Who is Jesus? by Caleb Olayiwola - HTML preview

8. His Second Coming

The second coming of Christ is the hope of all believers around the world. On this earth, we have nothing better to hope for. Those that are in Christ are no longer the people of this world, but are the people of the world that is to come.

Jesus made it clear before he departed that he is going to prepare a place for us in his Father’s kingdom, that where he is we may also be (John 14:2-3).

Jesus departure is a necessary step in the right direction, and should not be mistaken as an act of neglectfulness. He didn’t abandon his people here on earth, no.

After completing the work of salvation, which is the major reason why he came, he went back to the father to make preparations for the people that will one day be received into his inheritance.

Let’s ask ourselves this question, why do I believe in Jesus?

He died and rose on the third day, some believe because of that. To some, it is because he is a miracle worker, and at one point in their lives they experience that miracle. To some, it is because their parents were Christians. To some, it is because of what they want to receive from him.

Some read, “come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I’ll give you rest”, and believe because of that. Because they want to rest. While these are all good reasons, they are not strong enough to uphold us in faith. Jesus wouldn’t want us to believe him because of these reasons.

The fact that some people have not experience any miracle in their lives does not change the fact that he is God. Because your parents are Christian does not mean you have been saved. And if we think we’ll have perfect rest or perfect peace in this world, we are only deceiving ourselves.

Our conviction must be beyond what we see or what we experience on this earth.

It must be based on our hope in him, that one day where he is we will also be. Our faith must rest on his promise, because he is the fulfilment of all. What is the essence of salvation if we perish along with this world? What is the essence of redemption if we do not get to sit with him in his father’s kingdom?

This world and all that is in it will fade away sooner or later; money will lose its value. People will no longer seek for prosperity or pray for miracles. All that we desire and all that we labor for will no longer be meaningful. It’s only a matter of time. Our hope is not down here, but up there.

Most of his promise are not for us to experience down here, but up there. That’s the goal. That’s the mark. That’s the target. Up there. All that he has done is to get us cleaned, equipped, and ready for his second coming.

Jesus told his disciples about his departure, and even encourage them to rejoice for it (John 14:28).

It is difficult to talk about the person you have never met - for one thing, people will call you crazy. There are crazy words people say out there, like “your invisible friend.” Some would say, “ain’t God a fairy?” Yea, it may look like that to them, and that’s one of the reasons why his second coming is so important. To prove the world wrong.

Every man will eventually face death, but what lies beyond it is a mystery to all of us. Life does not end immediately we die, no, it continues somewhere. Just as when we are in our sleep and we suddenly find ourselves in strange places doing strange things that felt so real.

Albert Camus once said, “I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there is not, than live my life as if there is no God and die to find out there is.”

The fact that death does not exclude anyone means his second coming may be sooner than we think. Some will die just to find out, while some will live long enough to find out. The Messiah met Simeon waiting for him in the temple; he had been told that he will not die until he sees Jesus, he lived long enough to witness it (Luke 2:25-26).

Whether in the grave or in visible life, we are all going to find out if Jesus is real or if he is just an illusion (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17). The time draw closer every hour. The time of his second coming is unknown to anyone, not even to his angels (Matthew 24:36-37). It may be now at this very moment, and it may be hundred years to come.

Look around you, all that you see and all that you touch will be gone someday. There was a time when man use cowrie to buy goods in the market; from there coin was released, then paper, then plastic, and now we are slowly moving into using invisible money. What you see and hold only exist for a limited time. It is a phase to an end that will soon come.

Some believe in rapture. Some believe in death. Either way, both is going to lead us to the same place. To heaven, or to hell. These are the only two destinations that exist after death, or after rapture. There is nothing in between. At the end of the long tunnel called life await the fulfilment of eternal life, or of eternal death.

The description of the New Jerusalem is awesome! John really put strong effort to describe it in details (Revelation 21:9-26). He must be very happy to see it, but it will be more beautiful than that. No one knows how hell looks like, unfortunately.

At the end of it all, the name of the Lord shall be glorified!