His Return as King and Friend . . . OR . . . Does God Really Loves us Forever?
Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope
June 28, 2008
Larry R Evans
Quiz for Reflection
[To get the most from the quiz read the passages in brackets and look for a thread of thought which may give more depth and understanding to the question being asked.]
1. The fear factor should not be used when describing the Second Coming of Christ. [Mt 25:31-34; 2 Thess 1:6-9; Jn 14:1-3] True or False?
2. As we see earthquakes and wars abounding we should not be alarmed. [Lk 12:14-21; Mt 24:3-8; Mk 13:5-8] True or False?
3. We can influence the timing of Christ’s Second Coming. [Mt 24:14; Rev 12:7-12] True or False?
Introductory Reflections
“On February 15, 1921, Dr Evan O’Neill Kane surgeon at Kane Summit Hospital, New York Summit Hospital, New York City, performed the first major surgery with local anesthetic. He had performed nearly 4,000 appendectomies in his 37-year career. Who would be willing to go through surgery with only a local anesthetic? O’Neil searched for a long time for a volunteer. Many were afraid of the risk. What if they felt the pain?
Finally Dr. Kane found a candidate. The patient was prepped, wheeled into the operating room, and a local anesthetic supplied. As he had done thousands of times, Dr. Kane dissected the superficial tissues and located the appendix. He skillfully excised it and concluded the surgery. During the procedure the patient complained of only minor discomfort.
Dr. Kane proved the local anesthesia works, and he made history in two ways with that operation. He did the surgery on himself since he was the volunteer. The doctor became a patient in order to convince the patients to trust the doctor.
In a similar manner Jesus became human in order to understand our human trials and win our trust. ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’ (Heb 4:15,16)” (Norman Gulley in Christ Is Coming, p.427)
The bridge between last week’s study of Christ’s high priestly ministry and this week’s study about the Second Coming of Christ can be summarized in one word: TRUST. What would ever cause us to think that the Jesus who died on the cross and was resurrected would ever come back for such a motley group of disciples! Jesus has earned our trust and with eager expectation we are looking forward to His soon coming!
Reflective Study
1. The fear factor should not be used when describing the Second Coming of Christ. [Mt 25:31-34; 2 Thess 1:6-9; Jn 14:1-3] False
Jesus considered Himself to be a friend of sinners. When the paralytic was lowered through the roof down to Jesus He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Lk:5:20). Others called him a friend of tax collectors and sinners. (Lk 7:34) Jesus had a wide circle of friends, so much so that he claimed to have a friend that others also claimed in the person of Lazarus (Jn11:11). So if Jesus is a friend of sinners should we ever be fearful of His coming?
I would like to suggest that it is precisely because of Jesus friendship with “sinners” that there is reason for some to be fearful! The Bible clearly indicates that there is such a thing as “the wrath of God.” Consider, for example, Col 3:5-6
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. (NIV)
The wrath of God goes forth because it is sin that injures His “friends”. God has wrath because He does care.
Matt 18:5-6
5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (NIV)
God is portrayed in Scripture as being a protector of His people and those who dare to hurt His “friends” will need to be afraid. “Fear God and give Him glory” (Rev. 14:7 has a direct link in Revelation with not only honoring God but all of His creation including His covenant people/friends. The good news is that the love of God is not fickle. God’s love is forever! It is the one constant in a world of change.
Matt 24:4-8
4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. (NIV)
The Greek makes it emphatic: “see to it that you are not alarmed” by such things a earthquakes, famines, wars. Jesus was quick to point out that these were “the beginning” of birth pains. While these things are obviously a concern they might be better described as signs of “nearness” rather than signs of the “end.”
The signs of the end might be better described in verse 14.
Matt 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (NIV)
This obviously raises the next question:
3. We can influence the timing of Christ’s Second Coming. [Mt 24:14; Rev 12:7-12] True
The baseline issue is a conflict that began in heaven between Christ and Satan.
Rev 12:7-11
7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (NIV)When this is connected with Matthew 24:14 we can see that indeed we have a role to play, perhaps not the ultimate role, but a role nevertheless when Christ will come.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (NIV)
Note also the following:
“Zeal for God and His cause moved the disciples to bear witness to the gospel with mighty power. Should not a like zeal fire our hearts with a determination to tell the story of redeeming love, of Christ and Him crucified? It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of the Saviour.”
--Ellen White in Acts of the Apostles, p. 600.
“When the message of God meets with opposition, He gives it additional force, that it may exert greater influence. Endowed with divine energy, it will cut its way through the strongest barriers and triumph over every obstacle.” --Ibid, p.601
Reflective Review
It’s no fun being separated from family and friends. When it happens reunions take on special significance. The time in between is hardest but memories from the past hold us spellbound as we focus on the next time we will be together. Separation whether it be by death or distance, from our Christian perspective, is temporary. Neither circumstance dampens our efforts to rejoin friends and loved ones. Heartaches and hardships may come but memories of family ties and friendships remain. Special times together, are not compromised by absence—in reality they strengthen our eagerness to rejoin our family and friends. The Message paraphrase of Romans 8:31-35 is Paul’s resounding anticipation which reinforce his determined efforts to be reunited with Jesus. Though not privileged like the disciples who walked many miles with Jesus, Paul’s encounter with Him on the Damascus Road was enough to know that Jesus was not only King but also Friend.
Rom 8:31 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose?
Rom 8:32 If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us?
Rom 8:33 And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen?
Rom 8:34 Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us--who was raised to life for us!--is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.
Rom 8:35 Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
Rom 8:36 They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
Rom 8:37 None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.
Rom 8:38 I'm absolutely convinced that nothing--nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow,
Rom 8:39 high or low, thinkable or unthinkable--absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
We must remember that this is not a one-way friendship. It is a fact that God first loved us. He has been planning for this reunion for a long time! I am reminded of an imagined conversation between God and us . . .
“’Can anything make me stop loving you?’ God asks. ‘Watch me speak your language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts. Behold the maker of sight and sound as he sneezes, coughs, and blows his nose. You wonder if I understand how you feel? Look unto the dancing eyes of the kid in Nazareth: that’s God walking to school. Ponder the toddler at Mary’s table; that’s God spilling his milk.
‘You wonder how long my love will last? Find you answer on a splintered cross, on a craggy hill. That’s me you see up there, your maker, your God, nail-stabbed and bleeding. Covered in spit and sin-soaked. That’s your sin I’m feeling. That’s your death I’m dying. That’s your resurrection I’m living. That’s how much I love you.” –Max Lucado, In the Grip of Grace, pp. 179-180.
With such provisions it becomes very clear that God has made definite plans to love us forever! His coming is definite. Our hope is sure.
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