The Second Coming of Christ

THE eighth visit of the Lord Jesus to Bethany is recorded in Luke 24:50. The Lord ascended into heaven from Bethany, (v.51). In Acts 1 we are given details of what happened before the Lord ascended, (v.4). He commanded his disciples that they had to wait first for God's time, to be "endued with the power from high". If they wanted to be His disciples, they had to obey Him, love Him and follow Him. They had to wait for His time. Often we go ahead or behind God's time, but we should always wait for God's command and God's time. The people of God in the wilderness (Ex.13: 20-22) had to wait for God's guidance. Sometimes the cloud stayed one year or one week or one month, and sometimes the cloud lifted up in the morning, or in the evening, or at midday. They were not to move till it was lifted up, and when the cloud was lifted up, they were to march. The Lord said to them: "Now don't make any plan! Don't worry about the blueprint. Don't go away. First wait till I tell you what to do." The great secret is to wait for God's time, in business or in spiritual activities. Thus will we find liberty in God's service.

Secondly, we must be governed by the Holy Spirit completely (Acts 1:5), and led only by the Holy Spirit (Rom.8:14). If you ask some people: "How do you find God's will?" "How can you prove that it is God's will?" There will be no answer. "God spoke to me! God spoke to me!" they may say, but they cannot prove it. If God has spoken to us of any problem, or any matter, we must be able to prove it by His Word as to how and when He spoke. Only then will there be His blessing. Thirdly, Acts 1:7. The disciples were not to dictate to God or interfere with His plans. We must get God to take charge of the whole situation. He is sovereign. He won't allow anybody to interfere with His plans. As we obey Him, we come into His plan. Life is like a mountain road, not a trunk road. On a trunk road, we can see long distances. On the mountain road, we can see only short distances. When we come to a turning we see a small part of the road ahead. That is how He will show us the way He wants us to go. He will not show us too many things at first. When God told Samuel to go and find the man after His own heart, He could' have said, "You go and find David", but He did not speak in that way. Samuel had to go to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse. It was only after Jesse had brought all his sons, that Samuel found God's choice. If we make too many plans, we miss God's best. With God we can only go step by step (Acts 1:8). We have to witness to all classes and communities, and serve by prayer, love and sacrifice. The disciples became witnesses of His ascension (v. 10). While they were gazing up into heaven, two men came and said to them: "Why are you standing gazing up into heaven? Go back and tell people what you have heard. You tell them how you have seen the Lord go into heaven and also how He shall come again in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven". That is the last message: "In the same manner He will come again". His last visit to Bethany was to prepare His disciples for His second coming. First I believe in the heart that the Lord Jesus Christ has saved me by His grace, has come into my heart and lives in me, and the very same Lord is coming back for me. I may be prepared for His coming and to be with Him, but to be ready for that coming, I have to prepare my neighbours, relations, and friends also. The big task of the church is to prepare people for the second coming of the Lord Jesus. There are 365 references about the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the gospels and epistles, and 28 chapters on it. It is a very important matter, so Lord's Day by Lord's Day we gather that we may be prepared for His second coming. We do not gather primarily to hear the message or to sing songs, (1 Cor. 11:26) but to remember His death till He comes. The Lord's Day worship is very important, for as we prepare, our hearts are cleansed, things are put right, and we are ready for His second coming. Thus our heart, home, and Church can become a Bethany prepared and waiting for Him.