The New Testament regularly presents Christians as a People waiting for Jesus to reappear. For 2,000 years, in countries throughout the earth and under circumstances of every kind, Christians have waited and continue to wait. Why is this waiting necessary? It is necessary because the work through which God is accomplishing his redemptive purpose does not happen immediately or all at once, but in three separate stages. Each stage begins with an appearance by Jesus Christ. One is present; one is past; one is future (Heb. 9:24-28). Let us consider each of the three in turn. Present ('now to … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2014
A PEOPLE IN WAITING
What is a Christian? Just ask Peter, James, Paul, Luke, or the anonymous author of Hebrews. Christians, they will tell you, are people in waiting. But waiting for whom or for what? The most important question is "for whom do we wait?" To which the answer is that we wait for "a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20). Like the Thessalonians, our conversion involved a full-body turn from every lesser allegiance, "to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven . . ." Jesus our Lord is our Savior as well, who will rescue us from the wrath to come (1 Thes. 1:10). But that … [Read more...]
JESUS LENS READS ‘DO’ AND SAYS ‘DONE’
It was a typical Monday morning in the old Harris County Civil Court House in downtown Houston, Texas. I was one of many lawyers waiting to argue either for or against a motion in some lawsuit, listening to the proceedings until my case was called. A lawyer before me had filed a motion and the judge had granted it, but the lawyer kept arguing his point. Finally the judge interrupted him, "You can stop talking," the judge said with a smile. "I have already granted your motion." The motion had reached its "end" in two senses. Having achieved its purpose it had no reason to continue. Similarly, … [Read more...]