Articles
What A Day That Will Be
What A Day That Will Be
Acts 1:10-11—And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Jesus was put to death, buried in a tomb that could not hold him. Coming out of that tomb alive, he walked for a period of time with his disciples and now they stand watching him ascend into heaven. As they do so, they are told that just as he has ascended into heaven, one day he will come back again. This is one of the great exciting and important promises in all of the Bible (John 14:1-3). Hear Paul as he reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When he comes again, all the secrets of the heart will be revealed; Solomon declared long ago that everything that is hidden, whether it be good or evil, every act will be brought into the judgment (Romans 2:16, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). There is nothing that escapes the eye of God (Proverbs 15:3. Hebrews 4:13). When he comes again, it will be with his mighty angels in flaming fire dealing out retribution to all who know not God and did not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
No one knows the day or the hour when he will come again but rest assured, that day will come (Matthew 24:36-39, 2 Peter 3:10-16). It is tragic that so many people are too busy with their own agenda to know God and obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. People so wrapped up in gazing at the day to day affairs of their life; gazing at things of this world so intently that the return of Jesus is given little or no consideration. His return will be for many a day of business as usual but that will end instantly. His return will be unexpected by many who will be caught in the very act of sin. His return will be sudden and all the routines of this life will end in just a twinkle of the eye. There will be no time for any last minute preparations. No more sermons will be preached, no more invitations extended. The day of grace and opportunity will be gone forever, too late be become a child of God. It will be too late for the lukewarm, indifferent, unfaithful church member to suddenly be concerned about what they may have or may not have done. The refrain, “Sad, sad, that bitter wail—Almost, but lost”, says it so well.
Today, I urge all of us to think seriously about these words from one of our grand old songs, Will Jesus Find Us Watching: “Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching, In His glory they shall share; If He shall come at the dawn or midnight, will He find us watching there? O can we say we are ready, brother? Ready for the soul’s bright home? Say will He find you and me still watching, Waiting, waiting when the Lord shall come?
“Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus (Rev 22:20)
Charles Hicks, Gallatin Tennessee
