I Will Come Again — Welcome Detweiler

Christ's Promise to Come Again

I will come again. The truth of the second coming of Christ seems to be an unwanted truth, for many Bible readers utterly ignore this very vital truth in spite of the fact that it is mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the New Testament, or the equivalent of once in every 25 verses.

We should not be too much surprised that many ignore this truth because when he came the first time, there were very few that believed the prophetic message that Christ would be born at Bethlehem and make his first advent.

Jesus said, If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. I believe that Christ will come again, because he said he would, and Christ always told the truth.

The Holy Spirit confirms this in Acts 1 .11, and here the angels who are representatives of the truth are speaking. Listen to their message. This thing Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

The Same Jesus Will Return for His Bride

Who is coming? This same Jesus. Not another Jesus, not a mystic Jesus, but this same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, who glorified God in his public ministry, who died on Calvary's cross, whom God raised from the dead.

This same Jesus, taken up, and the clouds received him out of their sight, shall so come in like manner. By his first coming he purchased with his own blood a bride which is composed of every born-again believer, and since he went away the gospel message has been sounded out to whosoever will, and that throughout the whole wide world the message of salvation has gone forth, and weary sin-burdened souls have taken shelter in his precious blood, and in so doing have become a part of that mystical body of the Church which is the Bride of Christ.

The marriage supper of the Lamb is scheduled in God's program, and will be in heaven. A question might arise in heaven, Who shall go to earth and bring the bride? Angels might gladly volunteer, but I can hear the bridegroom saying, Never mind, for this I have long been waiting.

No one shall go for me. I promise them, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again. I did not say I will send someone. If I love them enough to die for their sins, surely I love them enough to bring them to our new home, for I promise them, where I am, there ye may be also.

The poet has put in these few words, He and I in that bright glory one eternal joy shall share, mine to be forever with him, his that I am there. I think you will have some difficulty in understanding the second coming of Christ until you see that there are two aspects of his coming spoken in the New Testament.

Christ Comes for His Saints and With His Saints

These are easily distinguished, because the one is Christ coming for his saints, and the other is Christ coming with his saints. The order is easy to remember, for he must come for his saints before he can come with his saints.

Let us look for a moment at the Scriptures that refer to his coming for his saints. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, and with a trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.". Some years ago I stood by the open grave of a very close friend of mine in Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania. I knew his wife equally well, for I attended the same school.

As I stood by her side in the cemetery, thinking what I might say to comfort her, she looked up with peace written on her face and said, This would be unbearable if we didn't know that Christ is coming again, and our loved ones who have been saved will meet us again, and perhaps very soon.

Do you wonder that 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 closes by saying, Wherefore, comfort one another with these words? What words? The preceding words, the blessed unfolding of the second coming of Christ for his sleeping and his living redeemed people.

Do you wonder why the Lord Jesus said, I will come again in the comfort chapter of John 14? What truth can be of greater comfort than to be certain that Christ himself will come again to receive us unto himself?

Eternal Life and the Selective Coming of Christ

Perhaps it is necessary to state that only those who have eternal life will go with him when he comes, for the Bible does not teach the theory of the general fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man. He is the creator of all, but he is the father only of those who are born into his family.

His coming for his saints will be selective and secret, and many will be left behind for judgment because they have not received God's offer of salvation. If Jesus Christ should come again tonight, would you be left behind for judgment, or would you be caught up with the redeemed to enjoy his presence for all eternity?

Remember, he is coming again, but he is going to take with him only those who are saved. I suppose you would like to know when he is coming again, and the Bible gives us the very hour, in such an hour as ye think not.

Let the scriptures be sufficient, but of that day and that hour knoweth no man. The important command that accompanies the truth of the second coming of Christ is, Be ye therefore ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.

Readiness Requires More Than Religious Activity

Are you ready? Not are you a church member, for you can easily be a church member and not be ready. Not have you been baptized, for you may be baptized and not be ready, for baptism does not make you ready.

The question is not, are you living a Christian life? For living a good, honest Christian life does not make you ready. Many earnest followers of the life of Christ will be left behind when he comes, and will cry in the language of Luke 13, Lord, Lord, open unto us.

We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. Many will be able to say, I taught a Sunday school class, I was active in religious work, and tried to live right. But, strange as it may seem, many such will be left behind when Jesus comes.

Redemption Through Christ's Death and Resurrection

What can be sadder, what could be a greater shock, than to find that after you have talked yourself into believing that you are ready for his coming, to discover that you will be left behind? Only those who have taken refuge in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ will be caught up when Christ returns for his blood-bought people, and if you have never been redeemed by his precious blood, it will be just too bad.

I ask you again, my friend, can you prove from the word of God that you will be among those who will go with Christ when he comes again? If you are not certain, I would suggest that you open your heart before the Lord tonight.

Tell him the truth, Lord, I don't want to miss heaven, and if I've been resting on the wrong thing for salvation, I want to lay it aside and come as a lost, guilty sinner, and receive the forgiveness of my sins altogether in the one who died in my stead on Calvary's cross.

I do accept Christ as my substitute, as my Savior. God will hear you, and God will write your name in the Lamb's Book of Life, and you may enjoy the blessed assurance that Christ will not leave you behind when he comes again.

Final Appeal to Trust the Savior

I trust that our brief meditation on the second coming of Christ, these four wonderful words from John 14, verse 3, will have been a blessing to you. I will come again, and some of you who are not saved, I trust you'll see the wisdom of trusting the Savior, so that when that day does come, you'll be in that happy company that will be with him and like him for all eternity, rather than in that sad company who will be left behind.

And now, our gracious Father, we ask that thou will bless thy word to every listening heart in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.