We Shall Be like Him and see Him as He is - Advent Begins next week

 

Advent is coming and we are to be encouraged!

*Jeremiah 3:14-18

 

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

A Reading from the New Testament

Sunday Next before Advent

STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Advent is Near , the Coming of our LORD

 I John 3; Matthew 24
The Lesson today from ST John begins with something we would not think of for Advent--- the 2nd Coming of Christ and looking back to His birth in the stable in Bethlehem. It begins with these words, " Behold what manner of love hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God...." I Jn 3:1 This love of God is His grace toward sinners when we were not His people--- He called in love to draw us to Christ and eternal life. John Donne said it this way about God's eternal love, " I cannot name a time, when God's love began; it is eternal: I cannot imagine a time, when His mercy will end; it is perpetual." Or as someone else has said so deeply and we sometimes forget this, " There's nothing you can do to earn God's love or undo God's love for you."

This love has been bestowed upon us. It is not just out there floating.... It is effectual to those who are in Christ and have been called to eternal life. Bestowed is the greek word for" given to us". This love is agape love, sacrificial . From John Newton..Composer of "Amazing Grace"....The views I have received of the doctrines of grace are essential to my peace; I could not live comfortably a day, or an hour, without them. I likewise believe them to be friendly to holiness, and to have a direct influence in producing and maintaining a gospel conversation; and therefore I must not be ashamed of them." So we have introduced the chapter, and now what do they have to do with Advent?

" WE KNOW THAT HE SHALL APPEAR" Point 1. What is this? 3:2 The word phaneros in the greek is stronger in the greek than our English word appeared: " Original Word: φανερός, ά, όν
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: phaneros
Phonetic Spelling: (fan-er-os')
Short Definition: apparent, clear, visible, manifest, clearly
Definition: apparent, clear, visible, manifest; adv: clearly." Biblehub.com
In other words Jesus, came truly in the flesh. He was clearly visible, the root being LIGHT. Light shines in the darkness as John said in the Gospel and the darkness cannot overcome it! JN 1:6

Just as the First Advent came to pass, that is Jesus' birth in the stable, He shall truly come again in the flesh! Revelation 1:7 " Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him...." Some doubt this. They are quick to celebrate the birth, but shun the 2nd Coming where He will judge the world in righteous truth. No man knows the day nor the hour. ( Today's Gospel could be re-read Matthew 24. " they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

By the way , many deny these things in some of  the denominations we left. This is why we left. You cannot deny the essential gospel truths and enter heaven. You cannot deny His bodily resurrection, His true Virgin birth, and His true coming again the flesh and claim to be a Christian at all. This is worth any sacrifice we are making now to proclaim that these truths are comforting, and if you say they are not important , you leave people with a Saviour.

Point 2. " THEN WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS" 3:2
In other words we shall be with Christ in heaven. This is the point. " It is enough for us to know that on the last day and through eternity we shall be both with Christ and like Christ." John Stott

1 Thess 4:17 " Then we shall are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Point 3. WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM. "....When we see Him as He is...we shall be finally and completely like Him, including our bodies" Stott

Philippians 3:21 " Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body , according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself"

Conclusion. This is why the Advent season is so special. It is about Christ, His working, His love, what will happen when He returns to earth. It is not about what color is on the Table or the lectionary readings, or what decorations are in the parish/church. Now these are wonderful and lovely, but they are pointing to something so truly wonderful, powerful and encouraging that we as Christians ought to be excited and hopeful as we enter this season in a week.

HE SHALL APPEAR. WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS. & WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM.
Amen and Amen.