The Future
The Return of Jesus
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After Jesus rose from the dead he spent 40 days visiting and teaching his disciples before ascending to heaven. However, he left with a promise that he would return to the earth to establish the Kingdom of God. This had been promised from the beginning, with numerous prophecies in the Old Testament talking about the return of Jesus. Although it has been 2000 years since Jesus ascended to heaven, we are still certain that he is coming back. More than that, we are confident he will be coming back very soon as he left us evidence in the form of prophecies about what the world will be like before he returns. These prophecies have been, and are being, fulfilled, and so we await his imminent return with great expectation. Here are some Bible quotations that leave us in no doubt that Jesus is coming back:
"And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'" Acts 1:10-11 (ESV)
"Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matt 24:30 (ESV)
"He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" Rev 22:20 (ESV)
Resurrection & Judgement
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We have been given a wonderful hope that at the return of Jesus the dead will be raised back to life. This will be a time of judgement; those who are raised from the dead will be judged by Jesus, and either, as a result of their faithfulness, rewarded with eternal life with him in God's Kingdom, or, because of their faithlessness, punished with eternal death. It is the prospect of resurrection to eternal life with God and Jesus that is the real hope that the Bible gives us:
"But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust." Acts 24:14-15 (ESV)
"Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'" 1 Cor 15:51-54 (ESV)
"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom..." 2 Tim 4:1 (ESV)
The Kingdom of God
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Jesus Christ is coming back to establish the Kingdom of God on Earth. This will be an eternal, world-wide Kingdom ruled over by Jesus where God will be able to dwell with man. The Kingdom will be a perfect paradise with no more sorrow, pain, suffering, fear or death. All the current problems we face in this world like poverty and starvation will be removed. The world will be how God has always intended it to be. Here are some Bible passages that talk about the Kingdom of God:
"Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.'" Matt 6:9-10 (ESV)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'" Matt 25:31-34 (ESV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'" Rev 21:1-4 (ESV)
It is our hope that we will be a part of this Kingdom, able to live in paradise with God and his son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus. And we hope that you will want to be a part of this too. If you do want to be there then the time to act is now.
It is our hope that we will be a part of this Kingdom, able to live in paradise with God and his son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus. And we hope that you will want to be a part of this too. If you do want to be there then the time to act is now.