Key Text: Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” PRAYER

Last week we saw that the signs Christ said would appear before His second coming are being fulfilled around us today.

This week we shall study certain basic facts of His actual, literal Second Coming. So, for our first text, let us turn to Hebrews 9:28. POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –Christ comes to those who look for Him. –He brings salvation.

POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –Jesus went to prepare mansions—or dwelling places for us. –Where He went, we will eventually go, if we accept Him as our Saviour. –Notice He said, “If I go... I will return.”

POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –Christ went up in a cloud, and He will return in the same way. –The disciples did see Christ go; therefore, His second coming is certain. –Notice the verse literally says, “This same Jesus.” The same Jesus the disciples knew and Loved will return.

POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –Notice this is after the resurrection. –Jesus had hands and feet—He could be touched. –John 20:27 says that Christ told Thomas to touch His side. –A spirit doesn’t have those things. –Christ has human needs—He was hungry, and He ate.

Let’s turn to Revelation 1:7 and see. POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –He comes with clouds. Many feel these are clouds of angels, since the book of Matthew 25:31 states that all the angels come with Him. –Every eye shall see Him. Therefore, it is not secret. Luke 17:24 tells us His coming is as lightning. –People on earth will wail. Why? Because they are not prepared.

POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –All are affected by His coming, regardless of wealth, fame, colour, or creed. –The wicked hide themselves and cry for the rocks and mountains to fall on them. –In Psalm 68:2 it says the wicked perish at His presence. –We are given a tough question in verse 17: “Who shall be able to stand?” Only those who have the necessary preparation.

POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –The dead in Christ will rise first. Matthew 24:31 tells us that the angels assist in this work and gather the elect. –We who are alive, the elect, re gathered together with the resurrected ones in the clouds. –We shall then always be with the Lord.

POINTS TO EMPHASIZE: –Our conversation—or in modern English—our citizenship is in heaven where our Saviour is. –Our vile bodies will be changed to resemble His glorious body.

Heaven is cheap enough, isn’t it? For merely following Christ during our short life-span here on this earth, He offers in exchange a place in His eternal kingdom where our bodies will be made like Christ’s resurrected body.

Thank God for His wonderful love in saving us. Pray that we shall make the necessary preparation day-by-day so that we can be part of His eternal kingdom. Remember the needs of the family.

Today we discovered that our bodies will be changed at Christ’s Second Coming. But are there other desirable features to being part of His kingdom? Next week we shall talk about Heaven—the place Christ is gone to prepare for us.