The Encouragement and Comfort of the End

In November the church year comes to an end, and we will begin another year of rejoicing in God's gifts. The church year roughly follows the Second Article of the Apostle's Creed which concerns the life and work of our Lord Jesus.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary; (Advent and Christmas)
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, (Lent)
Was crucified, dead and buried; (Holy Week)
He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; (Easter)
He ascended into heaven (Ascension)
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; (Pentecost and Trinity Season)
From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. (The Last Sundays of the Church Year)

It is these Last Sundays that we are preparing to enter, and we will hear a lot about the Lord Jesus' future coming to judge the quick and the dead.

How can we rightly think about the Lord's return in glory?

First, we are not to speculate about the time of the Lord's return, looking behind every newspaper story or news report for a rumble of the end. Jesus teaches us, “But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels in heaven, but My Father only.” [St Matthew 24:36] Jesus did not tell us that He would return so that we would search and wonder about the timing of His return. We trust that the days and the seasons are in the Lord's hands, and that His return could be at any moment. We live in the hope of His soon return.

Well, if we are not to speculate concerning the timing of the Lord's return, why did He teach us of His return? There are two purposes of this teaching: encouragement and comfort.

Encouragement. After teaching that His return could be at any time, Jesus then encourages His church, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.” [St Matthew 24:44] We are to be ready, living our lives in love and service to our neighbor. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, an so much more as you see the Day approaching,” [Hebrews 10:24,25] We continue to encourage one another to love and good works as we see the Lord's return.

Comfort. The teaching of the Lord's soon return is also great comfort to us who live in the midst of so much trouble and tribulation. Jesus gives us this wonderful and comforting promise, “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me... I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” [St John 14:1-3] This is one of the most comforting promises in all of Holy Scripture, that the Lord Jesus is now preparing a place for us, that we might be with Him forever. It's no wonder, then, that after St Paul teaches about the Lord's Second coming he concludes: “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” [I Thessalonians 4:18]

“He will come again to judge the quick and the dead.” As we think on these words as the Church Year comes to an end, may the Lord encourage us to be ready for His return and comfort us with the promise that He is already preparing a place for us.

The Lord's Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Wolfmueller

For Further Study concerning the Second Coming...
St Matthew 24-25; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 9:28