Friday, December 12, 2014
Revelation 1:7 (NKJV) Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
HE IS COMING AGAIN IN GLORY
ADVENT means COMING. Thus during the season of Advent we prepare for the celebration of Christ's first coming in humility while also preparing for His Second Coming in glory. Today we are reminded that He is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
CHRIST didn't look the part of a conqueror in Bethlehem. He was born of a distant relative of King David in a tiny little Judean town. He grew up in obscurity, humanly speaking.
CHRIST didn't look the part of a conqueror on Calvary. He was beaten beyond recognition (cf. Isaiah 52:14) and bleeding carried His own means of execution partway to Calvary. They laid Him upon it and nailed Him fast. He bled and died.
CHRIST set aside the full use of His divine power in order to redeem you and me. He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. But what appeared to be an insignificant death under horrible circumstances was the most important death of all.
CHRIST will look the part of conqueror when He comes again in glory. He will not return quietly and humbly but on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will not appear to a single nation or a select few but to the entire mass of humanity. He will appear as Savior to those who eagerly wait for Him (Hebrews 9:28) but for those who have rejected Him, He will appear as fearful judge. Until that day we pray that Christ would continue to cleanse, comfort, strengthen and build us up for that Day.
CHRIST who came in humility to save will come again in glory to judge, and so we live as if He died yesterday, rose today, and is coming back tomorrow.
Jesus comes on clouds triumphant when the heavens shall pass away;
Jesus comes again in glory. Let us, then, our homage pay,
Alleluia! Ever singing till the dawn of endless day.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 56:5)
