Chapter Thirteen: The Appearing of the Glory of Our Great God and Savior
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Christ is coming again! We do not know when, but He has promised He will as Luke records the words of Jesus, For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
The time of his suffering is past. Instead of rejection there will be submission, instead of meekness there will be power, instead of being judge He will judge.
Piper writes that, “He [God] created in order to have beneficiaries who magnify his bounty. And he will bring history to an end as the everlasting Giver. From beginning to end his aim is the same: ‘the praise of his glorious grace’. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us love his appearing.”
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)
In the midst of our struggles and suffering, let us find hope in the coming of our great God and Savior and the final redemption of His people.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:26-30 (ESV)
P.S. Please feel free to share your comments and questions.
Rob
How can I read those verses and not simply fall down and worship Jesus Christ on the spot? For I know how dark my own heart is, which leaves me in awe and humility when I consider how He “gave himself … to redeem (me) from all lawlessness…”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:42-43
That amongst the millions, billions who will approach the throne that day, Jesus would pick me out and say, “I remember you.” Is too marvelous to even begin to grasp in my heart. Fortunately his is big enough.