One of the most important, most clearly-declared, and most universally-embraced Christian doctrines is the “Return of Christ.” Sometimes called “The Second Advent” or the “Perousia,” the idea that Jesus is coming back can be found throughout the earliest Christian sermons, is included in every major Christian creed, and has been the cradle of hope for Christ-followers for over 2000 years. But in many Christian churches (including ours – I have never preached about Jesus’ return at Emmaus) it is rarely talked about. And across the landscape of Western Christianity, the return of Christ is poorly understood. Sadly, in the last 200 years, the idea has served more-often as a point of division than common hope. The doctrine which is, perhaps, the richest within Christianity – the final chapter, so to speak; the truth that brings the whole story together – has been reduced to a warning to shape up and get right before it’s too late. While this piece of the doctrine is valid and clearly biblical, it fails to recognize the fuller, life-changing pastoral ramifications of the hope of millions throughout history: Come O Lord!This Sunday I will attempt to clearly declare the real reason for our shared hope, while exposing the relative emptiness of the two most-common misconceptions of Jesus’ return.
Source: New feed
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