Studies in Matthew - Waiting On the Return of Christ

I cannot count the times I have been asked the question, “So, what is your eschatological theology?” Christians seem fascinated with the prophecies on the return of Christ, the timing of the rapture, and all the other events scripture has presented to us for the future of the Kingdom of God. I have read many of the great books on the topic and heard many good sermons. And yes, yes, I have my opinion on the topic and if pressed on the matter, could take upon myself one of the labels we Christians have come up with that separate us on the end times. But as I continue to study the scriptures, I have grown into a place in which I believe is of greater importance than taking on a specific label.

The last two mornings I have been studying in Matthew, chapters 24 and 25. This section of scripture finds Jesus addressing the future of the coming Kingdom. He responds to this question of the disciples, as found in Matthew 24:3 that says, As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

Jesus responds to the question by explaining many things that will happen. He gives it to them as a warning not to be duped by the many false teachers that will come as seen in Matthew 24:4, And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.” Implied in this warning is the idea that we certainly ought to study the scriptures so we will not be misled.

Wars, famines, and earthquakes are signs of the nearing of the end, but Jesus compares them to the pains of an impending birth of a baby. Jesus warns us that there will be persecution. There will be hatred and betrayals. Lawlessness in increase. Love will grow cold. All things that seem to be happening right now in our land.

Jesus makes a statement that many misinterpret as meaning we can lose our salvation. He says in Matthew 24:13 that "The one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” That isn’t a suggestion that the saved might fall away, it is a statement that the true believers WILL come through the troubles of life and shall persevere.

As I study through Matthew 24 and 25, I realized I have become more concerned with what I will do as I wait upon His return, than I am about when He is coming.

Matthew 24:36
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

No one knows the day and hour of His return, yet we continue to see so-called prophets making predictions. The message of Jesus in this section of scripture is not to satisfy our curiosity of prophecy, but it is to tell us what to until He comes. Listen to what Jesus says.

Matthew 24:42
"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

 

Matthew 24:44
"For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Jesus proceeds in the end of chapter 24 and in 25 to explain what we need to be doing as we await His return.

Through several parables Jesus gives us our orders. The Parable of the Ten Virgins reminds us to be ready to meet our Bridegroom, Jesus, when the day of the wedding banquet comes. The Parable of the Talents teaches us to be faithful with what God has given us, whether we have a lot or a little, we must not squirrel it away. We are to live as investors of our lives, our money, talents, and time.

Jesus finishes up by making a stark comparison of two types of people. There are those who provide for the sick, the hungry, the naked, and the prisoners. There are those who do not. Listen to what He says to each of these two types of people.

Matthew 25:40
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

Matthew 25:45
"Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”

The way we treat people is the way we treat Jesus. Salvation is by faith alone, but true salvation will evidence itself in a new person, a person who seeks to meet the needs of others. This is what James means when he speaks of his works is how he shows his faith.

Jesus finishes up with a fearful warning that ought to wake us up to a life of service.

Matthew 25:41-43
"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;  for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;  I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.”

Matthew 25:46
"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Wow. Those are the words of Jesus. They ought to change the priorities of our lives. I love theology. There is nothing wrong with studying scripture, but if all we study it for is to defend our eschatology and our other doctrinal positions, then we’ve missed the message.

We do not know when Jesus will return. Rather than worry about that, we should simply be busy doing what He said to do. We must be prepared for His coming. He tells us here how to do that. Read these two chapters of Matthew and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and guide you. He’s coming back. What will He catch us doing when He comes?

Studies in the Psalms - Psalm 98

Psalm 98 is the primary psalm that Isaac Watts refers to in the great psalm, Joy to the World. Though we sing this song only at Christmas time, it is not really about the birth of Christ; it is about the second coming of Jesus. Obviously, if Jesus hadn’t come to the earth the first time, we’d have no reason to talk of a second coming. But He came and left us with the admonition to be ready when He returns. It is in His second coming that we can have hope for a world filled with violence and sin. Thus, we can have joy in this world.

Psalm 98:1-3

Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.  The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.  He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

God chose Israel to be His people, not because of their faithfulness, but because of His. They were the vehicle by which the Gospel was taken out to all the world, because through them came the very oracles of God, the Holy Scriptures.

Psalm 98:4-7
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!  Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!

Praise and worship are key elements of our faith. But many Christians today fail to live in joy. Many of us focus too much on the past. Our hurts and our sorrows will hold us down, if we let them be what defines us. For other Christians, it is the present that robs them of their joy. The Bible commands us to not let the past control our feelings. It commands us to be content in what we have today.

Isaiah 43:18-19
 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

That is God speaking. He goes on in in verses 20-21 to say that “…I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” The past will hinder that call to praise God.

As to the present circumstances we are in, they must not prevent us from being dedicated worshipers of Almighty God. Listen to the words of Paul.

Philippians 4:11
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Whatever your current place in life, Paul instructs us to be content, to even be weak. This contradicts worldly psychology, which tells you to be strong in yourself.

2 Corinthians 12:10
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So today, whatever things you have suffered through, or suffer with, Jesus is coming back to make them right. Your hope is in Him and Him alone.

Psalm 98:8-9
Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Christians must show the world a different response to all the wrongs of this world. Begin by following the refrain of this psalm.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!  Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!

Amen.

Studies in the Psalms - Psalm 45

Psalm 45 is clearly a messianic psalm in which we see snapshot of the Second Coming of Jesus. This is a clear example of the need for careful study of the scriptures, as some try and deny this as messianic, particularly those who also deny the deity of Christ. This psalm is quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9 and clearly seen in Revelation 19:6-21.

Psalm 45:1-2

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.  You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.

There have been many handsome men in this world, but none can stand up to the attractiveness of Jesus. No man has ever had the type of grace that Jesus speaks out from His lips to us. Like the psalmist, our hearts should overflow with praise to our King Jesus.

Psalm 45:3-5
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty!  In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!  Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you.

The modern church loves to speak of the love of God, which is a love beyond any comparison. But the truth is this; God is also a god of war. Some 270 times in the Bible God is called the Lord of Hosts or the God of Hosts. The Hebrew word translated here for hosts means armies and speaks of God as the head of a great army. God is at war with sin and with Satan. He led Israel into great physical battles and He still leads us in great spiritual ones. Paul addressed this in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 instructing us that “though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” We are at war.

Take notice of three words from this psalm. They are key to the war that is being fought this very day all around us. The words are truth, meekness, and righteousness. These three words are being stomped on today in the battle against God and His people. Just look at the internet or turn on the news.

But there is hope. That hope is in the return of Christ.

Psalm 45:6-7
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;  you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.

Did you catch that? Jesus loves righteousness and He hates wickedness. He is coming back to establish truth, meekness, and righteousness.

And the church can rejoice in this hope for we are His bride. And Jesus is preparing us for the coming wedding.

Psalm 45:10-15
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father’s house,  and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him.  The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people.  All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.  In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her.  With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.

Amid the turmoil of this life, we can and must have joy and gladness, for we are His bride. He is preparing us for that wedding and He shall not let anything stop it. He is our lord, so we must bow to Him.

The name of Jesus is the name above all names. He is coming back. Be looking for Him. Be focused on him. The world wants to deny and malign Him. The world hates His very name. But God will not let that happen.

Psalm 45:17
I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

This is Jesus. One day the nations will praise Him forever and ever. Until then, we fight. We fight for Jesus and the victory has already been one at Calvary. Put on your spiritual armor and stand firm until He returns.