The coming of the Lord Jesus

I would like to read four scriptures together, and the first is going to be found in Hebrews chapter 9, Hebrews 9 and verse number 27. As appointed unto men once to die, but after this to judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. And unto them, this is the verse I want, unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin, not dealing with sin, that has been dealt with, without sin, unto salvation.

Now turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse number 9, 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 9, for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 2 Timothy please, and chapter 4. Verse number 6, for I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing. Finally, in the book of Revelation and chapter 22. Revelation chapter 22, and the last verse will do, verse 20.

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen. That's all I'll read, and I trust with God's blessing.

I know at the end of a conference, and it's not true at this conference, we're all wide awake with the speakers today, no doubt, and listen to the word of God, but I've often found it's awful difficult to close a conference because people are going to sleep, some, and to have their half-eye closed, or maybe both eyes closed. But I often like to tell them, and my message is in the Lord's coming, so whether we wake or sleep, don't worry, if he comes, we'll all go. So if you do have a little snap, and the Lord comes, you'll go with us, so don't get too annoyed.

I want to think of the Lord's coming, but I want to put a background. I was in Pittsburgh a while back, and also in McKeesport, and I was in a coffee shop, not at Tim Horton, it was a coffee shop over in the States, and I happened to take the newspaper, it was the USA Today, which was quite an interesting thing, and I wasn't looking at the sports page at that moment, I was looking at something else, and it caught my eye and attention, and it was, it was so good, it was, Christ is coming very soon, no date setting, so I took it, and I read it, then I went to another place and got the Pittsburgh, and it was in it also, and it was a large piece, as large as that there. So I put it into the true newspaper, a little bit of a change on it, but I was struck with this, what he said, that a Bible scholar said, there were 16 evident things that are happening in our world globally today, that would indicate the coming of the Lord.

But he said, I'm only going to mention 8 of them, and I'm just going down these before I touch my passages. Number one, he said, the rebirth of Israel. Israel now back in the land, 1948, and an amazing nation, you never hear of letters going to the Hittites, or the Jebusites, or the Perizzites, and all those otherites, but my friend, there's letters going to Palestine, to Israel, they're still a nation, amen, they're a nation, thank God, I love them, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, all that love thee shall prosper, and so the very fact of the rebirth of the nation is a signal that we are in times, that's number one.

Number two, plummeting morality, that is my friend, we see the awful departure in morals, not going to go over them, you know them yourself, just read the newspaper, listen to the news, and you realize that we are living in a world that's on a downward course, a collision course with God, number one, Israel rebirth, number two, plummeting morality, number three, famines, violence, and wars, has there ever been an end, sure the world was wars, I remember the war, I was nine year old when it broke out, no, I was less than that, I was nine year old when it closed, not that age yet, and anyway, we realize today there's an increase, number three, famines, violence, and wars, number four, an increase in earthquakes, just read the statistics, it will tell you, my friend, an increase of earthquakes, if you're not saved friend in this meeting, wake up, the Lord is coming, and then fifthly, the explosion of travel and education, oh absolutely, my friend, oh you travel everywhere, everywhere, tours here, tours there, ships here, ships there, airplanes here, airplanes there, and I don't mind airplanes sometimes, I don't like to take off when you're up and when you're coming down, but anyway, I'm all right, it's the way I have to travel, I'll do that, but that's an increase, and then the explosion of cults, and no cults, did you ever see that like of it, even in favorite land of Canada and the United States, the increase is tremendous, seven, the new world order they're talking about, get it all under one big umbrella, they will get it, absolutely, they did say that away back in 1966, in the great conference there in the UN, one man said, whether he be God or devil, we'll take him if he can bring things about and bring things into order, it's coming. And number eight, number eight is the increase of both apostasy and the increase of both apostasy in our world today. Now those are just eight, you can develop me a one, but the 16 he put in, and I thought it was very impressive to recognize sometimes Albert Hall needs a wake-up call, and we do get discouraged as we've heard, definitely, and we do get down, if you're blue Mondays, blue Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, not always blue Mondays, if it was only blue Mondays, I would praise God, but it's not that, it's mingled throughout the week, you get those days when you're down, but friend, I would want to leave the meeting with an uplift, an encouragement, the coming of the Lord, I want to look at it from four points of view, we look for it, secondly, we wait for it, thirdly, we love it, fifthly, or fourthly, we pray for it, keep those in mind, the coming of the Lord, you know, when we think of the future day, of splendor and glory, of radiance, of beauty, of grandeur, of greatness, of majesty, of dominion, and all the things that are associated with a coming day that we can't even understand, and yet we believe it, that day is coming, that millennial age, and then the new heavens and the new earth, but friend, it will never commence until the rapture, the rapture must first take place, that is, the day will come, the Lord left with his own disciples those simple words yet plain and precious, amidst all their discouragement, behold, I come quickly, and he said, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am thither ye may also come, and so brethren, listen, as we leave, all the ministry have heard about stewardship, we've heard about strengthening, we've heard about discouragement and encouragement, to encourage us amidst that, we've heard about different prophetic things, let us leave with this, we could buy up our souls, we could be more diligent in service, we could be more faithful to the word, if we recognize the Lord could come at any moment.

So we do. Said the writer to the Hebrews, it may be a little more extended, but I'm using it, definitely an application too, that unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, apart from sin, unto salvation. I wonder, are you sleeping yet? Yeah, raise your hand if you're going to sleep.

Okay, thank you. I wonder how many are really looking. You know what that word looking, it means you're stretching every muscle.

You are looking for his return. What a moment that will be, friend, when we are looking absolutely, we're looking expectantly. That's the idea.

I tell this, but this is because I'm gray-haired. I've been away a bit now and again in my time. If I had any regrets, I'm sorry I was away so much.

When the children were small, and you said goodbye to your wife and your five children, and the way you were, and maybe six weeks, maybe a little more. And then you finally get your ticket and you're coming home. And of course, when you're coming home, you write and you say, may, remember, I'll be home on Tuesday at the Halifax Airport.

Just let the children off school, forget about school. They loved that. And of course, I said, at that time they brought in, the story I'm telling, they brought in that he can't go out and you have to stand behind the glass and wait for those coming off the plane.

And there, when we're coming into Halifax, there were executives there, there were probably millionaires and probably all kinds. And here's little Albert Hall, an unknown quantity, and coming off the plane. And I'm coming off the plane.

And I was amazed, you know, when I wasn't looking for, I was looking for my wife and children. That's what I was looking for. You know what they were looking for? They were looking for those big executives with their brilliant looking cases and their absolute decked up.

They were looking, they were looking for their father. And their wee faces were up against that glass. I can't see it yet.

And they were like little monkeys. Their noses were flattened. I said, oh, not a nice thought.

They were looking expectantly from that plane of maybe 200, one person only. And I was looking for that little family, one family only. Brethren, there's a man in the glory.

Blessed be his name. He was resurrected the third day. He went home in absolute triumph.

The last few was to pierce his feet as he left for the glory. And the Shekinah cloud received him out of their sight. And he was received into heaven with the absolute acclaim by angels and by the Father.

And he sat down. But friend, he's waiting now 2,000 years. And he's waiting.

He's looking for that moment when he sees his family. And his family, I hope, are looking for him. Oh, brethren, what a moment that will be.

I can almost hear his footfall on the threshold of the door. And my heart, my heart is yearning to be with him evermore. Not often, sometimes.

I am so dull I'm not even thinking of it. The present world sweeps us away and we get occupied. Yes, sometimes legitimate things, sometimes illegitimate.

But oh, that God would give us an uplift looking for his coming. I know the farmers and I pray for you all. I hope you get a good spring.

And I hope the weather's suitable. And I hope it's good planting. And I hope it's good reaping.

I hope all that. I pray for you is all. But listen, wouldn't it be far better if he come? You wouldn't roar the tractor down the plow and you wouldn't be out there.

No. Coming. Thank God for the moment when he comes.

So we look for it. I think it was David Craig that I heard on one of these subjects. Not this one, but one that I heard him and he told about those little boys and girls were let out of school the day that the King was coming to visit in that time.

The schools were all locked down. They didn't have to go to school. And the lane, the lane, the footpaths on both sides.

And at that railing right along as the carriage was going to come and they were waiting for the King and his number coming with him. And the police were there, hand to hand, holding back the children and the people. And finally, every, they heard, he's coming.

And all those little necks out between the police men's arms and over. There he is. They were looking expectantly every muscle.

Oh, may God revive the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They tell me in the old conferences years ago when they left on their bicycles or whatever means of travel, they'll be looking up. You wouldn't do that of course, if you're in a car.

Keep your eye on the road. But I want to tell you, there's something about looking and looking expectantly. Secondly, I want to point out very quickly and we wait for it patiently.

Here in Thessalonica, they heard the gospel. They were pagan background. The gospel went in, in power, not in word only, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

And as Paul preached, souls got saved. He taught them and he taught them the coming of the Lord Jesus. And this is what he says in 1 Thessalonians 1 10, that they turned to God from idols to serve.

So we look expectantly for that change that will take place. And we look, my friend, we wait patiently and in the meanwhile we serve. You know, brethren, let us be busy in our service.

The devil wants to turn us aside. It's a wonderful, listen, it's a wonderful privilege. It's an amazing opportunity that God gives us to serve brethren and sisters alike.

Serving in the Sunday school, you sister teaching children, keep at it, keep at it. The Lord is coming, but serve in view of that. And you brethren that preach in the gospel or go out with tracks or whatever means, seed sowers and so forth, keep at it, keep busy for God.

There's so many other things that would take our attention and draws away from Christ. Let us wait patiently for his coming. They kept busy in view of it.

The devil would have us as it were, get discouraged and say, well, he hasn't come 2000 years now past. The saints right down the centuries have waited for that coming and hasn't come. But you know, a thousand years is as a day and a day, a thousand years in God's reckoning.

I'm inclined to think there's something with the 2000. I wouldn't be putting any dates. I would never, never dream of that.

But I'll tell you something, it's coming near. We wait for it. And in the meanwhile, while we're waiting, we serve, we put our best into it for God, into the assembly.

I'll tell you something. If the Lord's coming, gripped our hearts, we wouldn't miss the prayer meeting and the Bible reading. And if the Lord's coming, touched our hearts, we'll be with them in the open air.

And if the Lord's coming, gripped our heart, we have been busy in our service. We wouldn't miss the Lord's day. I think we need to get, you remember, we remembered the Lord this morning.

You did here, we did in Stout and all over planet earth. And every time soon people sat down and saints gathered to his name to commemorate the Lord's supper, you could almost strike over the table until I come. We need to keep busy.

We need to keep in service and we need to put our best into it for God. Thirdly, I know it's going to the Bema of glory here, the judgment seat in Timothy chapter four, but I apply it well because it must commence with the rapture. Paul says, I have fought a good fight and finished my course.

I have kept the faith. Henceforth has led up for me a crown of righteousness, which the righteous judge will give me at that day, not unto me only, but unto all them that love, love, love his opinion. I would say now you theological brethren pulled me up afterwards.

If I can't get away from you fast enough. Uh, but, uh, I'm inclined to think that every believer really loves the Lord's coming. Do you agree with that? Thanks very much.

I feel happier now. Yeah. Uh, it may, it may be dim.

It may be dull. I would like it to ignite. I'd like it to inflame my heart and your heart.

Here's Paul. As he's moving along the road of life, he's going to go out and get his head severed from his body on Nero's block. He has lived probably around about 30 years or thereabouts.

Half of his life was spent in Judaism and in persecuting the saints. The rest of his life was lived for Christ. Absolutely and totally.

I, if I want to, apart from Christ himself, if I want to get a glow about Christianity, I look at this man. He wrote 13 epistles, if not 14, I have to be careful. And when he comes to the end of life, he's not moving.

He's not mourning. He's not, no, I don't know how he walked out. I can't tell you it's not recorded, but he says the time of my didn't say the time of my death is at hand.

You ever noticed that doesn't say the time. He says the time of my exit. I'm leaving the shore of life.

I'm leaving this whole world and I'm making my exit to a higher and a brighter world. I'm going home. And then he says at the beam of glory, I look back on life.

I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.

The course is now finished. I have touched the, the, uh, the tape at the end of the race and I've fought a good fight. I've put my best into it for God.

And I've kept the faith. I haven't violated any principle. Now he says at the judgment seat of Christ, you know, I love the appearing.

It started the rapture and a stand before the Christ that reached me in the Damascus road that was with me all my life long. And as our brother, dear David has said in the storms of life, and he had many of them, he had beatings, he had bruisings, he carried the brand marks of Christ upon his person. I can't show you one.

He had them in his back. He had them everywhere. Comes to the end of life and he walks out that pathway to be executed.

I think he does it almost like his master. He's the nearest to his master when it comes to laying down his life and he goes home to the glory. What a reward will be his at the judgment seat of Christ.

Brethren, we'll all be rewarded. I don't think anyone will fail to get some reward, some level reward. The Lord is so faithful, so true, so every little act done out of devotion to Christ according to his word will be rewarded in that coming day.

But I do believe, brethren, that we will cast our crowns at his feet. He's worthy of all. And I think Paul will be happy to pass the crown at the feet of the man that died for MacCalvary, that won his heart.

Oh, brethren, I'd be glad any little that I would ever get. I'd be glad to lay at the master's feet. What a thrill it would be to pass it on to the one that gave so much.

And I think I have to borrow Mr. Faith's story. And you have heard it, Murray, and I have told it. Maybe you've told it.

But he told about that dear lady that worked so hard for many years to put her boy to become a doctor. Went through university and took all the different courses, and she worked here and worked there to make enough money. It was the days of poverty, and her hands were bony, and the dear old soul was worn out, working to get her son to become a doctor.

He was away in another city, and he got, he was going to receive his doctorate, and a certain big function was going to be handed out to the different ones that had passed. And he sent for her, and he said, Mother, I want you to come. Oh, she said, I wouldn't fit there, please.

No, you must come. And she got on a train, and she had landed at the city, and her son lovingly and tenderly brought her, brought her to the big auditorium, packed, and the stage was there, and one after another come out to receive their doctorate. And finally, he come out, and she's sitting with her shawl.

The others are all in their fancy clothing, well-dressed, and for the occasion, big banquet almost. And the dear old woman had very little, but she was sitting there, and as she was sitting there, she was one eye on one person, her son. And of course, when he come out, he not only got the doctorate, the scroll, but he got also a big, what do they call that? Medallion, is it? Yeah, okay, that'll do.

And he got that to hang around him. And as he got that, he looked down, and he saw his mother. He said, come on.

She didn't want to, and finally, she made her way up and up and up and up around. And in that great auditorium in front of all those people, he got that and said, it's all yours, mother. It's all yours.

I think the day will come. I have so little. My life's almost over.

But any little, and any little, I'd be glad to say, Lord, it's all yours. All yours. Now, friend, close with this.

We pray for it earnestly. You know, here's a man, if any man should be discouraged, I would say, would be this man, this man, John the Apostle. In a isle of Patmos, alone, away from everyone, and away from his people, what happens? He gets revelation after revelation.

His heart is thrilled with the great program of God, and the outline of prophecy, and all that, and it comes to the end of the book. He hears these words. Surely, I come quickly.

And from a prayerful attitude, he says, even so, come, Lord Jesus. I hope we'll leave the conference with this in our hearts. I know we who are older would love it to happen, maybe more than the younger, but nonetheless, I'll tell you, we'll all go in a moment.

One moment here in this dark world of woe, this weary veil where tears will ever flow. The next, caught up to meet him in the air, but for a moment between here and there. May God bless his word, and part us with the triumphant note.

Jesus is coming. Again.