paul tells us that Jesus must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet

(1 Corinthians 15:25)

The kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11:15).

5. He is coming to make all things new

There will be no more death, no more sorrow, or crying, or any more pain; they will all have passed away (Revelation 21:4-5)

There are to be new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness will dwell (2 Peter 3:13)

What a wonderful promise! What a blessed hope! Thank God, Jesus is coming!

Preparation for his coming

In the light of this divine revelation, the Bible tells us that we must be prepared

It is not for us to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put under his own authority (Acts 1:7)

Jesus says that no one knows the day or hour when he will come again (Mark 13:32)

The day of the Lord will be as unexpected as a thief in the night

(1 Thessalonians 5:2)

We do not need to know the time of his coming

But we do need to be ready

In Matthew 24:42-51 Jesus warns us of the dangers of those who say, ‘My master is staying away a long time’

In the next chapter he tells us that we are to be ready by keeping watch (v.13)

We are to be ready by making sure that we are using faithfully the talents which the Lord has entrusted to our care (Matthew 25:14-30)

If we do, we may be sure that we too will hear the commendation of our Lord when he comes:

Well done, good and faithful servant… come and share your master’s happiness.

Seven Key Truths about Jesus

Talk 6: His Abiding Intercession

The heavenly ministry of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is closely connected with the subject of his ascension into heaven which we considered last time.

It would be a mistake to imagine that when Jesus cried It is finished on the cross he had done all that he ever could do for his people

Certainly his work as a substitute and a sacrifice for our sins was complete.

But his resurrection, ascension and glorification were in a very real sense for us and form an important part of our salvation.

Romans 5:10 tells us that we are not only saved by his death on Calvary, but that he continues to save us by the power of his life.

The Bible indicates three main ways in which he does so:

Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate

Christ is our mediator

By his death upon the cross the Lord Jesus Christ atoned for our sins. He bore on our behalf the punishment that our sins deserved. He paid the price of our redemption. By his death we are reconciled to God. Jesus died as our saviour, our substitute, our sin-bearer. Now he lives as our mediator.

When two countries have been at war and cannot come to peace on agreeable terms, a representative from a third country, not involved in the fighting, will sometimes act as a ‘go-between’ or mediator between the two sides.

We were God’s enemies because of our sin, but Jesus has not only died to save us from sin’s consequences, but lives to keep us in right relationship with God.

1 Timothy 2:5 tells us that there is one God, and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.

It is through Jesus and Jesus alone that we have access to the Father, for it is he alone who has died to save us and it is he alone who lives to keep us.

Christ is our intercessor

But Jesus does not only live to act as our mediator at God’s right hand. He is also there as our intercessor.

He is able to save completely those who come to God through him because he always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:25).

While he was here on earth he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears (Hebrews 5:7).

Now he is in heaven Jesus is constantly praying for us!

He has entered into heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence (Hebrews 9:24).

Why is Jesus in the presence of God? For us! Why is he at God’s right hand? To intercede for us!

Of course he is there by virtue of his own sovereign right. He is at God’s right hand because he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is there because he rules the universe and because the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever!

But he is also there for us!

          He ever lives above

          For me to intercede

          His all-redeeming love

          His precious blood to plead

          His blood atoned for all our race

          And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

          The Father hears him pray

          His dear Anointed One

          He cannot turn away the presence of His Son

With confidence I now draw nigh

          And ‘Father, Abba, Father’ cry.

Christ is our advocate

As our mediator Jesus has brought about our reconciliation to God

As our intercessor he is constantly praying for us

As our advocate he defends us against the false accusations of Satan.

Peter tells us that our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

Revelation 12:10 suggests that his role is that of an accuser. It seems as though he is allowed to appear in the court of heaven as a kind of counsel for the prosecution.

With a little sanctified imagination let us picture the scene.

The heavenly judge, the judge of all the earth, is seated upon his throne.

The prisoner on trial is charged with transgressing the eternal law, the word of God. We tremble as we remember that like the prisoner, we too have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

It is appointed unto us once to die and after death, the judgment.

The prosecution begins his case. It is extremely lengthy, but clear and convincing. The prisoner’s whole life seems under review. Sin after sin is listed – catalogues of transgressions! Surely the verdict must be guilty.

At last the Prosecution brings his case to a conclusion. He insists that he has established the guilt of the prisoner. He reminds the judge of the eternal law: The soul that sins shall surely die. The prisoner trembles. The Prosecution demands the sentence of eternal death.

In desperation the prisoner turns to his advocate, the counsel for the defence.

Our heavenly lawyer takes his stand before the judge.

He acknowledges the prisoner’s guilt.

He does not seek to contest the charge brought against him.

It is true that the prisoner is guilty. He deserves to die.

Satan the accuser rubs his hands in glee – another victim!

But what is the defence saying?

It is true that the prisoner is guilty, but his advocate demands his release!

The punishment for the crimes of which he is guilty has already been taken.

It has been borne by another.

The advocate approaches the judge and kneels before him.

He stretches out his arms and shows him his hands.

The nail-prints are still visible.

The price has been paid. The prisoner is free.

In horror Satan recoils from the sight.

The nail-prints are the symbols of his greatest defeat.

The accuser has been overcome once again by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:10-11).

He quits the courts of heaven and returns to his appointed place.

The court is silent as the advocate speaks to the prisoner:

Where is your accuser? Has no one condemned you? Then neither do I condemn you.

The prisoner is pardoned.

He was demonstrably guilty and deserving of death, but he called upon the only advocate who could save him.

No other defence is adequate against the accusations of the adversary.

But, thank God, no other defence is necessary.

We have an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1).

His name is Jesus.

Seven Key Truths about Jesus

Talk 4: His Bodily Resurrection

This talk will be divided into two parts:

1. The evidence for the resurrection
2. The implications of the resurrection

1 I have titled The Most Important Question in the World

2 I have titled Ten Truths from the Empty Tomb

1. The Most Important Question in the World

(Taken from Nicky Gumbel’s Bible Reading Plan 2019)

The brilliant professor of philosophy at London University, C.E.M. Joad, was not a Christian. He was asked on a radio programme, ‘If you could meet any person from the past and ask them just one question, whom would you meet and what question would you ask?’

Professor Joad answered without hesitation: ‘I would meet Jesus Christ and ask him the most important question in the world – “Did you or did you not rise from the dead?”’

There came a day in Professor Joad’s life when he assessed the evidence, encountered Jesus himself and wrote a book called, Recovery of Belief. If Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, this changes everything.

The resurrection isn’t just an historical fact or religious idea; it is a life-changing reality. God promises that as you go about fulfilling his commission, the presence of the resurrected Jesus goes with you.

In Matthew 28, when the women see the empty tomb the angel tells them, ‘He is not here; he has risen… you will see him’ (vv.6–7).

Filled with ‘great joy’ they ran to tell the disciples. As they did so, ‘Jesus met them’ (v.9). They experienced the presence of the risen Jesus (vv.8–10), ‘clasped his feet’ (v.9) and worshipped him as God (vv.9b,17a).

The attempts of others to explain away the empty tomb began very early on (v.13) and, in spite of all the evidence, not everyone believed (v.17b). It was suggested that ‘his disciples… stole him away while [the soldiers] were asleep’ (v.13). Some people still postulate this explanation. But it does not fit the evidence:

The disciples were discouraged and frightened. Only the miracle of the resurrection could have transformed them

They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. They had no motive to steal the body

The tomb was heavily guarded (27:62–66)

They were not the only ones who saw Jesus. Many others saw him after the resurrection and interacted with him over a period of forty days (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:6)

If the disciples did steal the body, their whole lives thereafter were based on a lie. My friend Ian Walker, a Cambridge scientist, became a Christian because he could not believe that the disciples would have been willing to be tortured and put to death for something they would have known was not true.

It really is true. Jesus is risen. Death and burial are not the end. In Christ, you too will be raised from the dead.

2. Ten Truths from the Empty Tomb

5 Truths About GOD

The Existence of God

1 Peter 1:21

Though Him you believe in God who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

The Word of God

Acts 2:24-25

God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for death to keep its hold on Him

FOR (AV) David said about Him… (Ps. 16)

The Power of God

Eph. 1:18-20

I pray… that you may know…his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead

The Son of God

Romans 1:4

Declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord

The Judgment (Day) of God

Acts 17:31

He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead

5 Truths about the Christian

We have been born again

1 Peter 1:3-4

He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance…

We are accounted righteous

Romans 4:24-25

God will credit righteousness for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification

We are continually being saved

Romans 5:9-10

Since we have been justified by his blood, how much more shall be saved from God’s wrath through Him. For if when we were sinners we were reconciled by his death, how much more shall we be reconciled by his life?

Romans 8:34

Christ was raised to life and is interceding for us.

We walk in newness of life

Romans 6:4

As Christ was raised from the dead, we too may live a new life

Romans 7:4

…raised from the dead in order that we might bear fruit to God

We will rise from the dead (firstfruits)

1 Thessalonians 4:14

…Jesus died and rose again…God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him

2 Corinthians 4:14

We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead will also raise us with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence.

Seven key truths about Jesus                   

Talk 3: His atoning death

Of the 89 chapters of the Gospels, no fewer than 30 (i.e. over one third) centre around the death of Christ. The gospel by which we are saved is that

Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

We believe in the substitutionary, atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ

We’ll start with the meaning of atonement

The word atonement is best understood if we break it into three parts:  at-one-ment

This is the root Anglo-Saxon meaning of the word. To atone is to make ‘at one’

The death of Christ is an atoning death because it makes sinners at one with God

But why was it necessary?

The Bible teaches that it is our sins that have separated us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2)

We can only be brought back to God if our sins are dealt with

No one is excluded from this because:

• all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
• There is no one who does not sin (1 Kings 8:46).
• There is no one who does good, no not one (Psalm 14:3).
• There is not a righteous man on the earth who does what is right and never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
• No one is good except God (Mark 10:18).
• If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8).
• The whole world is a prisoner to sin (Galatians 3:22).

Sin is an offence to God who is holy

• His eyes are too pure to look on evil (Habakkuk 1:13)

Sin separates us from God

• Our sins have hidden his face from us (Isaiah 59:2)
• The Lord is far from the wicked (Proverbs 15:29)

Unless our sins are dealt with, our separation from God will be eternal

Jesus himself talked about:

• hell fire (Matthew 5:22)
• outer darkness (Matthew 8:12)
• eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46)

Paul tells us that:

• the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)
• and that the wrath of God is coming (Colossians 3:6)
• The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will be punished with everlasting destruction, and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

Sin is serious:

• It separates from God
• We have all sinned
• We are all separated from God
• There is nothing we can do
• We all need a Saviour

How atonement was made possible

When God first revealed to man the need for atonement, he made the means of atonement quite clear:

It is the blood that makes atonement (Leviticus 17:11)

This is not just an Old Testament principle. It is carried over into the New. It is eternally valid:

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).

This is why Christ died. This is why he shed his blood.

He made peace through the blood of his cross in order to reconcile us sinners to God (Colossians 1:20)

He did this by offering himself as a sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2)

He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)

This was the purpose of his death. He bore our sins in his own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24)

Christ’s death was also substitutionary

Christ died for us. His death counts as our death. He died in our place

Because of our sin, we should die. Instead, Christ has died for us

• He was wounded for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5)
• He suffered for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18)

We deserved to die because of our sin, but because he loved us, he came and died in our place, as our substitute, that we might live.

The results of the atonement

By his atoning death upon the cross of Calvary, Jesus has made the way open for every sinner to come to God. He died for all. He has no favourites. There is no respect of persons with God:

Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved

The offer of God’s forgiveness is open to all, but it is only received by those who accept it in repentance and faith. Those who will not repent will perish (Luke 13:5), because

Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 14:6)

But to those who have accepted his offer of mercy amazing privileges are given

• Our sins are forgiven
• God’s wrath is removed
• We are no longer his enemies (Romans 5:10)
• He declares us righteous – looks on us as though we had never sinned at all!
• We are adopted into his family
• We already have the rights of sons (Galatians 4:4-7)

But there’s more to come!

1 John 3:1-2

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! …Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is!

What a glorious destiny! And all because Jesus died for us.

The Sinless Life of Jesus

Last time we saw that the Virgin Birth is important because:

• The Bible clearly teaches it
• It is entirely consistent with what the Bible teaches about Jesus
• We could never have been saved without it
• It is a wonderful illustration of how we ourselves can become children of God

This time:

·        The fact of his sinless Life

• The importance of his sinless life
• To save us from the PENALTY of sin
• To save us from the POWER of sin

The fact of His Sinless Life

2 Corinthians 5:21

God made him who had no sin to be sin (or ‘a sin offering’) for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 2:21-24

21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Hebrews 4:14-16

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.

16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 7:25-27

25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 Such a high priest meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

NOTE

To say that Jesus DID NOT sin is not to say that Jesus COULD NOT have sinned (as the doctrine of IMPECCABIITY teaches), but that although he could have, he DID NOT.

Non posse peccare is not the same as posse non peccare!

Not to be able to sin     versus         To be able not to sin

If Jesus was unable to sin, how could he have been tempted in every way JUST AS WE ARE? (Heb. 4:15)

The importance of his sinless life

The purpose of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was that he might save sinners:

1 Timothy 1:15

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.

There are two main reasons why his sinless life was of vital importance:

• To save us from the PENALTY of sin
• To save us from the POWER of sin

To save us from the PENALTY of sin

To do so he must be able to offer a perfect sacrifice for sin

He was to be the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

And the lamb must be without defect

Exodus 12:5

The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats

Leviticus 9:3

Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb–both a year old and without defect–for a burnt offering,

Leviticus 14:10

“On the eighth day he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil.

To bring the unrighteous to God, he himself must be righteous

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God

It is by his righteousness and obedience that we are made righteous

Romans 5:18-19

18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

If Jesus had not lived a sinless life he could not have saved us from our sin.

To save us from the POWER of sin

Because he never yielded to temptation and was always victorious over sin, Jesus is able to help us when we are tempted.

1 Peter 2:24

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Hebrews 2:17-18

17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

The sinless one bore our sins in his body on the cross in order that we might be free from sin’s penalty and free from sin’s power

How does he help us?

By his example during his temptation in the desert (Matthew 4, Luke 4)

Note his use of scripture to overcome temptation

By providing a way out

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it