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                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

                    The Return Of Christ (1:10-11)

INTRODUCTION

1. As the disciples watched Jesus ascend to heaven...
   a. Two men stood by in white apparel - Ac 1:10
   b. With a promise that Jesus would one day return - Ac 1:11

2. Those who look for the Lord's return often differ greatly over the
   details...
   a. The premillenialist looks for Christ to come in order to
      establish a literal kingdom on the earth, over which He will reign
      for a 1000 years
   b. The postmillenialist believes that Christ will at some point
      begin a thousand year reign from heaven, at the end of which He 
      will come to judge the world
   c. The amillenialist believes that Christ has been reigning as King
      of kings, and Lord of lords ever since His ascension to heaven, and
      that His coming will be to raise the dead, judge the world, and 
      usher in the new heavens and new earth

[In this lesson, the amillenial view will be presented, which I believe
most accurately teaches what the Bible reveals about the Second Coming of
our Lord.  Beginning with...]

I. THE CERTAINTY OF HIS COMING

   A. PROCLAIMED BY ANGELS...
      1. The "two men...in white apparel" - Ac 1:9-11
      2. Who said that "This same Jesus, who was taken up from into
         heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into 
         heaven." - ibid.

   B. PROCLAIMED BY APOSTLES...
      1. Peter - Ac 3:19-21; 2Pe 3:1-13
      2. Paul - 1Co 11:26; 15:22-23; 1Th 1:9-10; 2:19; 3:13; 2Ti 4:1
      3. John - 1Jn 2:28
      4. The writer to the Hebrews - He 9:27-28

[In the OT one finds the recurring theme "The Messiah is coming!"  In the
NT we learn not only "He has come!", but that "He is coming again!"  To
the certainty of His coming, we can add..]

II. THE MANNER OF HIS COMING

   A. HE WILL COME IN PERSON...
      1. "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will
         so come..." - Ac 1:11
      2. "the Lord himself will descend from heaven..." - 1Th 4:15-17

   B. HE WILL COME WITH THE CLOUDS...
      1. "This same Jesus...will so come in like manner as you saw Him
         go into heaven" - Ac 1:11 (referring to verse 9: "He was taken 
         up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight")
      2. "...in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." - 1Th 4:17
      3. "Behold, He is coming with clouds..." - Re 1:7

   C. HE WILL COME WITHOUT WARNING...
      1. "...the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night." 
         - 1Th 5:2
      2. "For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden
         destruction comes..." - 1Th 5:3
      3. "...the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night..."
         - 2Pe 3:10

[Of course, this unexpected coming of the Lord will not surprise the
faithful, who seriously watch for the Lord's coming (cf. 1Th 5:4-11). 
With joyful anticipation, they await the personal return of their Savior.
What will happen when the Lord returns?  To answer this question we now
consider...]

III. THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING

   A. TO RAISE THE DEAD...
      1. "...for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves
         will hear His voice and come forth..." - Jn 5:28-29
         a. Note that there is but one resurrection, including both the
            good and evil, that will occur at one time ("the hour")
         b. As Paul said, "...there will be a resurrection of the dead,
            both of the just and the unjust." - Ac 24:15
      2. Those who are alive at the Lord's coming...
         a. Will be "changed" in "the twinkling of an eye", being
            clothed with immortality and incorruption - 1Co 15:50-54
         b. Then "caught up...to meet the Lord in the air." - 1Th
            4:16-18  

   B. TO DELIVER UP THE KINGDOM TO GOD...
      1. Contrary to the view that Jesus has yet to establish His
         kingdom on earth, He has been ruling over His kingdom since He
         first ascended to heaven!
         a. In fulfillment of the prophecy that God would raise up the
            Christ to sit on the "throne of David", Jesus was raised from
            the dead and made "Lord" - Ac 2:30-36
         b. All authority in heaven and earth has been given unto Him 
            - Mt 28:18
            1) He is far above all principality, power, might, and
               dominion, with all things placed under His feet - Ep 
               1:20-22
            2) At the right hand of God, angels and authorities and
               powers are made subject to Him - 1Pe 3:22
         c. Christians are said to be "in" His kingdom
            1) Having been "delivered...from the power of darkness and
               translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love" - Col
               1:13
            2) They are "in the kingdom...of Jesus Christ" - Re 1:9
         d. Christ will continue to reign "till He has put all enemies
            under His feet" - 1Co 15:25
            1) Note that His reign will be concurrent with the fact
               enemies are still present
            2) As prophesied by the Psalmist:  "Rule in the midst of
               Your enemies!" - Ps 110:1-2 
         e. Thus Christ is NOW "the blessed and only Potentate, the
            King of kings and Lord of Lords" - 1Ti 6:15; cf. Re 19:16
         f. And He will reign "till He has put all enemies under His
            feet" - 1Co 15:25
            1) The last enemy that will be destroyed is death itself 
               - cf. 1Co 15:26
            2) Which we have seen will be destroyed at the coming of
               the Lord when He will raise the dead - 1Co 15:51-54
      2. So when Jesus comes, it will not be to set up His kingdom, but
         to deliver up His kingdom!
         a. As Paul clearly told the Corinthians - 1Co 15:23-26
         b. As taught by Jesus in His Parable of the Tares - Mt 13:36-43
            1) His kingdom will last until "the end of this age"
            2) After which "the righteous will shine forth as the sun
               in the kingdom of their Father" (i.e., the heavenly 
               kingdom)

   C. TO JUDGE THE WORLD AND PUNISH EVIL...
      1. God has appointed a "day" in which He will judge the world 
         - 2Pe 3:7
         a. The one appointed to be the Judge is Jesus Christ - Ac
            17:31; 2Co 5:10
         b. The standard by which He will judge will be the words He
            has spoken - Jn 12:48
      2. It will be a day of perdition (utter destruction) of ungodly
         men - 2Pe 3:7
         a. Those who know not God and have not obeyed the gospel will
            be punished with everlasting destruction - 2Th 1:7-10
         b. Those not in the "Book of Life" will be cast into the "lake
            of fire" - Re 20:11-15

   D. TO USHER IN THE NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH...
      1. As taught by Peter - 2Pe 3:10-14
         a. This will follow the "passing away" of the present heavens
            and earth
         b. It is in fulfillment of God's promise - cf. Isa 65:17-19;
            66:22-23
         c. It is something we are to "look for" (13-14)
         d. It will be a realm where righteousness dwells, therefore
            the need for us to be found "in peace, without spot and 
            blameless" when Christ returns (13-14)
      2. As taught by John - Re 21:1-22:5
         a. It will follow after the first heaven and first earth have
            "passed away" - Re 21:1; 20:11
         b. It will be the place where the New Jerusalem will abide
            when it "comes down out of heaven" - Re 21:2; 3:10; 21:10
         c. God will dwell with us in this "New Jerusalem" that has
            "come down out of heaven" - Re 21:3-27; 22:1-5

CONCLUSION

1. The purpose of Jesus' second coming can be summed up by His
   statement in Re 22:12...
   
   "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, 
   to give to every one according to his work."

2. That Jesus has not yet come is only an indication of God's
   long-suffering, but rest assured "that day" will one day come! - 2Pe
   3:8-9

3. In the meantime, what should be our attitude be toward the coming of
   our Lord?  One of...
   a. Prayerful preparation - Lk 21:34-36; 2Pe 3:14
   b. Joyful expectation - Php 3:20-21
   c. Patient endurance - He 10:35-39
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