Coming Again to Judge

Twenty-third after Trinity

Collect: O God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all godliness; Be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church; and grant that those things which we ask faithfully we may obtain effectually; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Text: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

Harold Camping, founder of the Family Radio network, got interested in Bible numerology which he thought revealed Bible secrets. In 1992 he published a a book speculating that Christ would return on or about September 6, 1994. He kept studying and finally predicted the world would end on May 21, 2011. He re-calculated and said the end would come on September 21. Camping is dead, his radio network wrecked, lives of some followers ruined.

1. Jesus will come.

Jesus came, died, rose, ascended and poured out his Holy Spirit on the church. What’s next? He will come again. He came the first time to inaugurate his kingdom. He will come again to consummate his everlasting kingdom.

Jesus promised his disciples that, though he was leaving, he would return for them: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Jn. 14:3). St. Paul calls Christ’s future coming “the blessed hope.” But that hope causes fear and confusion - even for Christians.

One of the most important writings of the Apostles dealing with Christ’s return is 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers,

about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve

as others do who have no hope. For since we believe

      that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through

      Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen

      asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from

the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until

the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who

have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend

from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice

of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet

of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we

who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together

with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,

and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Thessalonian Christians were unsure what had happened to their fellow believers who had died. Would they miss out on the wonderful things that would happen when the Lord returns? Paul wrote to clear this us. Those who have died are with Jesus, and, when he comes, he will bring them them with him. He will come with lots of noise announcing his arrival - a cry of command, the voice of an archangel, the sounding of a trumpet. Those he brings with him will be raised from their graves, and their bodies and souls reunited. Then those who are alive will be transformed to share in resurrection glory. In the ancient times when a ruler approached a city, leading citizens would go out to meet him on the road and escort him into the city. So believers, those dead who are raised and those alive whose bodies will be transformed into resurrection glory, together will form the entourage who meet Christ in the air and accompany him to the earth. Then all God’s people will be with together and with Christ forever.

Notice there is nothing about a secret coming of Christ, or secret rapture or snatching up the church. There is nothing about Christians being taken out of the world to heaven for a period of while the earth undergoes a tribulation. There is a single coming of the Lord. His coming will be visible, personal, bodily.

The Bible tells us to do three things in anticipation of Christ’s coming:

• Be prepared. Prepared means we do not live as most people do, as though this world is all there is will go on till the universe winds down and goes cold. We live knowing Christ is coming and ready to welcome him. As J.I. Packer put it, Christians should live as those “all packed up and ready to go.”

• Don’t panic, but look forward to his coming with joy as the day we will gain the fullness of salvation. If we have what the Prayer Book calls a “lively faith” in Christ and his saving work, there is no need for us to fear. Rather we look forward happily to his coming.

• Be busy doing the work of the Lord. Our Lord told a story of a man who gave to his servants an amount of money and said, “Occupy (or do business) till I come.” A long time later the man returned and called in his servants to see how they had handled his money. One had made a 100% profit; one had made a 50% profit; and one didn’t even put his money in the bank to earn interest but wrapped it in a handkerchief and buried it in the ground. The man who had given out the money was pleased with the first two servants but greatly displeased with the last. The Lord does not want us to sit but to work at our jobs, care for our families, do good in the world, and invest our lives in strengthening and expanding his church.

2. Jesus will judge.

When Christ comes he will judge the quick and the dead. Now you know that “quick” does not mean “fast.” People used call the moment a mother first felt her baby move the “quickening.” They thought mistakenly it was the moment the baby came alive. Jesus will judge the quick, the living, and the dead - those who are alive at his coming, and those who are dead who will be raised to face judgment.

Future judgment is certain. The writer of Hebrews wrote “for it is appointed unto man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). The one who will judge is Jesus Christ himself. Jesus said: “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” (Jn. 5:22). He will “judge the living and the dead” (Jn. 5:22).

The Apostle Paul preached in Athens:

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because

he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and

of this he has given assurance to all by raising him

from the dead” (Acts 17:30,31).

For Christians, Judgment Day will mean two things:

• We will give an account of our lives. What use have we made of them? Have we lived as those who are bought with the price of Christ’s precious blood? Have we “done God’s business”?

• We will be vindicated before the the world. Christ will acknowledge us as those he loves, for whom he died, who are his fellow heirs. We need not fear the final outcome of our judgment for God has already made known to us. If our faith is in Christ, we are justified - irrevocably declared right and accepted before God forever.

For unbelievers the Judgement Day is a day to dread for it will mean their doom. Christ is a a good and fair Judge. But he will mete out to the unrepentant what they deserve for their rebellion and wickedness. Hell is real. It is the destiny of those who do not take advantage of the day of mercy and receive the salvation Christ freely gives.

I hate to think about the judgment of the unrepentant. I hope you do, too. But there is great injustice, wickedness, rebellion against God, and persecution of God’s people in this world. Think if there were no judgment. It would mean there would be no reckoning and injustice would prevail forever. God would not be vindicated if there is not just final judgment.

The good news for all is that it is not too late to repent and believe the Gospel. All can be saved from eternal condemnation and experience eternal joy.

The Anglican priest, John Newton, wrote these words:

Day of judgment, day of wonders!

Hark! the trumpet's awful sound,

Louder than a thousand thunders,

Shakes the vast creation round!

How the summons

Will the sinner's heart confound!

See the Judge our nature wearing,

Clothed in majesty divine!

You who long for his appearing

Then shall say, "This God is mine!"

Gracious Savior,

Own me on that day for thine!

At his call the dead awaken,

Rise to life from earth and sea;

All the powers of nature shaken

By his look, prepare to flee:

Careless sinner,

What will then become of thee?

But to those who have confessed,

Loved, and served the Lord below;

He will say, "Come near ye blessed,

See the kingdom I bestow:

You for ever

Shall my love and glory know."