Sermon Title: Are You Prepared To Receive The KING?
Luke 19:36-40 - Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
In light of Good Friday, what must we understand about Christ’s Triumphal Entry?
When Jesus came to Jerusalem for the final time, He arrived to the reverent adoration and the cheering approval of the “whole crowd of disciples”.
It was quite a sizable crowd - for they did not go unnoticed.
The Pharisees got really concerned at the number of disciples; but got even more concerned of their praises that claimed that Jesus was the Promised Messiah.
Their call for rebuke was curtly met by a harsher rebuke from the Lord Jesus.
This drama in the Holy City – known as, Christ’s triumphal entry - served a deeper purpose than simply a parade in His honor, or even, the admonition of Israel’s religious elite.
Like His death for the Atonement of our sins, Christ’s coming in this precise manner – including, the means, form, timing and significance - had been revealed clearly in the Old Testament.
Zechariah 9:9 revealed that the Messiah would come into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey.
If Israel were truly alert, they would have recognized Him.
Daniel 9:25-26 revealed the exact time of the Messiah's arrival.
If Israel were truly willing, they would have recognized Him.
Psalm 118:21-29 revealed the full meaning of Christ's arrival; to which the crowd realized in their own acclamation of Jesus.
“Lord, save us! (Hosanna) Lord, grant us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:25-16)
If Israel were truly obedient to God, they would have recognized Him.
This triumphant entry into Jerusalem also fulfilled a prophetic promise that Jesus made to the Pharisees several weeks earlier when they attempted to ‘warn’ Him about Herod in order to lure Him to Jerusalem. (Ref: Luke 13:31-35)
Jesus said to them, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Luke 13:34-35)
If Israel were truly focused on God, they would have recognized Him; and they would have recognized Him for who He truly is.
Regardless, Christ's Triumphal Entry was very significant in that it accomplished two significant goals.
(i) In the intense excitement caused by the resurrection of Lazarus, along with the many confirmed miracles of Christ; and now, His highly public and royally significant entry into Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus had stirred the curiosity and interest of the people in Jerusalem, and captured their attention – which was especially important because of the many pilgrims who had come from all over to Jerusalem for Passover;
(ii) The widespread praise and approval of the crowd suppressed the religious rulers of Jerusalem from carrying out their wicked and murderous intent which allowed all the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding Jesus to be completely fulfilled.
Christ’s entrance established a test for the people of Israel that day in Jerusalem, and a cautionary tale for believers today.
While the multitudes cheered His arrival, their understanding of who He is and their faith in what He was going to accomplish would be wrecked when He did not live up to the conquering Messiah of the popular imagination of their own construct.
Who is Christ to you?
Is He merely the resolver of your problems? Or the means to a smooth life here on earth?
Who is Christ to you?
Is He the provider of solutions to the inconveniences of life? Someone who would aid you to find success in your worldly enterprises? Someone who would simply take away your struggles or sickness at your bidding?
Who is Christ to you?
The Lord’s Triumphal entry fulfilled every prophecy in the Old Testament that pointed to the reality that He is King and Messiah – not only of earth; but over the heavens and the earth – sent by God to save the world from the wages of sin – which is, death - through Him.
After His Triumphal entry, the Lord Jesus did not forcefully take over the ruling of Jerusalem, but took over the Temple of Jerusalem with unrivalled authority; and He called the people not to an earthly kingdom, but to the Kingdom of God – further fulfilling even more prophecies that revealed Him as the King of all Creation and Saviour of the world.
If only the crowds of disciples had their minds on that which was beyond this world - beyond their seemingly apparent and immediate struggles and needs; they would have realized that Christ was no mere earthly king sent to free them from the bondage of human rule – but that He is GOD of all, sent to free them from the bondage and wages of sin.
Because the minds of the crowds of disciples were on things material and worldly in nature; it was evident that they were unable to recognize the catastrophic nature of their sin and their utter need for a Saviour; for in a few short days, their shouts of praise turned into shouts for crucifixion.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and the Saviour of the world!
Who is He to you?
Is He your God? Or is He your genie?
Is He Your Saviour? Or is He your servant?
Who is Jesus to you?
Clearly, the crowds of disciples and all of Jerusalem completely missed the mark on who Jesus is – for they all condemned the proven-innocent to die as a guilty criminal; and viciously murdered Christ on the Cross.
Is this our cautionary tale or will we too, miss the mark when Christ ultimately returns?
How would we miss the mark?
We could, if we have not yet truly believe who Christ is – our Lord, our King, our Saviour, and our God.
For someone like that, we must be completely preoccupied with Him.
To be preoccupied with Christ is the mark of a true disciple of Jesus
Our thoughts must be on Him; our hearts must belong to Him; our lives must serve Him; our mouths must constantly be eager to speak of Him, our spirits must constantly be eager to commune with Him, revere Him and to worship Him.
We must be preoccupied with Christ.
Here’s why.
Christ will return – not to Jerusalem – but to the world.
There is simply no wiggle room to this reality. There is no ‘if’s, ‘but’s or ‘maybe’s to this eventuality. It will definitely happen.
Christ will return. Period.
Question really is: will we miss Him as did Israel two thousand years ago?
Are we alert to His return? Are we truly preoccupied with Him?
Christ’s triumphal re-entry into the world
“The rapture, the blessed hope of the church, is the imminent coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself His own, both the living who shall be transformed, and the dead in Christ who shall be resurrected.” (PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths 5.8.2)
Christ will come again!
Here’s what we need to understand.
There are actually three stages to Christ’s return.
The first stage happens when Christ comes back in the air to first receive to Himself the people belonging to Him; people who are saved through Him; and in their lives found to be preoccupied with Him and His Gospel work. The outcome of Rapture will be that this will supernaturally affect “both the living who shall be transformed (having been given the eternal, glorious and spiritual body), and the dead in Christ who shall be resurrected.”
This event takes place before the wrath of God is poured out during the tribulation – which is the era that follows Christ’s ‘first-stage’ return.
Because Christ is in us, God’s wrath does not remain on us.
Our Lord Jesus taught us in John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
When Christ does return, will our shouts “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” be truly fitting of the King, God, Saviour, and Creator that He is?
Or will it be as empty, self-serving, and disingenuous as the shouts of Israel directed towards Christ some 2000 years ago?
Are you prepared for Christ’s ultimate return?
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Christ is returning “to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
We have heard of the saying: “out of the wok into the fire…”
To be truly saved from something; one must be saved unto something else.
You are not saved from a fire by jumping out a four storey window.
You are only saved from drowning when you are brought out of the water onto dry ground.
To be truly saved from something; one must be saved unto something else… …
Are you saved from a life of sin unto a life of holiness?
Are you prepared to be saved from this world of brokenness and wickedness unto the Kingdom of God?
Are you even willing to rid your life of sin and the things of this world?
If not, you are not saved, much more inherit the Kingdom of God!
When King Jesus returns, do not miss the mark! Do not miss the signs nor the prophecies!
When Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem; all the prophetic signs pointed to the reality that He is the Messiah, the Lamb of God, sent to take away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)… but the crowds of disciples; and even the twelve completely missed this reality – which turned their shouts of acclamation to shouts for crucifixion.
What are the prophetic signs revealed to us by God so that we would not miss our Lord and King Jesus when He returns for us?
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, the Apostle Paul speaks to this first stage that happens when Christ comes back in the air to first receive to Himself the people belonging to Him:
“51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God!
He gives us the victory (over death) through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
When will Christ return?
No one knows… only God – we only need to wait for Him; to be ever-prepared; ever following Jesus; ever loving our God; ever faithful to His will in our lives.
How fast will it happen?
Incredibly fast.
How fast does your eye twinkle?
The point is – we need to be constantly prepared and consistently alert to Christ’s return to the world.
Christ returns in twinkling of an eye.
In the twinkling of an eye, we have no time to deliberate our choices for Christ, but only to be found constantly, consistently, and conscientiously believing in Christ; beholden to Christ; doing as Christ commands, and living as Christ lives.
So. Be ever prepared, and pre-occupied with all the things of Christ – that you may be justified as inheritors of God’s Kingdom.
When you are fully and truly prepared for Christ’s return, at His return, your body will be transformed into a spiritual body just like Christ ‘s resurrected body.
Your perishable body will be changed imperishable; and your temporal, mortal body will be changed immortal; eternal – by the Power of God!
Church, isn’t that something to look forward to?
Our Heavenly Father gives us the victory over death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of Christ, then… and actually now, we may sing and laugh at the face of death.
Death no longer has any hold on us.
And if we are not even afraid of death, what else could we possibly be afraid of?
Through Christ, we have victory! Even over death!
Therefore, live through Christ; receive His Salvation!
Live in Christ; walk in His Way!
Live for Christ; live utterly in His Spirit’s Power!
Be ever-alert, and ever-prepared to receive Christ!
The Apostle Paul continues to cast light of Christ’s return in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
“13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 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, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Church, listen carefully.
If according to Paul, “we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17b); it must mean that we are already with the Lord forever; and thus be found living in the Holy Presence of God today, and everyday.
This is our motivation for holy living - right here and now - in an unholy world; to inbreak the Kingdom of God in the middle of the war zone where the forces of good and evil battle - as divine testament to the reality of God’s Coming, Holy and Eternal Kingdom.
We are the oasis in the desert; we are the island of refuge in the middle of the vast ocean.
We are the people of God; sent to bring hope to the hopeless, sight to the blind, freedom to those in bondage.
The Kingdom of God will happen!
And we who are headed there must live with the Lord now, and forevermore!
Are you encouraged?
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!
Cultivate hope in His Coming Kingdom.
Whenever you read a piece of news that breaks your heart, let the Holy Spirit fill and comfort you with the supernatural hope of His Coming Kingdom.
And even if you do see the beauty in this current creation (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with embracing the beauty of this present creation); let the Holy Spirit counsel you with that deeper hope in His Coming Kingdom which will be infinitely more perfect than the present heavens and the earth combined!
Not metaphoric, but atmospheric.
We are destined to be caught up together with all believers in the clouds to meet with our Lord Jesus in the air.
Again, we are not here to surmise how it will happen; but we are here to know that it will happen.
Will I miss the Rapture?
No human being will miss this earth-shattering event of the Lord’s Return.
God’s Administration is perfect.
No one will be left out.
There will be no mistakes.
Everyone – past and present - will see him come again; even those who crucified Him.
Revelation 1:5b-8 reveals this divine reality:
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
2000 years ago, Israel missed the entire point of Christ’s existence and crucified Him on the Cross; will we truly embrace the love of God, and believe in His Salvation that “freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father”?
If you have not embraced God’s love and believe in His Salvation through Christ, you will neither be part of His Kingdom, nor be a priest in service to God.
In short, to miss on the point of who Christ is, is to miss out on His Kingdom.
How NOT to miss the mark of Christ’s final entry?
(i) Eagerly Await King Jesus! (Philippians 3:20-21)
“But our citizenship is in heaven.
And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
To be fully present and pre-occupied with Christ is to eagerly await – to get excited that Christ is coming back in the flesh.
And as He is with us through the Holy Spirit (Ref: John 14:16-26), we cultivate our excitement for His return by - getting excited about daily communing with Him; getting excited about encountering Him through our moments of prayer, worship and Scripture-reading; getting excited about hearing His voice, fully knowing His will and conscientiously working with Him.
Look forward to the transformation of our bodies to the spiritual, glorious body like His.
Every symptom and condition of sickness may be healed by God; and if He does not heal us, it is to serve as a holy and necessary reminder that we are going to get an upgrade when He returns.
Oh … how we long for His return; where we will not only reunite with Him; but along with all the saints who were preoccupied with Him whilst here in this world.
(ii) Embrace His Grace. (Titus 2:11-14)
“11For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
To embrace God’s Grace is to embrace Jesus as your Saviour, Lord, King and God; and to embrace the Power of the Holy Spirit to transform you to becoming Christ’s holy witness.
(i) The Holy Spirit begins by empowering us “to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions”;
(ii) Just as the Holy Spirit empowers us to rid our lives of sin, He grants us power to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives – lives framed by the Spirit’s fruit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23);
(iii) To embrace God’s Grace is to utterly believe in God’s redemption through Christ; to have, and cultivate, faith in God’s Salvation – that justifies us as pure and righteous in His sight.
To struggle with sin or shame in your life does not show the ineffectuality of God’s redemption, but rather your lack of resolve in saying “NO” to sin, ungodliness and worldly passions.
Simply believe in God’s redemption.
God’s resolve in your redemption is unquestioned.
When we struggle, it is our resolve to believe in Him that is highly questionable.
In your struggles, ask that the Holy Spirit grant you an added measure of faith to believe more fully in God’s redemption.
(iv) Be “eager to do what it good” is to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses for Christ; to “make disciples of all nations” (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20) - all of which is fulfilled in the ministry and mission of our church.
To be “eager to do what is good” is to be eager to be in God’s service by serving the church, building up the church and be part of the ministry and mission of the church.
As we commemorate the Holy Week in the fullest knowledge and deepest faith in God’s Salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, let us be ever mindful, alert and preoccupied with our Lord, and His imminent return where He will “receive to Himself His own.”
2000 years ago, Israel missed the point of Christ’s arrival in the Holy City.
Let us not make the same mistake.
Let us embrace the love of God; and believe in His Salvation through Christ.
This Good Friday, let us truly give our lives to Him; and be found as a people belonging to Christ – utterly saved and redeemed by Him; wholly restored to His eternal Kingdom.
This Good Friday, let us lift up our eyes to the heavens and raise up holy hands in the prophetic anticipation for His return where our clearest and loudness declarations, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” be truly fitting of the Creator, Saviour, King and God whom our Lord Jesus Christ is.
Indeed, Christ has died; Christ has risen; Christ will come again!
Daily await His Return; Daily embrace His Grace!
Be found in His Presence today; and you will be found in His Presence when He returns!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I belong wholly to You; for I have been saved utterly by You.
I believe that by Your Stripes, I am healed; and by Your Blood, I have been set forever free from the bondages and wages of sin – which is, death.
Thank You for the Cross, Lord!
2000 years ago, Israel missed the point of Your arrival in Jerusalem because they had formed an ideology which became their idol.
Forgive me for my transgressions against you when I committed the same wickedness.
Help me to truly embrace the love of our Heavenly Father, to be saturated with the uttermost faith in Your Salvation that “freed us from our sins” by the blood of Christ Jesus, and to be daily filled by the Power of the Holy Spirit to a witness in service to God, sent on holy mission to the world.
I believe that You will come again.
Holy Spirit, seal in my heart the absolute truth and reality of the Gospel; that I may wait upon the Lord in life, in death, and in the eventuality of Christ’s return to gather His Church unto Him.
Teach me to constantly, conscientiously and eagerly await Your return Lord Jesus; and in my present life, grant me the Spirit’s Power to embrace and evangelize Your Grace fully.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Luke 19:36-40 - Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
In light of Good Friday, what must we understand about Christ’s Triumphal Entry?
When Jesus came to Jerusalem for the final time, He arrived to the reverent adoration and the cheering approval of the “whole crowd of disciples”.
It was quite a sizable crowd - for they did not go unnoticed.
The Pharisees got really concerned at the number of disciples; but got even more concerned of their praises that claimed that Jesus was the Promised Messiah.
Their call for rebuke was curtly met by a harsher rebuke from the Lord Jesus.
This drama in the Holy City – known as, Christ’s triumphal entry - served a deeper purpose than simply a parade in His honor, or even, the admonition of Israel’s religious elite.
Like His death for the Atonement of our sins, Christ’s coming in this precise manner – including, the means, form, timing and significance - had been revealed clearly in the Old Testament.
Zechariah 9:9 revealed that the Messiah would come into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey.
If Israel were truly alert, they would have recognized Him.
Daniel 9:25-26 revealed the exact time of the Messiah's arrival.
If Israel were truly willing, they would have recognized Him.
Psalm 118:21-29 revealed the full meaning of Christ's arrival; to which the crowd realized in their own acclamation of Jesus.
“Lord, save us! (Hosanna) Lord, grant us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:25-16)
If Israel were truly obedient to God, they would have recognized Him.
This triumphant entry into Jerusalem also fulfilled a prophetic promise that Jesus made to the Pharisees several weeks earlier when they attempted to ‘warn’ Him about Herod in order to lure Him to Jerusalem. (Ref: Luke 13:31-35)
Jesus said to them, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Luke 13:34-35)
If Israel were truly focused on God, they would have recognized Him; and they would have recognized Him for who He truly is.
Regardless, Christ's Triumphal Entry was very significant in that it accomplished two significant goals.
(i) In the intense excitement caused by the resurrection of Lazarus, along with the many confirmed miracles of Christ; and now, His highly public and royally significant entry into Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus had stirred the curiosity and interest of the people in Jerusalem, and captured their attention – which was especially important because of the many pilgrims who had come from all over to Jerusalem for Passover;
(ii) The widespread praise and approval of the crowd suppressed the religious rulers of Jerusalem from carrying out their wicked and murderous intent which allowed all the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding Jesus to be completely fulfilled.
Christ’s entrance established a test for the people of Israel that day in Jerusalem, and a cautionary tale for believers today.
While the multitudes cheered His arrival, their understanding of who He is and their faith in what He was going to accomplish would be wrecked when He did not live up to the conquering Messiah of the popular imagination of their own construct.
Who is Christ to you?
Is He merely the resolver of your problems? Or the means to a smooth life here on earth?
Who is Christ to you?
Is He the provider of solutions to the inconveniences of life? Someone who would aid you to find success in your worldly enterprises? Someone who would simply take away your struggles or sickness at your bidding?
Who is Christ to you?
The Lord’s Triumphal entry fulfilled every prophecy in the Old Testament that pointed to the reality that He is King and Messiah – not only of earth; but over the heavens and the earth – sent by God to save the world from the wages of sin – which is, death - through Him.
After His Triumphal entry, the Lord Jesus did not forcefully take over the ruling of Jerusalem, but took over the Temple of Jerusalem with unrivalled authority; and He called the people not to an earthly kingdom, but to the Kingdom of God – further fulfilling even more prophecies that revealed Him as the King of all Creation and Saviour of the world.
If only the crowds of disciples had their minds on that which was beyond this world - beyond their seemingly apparent and immediate struggles and needs; they would have realized that Christ was no mere earthly king sent to free them from the bondage of human rule – but that He is GOD of all, sent to free them from the bondage and wages of sin.
Because the minds of the crowds of disciples were on things material and worldly in nature; it was evident that they were unable to recognize the catastrophic nature of their sin and their utter need for a Saviour; for in a few short days, their shouts of praise turned into shouts for crucifixion.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and the Saviour of the world!
Who is He to you?
Is He your God? Or is He your genie?
Is He Your Saviour? Or is He your servant?
Who is Jesus to you?
Clearly, the crowds of disciples and all of Jerusalem completely missed the mark on who Jesus is – for they all condemned the proven-innocent to die as a guilty criminal; and viciously murdered Christ on the Cross.
Is this our cautionary tale or will we too, miss the mark when Christ ultimately returns?
How would we miss the mark?
We could, if we have not yet truly believe who Christ is – our Lord, our King, our Saviour, and our God.
For someone like that, we must be completely preoccupied with Him.
To be preoccupied with Christ is the mark of a true disciple of Jesus
Our thoughts must be on Him; our hearts must belong to Him; our lives must serve Him; our mouths must constantly be eager to speak of Him, our spirits must constantly be eager to commune with Him, revere Him and to worship Him.
We must be preoccupied with Christ.
Here’s why.
Christ will return – not to Jerusalem – but to the world.
There is simply no wiggle room to this reality. There is no ‘if’s, ‘but’s or ‘maybe’s to this eventuality. It will definitely happen.
Christ will return. Period.
Question really is: will we miss Him as did Israel two thousand years ago?
Are we alert to His return? Are we truly preoccupied with Him?
Christ’s triumphal re-entry into the world
“The rapture, the blessed hope of the church, is the imminent coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself His own, both the living who shall be transformed, and the dead in Christ who shall be resurrected.” (PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths 5.8.2)
Christ will come again!
Here’s what we need to understand.
There are actually three stages to Christ’s return.
The first stage happens when Christ comes back in the air to first receive to Himself the people belonging to Him; people who are saved through Him; and in their lives found to be preoccupied with Him and His Gospel work. The outcome of Rapture will be that this will supernaturally affect “both the living who shall be transformed (having been given the eternal, glorious and spiritual body), and the dead in Christ who shall be resurrected.”
This event takes place before the wrath of God is poured out during the tribulation – which is the era that follows Christ’s ‘first-stage’ return.
Because Christ is in us, God’s wrath does not remain on us.
Our Lord Jesus taught us in John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
When Christ does return, will our shouts “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” be truly fitting of the King, God, Saviour, and Creator that He is?
Or will it be as empty, self-serving, and disingenuous as the shouts of Israel directed towards Christ some 2000 years ago?
Are you prepared for Christ’s ultimate return?
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Christ is returning “to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
We have heard of the saying: “out of the wok into the fire…”
To be truly saved from something; one must be saved unto something else.
You are not saved from a fire by jumping out a four storey window.
You are only saved from drowning when you are brought out of the water onto dry ground.
To be truly saved from something; one must be saved unto something else… …
Are you saved from a life of sin unto a life of holiness?
Are you prepared to be saved from this world of brokenness and wickedness unto the Kingdom of God?
Are you even willing to rid your life of sin and the things of this world?
If not, you are not saved, much more inherit the Kingdom of God!
When King Jesus returns, do not miss the mark! Do not miss the signs nor the prophecies!
When Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem; all the prophetic signs pointed to the reality that He is the Messiah, the Lamb of God, sent to take away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)… but the crowds of disciples; and even the twelve completely missed this reality – which turned their shouts of acclamation to shouts for crucifixion.
What are the prophetic signs revealed to us by God so that we would not miss our Lord and King Jesus when He returns for us?
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, the Apostle Paul speaks to this first stage that happens when Christ comes back in the air to first receive to Himself the people belonging to Him:
“51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God!
He gives us the victory (over death) through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
When will Christ return?
No one knows… only God – we only need to wait for Him; to be ever-prepared; ever following Jesus; ever loving our God; ever faithful to His will in our lives.
How fast will it happen?
Incredibly fast.
How fast does your eye twinkle?
The point is – we need to be constantly prepared and consistently alert to Christ’s return to the world.
Christ returns in twinkling of an eye.
In the twinkling of an eye, we have no time to deliberate our choices for Christ, but only to be found constantly, consistently, and conscientiously believing in Christ; beholden to Christ; doing as Christ commands, and living as Christ lives.
So. Be ever prepared, and pre-occupied with all the things of Christ – that you may be justified as inheritors of God’s Kingdom.
When you are fully and truly prepared for Christ’s return, at His return, your body will be transformed into a spiritual body just like Christ ‘s resurrected body.
Your perishable body will be changed imperishable; and your temporal, mortal body will be changed immortal; eternal – by the Power of God!
Church, isn’t that something to look forward to?
Our Heavenly Father gives us the victory over death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of Christ, then… and actually now, we may sing and laugh at the face of death.
Death no longer has any hold on us.
And if we are not even afraid of death, what else could we possibly be afraid of?
Through Christ, we have victory! Even over death!
Therefore, live through Christ; receive His Salvation!
Live in Christ; walk in His Way!
Live for Christ; live utterly in His Spirit’s Power!
Be ever-alert, and ever-prepared to receive Christ!
The Apostle Paul continues to cast light of Christ’s return in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
“13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 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, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Church, listen carefully.
If according to Paul, “we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17b); it must mean that we are already with the Lord forever; and thus be found living in the Holy Presence of God today, and everyday.
This is our motivation for holy living - right here and now - in an unholy world; to inbreak the Kingdom of God in the middle of the war zone where the forces of good and evil battle - as divine testament to the reality of God’s Coming, Holy and Eternal Kingdom.
We are the oasis in the desert; we are the island of refuge in the middle of the vast ocean.
We are the people of God; sent to bring hope to the hopeless, sight to the blind, freedom to those in bondage.
The Kingdom of God will happen!
And we who are headed there must live with the Lord now, and forevermore!
Are you encouraged?
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!
Cultivate hope in His Coming Kingdom.
Whenever you read a piece of news that breaks your heart, let the Holy Spirit fill and comfort you with the supernatural hope of His Coming Kingdom.
And even if you do see the beauty in this current creation (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with embracing the beauty of this present creation); let the Holy Spirit counsel you with that deeper hope in His Coming Kingdom which will be infinitely more perfect than the present heavens and the earth combined!
Not metaphoric, but atmospheric.
We are destined to be caught up together with all believers in the clouds to meet with our Lord Jesus in the air.
Again, we are not here to surmise how it will happen; but we are here to know that it will happen.
Will I miss the Rapture?
No human being will miss this earth-shattering event of the Lord’s Return.
God’s Administration is perfect.
No one will be left out.
There will be no mistakes.
Everyone – past and present - will see him come again; even those who crucified Him.
Revelation 1:5b-8 reveals this divine reality:
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
2000 years ago, Israel missed the entire point of Christ’s existence and crucified Him on the Cross; will we truly embrace the love of God, and believe in His Salvation that “freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father”?
If you have not embraced God’s love and believe in His Salvation through Christ, you will neither be part of His Kingdom, nor be a priest in service to God.
In short, to miss on the point of who Christ is, is to miss out on His Kingdom.
How NOT to miss the mark of Christ’s final entry?
(i) Eagerly Await King Jesus! (Philippians 3:20-21)
“But our citizenship is in heaven.
And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
To be fully present and pre-occupied with Christ is to eagerly await – to get excited that Christ is coming back in the flesh.
And as He is with us through the Holy Spirit (Ref: John 14:16-26), we cultivate our excitement for His return by - getting excited about daily communing with Him; getting excited about encountering Him through our moments of prayer, worship and Scripture-reading; getting excited about hearing His voice, fully knowing His will and conscientiously working with Him.
Look forward to the transformation of our bodies to the spiritual, glorious body like His.
Every symptom and condition of sickness may be healed by God; and if He does not heal us, it is to serve as a holy and necessary reminder that we are going to get an upgrade when He returns.
Oh … how we long for His return; where we will not only reunite with Him; but along with all the saints who were preoccupied with Him whilst here in this world.
(ii) Embrace His Grace. (Titus 2:11-14)
“11For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
To embrace God’s Grace is to embrace Jesus as your Saviour, Lord, King and God; and to embrace the Power of the Holy Spirit to transform you to becoming Christ’s holy witness.
(i) The Holy Spirit begins by empowering us “to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions”;
(ii) Just as the Holy Spirit empowers us to rid our lives of sin, He grants us power to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives – lives framed by the Spirit’s fruit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23);
(iii) To embrace God’s Grace is to utterly believe in God’s redemption through Christ; to have, and cultivate, faith in God’s Salvation – that justifies us as pure and righteous in His sight.
To struggle with sin or shame in your life does not show the ineffectuality of God’s redemption, but rather your lack of resolve in saying “NO” to sin, ungodliness and worldly passions.
Simply believe in God’s redemption.
God’s resolve in your redemption is unquestioned.
When we struggle, it is our resolve to believe in Him that is highly questionable.
In your struggles, ask that the Holy Spirit grant you an added measure of faith to believe more fully in God’s redemption.
(iv) Be “eager to do what it good” is to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses for Christ; to “make disciples of all nations” (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20) - all of which is fulfilled in the ministry and mission of our church.
To be “eager to do what is good” is to be eager to be in God’s service by serving the church, building up the church and be part of the ministry and mission of the church.
As we commemorate the Holy Week in the fullest knowledge and deepest faith in God’s Salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, let us be ever mindful, alert and preoccupied with our Lord, and His imminent return where He will “receive to Himself His own.”
2000 years ago, Israel missed the point of Christ’s arrival in the Holy City.
Let us not make the same mistake.
Let us embrace the love of God; and believe in His Salvation through Christ.
This Good Friday, let us truly give our lives to Him; and be found as a people belonging to Christ – utterly saved and redeemed by Him; wholly restored to His eternal Kingdom.
This Good Friday, let us lift up our eyes to the heavens and raise up holy hands in the prophetic anticipation for His return where our clearest and loudness declarations, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” be truly fitting of the Creator, Saviour, King and God whom our Lord Jesus Christ is.
Indeed, Christ has died; Christ has risen; Christ will come again!
Daily await His Return; Daily embrace His Grace!
Be found in His Presence today; and you will be found in His Presence when He returns!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I belong wholly to You; for I have been saved utterly by You.
I believe that by Your Stripes, I am healed; and by Your Blood, I have been set forever free from the bondages and wages of sin – which is, death.
Thank You for the Cross, Lord!
2000 years ago, Israel missed the point of Your arrival in Jerusalem because they had formed an ideology which became their idol.
Forgive me for my transgressions against you when I committed the same wickedness.
Help me to truly embrace the love of our Heavenly Father, to be saturated with the uttermost faith in Your Salvation that “freed us from our sins” by the blood of Christ Jesus, and to be daily filled by the Power of the Holy Spirit to a witness in service to God, sent on holy mission to the world.
I believe that You will come again.
Holy Spirit, seal in my heart the absolute truth and reality of the Gospel; that I may wait upon the Lord in life, in death, and in the eventuality of Christ’s return to gather His Church unto Him.
Teach me to constantly, conscientiously and eagerly await Your return Lord Jesus; and in my present life, grant me the Spirit’s Power to embrace and evangelize Your Grace fully.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.