I've heard it all of my life that "Jesus is Coming Soon". With every major seemingly prophetic event I would hear preachers caution that the return of the Lord was soon.
Well, we are still here, and Jesus has not returned. Is He still coming back?
Let's go back to what Jesus said before He left...
When Jesus ascended back to heaven, his last words were: "Why are you looking up in the sky? This same Jesus you see being taken into heaven, will come back in the same way as you have seen him go into heaven."
So how is this going to happen? It's pretty hard for us to comprehend this. So, this means Jesus will come floating back down in the same way and place as He did then? How will Fox News or CNN report that event? That's going to be quite a news story don't you think?
If you are a believer in Christ, there is no reason not to believe it. I think those of us who have been a believer and part of a church have gotten weary over the years. We are told he's coming back, and the condition of the world gets worse and worse, yet He has not returned. I have heard many preachers say that they believed the Lord's return would be in their lifetime. Yet, time continues to pass.
Even in Jesus' day his disciples and followers were expecting him to return in THEIR lifetime. I'm sure they had no idea that we would still be waiting over 2,000 years later.
Sadly, when you hear people say that Jesus is coming soon it is in the form of a protest and made into some kind of negative thing. I have always said that many times it is the way we say things that make a difference. We need to make it a positive thing instead of a condemning thing. Another thing that bothers me is some of these TV preachers who will try to tell you that they know when Jesus is coming back as if they have some sort of insider information when the Bible also says that no one knows the day or time. No one means NO ONE. Don't send your money to a preacher who claims to know it and will sell you their book which will tell you.
The disciples asked Jesus what the signs of his return were. In Matthew 24, He tells them:
Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming "I am the Messiah" and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold but to the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations AND THEN THE END WILL COME.
I think a lot of this has already happened or continuing to happen so I'm wondering how much more needs to occur before Jesus returns. He repeated that many will be deceived. I don't think there is a time in history that people are more deceived than now. Over the past few years, I have heard some politician is said to be "the Messiah" is even more sign of how easily our society can be deceived. The single most important thing is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and not with a church organization or political party.
In the Jordan Feliz song, it encourages us....
Have you ever thought that the world has kinda lost its way?Crazy as it seems, yeah, I know it's gonna be okay
It doesn't scare me, it's temporary
There's something better, we got forever
And it won't be long, 'cause we know our help is on the way
The way
So, keep your head up
Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back
No, don't you give up
Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back
And when the world gets complicated
We're gonna keep on celebrating
'Cause we know (yeah, we know)
Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back
