LONG FOR HIS COMING 2 Timothy 4:8
“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,the righteous judge , will award me on that day and not only me but also to all who have longed for his coming”
The great profit and promise due to all those who earnestly yearn and are desirous to be partakers of his glorious kingdom.
WHO IS COMING
Who exactly is coming ? whose coming should all the inhabitants of the earth be thirstily and perseveringly anxious about ? it is the coming of the Lords beloved son, one who baptises with the Holy spirit,the forgiver of sins, the greatest healer, the good shepperd, the hope of all nations, the one who has authority over the heaven and the earth, he who conquered death, the one who shall judge all on the judgement day. Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour.
WHY IS HE COMING
Why is it important for him to come ? why must he come ? couldnt he just stay put in heaven and do his chores ? Believe me brethren,he sowed some seeds over two thousand years ago. When he said in Mark 16:15-16.”Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and his baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Truely, harvet time must be near, harvest time is closing in on us fast! He said “Let both grow together until harvest, at that time, i will tell the harvester first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned , then gather the wheat and bring them into my barn”Mathew 13:30
“ And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from the four wind, from one end of the heavens to the other” Mathew 24:31
So, WHEN IS HE COMING
An unresolved mistery,hidden from all parties involved , no one knows. even the Son reiterate this when asked about the time. He said “no one knows about the day or hour,not even the Angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the father. Mathew 24:36, Mark 13:32
Luke answered them thus “ it is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. Acts 1:7. In the book of 1Thesalonians 5:2 and 2Peter 3:10 it is written “ for you know very well that the day of our Lord will come like a thief in the night. “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour “ Mathew
25:13,24:50 Mark 13:35
THE COMING
“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory”Luke 21:27. “ At that time the sign of the Son of Man appear in the sky and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory: Mathew 24:30
STATE OF LONGING FOR HIS COMING
Our faith and believe should not be in a state of compromise.
To achieve, attain and be ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ We must become a new creation ,a new person, begin a new life of holiness through the power and under the influence of the Holy Spirit .In other words “you must be born again” John 3:7. You must also “ love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your souls and with all your mind. This is the greatest commandment and the second is like it , love your neighbour as yourself, all the laws and the Prophets hang on this two commandments” Matthew 22:37-40, Deuteronomy 6:5-9 . I will appeal to you brethren “now that you know these things , you will be blessed if you do them” John 13:17.
It is WORTHY TO NOTE that some of us have said as they have said, “where is the coming he promised ? Ever since our fathers died , everything goes on as it has since the begining of creation” 2 Peter 3:4
Ezekiel 12:22-23 “ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends, with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day” Psalm 90: 4, 2 Peter 3:8. Understand this “ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” 2 Peter 3:9. “For the revelation awaits an appointed time, it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers ,wait for it , it will certainly come and will not delay” Habakkuk 2:3. Verily i say onto you brothers and sisters , our Lord Jesus may come now,today, tomorrow, next week, next month , next year or even in the next one hundred or thousand years. The most important thing to you and i is to be ready for his coming and if we die before he comes , let it be with assurance that we will rise with him in Glory. It is said “the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed” 1 Corinthians 15:52