An Urgent Message

Hello, friends! Today we will consider the most incredible, life-changing

event ever—the Second Coming of Jesus Christ! This is the culmination
of all the hopes of believers down through millennia.
• In describing that glorious event, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “And it will
be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him,
and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will
be glad and rejoice in His salvation’” (Isaiah 25:9). In Psalm 50:3 we
read, “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall
devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.”
• While on Earth, Jesus told His disciples, “I go to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John
14:2,3). He repeats this promise with urgency in Revelation 22,
saying in verse 7: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who
keeps the words of the prophecy of this book,” verse 12: “And behold,
I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one
according to his work.” and in verse 20: “Surely I am coming
quickly.“
• And yet, how quick is “quick?” From our human point of view—
especially in today’s Instagram world—anything less than instant is
slow.
• Adventists have been preaching the Second Coming of Christ for 180
years—which can seem like an eternity to some. Disheartened, some
have lost their sense of urgency in the Second Coming of Christ, which
should permeate every aspect of Seventh-day Adventist life.
• This should not surprise us, however. We read in 2 Peter 3:3-7
—”Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own
lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning
of creation.'”
• Peter points out these scoffers “willingly forget” God created the
heavens and the earth, and that there was a worldwide flood. He
then warns that one day all will be destroyed by fire.
• The passage goes on, giving important instruction and
encouragement to those who believe:
• “. . . beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day
is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is
not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance” (vss. 8,9).
• The passage urges us, since the earth and all things in it will be
destroyed, to consider what kind of people we ought to be “in holy
conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the
day of God. . . . Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things,
be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless”
(vs. 14).
• What a calling we have, staying close to the Lord and allowing Him to
guide us as we eagerly look forward to His coming.
• The book of Hebrews encourages us: “. . . do not cast away your
confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance,
so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the
promise: ‘For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and
will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws
back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who
draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the
soul” (Heb. 10:35-39).
• Friends, God’s Word is speaking to us today. Do not let anyone take
away your hope in the soon coming of Jesus Christ. He is coming
soon!
• Our Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Belief #25 states:
• “The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the
grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour’s coming will be literal,
personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous
dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will
be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The
almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with
the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ’s coming is
near. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are
therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.” [Insert:
www.adventist.org/second-coming].
• “The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the
grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour’s coming will be literal,
personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous
dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will
be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The
almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with
the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ’s coming is
near. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are
therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.” [Insert:
www.adventist.org/second-coming].
• Recently, here at the Seventh-day Adventist world headquarters in
Silver Spring, Maryland, we have lost two senior leaders—Elder
Maurice Valentine, a General Conference vice president, and Mrs.
Heather-Dawn Small, director of Women’s Ministries for the World
Church. Both deaths came very quickly; suddenly even.
• Friends, time is short—none of us are promised tomorrow or even
the rest of today. We only have this moment, right now. Are you ready
for Jesus to come? Whether we live, or we rest in the grave, we will
see Him soon.
• The current deteriorating world conditions should awaken us to the
urgent need to be ready, and to proclaim the three angels’ messages
of Revelation 14 in anticipation of Christ’s soon return.
• Inspiration tells us, “In these final hours of probation . . . when the
fate of every soul is so soon to be decided forever, the Lord of heaven
and earth expects His church to arouse to action as never before.
Those who have been made free in Christ through a knowledge of
precious truth, are regarded by the Lord Jesus as His chosen ones,
favored above all other people on the face of the earth; and He is
counting on them to show forth the praises of Him
• who hath called them out of darkness into marvelous light. The
blessings which are so liberally bestowed are to be communicated to
others. The good news of salvation is to go to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. In the visions of the prophets of old the Lord of
glory was represented as bestowing special light upon His church in
the days of darkness and unbelief preceding His second coming. As
the Sun of Righteousness, He was to arise upon His church, “with
healing in His wings.” . . . And from every true disciple was to be
diffused an influence for life, courage, helpfulness, and true healing”
(Prophets and Kings, p. 716).
• My dear brothers and sisters, we are living at the end of time. Let’s
live with the sense of urgency that will allow the Holy Spirit to work
through each of us, to share the need to fall at the foot of the cross,
being prepared for the Second Coming through the grace of Jesus
Christ.
• I invite you to pray with me just now.
• Prayer:
• Father in Heaven, Thank you for this wonderful plan of implementing
the soon return of Jesus to take us to be with Him forever. Thank you
for this plan of salvation that allows for us to live each day in
connection with Jesus, allowing His justifying and sanctifying
righteousness to work in and through us and for us. Now, Lord, we ask
your blessing as we prepare for your soon return and we thank you
for hearing us in this prayer and for the wonderful promise of eternal
life with you. All of this we ask in the name of our powerful Savior and
coming King, Jesus Christ. Amen.