Music...
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Hello and welcome to the
3ABN Australia Homecoming 2019.
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We're at Wahroonga
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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Sydney, Australia
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and it's good to
see you folk here.
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It most certainly is,
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we're going to have a lovely
program this morning together
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so we hope that
you're all blessed.
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What's the special
item, who's singing that?
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The special item is by Rosemary
and she's going to be singing,
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"I have fixed my
mind on another time. "
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And the Speaker?
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And the Speaker is
Pastor David McKibben
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and his sermon title
is, "The Ultimate Rescue"
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pause...
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and we have a text as well.
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That's right.
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Let's share that,
the text that he has is
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from Titus 2:11-13
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and it reads,
"For the grace of God
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that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men
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teaching us that denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts,
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we should live soberly,
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righteously and
godly in this present world
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looking for that blessed
hope and the glorious appearing
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of the great God and
our Savior, Jesus Christ. "
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Let's just bow our
heads for a moment.
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"Our gracious
and heavenly Father,
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we thank you for the
love that you have shown to us
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by giving us
Jesus Christ to save us.
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We pray you'll be with
our Speaker and our Singer
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that they will uplift and
hold Jesus at the highest level,
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I pray in Jesus' name, amen. "
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Amen.
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Pause...
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Music...
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I have fixed my mind
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on another time,
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On another time
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And here I mean to stand until
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God gives me more light
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And that is today, today
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Today until He comes
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I have fixed my mind
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on another time
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On another time
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Music...
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I have set my
course on the narrow way,
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on the narrow way
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For I know the
time is close at hand
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For which I watch and pray
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And that is today, today
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Today until He comes
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I have set my course
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on the narrow way,
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on the narrow way
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Even so Lord come quickly
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This is my fervent prayer
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For I've caught
a Glimpse of glory
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And I'm longing to be there
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Music...
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When shall the Son of Man appear
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The trumpet sound its blast
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And Christ
descend in glorious fire
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with all the saints amassed
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We'll rise with
those who sleep no more
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To meet Him in the air
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When shall the
Son of Man appear,
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The Son of Man appear
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Even so Lord come quickly
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This is my fervent prayer
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For I've caught
a Glimpse of glory
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And I'm longing to be there
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For I've caught
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a Glimpse of glory
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And I'm longing
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to
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be there.
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I have fixed my mind
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on another time
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on another
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time.
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Mmmm...
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Pause...
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Well, good morning every one,
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and it's really
great to be with you,
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thank you for
being here this morning
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and to those of you who
are watching wherever you are,
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thank you for joining us,
it's good to be with you as well
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and a big thank you to Rosemary
for that beautiful piece.
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It never... it never
fails to inspire and move me
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when I hear it...
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a beautiful song of
faith... of courage...
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of expectation and
thank you Rosemary for that...
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for that beautiful piece.
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Pause...
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I appreciate the
prayer that has been offered
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but before we look
at God's Word together,
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I'd like to invite
you to bow your heads
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in a brief moment of prayer,
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let us pray together.
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Pause...
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"Heavenly Father,
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we bow our heads and our hearts
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in Your presence.
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May Your Word be our rule,
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may the Holy Spirit
be our Guide and Teacher
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and may Your greater glory
and honor be our supreme concern
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and we ask all this through
Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. "
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Pause...
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The truth about
Jesus' return in glory
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is one of the fundamental
teachings in the Bible.
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In actual fact, there are over
1,800 verses in the Scriptures
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that touch upon
the return of Jesus.
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If you combine
all the references
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to the "Day of the Lord,"
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in the Old Testament
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to those verses
in the New Testament
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which speak of
the return of Jesus,
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you have a total of over 1,800.
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Now, with that volume
of Scriptural testimony
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to the return of Jesus,
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it's a very
difficult teaching to ignore.
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And over the... the centuries...
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Christianity in the men has not
ignored this tremendous truth.
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For example, the
great Protestant Reformer,
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John Calvin, who
carried out most of his ministry
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in the Swiss City of Geneva,
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once said, "We
must hunger after Christ
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until the
dawning of that great day
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when our Lord will
fully manifest the glory
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of His kingdom. "
00:10:01.53\00:10:02.86
And then, we have John Wesley,
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the Founder of Methodism
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who declared, "The Spirit and
the heart of the true believer
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says with earnest
desire, 'Come, Lord Jesus. '"
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And so, in the men,
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Christianity has not
ignored this tremendous truth.
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However, there have been
some who have put this teaching
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of the return of Jesus,
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somewhere in the
dim and distant future.
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For example, the great British
poet, Lord Alfred Tennyson,
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referred to the second coming
as that far-off-divine event
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and in the Anglican
Prayer Book, of 1662...
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now, Thomas Cranmer the
first Protestant Archbishop
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of Canterbury had a
tremendous influence
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upon Anglican
worshippers that developed
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and his hymn can be seen
in the Anglican Prayer Book
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but in the Anglican
Prayer Book there are directions
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on how to find the
date of Easter for 500 years
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up to the year AD 2199.
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An act of Parliament at
Westminster in the year 1732
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provided for the
American Episcopal Prayer Book
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to enable its readers to
calculate the church calendar
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as far ahead as A.D. 8,500.
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The late John Stott
who was a great proclaimer
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of the return of Jesus,
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says that such provisions do
not exactly encourage members
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to live in lively expectation
of the Lord's return.
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But before we smile at the
expense of the Anglicans...
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and please be
assured, I'm not having a go
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at our fellow believers
in the Anglican tradition,
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but before we
smile at their expense,
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there are
probably some questions
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that we need to ask ourselves.
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How lively is our expectation
of the return of Jesus?
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Is it real for us?
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Is it a driving
force in our lives?
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Is it an
integral part of our lives
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or just an item of
doctrine that we adhere to?
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Have we become too comfortable
with the world that we live in?
00:12:29.28\00:12:34.38
I think as we have
already established,
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the return of Jesus
is a fundamental teaching
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of Scripture.
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I think it's well presented in
one of the hymns in our hymnal.
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This is the three-fold
truth on which our faith depends
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and with a joyful cry,
worship begins and ends.
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Christ has died...
Christ has risen...
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Christ will come again.
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And so, this morning,
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I want to look at
aspects of the blessed hope
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of the church.
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We're looking for the blessed
hope and glorious appearing
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of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ... "
00:13:16.83\00:13:20.40
it's the blessed
hope of the church.
00:13:20.43\00:13:23.50
It is, if you like,
the ultimate rescue.
00:13:23.53\00:13:27.60
And there are three major points
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that I would like
to make this morning.
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First of all, the coming of
Jesus will be a PERSONAL coming.
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It will be a PERSONAL coming.
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The ascension of Jesus
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signaled the end of
His earthly ministry.
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For 40 days
after His resurrection,
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He appeared to His followers
on a number of occasions.
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He gave them the
promise of the Holy Spirit,
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and then, He was lifted
up before their very eyes
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into heaven
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and as he
disappeared from their sight,
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two men in white... and we
understand them to be angels
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gave these words of
promise and assurance.
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Acts 1 and verse 11,
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"Why do you stand
here looking into the sky?
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This same Jesus, Who has
been taken from you into heaven,
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will come back in the same way
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you have seen
him go into heaven. "
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Notice it says,
"This same Jesus... "
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This same Jesus
who healed the sick...
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who gave hearing to the deaf...
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sight to the blind...
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mobility to the lame...
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the same Jesus Who is the
friend of little children...
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this same Jesus Who
reached out to the despised
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and the broken in Society,
00:14:52.79\00:14:54.79
it is this same Jesus
Who will return in glory.
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Pause...
00:15:00.03\00:15:01.80
The same thought is
expressed by the Apostle Paul
00:15:01.83\00:15:05.07
in 1st
Thessalonians 4 and verse 16,
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where he declares,
00:15:09.10\00:15:11.01
"For the Lord Himself
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will descend from
heaven with a shout... "
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this same
Jesus... the Lord Himself
00:15:16.58\00:15:22.18
will descend.
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Now, when great international
gatherings take place
00:15:23.62\00:15:29.22
at various
places around the world,
00:15:29.26\00:15:30.99
invariably, one of
the people who is invited
00:15:31.03\00:15:34.10
is the United States President.
00:15:34.13\00:15:36.73
Though sometimes he will attend,
00:15:36.77\00:15:39.27
given the
importance and significance
00:15:39.33\00:15:42.50
of that particular Convention,
00:15:42.54\00:15:44.17
but sometimes he will
send the Vice President
00:15:44.21\00:15:47.41
or some other member of his
administration in his place.
00:15:47.44\00:15:51.38
The same is true of
the British Monarchy.
00:15:51.41\00:15:54.78
The Queen will often
send someone in her place,
00:15:54.82\00:15:59.69
now, she enjoys good health
but she is a lady in her 90s
00:15:59.72\00:16:03.73
and increasingly
over the last few years
00:16:03.76\00:16:06.09
she has sent members
of her family in her place
00:16:06.13\00:16:09.43
at various
gatherings around the world,
00:16:09.46\00:16:11.57
particularly in those countries
00:16:11.60\00:16:12.93
that make up the
British Commonwealth.
00:16:12.97\00:16:15.14
For example, it
was Prince Charles
00:16:15.20\00:16:17.37
who performed
the opening ceremony
00:16:17.41\00:16:19.51
at the Commonwealth
Games in the Gold Coast
00:16:19.54\00:16:22.48
last time around.
00:16:22.51\00:16:24.05
So, here we have great leaders
00:16:24.08\00:16:27.32
who send someone
else in their place.
00:16:27.35\00:16:30.02
But when it comes to that event
00:16:30.05\00:16:33.15
which will mark the end
of history as we know it,
00:16:33.19\00:16:37.63
Jesus is going to come Himself.
00:16:37.66\00:16:40.80
He's not going to send a Deputy.
00:16:40.86\00:16:43.93
Now, the angels have
been involved in major events
00:16:43.97\00:16:48.80
of salvation's history.
00:16:48.84\00:16:50.27
They have been
involved in significant events
00:16:50.31\00:16:56.58
down through the ages,
00:16:56.61\00:16:57.98
they're going to be
involved in the return of Jesus,
00:16:58.01\00:17:00.35
but they're going
to accompany Him...
00:17:00.38\00:17:02.82
not to take his place.
00:17:02.85\00:17:05.19
Jesus Himself is
going to come in glory.
00:17:05.22\00:17:10.06
One of the major words used
to describe the coming of Jesus
00:17:10.09\00:17:16.77
is a Greek word, Parousia
00:17:16.80\00:17:18.37
and it conveys that
idea of a royal visit.
00:17:18.40\00:17:22.70
The coming of Jesus is going
to be literal and personal...
00:17:22.74\00:17:27.34
not spiritual
00:17:27.38\00:17:28.71
and that same aspect of
the personal coming of Jesus,
00:17:28.74\00:17:33.45
is found in one of the
most beautiful promises
00:17:33.48\00:17:36.82
found in Scripture.
00:17:36.85\00:17:38.45
John chapter 14
and verses 1 to 3.
00:17:38.49\00:17:42.66
Very beautiful words.
00:17:42.69\00:17:44.76
Jesus said to His disciples,
00:17:44.79\00:17:47.76
"Do not let your
hearts be troubled:
00:17:47.80\00:17:50.67
you believe in
God, believe also in me.
00:17:50.70\00:17:53.47
My Father's
house has many rooms:
00:17:53.50\00:17:56.71
if that were not so,
would I have told you
00:17:56.74\00:17:59.04
that I'm going there
to prepare a place for you
00:17:59.07\00:18:01.34
and if I go and
prepare a place for you,
00:18:01.38\00:18:04.91
I will come back and
take you to be with me
00:18:04.95\00:18:08.48
that you also
may be where I am. "
00:18:08.52\00:18:11.95
You see that even though this is
going to be a tremendous event,
00:18:11.99\00:18:16.76
the personal dimension is
very much to the forefront.
00:18:16.79\00:18:21.76
It is Jesus' desire that
you and me and our loved ones,
00:18:21.80\00:18:26.70
and indeed our
fellow human beings
00:18:26.74\00:18:29.30
should live with Him
in heaven for eternity.
00:18:29.34\00:18:33.07
That's His desire.
00:18:33.11\00:18:34.68
That's His longing.
00:18:34.71\00:18:36.21
One of the great names of
Jesus is God with us... Emmanuel
00:18:36.24\00:18:41.68
and that will become an
eternal reality when He comes.
00:18:41.72\00:18:47.12
Pause...
00:18:47.16\00:18:49.29
And so, the second coming...
it's a tremendous event
00:18:49.32\00:18:54.33
but it's essentially
the return of a Friend.
00:18:54.36\00:18:57.93
It's going to be a truly
climactic event but ultimately
00:18:58.00\00:19:03.71
it's about the
return of a Friend.
00:19:03.74\00:19:06.27
As one Christian
commentator said,
00:19:06.31\00:19:08.74
"We're not just looking
for something to happen,
00:19:08.78\00:19:11.91
we are looking
for someone to come. "
00:19:11.95\00:19:15.78
And so, the coming of
Jesus will be personal.
00:19:15.82\00:19:21.26
That's one of the very
clear teachings of Scripture.
00:19:21.32\00:19:27.00
However, the Bible goes on
to sound a note of warning.
00:19:27.03\00:19:32.67
Jesus repeatedly warned against
the appearance of false Christs.
00:19:32.70\00:19:39.31
"Take head that
no man deceive you.
00:19:39.34\00:19:43.18
For many shall come in my
name saying, 'I am Christ... '
00:19:43.24\00:19:47.22
and shall deceive many. "
00:19:47.25\00:19:49.65
Later on He declared,
00:19:49.68\00:19:52.02
"For false Christs and
false prophets will appear
00:19:52.05\00:19:54.82
and perform great
signs and miracles
00:19:54.86\00:19:57.59
to deceive even the elect...
00:19:57.63\00:19:59.66
if that were possible. "
00:19:59.69\00:20:01.70
And that
deception would even extend
00:20:01.73\00:20:05.53
to the manner of His coming.
00:20:05.57\00:20:08.07
"Therefore, if they say to you,
'Look, He is in the desert!'
00:20:08.10\00:20:12.77
do not go out...
00:20:12.81\00:20:14.44
or 'Look, He is in the inner
rooms!' do not believe it. "
00:20:14.51\00:20:19.85
And the ultimate false
Christ will be Anti-Christ.
00:20:19.88\00:20:27.46
The Antichrist is
a very loaded term.
00:20:27.49\00:20:31.59
Pause...
00:20:31.63\00:20:33.56
Antichrist actually
means to be against Christ
00:20:33.60\00:20:38.33
or to take the place of Christ.
00:20:38.37\00:20:41.97
It has those two meanings
00:20:42.00\00:20:44.24
and in John... the
first letter of John...
00:20:44.27\00:20:48.21
he tells his readers
00:20:48.24\00:20:51.11
that Antichrists
have already appeared.
00:20:51.15\00:20:53.85
Even in the Apostolic
Age, there were Antichrists...
00:20:53.88\00:20:57.32
and note... plural...
00:20:57.35\00:20:58.69
Antichrist is not just
restricted to one person
00:20:58.72\00:21:02.92
or one organization.
00:21:02.96\00:21:04.39
Antichrist stands for any
person or any organization
00:21:04.43\00:21:09.50
that is against Jesus
00:21:09.53\00:21:11.17
and that dares to
take the place of Jesus
00:21:11.23\00:21:13.77
and Antichrist is
described in many different ways
00:21:13.80\00:21:18.51
in the Scripture.
00:21:18.57\00:21:19.91
Antichrist is described as the
Little Horn in Daniel chapter 7,
00:21:19.94\00:21:25.08
he is described as the
beast that emerges from the sea
00:21:25.11\00:21:29.32
in Revelation 13,
00:21:29.35\00:21:31.59
and then he is
described as the "man of sin"
00:21:31.62\00:21:35.82
and the "man of lawlessness"
00:21:35.89\00:21:39.06
in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2.
00:21:39.09\00:21:42.23
Notice these words of warning,
sounded by the Apostle Paul
00:21:42.26\00:21:48.30
in the 2nd Letter
to the Thessalonians.
00:21:48.34\00:21:52.04
2nd Thessalonians 2 and verse 3,
00:21:52.07\00:21:56.04
"Don't let anyone
deceive you in any way,
00:21:56.08\00:22:00.88
for that day will not
come until the rebellion occurs
00:22:00.92\00:22:06.42
and the man of
lawlessness is revealed. "
00:22:06.45\00:22:10.39
And then he goes on to describe
00:22:10.43\00:22:12.93
what the "man of
lawlessness" is going to do,
00:22:12.96\00:22:16.43
verse 4, "He will
oppose and will exalt himself
00:22:16.46\00:22:20.24
over everything that is
called God or is worshiped
00:22:20.27\00:22:23.97
so that he sets
himself up in God's temple
00:22:24.01\00:22:27.54
proclaiming himself to be God. "
00:22:27.58\00:22:30.51
Now, that is the... that
is the spirit of Antichrist.
00:22:30.55\00:22:34.85
Against Christ... and daring
to take the place of Christ,
00:22:34.88\00:22:39.42
and the ultimate manifestation
of Antichrist will take place
00:22:39.45\00:22:43.93
just before Jesus returns
00:22:43.96\00:22:46.29
pause...
00:22:46.33\00:22:48.66
and it's going to be a
very powerful delusion.
00:22:48.70\00:22:51.00
If you read on in this
passage in 2nd Thessalonians,
00:22:51.03\00:22:55.50
you'll find that
the power of Jesus
00:22:55.54\00:22:58.54
will be displayed in
miracles, signs and wonders.
00:22:58.57\00:23:03.38
The power of Antichrist
will also be displayed
00:23:03.41\00:23:08.15
in miracles, signs and wonders
00:23:08.18\00:23:11.05
but the important difference is,
00:23:11.09\00:23:13.89
that they will be
designed to deceive...
00:23:13.92\00:23:16.89
to lead people astray...
00:23:16.93\00:23:18.79
they will be counterfeit
00:23:18.83\00:23:20.60
and, of course, the
danger of a counterfeit is
00:23:20.63\00:23:23.63
that it's very
close to the genuine,
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.97
it's very close to the original
00:23:26.00\00:23:28.14
and in 2nd
Thessalonians chapter 2,
00:23:28.17\00:23:32.37
the coming of Jesus is
presented as being personal
00:23:32.41\00:23:36.51
and public and powerful
00:23:36.54\00:23:38.91
but the coming of Antichrist
will also be personal,
00:23:38.95\00:23:44.29
public and powerful.
00:23:44.32\00:23:46.49
Pause...
00:23:46.55\00:23:47.89
And many people
will be led astray
00:23:47.92\00:23:51.49
and ultimately, they'll be
led astray for this reason,
00:23:51.53\00:23:57.30
2nd
Thessalonians 2 and verse 10.
00:23:57.33\00:24:02.07
"They perish because
they refused to love the truth
00:24:02.10\00:24:09.18
and so be saved. "
00:24:09.21\00:24:11.71
Pause...
00:24:11.75\00:24:13.48
And that brings me
to the... the second
00:24:13.52\00:24:17.02
very important
and fundamental point
00:24:17.09\00:24:20.56
regarding the coming of Jesus.
00:24:20.59\00:24:23.89
It will be a POWERFUL coming...
00:24:23.93\00:24:27.13
the coming of
Jesus will be a majestic,
00:24:27.16\00:24:32.23
magnificent event.
00:24:32.27\00:24:34.27
Jesus didn't speak much
about the timing of His coming.
00:24:34.30\00:24:39.27
He just set a boundary...
00:24:39.31\00:24:41.64
no man... not...
not even the angels
00:24:41.68\00:24:45.51
know the hour when the
Son of Man is going to return.
00:24:45.55\00:24:48.95
He set a very clear boundary,
00:24:48.98\00:24:50.49
He didn't talk
much about the timing
00:24:50.52\00:24:52.39
but He did talk quite
a bit about the manner
00:24:52.42\00:24:57.06
in which He would return
00:24:57.09\00:24:58.63
and again He... He
sounded those notes of warning,
00:24:58.66\00:25:02.50
"Don't be deceived,
don't be led astray. "
00:25:02.53\00:25:05.23
And what does the Bible tell us
00:25:05.27\00:25:08.20
about the manner
of Jesus' return?
00:25:08.24\00:25:11.07
Well, it's going
to be a visible coming
00:25:11.14\00:25:14.44
and we have that
beautiful comparison
00:25:14.48\00:25:18.15
that's found in
Matthew 24 and verse 27.
00:25:18.18\00:25:21.62
"For as the
lightning comes from the east
00:25:21.65\00:25:25.05
and flashes to the west,
00:25:25.09\00:25:27.32
so also will the
coming of the Son of Man be. "
00:25:27.36\00:25:31.66
The coming of Jesus
will be as vivid and dramatic
00:25:31.69\00:25:35.96
as a lightning storm.
00:25:36.00\00:25:37.97
Now, here in Australia,
00:25:38.00\00:25:39.90
we can have some
tremendous lightning storms.
00:25:39.93\00:25:41.90
In a storm there can be
1,000s of lightning strikes
00:25:41.94\00:25:47.08
and anyone who's around
00:25:47.11\00:25:49.48
knows that there's a
lightning storm taking place
00:25:49.51\00:25:51.91
and in the same way,
00:25:51.95\00:25:53.58
everyone who is
alive will... at that time
00:25:53.62\00:25:57.59
will be aware
that Jesus has come.
00:25:57.62\00:25:59.79
His coming will be visible.
00:25:59.82\00:26:01.16
His coming will also be audible.
00:26:01.19\00:26:05.13
1st
Thessalonians 4 and verse 16,
00:26:05.16\00:26:09.06
"For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven
00:26:09.10\00:26:12.57
with a shout,
00:26:12.60\00:26:13.94
with the voice on an archangel,
00:26:13.97\00:26:16.27
and with the trumpet of God. "
00:26:16.30\00:26:18.74
Pause...
00:26:18.77\00:26:21.11
There you have
three signs... a shout...
00:26:21.14\00:26:24.21
not a
conversational tone of voice...
00:26:24.25\00:26:27.55
a shout...
00:26:27.58\00:26:28.98
pause...
00:26:29.02\00:26:30.39
the voice of the archangel...
00:26:30.42\00:26:31.75
and that voice is
going to be so powerful,
00:26:31.79\00:26:34.29
it's quite literally
going to raise the dead...
00:26:34.32\00:26:37.03
the dead in Christ...
00:26:37.06\00:26:38.86
and a trumpet...
00:26:38.89\00:26:41.66
Now, a trumpet is a
very nice instrument
00:26:41.70\00:26:44.93
but it's not the
sort of instrument
00:26:44.97\00:26:48.10
that you use to get
someone off to sleep.
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.24
Audience: Laughter.
00:26:50.31\00:26:51.87
In ancient times, that
was used as a call to arms...
00:26:51.91\00:26:56.01
a call to assemble
in the Bible faith...
00:26:56.04\00:26:59.08
so, here you have
these three signs.
00:26:59.11\00:27:02.15
A shout...
00:27:02.18\00:27:03.52
the voice of the archangel...
00:27:03.55\00:27:05.29
the trumpet of God...
00:27:05.32\00:27:06.65
and together they
proclaim that Jesus has come.
00:27:06.69\00:27:10.73
It's going to be
an audible coming.
00:27:10.79\00:27:12.86
Pause...
00:27:12.89\00:27:15.03
It's also going to
be a glorious coming.
00:27:15.06\00:27:19.43
According to Matthew 24,
00:27:19.47\00:27:22.44
Jesus is going to come with
clouds, with power, with glory,
00:27:22.50\00:27:27.31
He's going to come
with the angelic host.
00:27:27.34\00:27:30.58
Pause...
00:27:30.61\00:27:32.85
When the son of
man comes in His glory,
00:27:32.88\00:27:36.02
all the holy
angels will be with Him...
00:27:36.05\00:27:39.15
the entire heavenly host.
00:27:39.19\00:27:42.39
Well, think about this,
00:27:42.42\00:27:45.56
remember the events of
the resurrection morning?
00:27:45.59\00:27:49.50
the calm... the peace
of that Sunday morning
00:27:49.53\00:27:53.37
was disturbed by a
violent earthquake,
00:27:53.40\00:27:57.01
and an angel appeared
00:27:57.04\00:27:59.81
and the power... the
glory of that angel was such
00:27:59.84\00:28:03.95
that the guard of Roman
soldiers around the tomb
00:28:04.01\00:28:07.72
fell to the ground as
if they were dead men.
00:28:07.75\00:28:11.42
That was just one angel
00:28:11.45\00:28:14.09
and the impact that it had
00:28:14.12\00:28:16.66
on those
battle-hardened-Roman soldiers.
00:28:16.69\00:28:19.73
Just imagine what it's going
to be like when Jesus comes...
00:28:19.76\00:28:24.07
that the whole sky is
going to be filled with angels.
00:28:24.10\00:28:27.57
As far as the eye can see,
00:28:27.60\00:28:30.04
it's going to be filled
with the glory of angels.
00:28:30.07\00:28:31.84
What a spectacle
that's going to be!
00:28:31.87\00:28:35.51
Pause...
00:28:35.54\00:28:37.45
And so... in summary...
00:28:37.48\00:28:41.52
the coming of Jesus
is going to be visible,
00:28:41.55\00:28:44.75
it's going to be audible,
00:28:44.79\00:28:46.12
it's going to be glorious,
00:28:46.15\00:28:47.49
it's going to be vivid,
00:28:47.52\00:28:48.86
it's going to be spectacular,
00:28:48.89\00:28:50.23
it's going to be a truly
powerful and awesome event.
00:28:50.26\00:28:53.73
Pause...
00:28:53.76\00:28:56.87
That's a very clear
teaching of Scripture
00:28:56.90\00:28:59.20
and that serves as a
safeguard against deception
00:28:59.23\00:29:02.80
on a number of levels.
00:29:02.84\00:29:04.24
Pause...
00:29:04.27\00:29:06.54
As we've said, Jesus
warned about the emergence
00:29:06.57\00:29:09.31
of false Christs,
00:29:09.34\00:29:10.68
and He said that if
anyone should come in the desert
00:29:10.71\00:29:14.25
or some remote place,
00:29:14.28\00:29:15.62
and say that he is
Christ... not to go after him
00:29:15.65\00:29:18.79
because when Jesus
returns a second time,
00:29:18.82\00:29:23.59
He's not actually
going to touch the earth.
00:29:23.63\00:29:25.49
Audience: Amen.
00:29:25.53\00:29:28.00
Now, when He
came the first time,
00:29:28.03\00:29:29.36
He walked the roads and tracks
of Galilee and Samaria and Judea
00:29:29.40\00:29:33.60
but when he returns,
00:29:33.64\00:29:36.40
he's actually going to
meet His followers in the skies.
00:29:36.44\00:29:40.14
He's not actually going
to appear on this earth.
00:29:40.18\00:29:43.31
Pause...
00:29:43.35\00:29:46.51
Another contrast between
His first coming and His return,
00:29:46.55\00:29:49.88
is that His return will
certainly not be a secret event.
00:29:49.92\00:29:55.52
The first time,
Jesus came very quietly.
00:29:55.56\00:29:59.26
We don't even know the
year that Jesus was born in,
00:29:59.29\00:30:04.30
let alone the death.
00:30:04.33\00:30:05.67
We do know that it
was sometime before 4 BC.,
00:30:05.70\00:30:09.84
because that was the
year in which King Herod died
00:30:09.87\00:30:12.61
but we don't
actually know the year.
00:30:12.64\00:30:15.11
and He came quietly.
00:30:15.14\00:30:17.81
You know, the words
of the carol are so true,
00:30:17.85\00:30:22.68
"How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is given. "
00:30:22.72\00:30:26.92
It came so
quietly, hardly anyone knew.
00:30:26.96\00:30:30.76
In actual fact, there were
probably more animal witnesses
00:30:30.79\00:30:34.03
to the birth of
Jesus than human witnesses.
00:30:34.06\00:30:36.36
Pause...
00:30:36.40\00:30:39.43
But it's going to be
different when Jesus returns.
00:30:39.47\00:30:42.20
His return, as we have
seen, is going to be SPECTACULAR
00:30:42.24\00:30:47.08
and it's also
going to be sudden.
00:30:47.11\00:30:50.71
The day of the Lord will
come like a thief in the night.
00:30:50.75\00:30:55.58
Now, that is not to say
that it's going to be quiet
00:30:55.62\00:30:59.29
or secretive,
00:30:59.32\00:31:00.89
but it's going to be
sudden and unexpected
00:31:00.92\00:31:05.06
sadly for those
who are unprepared...
00:31:05.09\00:31:09.06
though perhaps even those
who are prepared will be amazed
00:31:09.10\00:31:12.47
when it actually happens.
00:31:12.50\00:31:13.84
Let me try and illustrate,
00:31:13.87\00:31:16.44
these are the ruins of
the ancient city of Pompeii
00:31:16.47\00:31:22.61
south of Rome
00:31:22.64\00:31:24.71
and this... this as you can see
00:31:24.78\00:31:29.25
Mount Vesuvius is
in the background.
00:31:29.28\00:31:32.05
Pause...
00:31:32.09\00:31:34.99
Pompeii had been
ravaged by a terrible earthquake
00:31:35.02\00:31:39.73
in the year AD 62.
00:31:39.76\00:31:42.26
There was another
earthquake a few years later
00:31:42.30\00:31:44.83
and in the years that followed,
00:31:44.87\00:31:46.94
there were a
number of minor tremors
00:31:46.97\00:31:49.84
but people weren't
concerned about the fact
00:31:49.87\00:31:53.41
that they were building in
the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
00:31:53.44\00:31:55.74
It was believed it
was an extinct volcano,
00:31:55.81\00:31:58.35
it hadn't
erupted for many years,
00:31:58.38\00:32:00.48
and so, people weren't concerned
00:32:00.52\00:32:02.55
and so, when it came to
August the 24th, A.D. 79,
00:32:02.58\00:32:10.09
that day dawned
just like any other day.
00:32:10.13\00:32:13.16
It's a beautiful
day in late summer
00:32:13.19\00:32:16.16
and the streets
were full of people
00:32:16.20\00:32:18.50
going about their business.
00:32:18.53\00:32:19.87
It was a day like any other day
00:32:19.90\00:32:23.47
but it proved to be a
day of disaster for Pompeii
00:32:23.51\00:32:29.64
because around
about lunch time that day,
00:32:29.68\00:32:34.22
there was a mighty explosion.
00:32:34.25\00:32:37.49
Mount Vesuvius erupted.
00:32:37.52\00:32:41.26
Clouds of poisonous gas
of sulfur filled the air.
00:32:41.29\00:32:46.56
Clouds of
pumice and volcanic ash
00:32:46.59\00:32:51.10
obscured the light of the sun
00:32:51.13\00:32:53.10
and it's been calculated
00:32:53.13\00:32:56.17
the thermal energy a
100,000 times what was...
00:32:56.20\00:32:59.81
descended on Japan at the end
of the 2nd World War was ejected
00:32:59.84\00:33:08.42
and then a torrent of lava
poured forth from the mountain
00:33:08.45\00:33:13.46
and completely engulfed
00:33:13.49\00:33:15.52
the cities of
Herculaneum and Pompeii.
00:33:15.56\00:33:18.39
In fact, they
engulfed them so completely,
00:33:18.43\00:33:21.90
that those two cities
lay under layers of lava
00:33:21.96\00:33:26.10
for over 1,500 years.
00:33:26.13\00:33:28.70
It's only been
in recent centuries
00:33:28.77\00:33:31.97
that they have been excavated.
00:33:32.01\00:33:33.34
Pause...
00:33:33.38\00:33:35.44
And a few years ago,
I had the experience...
00:33:35.48\00:33:37.85
very eerie...
sobering experience,
00:33:37.91\00:33:40.78
of walking through
the streets of Pompeii.
00:33:40.82\00:33:44.15
These streets would
have been filled with people
00:33:44.19\00:33:48.02
on that fateful day
going about their business...
00:33:48.06\00:33:51.89
business as usual...
00:33:51.93\00:33:53.26
they... they actually...
00:33:53.29\00:33:56.13
they actually perished as they
were going about their business.
00:33:56.16\00:34:02.80
It was a day like any other
day but it came so suddenly
00:34:02.84\00:34:08.54
and that gives us a... an idea
00:34:08.58\00:34:12.28
of what the return of
Jesus is going to be like.
00:34:12.31\00:34:15.55
It's not going to
be a secret coming,
00:34:15.58\00:34:16.99
but it's going to be sudden
00:34:17.02\00:34:19.12
and it's going to be powerful
00:34:19.15\00:34:21.16
and it's going to be
a truly climactic event
00:34:21.19\00:34:24.43
that will bring down the
curtain on earth's history.
00:34:24.46\00:34:28.90
It also will be a climactic
event in terms of purpose.
00:34:28.96\00:34:33.34
My third point...
"The coming of Jesus
00:34:33.40\00:34:37.27
will be PURPOSEFUL."
00:34:37.31\00:34:39.11
It will be a deeply significant
event on many levels.
00:34:39.14\00:34:43.58
Jesus is coming
about to bring resolution.
00:34:43.61\00:34:47.35
We find this reflected
in Hebrews 9 and verse 28.
00:34:47.38\00:34:53.82
So, Christ will
appear a second time,
00:34:53.86\00:34:56.86
not to bear sin,
00:34:56.89\00:34:58.83
but to bring salvation to
those who are waiting for Him. "
00:34:58.86\00:35:03.33
The return of Jesus
is the grand culmination
00:35:03.37\00:35:07.50
of the Plan of Salvation.
00:35:07.54\00:35:09.54
That's... George Eldon
Ladd was a Biblical Scholar,
00:35:09.57\00:35:15.11
great believer in
the return of Jesus
00:35:15.14\00:35:17.85
and he said this,
"The second coming of Jesus
00:35:17.88\00:35:21.35
is an absolutely
indispensable doctrine
00:35:21.38\00:35:24.25
in the Biblical
teaching of redemption.
00:35:24.29\00:35:27.12
Apart from His glorious return,
00:35:27.16\00:35:29.89
God's work will
forever be incomplete.
00:35:29.92\00:35:33.60
At the center of redemption
past is Christ on the cross,
00:35:33.63\00:35:40.07
at the center of
redemption future
00:35:40.10\00:35:43.00
is Christ
returning in glory... "
00:35:43.04\00:35:45.91
and that's what we
remember every time we celebrate
00:35:45.94\00:35:51.11
the Communion Service,
00:35:51.15\00:35:52.48
we look back to what
Jesus has done on the cross...
00:35:52.51\00:35:54.95
we look forward to that day
when He will return in glory.
00:35:54.98\00:35:59.49
Indeed that night when
He shared the last supper
00:35:59.52\00:36:02.69
with His disciples,
00:36:02.72\00:36:04.06
He told them that the
next time He would celebrate
00:36:04.09\00:36:06.70
that occasion with them
00:36:06.73\00:36:08.06
would be when He
would establish His kingdom
00:36:08.10\00:36:10.47
and so the...
00:36:10.50\00:36:13.07
the return of Jesus is
going to bring about resolution
00:36:13.10\00:36:16.97
on a personal level
00:36:17.01\00:36:18.84
and it's also going
to bring about resolution
00:36:18.87\00:36:21.74
on a cosmic level.
00:36:21.78\00:36:23.65
The return of Jesus will
signal the end of worldly powers
00:36:23.68\00:36:28.98
and the establishment
of Jesus' eternal kingdom.
00:36:29.02\00:36:32.59
The rock in the
image of Daniel chapter 2,
00:36:32.62\00:36:37.56
represents the return of Jesus.
00:36:37.59\00:36:39.83
You know, we hear a lot
about a New World Order,
00:36:39.86\00:36:43.13
but Jesus is going to establish
a new order of justice,
00:36:43.16\00:36:48.14
peace and righteousness.
00:36:48.17\00:36:50.44
Pause...
00:36:50.47\00:36:52.67
Daniel 2 and verse 44,
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.38
"And in the days
of these kings... "
00:36:54.41\00:36:57.05
and we live in those days...
00:36:57.08\00:36:59.75
"the God of heaven
will set up a kingdom
00:36:59.81\00:37:02.98
which shall never be destroyed;
00:37:03.02\00:37:04.59
and the kingdom shall
not be left to other people;
00:37:04.62\00:37:07.36
it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms,
00:37:07.39\00:37:11.16
and it shall stand forever. "
00:37:11.19\00:37:14.10
And so, will come to pass
00:37:14.13\00:37:16.97
the words of
Revelation 11 and verse 15,
00:37:17.00\00:37:20.27
"The kingdom of the world has
become the kingdom of our Lord
00:37:20.30\00:37:24.07
and of His Christ,
00:37:24.11\00:37:25.77
and He will reign
forever and ever. "
00:37:25.81\00:37:28.58
And that was the inspiration
for the Hallelujah Chorus
00:37:28.61\00:37:33.82
in Handel's
masterpiece, "The Messiah. "
00:37:33.85\00:37:38.22
So, the coming of Jesus
will bring about Resolution.
00:37:38.25\00:37:44.06
It will also
bring about Restoration.
00:37:44.09\00:37:47.56
The beauty... the perfection
of Eden will be restored
00:37:47.60\00:37:53.64
and all of creation is
looking forward to that day.
00:37:53.67\00:37:58.51
In Isaiah chapter 11, we
have a beautiful peace...
00:37:58.54\00:38:02.11
a picture of
peace and harmony...
00:38:02.14\00:38:04.85
The wolf dwelling with the lamb,
00:38:04.88\00:38:07.18
the leopard with the goat...
00:38:07.22\00:38:09.85
the calf with the lion...
00:38:09.88\00:38:12.45
a little child
playing over a snake's den.
00:38:12.49\00:38:16.79
Now, here in Australia,
that means a lot, doesn't it?
00:38:16.83\00:38:19.79
We are the home of a
lot of venomous snakes,
00:38:19.83\00:38:22.10
you know, it's a beautiful
picture of peace and harmony.
00:38:22.13\00:38:27.94
Pause...
00:38:27.97\00:38:30.71
And then, these beautiful words
in Revelation 21 and verse 4,
00:38:30.74\00:38:35.34
words that I've often
spoken at a graveside,
00:38:35.38\00:38:39.08
"He will wipe away
every tear from their eyes,
00:38:39.11\00:38:42.78
and death shall be no more,
00:38:42.82\00:38:45.15
neither shall there
be mourning, nor crying,
00:38:45.19\00:38:48.39
nor pain anymore,
00:38:48.42\00:38:49.89
for the former
things have passed away. "
00:38:49.92\00:38:53.03
And so the...
00:38:53.06\00:38:55.90
the coming of Jesus
will bring about restoration.
00:38:55.96\00:38:59.43
The end of death and suffering
and the dark side of nature.
00:38:59.47\00:39:04.81
Pause...
00:39:04.84\00:39:07.21
It will also
bring about rescue...
00:39:07.24\00:39:09.84
the ultimate rescue.
00:39:09.88\00:39:13.05
You know, there have been
many wonderful rescue efforts
00:39:13.11\00:39:15.48
in history
00:39:15.52\00:39:16.85
but the coming of Jesus
will be the ultimate rescue...
00:39:16.89\00:39:20.56
the ultimate deliverance.
00:39:20.59\00:39:22.12
Let me share with you a story.
00:39:22.16\00:39:25.26
One of my Lecturers at
Bible College was a Dutchman.
00:39:25.29\00:39:30.30
A very... a very Godly
man... not an emotional man...
00:39:30.33\00:39:35.30
he didn't wear his
heart on his sleeve,
00:39:35.37\00:39:36.91
but a very Godly man
00:39:36.94\00:39:38.51
and one day he was presenting
a lecture on the return of Jesus
00:39:38.57\00:39:44.05
and he told about the day
that his village in Holland
00:39:44.11\00:39:49.82
was liberated from the Nazis.
00:39:49.85\00:39:53.09
Now, Nazi rule was brutal
wherever it exercised authority
00:39:53.12\00:40:01.66
but it was
particularly brutal in Holland.
00:40:01.70\00:40:03.33
Just about every
country in Europe
00:40:03.37\00:40:06.07
has reason to
hang its head in shame
00:40:06.10\00:40:08.70
for the way that they
have treated the Jews.
00:40:08.77\00:40:11.14
But the Dutch have
more reason than most
00:40:11.17\00:40:13.54
to hold their heads high.
00:40:13.58\00:40:15.14
The Dutch people really
did try to protect the Jews
00:40:15.21\00:40:19.41
who lived amongst them
00:40:19.45\00:40:20.98
and they paid a
heavy price for that.
00:40:21.02\00:40:22.92
Nazi rule was
particularly brutal
00:40:22.95\00:40:24.75
and so, this lecture
was talking about the day
00:40:24.79\00:40:29.62
that his village was liberated
00:40:29.66\00:40:32.29
and as he was talking,
00:40:32.36\00:40:33.86
you could see the tears
start to form in his eyes
00:40:33.90\00:40:36.16
and remember, he's
not an emotional man
00:40:36.20\00:40:38.33
but as he talked about that day,
00:40:38.37\00:40:40.87
and he said it
was the Canadians...
00:40:40.90\00:40:43.34
it was the Canadians who
actually freed his village,
00:40:43.37\00:40:45.81
the tears started to
roll down his cheeks,
00:40:45.87\00:40:48.84
you know, he was talking
about something that happened
00:40:48.88\00:40:52.11
about 50 years previously,
00:40:52.15\00:40:54.45
and he... and he... and he...
00:40:54.48\00:40:56.69
and he just spoke to
the class and he said,
00:40:56.75\00:40:58.49
"And that's what the coming
of Jesus is going to be like. "
00:40:58.52\00:41:02.09
That is going to be
earth's deliverance day...
00:41:02.12\00:41:05.59
that's going to be
earth's rescue day.
00:41:05.63\00:41:08.03
At long last the dark night
of Satan's rule will be over.
00:41:08.06\00:41:13.00
At long last... we'll be free.
00:41:13.03\00:41:15.67
Pause...
00:41:15.70\00:41:18.27
The coming of Jesus
is to bring about rescue.
00:41:18.31\00:41:21.91
Pause...
00:41:21.94\00:41:24.91
It's also, to bring
about the... the resurrection.
00:41:24.95\00:41:29.48
The Second Coming is associated
with the Resurrection.
00:41:29.52\00:41:34.02
When Jesus had that
conversation with Martha,
00:41:34.06\00:41:38.99
in the aftermath of the
death of her brother, Lazarus,
00:41:39.03\00:41:43.16
He asked her if she believed,
00:41:43.20\00:41:45.43
and she said that she believed
00:41:45.47\00:41:47.60
that her brother would
be raised at the last day.
00:41:47.64\00:41:50.71
There are a couple of
times in John chapter 6
00:41:50.74\00:41:53.74
in Jesus' great discourse,
after feeding the 5,000
00:41:53.78\00:41:57.18
where he said that His followers
would be raised on the last day
00:41:57.21\00:42:01.52
and the last day...
the resurrection day...
00:42:01.55\00:42:05.59
the coming of Jesus...
they are one and the same day.
00:42:05.62\00:42:10.26
That is the day that the
dead in Christ will rise.
00:42:10.29\00:42:14.86
You know, you
know, graveyards...
00:42:14.90\00:42:18.83
obviously very sad places
00:42:18.87\00:42:21.70
but they're also
quite fascinating places,
00:42:21.74\00:42:23.57
it's very interesting... going
around the different headstones
00:42:23.61\00:42:28.44
reading the
epitaphs and Scriptures,
00:42:28.48\00:42:30.38
and graveyards are
going to be amazing places
00:42:30.41\00:42:33.85
on the day that Jesus comes.
00:42:33.92\00:42:35.25
Places of death will
become places of life.
00:42:35.28\00:42:39.32
Places of sorrow
will become places of joy.
00:42:39.35\00:42:43.46
Places of separation
will become places of reunion
00:42:43.49\00:42:48.06
and that brings me to the
final purpose of Jesus' return.
00:42:48.13\00:42:53.44
It is the prelude
to a glorious Reunion.
00:42:53.47\00:42:58.34
Again, you see that
the personal element
00:42:58.37\00:43:03.18
coming to the
fore again and again.
00:43:03.24\00:43:04.75
The coming of Jesus is
going to be a climactic event
00:43:04.78\00:43:08.12
but it's going to
have a personal impact.
00:43:08.15\00:43:10.62
The coming of Jesus will
bring about the promise...
00:43:10.65\00:43:14.79
will fulfill the promise of
unbroken and eternal fellowship.
00:43:14.82\00:43:18.83
1st
Thessalonians 4 and verse 17...
00:43:18.86\00:43:24.00
"After that, we who are
still alive and are left
00:43:24.03\00:43:27.67
will be caught up
together with them in the clouds
00:43:27.70\00:43:31.31
to meet the Lord in the air.
00:43:31.37\00:43:32.97
And so we will be
with the Lord forever. "
00:43:33.01\00:43:37.65
Loved ones will
reunite with each other,
00:43:37.68\00:43:42.25
and together, they will have
union with the Lord Jesus Christ
00:43:42.28\00:43:47.76
Who died for
them... Who rose again...
00:43:47.79\00:43:49.92
Who's come back to
take them home to heaven
00:43:49.96\00:43:53.83
and so, you have all
these great things...
00:43:53.86\00:43:57.70
Resolution...
00:43:57.73\00:43:59.83
Restoration...
00:43:59.87\00:44:01.94
Rescue...
00:44:02.00\00:44:03.41
Resurrection...
00:44:03.44\00:44:05.01
Reunion...
00:44:05.04\00:44:06.41
and they're all made possible
00:44:06.44\00:44:09.64
by the return of
Jesus Christ in glory.
00:44:09.71\00:44:14.22
It's going to be a
truly magnificent occasion.
00:44:14.25\00:44:19.02
What a day that will be!
00:44:19.05\00:44:20.86
Audience: Amen.
00:44:20.89\00:44:22.22
What a day!
00:44:22.26\00:44:24.09
Pause...
00:44:24.13\00:44:25.83
Want to...
00:44:25.86\00:44:27.50
want to close
00:44:27.53\00:44:31.23
by referring to an episode
00:44:31.27\00:44:34.40
in the history of
Antarctic exploration.
00:44:34.44\00:44:37.81
When you think of the
exploration of the Antarctic,
00:44:37.87\00:44:41.11
you tend to think of
people like Roald Amundsen
00:44:41.14\00:44:43.95
who was the first man
to reach the South Pole,
00:44:44.01\00:44:46.78
or Robert Scott
who died tragically
00:44:46.82\00:44:50.59
in his attempt to
reach the South Pole.
00:44:50.62\00:44:54.26
But I would like to
talk about an Irishman
00:44:54.32\00:44:57.89
though I am probably to
spare my bias a little bit here,
00:44:57.93\00:45:01.46
but I'd like to talk about
another Antarctic Explorer,
00:45:01.50\00:45:05.03
Sir Ernest Shackleton.
00:45:05.07\00:45:06.40
He actually came very
close to becoming the first man
00:45:06.43\00:45:10.31
to reach the South Pole,
00:45:10.34\00:45:11.81
he actually came
within a 100 miles...
00:45:11.84\00:45:13.58
150 kilometers of the South Pole
00:45:13.64\00:45:16.04
a few years before
Amundsen actually got there
00:45:16.08\00:45:18.51
but after Amundsen and
Scott had got to the South Pole,
00:45:18.55\00:45:22.68
he decided that he
would be the first man
00:45:22.72\00:45:24.62
to lead an expedition
across the Antarctic Continent
00:45:24.65\00:45:29.42
from coast to coast.
00:45:29.46\00:45:30.79
So, he advertised
for people to join him...
00:45:30.83\00:45:33.80
he got a group of men together,
00:45:33.83\00:45:36.70
and in 19... in December 1914,
00:45:36.73\00:45:39.53
they left the tiny
island of South Georgia,
00:45:39.57\00:45:42.84
in the South Atlantic...
heading for Antarctica.
00:45:42.87\00:45:45.47
well, they got to within
00:45:45.51\00:45:48.54
a day's journey of reaching
the Antarctic Continent,
00:45:48.58\00:45:51.91
when their ship... the
Endurance got stuck in pack ice,
00:45:51.95\00:45:55.92
in the Weddell Sea.
00:45:55.95\00:45:57.29
It wasn't going forward...
it wasn't going back...
00:45:57.32\00:46:00.66
it was stuck...
00:46:00.69\00:46:02.02
and they were stuck
there for ten months.
00:46:02.06\00:46:04.79
They played games
of soccer on the ice
00:46:04.83\00:46:07.80
to while away the time...
00:46:07.83\00:46:09.33
they had to endure the
long months of darkness
00:46:09.36\00:46:14.37
in the Antarctic winter
00:46:14.40\00:46:16.20
and then they
heard this cracking sound
00:46:16.24\00:46:19.21
about October 1915...
00:46:19.27\00:46:21.58
and they realized that the ice
00:46:21.61\00:46:23.41
was starting to
press in on the ship...
00:46:23.45\00:46:25.35
they were going to
lose the ship altogether.
00:46:25.38\00:46:27.52
So, they got all the
supplies off the ship
00:46:27.55\00:46:29.58
and there was one
almighty crack... November 1915
00:46:29.62\00:46:33.05
and the ship just
disappeared into the icy waters
00:46:33.09\00:46:35.96
of the Weddell Sea,
00:46:35.99\00:46:37.49
here they were on the ice,
00:46:37.53\00:46:38.86
lost their ship...
00:46:38.89\00:46:40.23
they've got...
they've got the dogs...
00:46:40.26\00:46:43.23
they've got sleds...
00:46:43.26\00:46:44.60
and it was then that they
made this very perilous journey
00:46:44.63\00:46:48.70
across ice floes
00:46:48.74\00:46:51.41
and the ice was
melting at this time...
00:46:51.44\00:46:54.34
they faced the prospect
of death on many occasions,
00:46:54.38\00:46:57.55
but they finally got
to Elephant Island...
00:46:57.58\00:47:00.72
pause...
00:47:00.75\00:47:04.09
and Elephant
Island is a remote island
00:47:04.12\00:47:07.32
off the Antarctic Continent,
00:47:07.36\00:47:09.12
and so, for the
time being they were safe
00:47:09.16\00:47:11.49
but Shackleton knew
that he had to do something,
00:47:11.53\00:47:16.67
no one knew where they were...
00:47:16.70\00:47:19.53
obviously, this was the
time before mobile phones
00:47:19.57\00:47:22.27
or any modern communication,
00:47:22.30\00:47:23.71
they were so far south
00:47:23.74\00:47:25.81
that there was no
prospect of a ship passing by,
00:47:25.84\00:47:28.54
so, he knew that
someone had to leave that island
00:47:28.58\00:47:33.05
and get help.
00:47:33.08\00:47:35.62
So, he chose five other men
to accompany him on a voyage
00:47:35.65\00:47:41.66
across some of the
roughest waters on the planet
00:47:41.69\00:47:45.03
back to the end
of South Georgia.
00:47:45.06\00:47:47.10
An incredible journey...
00:47:47.13\00:47:51.37
So, there were...
there were three Irishmen,
00:47:51.40\00:47:53.64
an Englishman, a
Scotsman, and a New Zealander,
00:47:53.67\00:47:56.37
it seems like a joke
but it wasn't a joke.
00:47:56.40\00:47:58.77
Audience: Laughter.
00:47:58.81\00:48:00.48
Introducing there
was the Navigator...
00:48:00.51\00:48:02.88
and he did a fantastic job
00:48:02.91\00:48:05.05
they got across 800 miles...
00:48:05.08\00:48:07.18
1,200 kilometers of the
roughest seas in the world
00:48:07.22\00:48:10.05
to South Georgia...
00:48:10.09\00:48:11.42
an incredible voyage...
00:48:11.45\00:48:12.79
but they landed on the
wrong side of the island
00:48:12.82\00:48:16.96
from the only
settlement on the island.
00:48:16.99\00:48:18.89
So, Shackleton chose two men
00:48:18.93\00:48:25.80
to walk with him
across the island.
00:48:25.83\00:48:28.47
No sleep for 36
hours... an incredible...
00:48:28.50\00:48:33.58
and again an incredible feat
00:48:33.61\00:48:35.38
and they reached the
Whaling Station of Grytviken
00:48:35.41\00:48:43.05
and so, he
arranged for help to be sent
00:48:43.08\00:48:46.86
and the first ship couldn't
get through because of the ice,
00:48:46.89\00:48:53.70
two other
missions failed as well,
00:48:53.76\00:48:57.47
and finally, in August 4, 1916,
00:48:57.50\00:49:01.14
four months after he
had left Elephant Island,
00:49:01.17\00:49:06.57
they got through.
00:49:06.61\00:49:08.44
Now, can you imagine
how he must have felt
00:49:08.51\00:49:11.41
as they
approached Elephant Island.
00:49:11.45\00:49:14.62
Would the men that he
had left behind be alive?
00:49:14.65\00:49:19.05
What state of
health would they be in?
00:49:19.09\00:49:22.46
Well, the wonderful thing
is, that they were all alive.
00:49:22.49\00:49:28.53
This is a picture of
them actually saying goodbye
00:49:28.56\00:49:33.64
to Shackleton...
00:49:33.67\00:49:35.00
he actually gave them the
promise that he would come back.
00:49:35.04\00:49:39.01
Pause...
00:49:39.04\00:49:40.88
And this is a picture of
the rescue from Elephant Island.
00:49:40.91\00:49:47.45
He didn't lose a man.
00:49:47.48\00:49:51.52
They were all
returned to safety.
00:49:51.55\00:49:55.66
An incredible rescue...
00:49:55.69\00:49:58.09
and various
commentators have said
00:49:58.13\00:50:01.10
that if you're interested
in Scientific exploration,
00:50:01.16\00:50:04.80
you went with Scott...
00:50:04.83\00:50:06.67
if you're interested in
speed, you went with Amundsen,
00:50:06.74\00:50:11.27
but if you're interested
in getting back alive,
00:50:11.31\00:50:14.38
you went with Shackleton
00:50:14.41\00:50:16.38
because in all of his missions,
he never lost a person.
00:50:16.41\00:50:21.82
Pause...
00:50:21.85\00:50:23.72
Shackleton said to his
men there on Elephant Island,
00:50:23.75\00:50:26.82
"I will come back... "
00:50:26.86\00:50:29.02
and he went through so much
in order to keep that promise.
00:50:29.06\00:50:35.93
I know that's a
very pale reflection
00:50:35.96\00:50:40.30
of what Jesus has done for us.
00:50:40.34\00:50:44.37
Pause...
00:50:44.44\00:50:47.31
Jesus also promised,
"I will come again... "
00:50:47.34\00:50:51.25
and His promise is trustworthy,
His promise is true...
00:50:51.28\00:50:57.65
why can we say that?
00:50:57.69\00:51:00.39
Well, He also said,
00:51:00.42\00:51:03.06
"The Son of Man did
not come to be served
00:51:03.09\00:51:05.69
but to serve,
00:51:05.73\00:51:07.06
and to give his life
as a ransom for many. "
00:51:07.10\00:51:10.40
And that's exactly
what He did on the cross.
00:51:10.43\00:51:14.10
When He proclaimed,
"It is finished... "
00:51:14.14\00:51:17.77
He finished what He started...
00:51:17.81\00:51:20.08
He did what He
said He would do...
00:51:20.11\00:51:22.14
He died for mankind.
00:51:22.18\00:51:23.95
He gave His life
as a ransom for many.
00:51:23.98\00:51:27.88
He also said, "I
will rise again... "
00:51:27.92\00:51:31.92
and that's
exactly what Jesus did.
00:51:31.95\00:51:35.92
On the Sunday morning,
00:51:35.96\00:51:38.63
when His
followers went to the tomb,
00:51:38.66\00:51:41.80
the angel told them,
"He's not here... He's risen!"
00:51:41.83\00:51:46.74
You and I serve a
living Savior, a risen Savior.
00:51:46.77\00:51:51.64
Pause...
00:51:51.67\00:51:53.38
Jesus said... He would
die for mankind and He did.
00:51:53.41\00:51:56.08
He said that He
would rise again and He has
00:51:56.11\00:51:59.45
and so, we can
have every confidence
00:51:59.48\00:52:03.05
that when He said,
"I will come again... "
00:52:03.08\00:52:05.79
He will...
00:52:05.82\00:52:07.16
and he so
desperately wants to come back
00:52:07.19\00:52:11.39
to take His followers home...
00:52:11.43\00:52:14.13
to end this dark
world of sin and suffering,
00:52:14.16\00:52:17.20
and to usher in an eternity
00:52:17.23\00:52:20.27
free of pain and
suffering and pain.
00:52:20.30\00:52:23.91
His word is trustworthy
00:52:23.94\00:52:27.14
and so, in the meantime,
He calls upon us to watch
00:52:27.18\00:52:33.31
and to wait...
00:52:33.35\00:52:34.68
to work and to witness.
00:52:34.72\00:52:37.65
One person who did
that was Lord Shaftesbury
00:52:37.69\00:52:41.62
regarded as one of the
greatest Social Reformers
00:52:41.66\00:52:45.46
in British history
00:52:45.49\00:52:47.06
and what drove
him in his ministry
00:52:47.10\00:52:51.27
of helping the poor
and despised in society,
00:52:51.30\00:52:54.30
was his belief in
the return of Jesus.
00:52:54.34\00:52:58.21
That was the
driving force in his life
00:52:58.24\00:53:02.01
and one of his favorite verses
was Revelation 22 and verse 20,
00:53:02.04\00:53:08.72
it's actually one of
the verses on his tombstone.
00:53:08.75\00:53:10.89
"He which
testifieth these things saith,
00:53:10.92\00:53:14.46
'Surely I come quickly. '
00:53:14.52\00:53:16.69
Amen. Even so,
come, Lord Jesus. "
00:53:16.73\00:53:22.06
I pray that that would
be the prayer of our hearts,
00:53:22.10\00:53:26.43
that that would be
our deepest desire,
00:53:26.47\00:53:29.57
that that's what would
move us in our everyday lives,
00:53:29.60\00:53:33.21
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus. "
00:53:33.24\00:53:37.08
Let us pray,
00:53:37.11\00:53:38.78
"Father, Who art in heaven,
00:53:38.81\00:53:41.28
we want to thank You
for the tremendous hope
00:53:41.35\00:53:43.95
of the return of Your
Son and our Savior Jesus.
00:53:43.99\00:53:46.52
We pray that you'd help us to
respond in love and gratitude...
00:53:46.55\00:53:50.83
in service and
action to what He's done
00:53:50.86\00:53:53.13
and what He's promised
00:53:53.16\00:53:54.50
and help us to live
our lives in expectation
00:53:54.53\00:53:57.40
for that great day
00:53:57.43\00:53:58.77
is our prayer in
Jesus' name, amen. "
00:53:58.80\00:54:02.80
Audience: Amen.
00:54:02.84\00:54:04.17