“It’s critically important for us to believe in Jesus’ ascension and return because it gives us hope. If we don’t believe in those things it’s very difficult for our faith to be a living and hopeful faith. Our faith will be a dead faith. It will be like Karl Marx used to say, just an opiate or the opium of the people. It will just be about taking peoples’ minds away from their problems, without solving their problems.
If Jesus could defeat death, then one day he will come and restore his kingdom.
But if we believe in Jesus’ ascension into heaven – and I will explain what that means – and we believe that one day he will come back, our faith is not just a faith to distract people from their problems, it’s not just a faith which is like a coping mechanism. No! It’s a genuine faith that has a genuine historical basis and that one day will have a significant reward at the end: because Jesus will come. For if he could defeat death, then one day he will come and restore his kingdom.
So our faith is a living faith, it’s a hopeful faith, it’s not a dead faith, it’s not a survival faith.”
I Believe in Jesus’ Ascension & Return
Nic Kyalangalilwa delivers his fifth in a nine week sermon series unpacking the foundations of the Christian faith – working through the Apostles’ Creed, a statement of belief penned in the 4th Century AD.
The Apostles’ Creed is really the foundation of what a Christian believes.
“It’s really the foundation of what a Christian believes. This is what makes the difference between what we would call a Christian faith, and a non-Christian faith.”
This sermon looks at the fifth section which walks through Jesus’ ascension and return: what happened, what will happen, and why it’s important to all of us today.
What Is Jesus Doing Today?
In Acts 1:9 we read that Jesus went up into heaven – he ascended into the place where God is. I think the Bible is very clear about the position and influence that Jesus has. He is seated at the right hand of God – this is a position of incredible influence.
That then begs the question, what does he use this influence for? This is one of the most important things to understand about Jesus’ ascension – what he is doing up in heaven.
Well, he is using the position of power to influence God’s mind for his people. So you hear he says he is interceding for us. He is making intercession for us; he is praying for us; advocating for us; defending us.
He’s Got My Back
So Jesus is not in heaven eating chicken and fries. Jesus is not in heaven singing hallelujah. Jesus is not in heaving sleeping and saying “I had a really, really hard time on earth so now I’m going to sit down and sleep and get some rest. And then you will just remind me again when I need to get up and judge humanity”. No. He’s sitting there and he’s pleading with his father, he is interceding with his father, because he’s watching over his people.
I know Jesus has my back! He’s fighting for me, he’s interceding for me, he’s pleading with his father – for me.
So I wonder, why is it that Christians are too scared? Why is it that we’re too worried? How come? Because we have somebody who’s defending us from the place where all things come from.
This is why Jesus’ Ascension gives me so much comfort. I know Jesus has my back! He’s fighting for me, he’s interceding for me, he’s pleading with his father – for me.
Jesus Is Coming Back as Judge
But also, it’s scary to know that he’s coming back – which is our second point. Jesus will come back as a judge one day. He will come to judge the living and the dead. The Bible teaches that. Acts 1:11 says, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
He went up as a risen saviour, but Jesus will come back as a judging king.
Because Jesus went up he will come down. But guess what, he went up as a risen saviour, Jesus will come back as a judging king.
Now I like to say Jesus is not coming back to save people. There won’t be any time for salvation. He’s coming to judge the rebels, he’s coming to judge the people who did not believe in him while they had the chance.
Are You Ready?
So the really big question is are you ready? Are you eager for him to come back and set all things right? Do you know he said he will come like a thief in the night – that we won’t know the day or the time?
“My job is really to plead with you. I’m here to beg you, cry and say, “Please! Please make sure you are reconciled with Jesus. Now. Because when King Jesus comes back you don’t want to be among those who are still rebels. You don’t want to be among those who reject him. You don’t.”
Understanding The Apostles’ Creed
Find the other sermons in this series here:
- I Believe… In God, The Father Almighty
- I Believe… In God The Creator
- I Believe… In Jesus’ Incarnation
- I Believe… In Jesus’ Death & Resurrection
- I Believe… In Jesus’ Ascension & Return
- I Believe… In The Holy Spirit
- I Believe… In The Church
- I Believe… In The Life Everlasting
Date preached: 8 May 2016
Text: Acts 1:1-11
Location: Le Phare Church, Bukhavu, DRC-Congo
Transcript
If it is your first time here – welcome again! As I said earlier on we’ve been doing a series of teaching on the foundations of the Christian faith. Literally we’ve been asking ourselves these questions: “What do Christians believe? What is it that Christians believe that makes them different from non-Christians?”
What Makes Christianity Different?
Now, there are many religions on this planet and we are not the only religious people. Actually it’s interesting, I was watching at home, and I think if you are on canal+ at some point today I think at 9:40, or twenty to ten, there is a documentary on national geographic about the story of God. And the question the guy is asking is he’s saying, “Why is it that all these people believe? Why is it that all these people around the world are religious?”
Well yes, we agree that people are naturally inclined to believe and be religious. But Christians say that they are very different from all the other religions. And what are those distinctives, what are those things that makes Christians different?
Well, that’s the purpose of our study. And I think we are almost half way through. We started a few weeks ago and I think we are half way through.
The Apostles’ Creed
Now the key to our study is a passage that we call the Apostles’ Creed. It is a resume, a summary, of what Christians have believed throughout the ages that the Bible teaches. And that’s what we’ve been studying, and I will encourage us to read it now.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the place of the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father,
I believe he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy universal Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Focusing on Jesus’s Ascension & Return
So now if you remember we’ve done most of this creed. We are now at the section which says “he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, he will come again to judge the living and the dead.”
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
What we are saying is I believe in Jesus. I believe in Jesus not only that he was born of the Virgin Mary, not only that he suffered under Pontius Pilate,
but I also believe that he ascended into heaven, and is seated in the position of power at the right hand of the Father, and that one day he will come again. Not to save his people, but to be a judge of the living and the dead.
And so what the subject really this evening is about the ascension of Jesus – so I believe that he ascended into heaven – and actually the coming back of Jesus, which we call the return of Jesus.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Now if you were not anyway familiar with what we call the Church calendar, throughout the year there is like a Church calendar which is kind of different from the normal calendar, you would not know that today is what we call Ascension Sunday. It’s because on Thursday, the 5th of May, throughout the world the Christians celebrate the ascension of Jesus.
What Is Ascension?
Now what is ascension? Well ascension really means, comes from the verb ascending, which is going up. So Christians believe that Jesus went up into heaven. So he was taken up from his position on earth and went up into heaven. And that is 40 days after he rose again from the dead.
Now the question is what is the importance and the significance of the ascension? Why is the ascension so important?
Now I think the text we read this evening actually helps us a lot. Because there’s people saying in verse 11 – if you come with me to Acts 1:11 it says, “Why are you looking into the heaven? For Jesus was taken up from you into heaven”, this Jesus who ascended into heaven, “will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
So I think those two are very linked. If he went up, he will come down. If he ascended, one day he will return – one day he will descend.
But When Will Jesus Install His Kingdom?
Now let me say something quickly before we move into our text.
Now sometimes if you notice the disciples in Acts 1:6 they say to Jesus when. When Lord, will you restore the kingdom to Israel? And they were right. Jesus has just woken up from the dead. Jesus was crucified like a criminal and he used to tell them, you will kill me, and one day I will rise again (Mark 10:33-34). And then what? They were mocking him, and they were spitting on him, and they were laughing at him. But in the end that Jesus rose from the dead. He was there. You could see him (Mark 16:9-14).
Now his disciple says, if you are a king, and Jesus is a king – remember we discussed that earlier on, because that’s what he is. If you are a king, who even death cannot do anything wrong to, now why don’t we start reigning now? Why don’t we start showing all your enemies that you are powerful? Why don’t you install your kingdom here – right here and right now?
My kingdom is not for now. You must go out and make many other disciples.
That’s men thinking. Men thinking is just that God really will reign here. Well God’s thinking is not the same is it? On the contrary, Jesus says to them in Acts 1:7-8, that actually my kingdom is not for now. You must go out and make many other disciples. You must go out under the power of the Spirit and get many others. Then, and only then, will my kingdom come.
Jesus was very clear. That for some time he needed to be gone, he needed to ascend so as later on his kingdom can come.
We Live In A Very Special Time
And so we mean to look at the meaning of the ascension and the return of Jesus. And I think both of them go together, right? So I will look at the ascension first and argue, my friend, that we live in a very, very special time. I think no other age in the history of the world has lived in such a great and fantastic time as we who live after Jesus has ascended into heaven.
The second thing we will look at is Jesus’ return: why is it important? And then in the end we will try and apply both points.
It’s important for us to believe in the ascension of Jesus and his return because it gives us hope.
But let me argue this, that it’s important for us to believe in the ascension of Jesus and his return because it gives us hope. If we don’t believe in those things it’s very difficult for our faith to be a living and hopeful faith. Our faith will be a dead faith. It will be like Karl Marx used to say, just an opiate or the opium of the people. It will just be to take peoples’ minds away from their problems, but it can’t solve their problems.
What Makes Christianity A Living Faith?
But if we believe that Jesus ascended into heaven – and I will explain what that means – and we believe that one day he will come back, our faith is not just a faith to distract people from their problems, it’s not just a faith which is like a coping mechanism. Now I don’t know how many of you know the word cope, but to cope is a way to deal with life. You know when life is difficult you are trying to survive. That’s the word cope.
If Jesus could defeat death, then one day he will return and restore his kingdom.
It’s not a survival mechanism. It’s not a mechanism to understand the difficulties of life. No! It’s a genuine faith that has a genuine historical base and that one day we will have a significant reward at the end. Because Jesus will come. And if he could defeat death, then one day he will come and restore his kingdom. So our faith is a living faith, it’s a hopeful faith, it’s not a dead faith, it’s not a survival faith.
Let’s start with the ascension.
As I said the title, if you are arriving just now, is that we are living in a special time after the ascension of Jesus.
The Historical Record of Jesus’ Ascension
Now let me just say that the ascension of Jesus is a very historically documented text. Now the book of Acts, if you don’t know, if a very historical document. Now come to me to Acts 1:1. Now you will see what does it say? It says “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.”
What is he saying? He is saying that this is my second book. Now who is writing? Now we know that it’s Luke – an historian – who wrote it. Now I will ask you to come with me to Luke 1. It says this is tome two of a book, so let’s go and see what tome one said!
Luke’s Orderly Account
Now here’s tome 1. Luke 1:1-4: “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”
This is not fiction. This is not philosophy. This is not even somebody’s idea! This is genuine history.
Now we have two people. Luke, who is a medical doctor, writing to his friend – we don’t really know who he was – Theophilus. And he says to Theophilus, I know you say you are Christian, I know you say you believe. But do you know that what you believe has an historical basis? Do you know that what you believe is not just something that somebody dreamt one day? It is actually something that really, really happened. Well, let me tell you that what you believe is actually historical in really happening history. and he says, that’s why I’ve undertaken to write an orderly account. He is writing history.
This is not fiction. This is not philosophy. This is not even somebody’s idea! This is genuine history.
This Is Genuine History
And he said what did he do? Well notice the Luke 1:2. He says there’ve been eyewitnesses – there’ve been people who saw this thing. And he says, to those people I’ve spoken. I’ve investigated and I’ve found all these things and I’m telling you.
So in tome one he’s really telling from the birth of Jesus – from before actually the birth of Jesus – to when Jesus rises from the dead. Now in book two he starts telling people from when Jesus is taken up to when the gospel gets to Rome with Paul.
The ascension of Jesus is an historical event. It’s not some figment of Christian imagination.
So I want to say one thing my dear friend. The ascension of Jesus is an historical event. It’s not some figment of Christian imagination. It’s not a thing Christians like to believe. It genuinely happened, because the person who writes it spoke to people who were there and who saw it happen. He didn’t make it up. So we have here an historical event.
Where Is Jesus Today?
Now the question everybody says is, “Where is Jesus today?” If Jesus went up into the heavens – that’s what it says isn’t it? In Acts 1:9. “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight”. So literally, as he was talking, they could see that Jesus was taken up and at one point he disappeared because a cloud took him.
Later on in Acts 1:11 we see that the man says, “Men of Galilee”, just like you saw him being taken into heaven. So Christians say that he ascended into heaven – that’s the word we use. God is heaven.
Jesus is not in the sky.
You see many people have been very disappointed that when they’ve gone up into the sky in a plane they couldn’t see God. They felt that Jesus had gone up into the sky at some point. And so because he was taken up, surely Jesus is somewhere? Surely the heaven is somewhere? And so as they got there they are like, “But we can’t see God! Where is God here?”
Where Is Heaven?
I think a little clarification here is important. When the Bible uses the word heaven or clouds it means three things. First of all it just means cloud – like skies. That’s what it means. So sometimes it says the heavens and you look and you see the skies and the clouds like me and you would see them.
But that’s when it’s talking about general things. But when it’s talking about God the Bible means the state in which God is: the everlasting, self-sustaining state. It does not mean the sky. It means a different kind of environment, a different kind of world in which God exists, which is not visible to our eye and it does not necessarily mean it is up in the sky.
When it talks of heaven with regard to men it’s talking about the same thing. So when the Bible says, “we shall be taken up into the heavens” (1 Thessalonians 4:17), my dear friend don’t go home grinning that you will also just go up in the clouds like that and disappear. No! It’s saying we will be taken up into the world in which God exists, a self-sustaining world, and endless world, an eternal world, which is not the same as the world in which we are now.
A Different, Real & Invisible World
Now tell me is heaven up, is heaven down, is heaven left, is heaven right? I don’t know. Because the Bible doesn’t tell us. What the Bible tells us is heaven is not necessarily the sky, it’s a different environment; it’s a different world. It’s a real world, but it’s invisible to me and you.
Heaven has three meanings: sky, the existence of God in his world, and men joined to this existence.
So don’t come and tell me that Jesus is in the sky – because Jesus is not in the sky. I think sometimes people ill-interpret – they don’t interpret the Bible properly and then there becomes problems. No. If you read the Bible clearly you will see that heaven has three meanings. It has sky, it has the existence of God in his world, and it has men joined to this existence. Men and angels of course.
So, don’t come and ask me where is heaven! Right.
What Is Jesus Doing in Heaven?
So what is Jesus doing in heaven. Isn’t that a good question eh? Have you heard that one? What is Jesus doing in heaven?
Now if you come from a very… Well, let me tell you a story. I think I have the freedom to do that.
The Big Restaurant in The Sky?
When we grew up this lady was helping at home: she would clean and wash and cook. And she went to this church and apparently they told them in the church that in heaven you can do what you want – eh? So what she didn’t have on earth she will have in heaven. And so she has this dream… Now I don’t know, in those times it was quite understandable – today I don’t know. But her dream was, “In heaven I will only eat chips and fried chicken. Frites et poulet. That’s what I will eat in heaven”, because in heaven you would have what you never had here. Right. That was what she thought.
So in her mind, heaven is a big restaurant where you eat chicken and fries – and chips.
Now I don’t know about you, some people think heaven is the place where you go and sing, and you’re in the choir. You’re all wearing white robes and you are singing from morning to evening. Oh OK. Let me tell you another joke. I have time so I have freedom to do this.
Some Place Warm?
Somebody goes to evangelise the people in the North Pole. In the North Pole the people are called Eskimos, right? And it’s very cold there. Right. So they are dressed up and they are cold. And this person says, “You beware of your sin! Because if you continue in your sin and you don’t believe in Jesus you are going to burn in the fire of hell!”
“Sir, can you tell me where hell is so that I can go there? It’s so cold here.”
We are told that Jesus is a genuine place, and we are told what Jesus is doing.
So some people think heaven is where they will not have what they are having here. So if you are in the cold, you might like to think that heaven is the place where it’s hot. And if you are in the desert you might think of heaven as a nice place with a good river flowing with milk and honey. Well you can think what you want. But we are told that Jesus is a genuine place, and we are told what Jesus is doing – I don’t know what you’ll be doing there but we are told what Jesus is doing.
And maybe I should talk about what we’ll be doing some place…
The Bible Tells Us What Jesus Is Doing In Heaven
But what is Jesus doing in heaven? Well in the Apostles’ Creed we hear that Jesus is doing what? He is seated at the right hand of his father. And this is not just the Apostles, it’s biblical.
So, in Mark 16:19 it says: “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God”. Acts 2:33: “Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing”. You see he says, being therefore exalted at the right hand side of the father.
Acts 7:55-56: “But he full of the Spirit”, and he’s talking about Stephen here who is about to be convicted and stoned to death. He says Stephen, “gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man” which is Jesus, “standing at the right hand of God.”
Jesus is praying for us. He’s not just sitting – he is praying for his people.
Romans 8:34 says, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us”. He is praying for us. He’s not just sitting – he is praying for his people.
Colossians 3:1 it says, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above”, or the things of heaven, the things of God, “where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Hebrews 10:12 says, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God”.
The Position & Influence of Jesus
I think the Bible is very clear that there is a position and influence that Jesus has. And there is an activity that Jesus is doing. Now I will talk about that in two points.
So the first thing that the Bible says is his position. He is sitting at the right hand side of God. Now it’s very importance for us to notice this. You can read this and jump over it and not understand what it means. What is the right hand side? It is a position of power; it is a position of influence. So what is the Bible saying? It’s not saying that Jesus went to heaven, but you know Jesus doesn’t really know what to do, so he needs to ask his mother. No! He is sitting at the right hand side of God. He is the right hand man of God if you want to say it!
Jesus is sitting at the right hand side of God. He is the right-hand-man of God if you want to say it!
Now, if they say the right hand man of Nicolas what do they mean? It means the man who when he speaks Nicolas listens; the man with great influence; the man with great power.
What Does Jesus Use His Influence For?
So the Bible is saying to us that Jesus went to heaven and where he is he is not sitting per se, but he is in a position of power. And how is he using his position of power – which is our second point – well he is using the position of power to influence God’s mind for his people.
So you hear he says he is interceding for us. He is making intercession for us; he is praying for us; he is advocating for us; he is defending us.
So Jesus is not in heaven eating chicken and fries. Jesus is not in heaven singing hallelujah. Jesus is not in heaving sleeping and saying “I had a really, really hard time on earth so now I’m going to sit down and sleep and get some rest. And then you will just remind me again when I need to get up and judge humanity”. No! That’s not what Jesus is doing.
He’s Got My Back
No. He’s sitting there and he’s pleading with his father, he is interceding with his father, because he’s watching over his people.
So my dear friends I find good comfort in that. And you want to know that my saviour is in heaven and I’m happy to know that not only my saviour is alive, not only that my saviour is in heaven, but I know that he’s got my back! He’s fighting for me, he’s interceding for me, he’s pleading with his father – for me.
Not only is my saviour alive in heaven, but he’s got my back! He’s fighting for me.
I know that in the court of heaven where all things are decided, in the court of heaven where I am not there physically, somebody’s fighting for me. My interests are being fought for.
Now I’ve heard many people here when there’s a competition, a recruitment for the ‘École nationale’, the administration or ‘fonction publique’, you know everybody’s phoning each other and saying, “Ah… could you please speak for me from there? From the decision makers?”
Well my dear friend we have somebody who’s speaking from the only decision maker!
We Don’t Need To Fear
So I wonder, why is it that Christians are too scared? Why is it that we’re too worried? How come? Because we have somebody who’s defending us from the place where all things come from.
When I fear, it’s not because God is not with me. It’s because of me. Because I’m just not trusting what he says.
I have hope. I have boldness in my life. You see when I fear it’s not because God is not with me, it’s because of me. Because I’m just not trusting what he says. Now listen to Jesus who says in John 14 he says: ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” So it’s a question of belief.
And he says trust me. Trust me! “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 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.” (John 14:1-3)
Who Do You Have Behind You?
I know my life is not purposeless. I know that in this world I may have trouble but one day I will be with him. And I know that in this life nobody can ever touch me and hurt me if my father in heaven has not decided so. Because I have somebody who is pleading for me.
You know in Bukavu everybody likes to say “Who do you have behind you?”
Who is backing you? Who is your parapluie? Who is your umbrella? Well guess what Christian says? I’ve an umbrella in the only place that matters – in heaven. I have Jesus.
You see that’s why I like to say to Christians, you don’t have to live in fear. Now I get people who are scared, “Ah, they will poison me, and they will bewitch me…” And I said, “Fine. Look after yourself. If you can look after yourself, it’s fine. I know I have someone who looks after myself and he is sitting there with God!” So no man – I mean we are seeing that here – no plans of men can separate me from his plans.
If God wants me to get that job, I mean, who’s the man who is going to refuse him?
So if I plan for a job, and they don’t give me the job, it’s not men who’s not giving me the job – it’s God who doesn’t want me to get a job. But if God wants me to get that job, I mean who’s the man who is going to refuse him?
Who Are You To Kill Me If God Says No?
Because my saviour, is alive and is sitting at the right hand of the father. He makes all the choices. And if he doesn’t make it it’s because he does think it’s right for me. So I cool down, and I rejoice. Who are you to come and poison me if God doesn’t want? Who are you to come and kill me with a gun if God doesn’t want?
I know of somebody – I mean this is not a story I am telling – somebody who is part of our church, I mean, at least comes to see us now and then. I know of a man who, he’s got his own story.
He hears behind him that same gun which wouldn’t shoot him is going off.
You know one day we were celebrating two weeks up there during the up UPDF war. The soldier takes a gun and he says, “I’m gonna shoot you”. He does the normal thing, pulls the trigger, “cloo, cloo”, gun doesn’t go off. Does it the second time, calls his friend, does it again, nothing. And then they hear a gun-shot behind them. And so he says, “You are lucky you, go – dog”. and he turns like this. Now this man he’s not even looking back, he’s running. And he hears behind him that same gun which wouldn’t shoot him is going “tratataa”.
We Are Called To Hope, Boldness & Confidence
You see, we can’t control these things, and we aren’t called to control them. We are called to hope and boldness and confidence. We don’t fear and we don’t shy away not because we are strong in ourselves. No! Because the person who makes the decisions in the world, in the whole universe, guess what? He is our friend. He died for me. That’s how much he loves me. So I’m just anybody – like people say in Bukavu. I’m not just anybody. My friend is at the right hand of God. And he is now fighting for you and you.
I’m not just anybody. My friend is at the right hand of God.
That’s why Christians believe that our king is sitting in heaven, right? And it’s so important.
It’s Not Because of What You Do
Now if your Jesus is on earth walking around, well tough luck on you. Our Jesus is in heaven. That’s why also sometimes I see people – well I think I am now overdoing it with the stories. But I see people, maybe I should say this, I see people thinking that because they fasted for 7 days, because they prayed for 11 hours, then God is hearing them.
Make no mistake, God hears you because Jesus tells him! It’s not because of what you do.
I said make no mistake, God hears you because Jesus tells him! It’s not because of what you do. That’s why we can pray for impossible things like the change of this country – because we know that God hears us. And he doesn’t hear us because we are special. He doesn’t hear us because we’ve played gimmicks and fallen and stood… he doesn’t hear us because of that. He hears us because of Jesus.
And isn’t that great to know that he’s fighting for you and me.
Jesus Is Coming Back
But also, it’s scary to know that he’s coming back – which is our second point. Jesus will come back as a judge one day. He will come to judge the living and the dead. The Bible teaches that. Acts 1:11 says, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Because Jesus went up he will come down.
Because Jesus went up he will come down. But guess what, he went up as a risen saviour, Jesus will come back as a judging king.
Now I like to say Jesus is not coming back to save people. There won’t be any time for salvation. He’s coming to judge the rebels, he’s coming to judge the people who did not believe in him while they had the chance.
Revelation 20
So in Revelation 20, and I want to go there because that’s where we are going to end (we are not going to talk too much after this), Revelation 20. If you get some time it’s a wonderful book to read. Don’t be scared. It’s simple, it’s not complicated. I’m sure a lot of the things you understand about Revelation it’s stuff people told you which are not true.
Come with me to Revelation 20:11-21:4. And what does it say? “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””
A Picture of Things To Come
My dear friend, this is a picture of what is to come. It’s a picture of the things that are to come. Now sometimes it’s a scary picture, but if Jesus rose from the dead, if Jesus ascended, then we know he is coming back. And how is gonna look like? He told us. One day he is going to come back as a judge, he is gonna come back to judge all the people living in rebellion against him. And the only time that people have to change is now!
But then when he comes back there is no time to change. Then, Philippians 2 says, every knee will bow down, every knee will knock (Philippians 2:10). This is the king of the universe! And behold my dear friend, oh behold, if you are not his friend.
You Can Avoid The Second Death
When Jesus comes it’s not a time for bargaining, it’s not a time for saying, “Oh if I knew!” Well sorry, now I know, too late. It says there is a lake of fire which is the second death. Now there is a first death, and the first death is for all of us. I’m gonna die, you’re gonna die, everyone is gonna die. Because we get that from Adam our father. But the second death, you can avoid that.
Your name gets written in the book of life when you accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour.
And for you to avoid the second death your name has to be in the book of life. And how does your name get in the book of life? Well it gets written in the book of life when you accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour. When you realise that you’ve been sinning and that you’ve been doing things against his will. And you say, “Well from now onwards I’m gonna take the achievement of the cross, I wanna be reconciled with you, I wanna live under you”.
From that moment onwards you switch from death to life; your name switches from the book of death to the book of life.
It’s Surprisingly Simple
You see it’s interesting. I get shocked because I know that the thing that will determine whether people are friendly with Jesus and live with him in the new heaven and the new earth, and determine whether they end up in the second death, is really as simple as trusting that he is the Lord and saviour. As simple as that. It is as simple as that. But as Christians we believe that when Jesus comes he is not coming to smile, he is coming to judge. And as Christians we wait for that judgement.
Now, Christians wait for the judgement with eagerness!
Are You Eager For Jesus To Come?
Now my dear friend, if you know that you have Jesus as your Lord and saviour, you are crying – as Paul says in Romans 8 – he says, “the creation is longing for the revelation of the Son of God”. And you are crying and you are saying, “Come Lord come! There’s so much suffering in this world, there’s so much hardship in this world. Come! End this suffering. End this pain!”
And I wonder if you are one of those who’s crying for Jesus to come back or if you’re one of those who are saying, “Don’t come today, come next year”. Let me tell you that if you are saying come next year, chances are you haven’t understood, chances are your position with him is a dangerous position.
One day Daddy’s coming to fetch me.
But once you’ve got the gospel; once you’ve understood the reality of sin; once you’ve understood what Jesus’s done for you; once the Holy Spirit is working in you, the only thing you are crying for, the only thing you are praying for, is for Jesus to come. Because it will be a great day. It will be a great day of reunion. Imagine a child who knew his father when he was small – 5 years old, 10 years old – and then he goes and lives in a faraway land and he knows that one day Daddy’s coming to fetch me. Do you think that child every day is gonna say, “Oh Daddy, don’t come this year, come next year”? The child will say, “Daddy come back tomorrow!”
The Hope In The Return
So when we talk of the coming back of Jesus we are talking about hope. We are saying that injustice will not always prevail.
You know I went to a place where children were suffering with HIV-AIDS. And the children, I mean their parents had HIV. The father was promiscuous and sleeping around, the mother maybe, maybe not, I don’t know who was promiscuous. But the parents were promiscuous. One of the parents were sinful. But this child was born with AIDS. And unfortunately the way the world works is that child is sick.
You can escape man’s judgement, you will never escape God’s judgement.
Now I thought this is the biggest injustice that could ever be! Now if Jesus is not coming back to make wrong right, then life is a big joke. But because Jesus is coming back we can have hope. We can have hope in ultimate justice. We know that man’s justice will not always satisfy. We will work at making it better, but we know it will never satisfy. But you know what? It says there, “everybody will be paid according to their deeds”. There’s no one person who would have done unjust things on this earth and who’d have died without getting the punishment of his injustice, who will escape God’s justice.
You can escape man’s judgement, you will never escape God’s judgement. So it gives people hope.
We Are Only Pilgrims Here
At the same time if me and you know that Jesus is coming back, we need to remember that we’re only pilgrims, eh? This is not our world; we are just people who are passing. If it’s true that heaven is our world then we need to remember that.
Now unfortunately many Christians are singing, “God bless me now. God fill my car and my house. God give me houses.”
My dear friend, is this your world? Because if it’s your world then it’s fine, don’t ask for Jesus to come back. But if it’s not your world, you want it to end. You don’t want the suffering to go on forever.
When Is Jesus Coming Back?
When is Jesus coming back? Anybody know when Jesus is coming back?
You see we have many people saying he is coming back in 20 years, in 50 years… I love Jesus. Jesus says he will come like a thief! You look in Mark 13:33. Or if you look in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, it says what? “The day of the Lord will come like a thief”.
Now in my own experience I’ve had a few encounters with thieves in my own life. Twice they broke in to my car and stole my battery. Did they warn me? Did they say to me, “I’m coming tomorrow”? No. If I knew I would have been waiting for them.
We just know that he will come like a thief. Are you ready?
You see it says he will come like a thief. You can’t know. You will not know. He can come tomorrow, he can come in 20 years’ time, he can come in 1000 years’ time. It’s not your problem. The question is, are you ready? That’s the question.
It’s not up to you and me to figure out when is Jesus coming back. We just know that he will come like a thief. And if he comes like a thief he can come now. Are you ready? Are you ready to face Jesus as a king?
Are You Ready?
You see the problem with man is his sin. He’s rebelled against God and man is gonna die the first time and he’s gonna die the second time – we’ve seen that from revelation (Revelation 20). Unless he comes to Jesus. Unless he accepts what Jesus is giving.
Going to church will not help you. Being born in a Christian family will not help you. It’s every man for himself. Your father will stand for himself, you will stand for yourself. Your mother will stand for herself, you will stand for yourself.
When King Jesus comes back you don’t want to be among those who are still rebels.
So you can’t hide behind the, “I was grown in a Christian family”, it doesn’t work! You account for yourself. Will you be ready my friend?
And I think our job – my job here at Le Phare – is really to plead with you. I’m here to beg you, cry and say, “Please! Please make sure you are reconciled with Jesus. Now. Because when King Jesus comes back you don’t want to be among those who are still rebels. You don’t want to be among those who reject him. You don’t.”
Let’s apply this, and I think we are going to end now.
Two Implications of Believing in Jesus’ Return
What does it mean to say we believe in the ascension of Jesus and in the return of Jesus?
It means that we know that the world as it is, is under the control of Jesus. It’s not 100%. The kingdom of God is not there yet at 100%. But there’s nothing that will happen that Jesus will not control.
The second thing is that we know the world as we know it will end. There’s a future. You see if there was no end to the current world it would be a big depressing joke. I would say to you don’t have children, because you are bringing them into an endless cycle of suffering with no hope.
There’s a French author called Albert Camus. He wrote a book called “Nausea” [Correction: the book author is Jean-Paul Sartre]. The title of the book is Nausea. Why? Because he says when you look at life you think it’s just nauseous. It causes you to want to vomit. It’s just sad and sick and bad.
Well, my dear friend, the one thing that Camus [Sartre] forgot is that there was a King Jesus who died and rose again for the sin of the world – the very same thing that makes it a nauseous place. And that king will come one day to establish a new kingdom which will not be nauseous.
How Does This Affect Our Lives Today?
And so, when Christians believe in the coming of Jesus, it gives hope within uncertainty. It gives light within darkness. I want to ask; does it give light to your life? Does it help you to know that people might play with you, and they might give you a hard time, but one day Jesus will come and take you home with him. Does it give you hope? Do you long for it?
We need to live as people whose saviour is alive!
You see, we need to be a community of the living saviour. Our saviour is not dead. Our faith is not a dead faith. And so, we need to live as people whose saviour is alive!
When we face difficulties and uncertainties – when we face choices in life – do we remember that our Lord is the living saviour? Or do we just do things as if we are on our own?
Prayer: Talking To The Decision Maker
And if we know that our Lord is the living saviour then prayer is important. Now some people make prayer to be the weapon of the Christian. Prayer is nothing. The saviour is everything. Prayer is just the way in which I talk to the man who makes decisions. And so, prayer becomes the key to a Christian life!
When students don’t have money – many of you are students – when you don’t have money for your school fees, what happens? Let me tell you what I think happens because that’s what I see. The first thing is you are thinking in your head, “Can pastor Nicolas give me $10? Can uncle give me $20”, you forget that you have a living saviour! You forget that your saviour is there!
Prayer is just the way in which I talk to the man who makes decisions.
We tend to talk to men about our problems before God knows it. We forget that we have a living saviour! And when Nicolas doesn’t give you money you get disappointed, “Ay. He’s got money he doesn’t give me money”. Well Nicolas is a man, what can Nicolas do?
I spoke to a friend of mine a few weeks ago and I said, “We are praying every last Friday. We are praying and I’m really disappointed that many people are not joining us for this, but we are praying that God would change our country.”
The only person who can save this country and change things is God. And we are talking to him.
And everybody is like, “Yeah, yeah, we need action”. I’m like my friend, if you understand how things work, then you will know that we are doing the things, and the people who are talking there aren’t doing anything. The people on the radio are just making noise. Because the only person who can save this country and change things is God. And we are talking to him. While everyone else is on the radio talking to the secretary general of the UN, or talking to the President, or talking to I don’t know who. They can’t do anything. God can.
Living For Something Bigger
So, we need to be a community of the living saviour. Our saviour is not dead. We need to be a community of hope. What we see on earth is not all that is – there is something bigger.
Running after cars and houses and titles and… that’s not all! There’s something bigger.
We are a community of hope if you understand that we are a community on pilgrimage. This is not our home. Our home is in heaven. Now these days I don’t hear that anymore. I don’t hear people singing we are going to heaven. Nobody’s singing that anymore.
A Community On Pilgrimage
My friend, we are a community of hope we believe in the things to come, we are a community on pilgrimage, this is not our home. And if you don’t agree with me, well it’s fine. Just look tomorrow you are going to die. What are you going to take with you? When you die what are you going to take? Your house? Your wife? Your children?
What are you going to take with you? You see it’s stupid to think that this is our home, it’s not our home!
Driven By Hope
Now when we grew up, and I’m going to end with this, when we grew up, we used to watch Delta Force. Do you remember Delta Force with Chuck Norris? I think the Christian life is almost like Delta Force. We are in prison in this small little cell somewhere in a country that nobody likes us, and it’s so hard, and our only hope is that one day Delta Force will come and get us. One day our saviour will come and get us.
One day our saviour will come and get us.
I don’t know about you, but that’s how I live my life. That’s what Christians believe. That this world is not all that is, because our saviour ascended into heaven: he is seated on the right hand of God, and he’s pleading for us and interceding for us. So, our life now is not a hazardous life. We have somebody to help us in our time of need while we are here. But one day our saviour will come, and he will free us from all the suffering.
That’s our hope. That’s what drives us. That’s what Christians believe.
What do you believe?
Let’s bow our heads.