discipleship

Christmas reminds us of the Old Testament promise: “He’s coming.”  God’s son is coming.  But it also reminds us of the New Testament promise: “He’s coming–again.”

The one who arrived for the first time as a child will arrive again in the clouds. The one who was first born in modesty will come to us again in majesty. His first arrival was as a kid. His second arrival will be as the King. Christmas is a time to reflect not only on Jesus’ initial visitation among us but also on Jesus’ eventual return to us. Jesus is coming again.

But some of us face the Second Coming of Jesus with anxiety rather than gaiety   Why?  Because there’s so much work to be done.

When I became a Christian as a teenager in a rural New Mexico Church of Christ, the song they often sang about the second coming went like this: “Jesus is coming soon, morning or night or noon, many will meet their doom, trumpets will sound…” As a young Christian, I found the song a bit troubling. Jesus is coming soon. Many will meet their doom. Why? Because they didn’t get all their work done. The work of becoming more and more like Jesus. The work of living and loving as Jesus. There seems to be more panic than pleasure in contemplating the fact that the one who arrived in the manger is coming again.

In 1 Thessalonians Paul is writing to a group of young Christians. From reading this letter, and the second letter, we get the sense that they are a bit worried about Jesus’ return. Paul writes to correct this.

Read More »Jesus’ Present of a New You (Advent 2012)