CHRISTIAN FAMILY FELLOWSHIP, PDO-MUSCAT
Brethren…..waiting to receive Him
Introduction:
The scriptures foretold the first and second advent of Jesus (Isaiah 9, vs 6; Genesis 49, vs lob). But when the Messiah arrived at His first advent, the world was not ready for Him. Even the Jews who had been expecting the Messiah refused to accept Him. He was hated, betrayed and killed. Some disciples abandoned Him (John 6, vs 65-49). His own brothers and sisters, including James who later became an apostle, did not believe Him. But, Jesus told us that He will come again in His glory (Matthew 25, vs 31). Will the world be
ready to receive Him this second time? How ready are we for His imminent arrival?
What Implications for me as a Christian?
If we believe in Jesus, what are the logical implications to us as Christians?.
2. If Jesus has divine power, He has the supernatural ability to guide me, help and transform me as I follow Him (2 Cor. 5 vs 17).
3. If Jesus personally knows the pain of loss and suffering, He can comfort and encourage me in the midst of turbulence that He himself warned is inevitable in the world corrupted by sin
4. If Jesus loves me as He says, He has my best interest at heart. Therefore, I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by fully submitting myself to Him and His purpose.
5. If Jesus is who He claims to be, He deserves my allegiance, obedience and worship.
6. If Jesus rose from the dead, He is still alive today and available for me to encounter on a personal basis.
7. If Jesus conquered death, He can open the door of eternal life for me, too (John 3, vs 16).
8. If Jesus promised to come again, He cannot fail: the time is nigh.
An Equation for Faith:
In order to enter into an ongoing relationship with Jesus, and be adopted into God’s family:
Believe + Receive = Become (John 1, vs 12)
Believe: Jesus is the Son of God who died as my substitute to pay the penalty I deserved for the
sins/wrongdoing I had committed. Our sins have separated us from God who is wholly and morally pure. We need the cross of Jesus to bridge the gulf that has separated us from God. (1 Peter, 3, vs 18)
Receive: His amazing grace which is available to anyone who receives it in a sincere prayer of repentance. Every other religion is based on a ado" plan - it was necessary for people to do something to be able to earn their way back to God. For example, use a Tibetan wheel, pay alms, go on pilgrimages, undergo reincarnation, work off karma from past misdeeds, etc. But Christianity is unique. It is based on a ~done’ plan. Jesus has done on the cross what we cannot do ourselves: He has paid the death penalty that we deserved for our rebellion so that we can become reconciled with God. (Eph 2, vs 8-9; Titus 3, vs 5).
Become: A member of God’s family, a new experience, become something different. A child of God, forever adopted into His family through Jesus. As we endeavour to follow Jesus’ teachings and open ourselves to His transforming power, our priorities, values and character will gradually change (2 Cor. 5 vs 17).
Where are we at the turn of the new millennium?
Jesus promised that He was going to prepare a place for us, to which He would come and take us (John 14, vs 3). He could return in His glory at the turn of the new millennium. Are we waiting to receive Him? He will come when we least expect Him. There is no other time than now that the world least expects Him. Everyone is talking about the Y2K bug, and very few people are thinking about receiving Jesus. Where will he find us if He comes now? (Luke 12, vs 40)
The Bible says in Heb 9:28 "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."