The Birth of Jesus Started But Did Not Finish the Plan

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1 The Birth of Jesus Started But Did Not Finish the Plan Hebrews 9:28, Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, a part from sin, to them that wait for Him, unto salvation. Intro: Many people start things and never finish them. They have good intentions but life often gets in the way. To say that the coming of Jesus was part of the plan of God would probably be an understatement. God does have a plan for His creation and the birth of Jesus was certainly part of the plan. God more than any of us does what He says He is going to do and finishes everything that He purposes to do. I would guess that many people want to keep Jesus in the manger as a cute baby boy. But, his birth was the first step in a series of events that would mark the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The birth of Jesus came at just the precise time God intended, at the exact place, in the exact manner. The birth of Jesus set the stage for the most incredible, amazing, and powerful world changing events. While many limit their thinking about Jesus to His earthly ministry they fail to understand that even though He left, He is coming back. Without His first coming there cannot be a second. The first coming was exciting full of anticipation for the arrival of the promised Messiah. Prophetic Scripture was fulfilled, there was a sense that great things were about to happen, people were actually looking for the fulfillment of the promise. In Luke we read about a man named Simeon, he was a man of faith looking for the promised Messiah when the Holy Ghost told him that he would not see death until he had seen the Christ (Luke 2:25-28). When Jesus was born in that stable Mary and Joseph knew a miracle had taken place, the shepherds knew God was at work, later the wise men came to see this miraculous child who was born King of the Jews. With this wonderful event came hope and rejoicing, but this was just the beginning, the first step in God s plan for His creation. What they failed to see then and we often fail to understand now is the fact that the plan of God is still working and moving toward the final stage when He (Jesus) will come back to earth to finish what He started over 2000 years ago. Israel has not yet been restored to a place of prominence, Christ s earthly kingdom has not yet been established, and the works of the devil have not totally been eliminated. Heb 2:8, But now we see not yet all things put under him. In fact as we look at the world it is clear that there is still more to do. The first Advent was exactly that, the first, there is still another one to come. Acts 1:11, You men of Galilee, why stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. The early church celebrated Jesus birth and understood that He would come back in the same fashion that he left. The first Advent was the beginning preparation for his second coming. The message of the early church was simple, he who has come will come. Our text is clear; Christ shall appear a second time. There is no other explanation, it is not a matter of interpretation, and He is coming again. The whole New Testament speaks of a second coming, you cannot escape this one. I would have to say at this point that the question comes down to this, do you believe the Scriptures to be the final authoritative word of God? If you do you will have no choice but acknowledge that Jesus is coming back. If you reject the authority of the Scriptures you obviously 1

2 can reject the idea of a second coming, you may even reject the idea of a first coming, which is possible when you place no authority on the Scriptures. A person who rejects the authority of the Scriptures really is open to believe anything, and they very often do, or go the other way and believe nothing, either situation is a disaster. I know there is a difference of opinion as to when Christ will return, I believe it is clear that He will come at the end of the tribulation period spoken of in Revelation 19. There is a lot of talk about the Rapture of the church, when Christ shall call out the saints and take them up to heaven. Many look at this as the 2 nd coming, but it is not. At the rapture Christ never comes down to earth, the believers are caught up to meet him in the air (I Thess. 4:16-19). The rapture of the church and the 2 nd coming are two separate events. Paul was very aware of this truth as he wrote about it throughout the New Testament. Titus wrote: Titus 2: Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; As the church of the living God we should be anticipating and looking for His glorious return. If we in fact had our focus on the Lord s return it would change how we think and how we live. It would produce a holiness not seen since the days of the apostles; it would transform everything about us. If we embrace the promises of the New Testament, the assurance of the Word that He who came is coming back, then there would be an increase in our commitment to service and a new attitude toward suffering, and a renewed hope for the future. I The First Advent He first came to die for us. As we break down this passage in Hebrews we need to compare the first coming with His 2 nd coming. The writer stresses the point that when Christ returns it will be apart from sin. Everything about the first Advent was necessary for the second, but everything about the 2 nd coming will be different from the first. His second advent will not be a repeat of the first; the first laid the foundation for the second. The first coming was all about sin and the need to deal with it. A payment for the sin of the world was required if anyone would ever be saved from the judgment of God. Christ did what was required, lived the sinless life and died in our place as payment for the sins of mankind. Hebrews 10:10, We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 9:28, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. What is God doing now? He is now in the presence of the Father interceding for us. (Heb 9:24). When Christ finished his work on the cross he then ascended into heaven and he sat down at the right hand of the Father (10:12). He is now waiting for the conclusion of the church age when He will return. When He comes back this is what He promised, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. The next verse is a key verse in understanding the finished work of Jesus on our behalf. In verse 18 we read, Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin. 2

3 There is nothing more that can be or will be accepted by the Father for the payment of our sins. There is nothing that you can do; there is nothing you should do to pay for your sin, the payment is made, paid in full, account closed. The writer of Hebrews then states that because of this we can have boldness to enter into the holiest because of the blood of Jesus (Heb 10:19). This should give us confidence in our faith, take away any doubt, and remove any fear because He is faithful that promised (vs 23). Promised what? That He would not remember our sins anymore (vs 17). III. The Second Advent With the sin issue dealt with, Jesus will next deal with the return to earth. His return will be in power and majesty and victory. He will come back, not in poverty but in power and majesty. He will come again, not with sorrow but with joy. He will come surrounded by His bride (the church) and gather to Him all those who trusted Him as Savior during the tribulation period. Rev 19: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The first Advent no room was found for Him, He was born in obscurity, ignored by the multitudes. When he comes again the whole world will see Him, not as the sacrificial lamb, but the mighty King surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand angels. All the sorrow and loneliness will be gone when He returns. The first Advent was for atonement, the second will be to reign as the Lord of the Universe. One aspect of his second coming that is clear involves judgment. For those who have responded to his message of forgiveness the judgment has passed, but for those who have rejected the message of Christ s atoning work a future judgment is yet coming. The work begun at his first coming will be finished at his second coming. 3

4 When He returns He will heal the wounds of all creation. He comes to break oppression and set the captives free. He will rule with a rod of iron that may not sound like something you would get excited about, but that means there will be complete equity, no favoritism. Sometimes justice is more loving than mercy. The same one who came in meekness will return in power and majesty, full of love. I look forward to His return, to set up His kingdom, to establish peace and harmony. What He started He will finish. We are living in chapter three of Revelation, looking back at the first Advent and looking forward to the 2 nd. Conclusion: The final question here is one of belief; do you believe that Jesus is coming again? I m afraid that many of us are like a college professor who had his belief level exposed. A college student was asked to prepare a lesson to teach in speech class. He was to be graded on creativity and the ability to drive home a point in a memorable way. The title of the talk was, "The Law of the Pendulum." He spent 20 minutes carefully teaching the physical principle that governs a swinging pendulum. The law of the pendulum is: A pendulum can never return to a point higher than the point from which it was released. Because of friction and gravity, when the pendulum returns, it will fall short of its original release point. Each time it swings it makes less and less of an arc, until finally it is at rest. This point of rest is called the state of equilibrium, where all forces acting on the pendulum are equal. He attached a 3-foot string to a child's toy top and secured it to the top of the blackboard with a thumbtack. He pulled the top to one side and made a mark on the blackboard where he let it go. Each time it swung back he made a new mark. It took less than a minute for the top to complete its swinging and come to rest. When he finished the demonstration, the markings on the blackboard proved his thesis. He then asked how many people in the room BELIEVED the law of the pendulum was true. All of his classmates raised their hands, so did the teacher. He started to walk to the front of the room thinking the class was over. In reality it had just begun. Hanging from the steel ceiling beams in the middle of the room was a large, crude but functional pendulum (250 pounds of metal weights tied to four strands of 500-pound test parachute cord.). He invited the instructor to climb up on a table and sit in a chair with the back of his head against a cement wall. Then he brought the 250 pounds of metal up to his nose. Holding the huge pendulum just a fraction of an inch from his face, He once again explained the law of the pendulum he had applauded only moments before, "If the law of the pendulum is true, then when I release this mass of metal, it will swing across the room and return short of the release point. Your nose will be in no danger." After that final restatement of this law, he looked him in the eye and asked, "Sir, do you believe this law is true?" There was a long pause. Huge beads of sweat formed on his upper lip and then weakly he nodded and whispered, "Yes." He released the pendulum. It made a swishing sound as it arced across the room. At the far end of its swing, it paused momentarily and started back. You never saw a man move so fast in your life. He literally dove from the table. Deftly stepping around the still-swinging 4

5 pendulum, he asked the class, "Does he believe in the law of the pendulum?" The students unanimously answered, "NO!" Ken Davis, How To Speak To Youth, pp It hurts more to have a belief pulled than to have a tooth pulled, and no intellectual Novocain is available. Elmer Davis. "Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand." Augustine The content of belief is important: Jonathan Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked one man, "What do you believe?" "Well, I believe the same as the church." "And what does the church believe?" "Well, they believe the same as me." Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield said, "And what is it that you both believe?" "Well, I suppose the same thing." Jonathan Whitfield. 5 5