Pastor Deric's Blog

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Posted on Aug 26, 2021 in Pastor Deric's Blog |

Do you remember those famous words that you were told as a child when you were impatient for something that you really wanted? “Good things come to those who wait”. Christians are waiting for something gloriously good.

Here’s how the New Testament puts it;

“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Recall that Jesus told the disciples on the eve of His arrest that He was “going away” (John 13:33) but then He added in John 14 that “I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Christians can be described as those who are expectantly waiting for the breathtaking, earth-quaking, heaven shaking, evil crushing second coming of our great Savior Jesus Christ. We are told in Acts chapter 1 that the disciples stood looking at Jesus as He ascended up to heaven. And as they did, “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.” The promise couldn’t be clearer. The same Jesus will come back, in the same way, they saw Him go. The One that John described as the “word of life” (1John1) is returning to planet earth.

I love the way John the Revelator details the Lord’s second coming. In chapter one John says “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” Just as He was taken up from the earth to heaven, He will return on the clouds. The first time He came, very few detected him. Except for His mother and father, only a few shepherds and a small band of “wise men”, hardly noticed him. Other than the normal baby meet and greet family traditions, Jesus blended into the world around him for the first thirty years of His life. But the next time that He comes “every eye shall see Him” and they will “wail” because of Him. The entire world will understand fully who He is in totality. As the book of Philippians predicts, “Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord”.

Jesus Himself describes His own future glorious appearing in the book of Mark by telling his disciples that “they (the world) will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” (Mark 13:26)

Those words alone are enough to fill your heart with hope. Jesus is coming back with great power and glory. And so shall we ever be with the Lord! As a matter of faith, train your heart to respond to all chokingly bad news but reminding each other that we are not waiting for the meltdown of the earth, we are waiting for the “blessed hope.”

Church family. LIVE IN HOPE! Join me Sunday morning as we worship Him in praise, prayer and preaching of His Word from Mark 13: verses 14 to 27.

Shalom,

Pastor Deric

“DON’T LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED!” (John 14:1)

Posted on Aug 20, 2021 in Pastor Deric's Blog |

That’s a good word for today! There is much to trouble us in the world. Earthquakes, wars, disease, deception, division, and betrayal, to name a few. There is no doubt that the planet is heating up, in more ways than one. So why would Jesus counsel His followers to NOT let their hearts be troubled?

Just a brief word about what He did not mean. Jesus is not saying that we should be indifferent toward the grief and mayhem all around us. He is not saying that we should be aloof and unfeeling about the heartache we witness in the world. He is not telling us to “keep our distance” from the brokenness of our world. He simply meant, “don’t let it rattle or shake your faith.” In fact, that’s His prescription for not being “troubled,” i.e. “have faith in God.” We can remain stable, steady, and strong amidst the upheaval of the planet because we believe that God is sovereign.

Basically, Jesus went on to tell the disciples that this troubled world is not their home. Their permanent dwelling is “in the Father’s House” with its “many rooms.” (John 14:2) If this world is all you have, there is cause to be troubled. The foundations are destroyed, and the house is slowly disintegrating. In fact, Jesus said in Mark 13 that the intensified troubles of the world are the “beginning of sorrows.” Trouble will increase as we approach the “last day.”

Expanding on His teaching to keep their hearts from becoming “troubled” Jesus gave His disciples TWO promises that have healing power. Here are TWO anchors that will guard your heart and keep your mind.

“I go to prepare a place for you.” He’s referring to the CROSS.

The only way to the Father’s House is by way of the Cross upon which Jesus died. I’m sure you’ve heard someone say that our “mansion must be beyond belief because He’s been gone for 2021 years now preparing a place for us.” That sounds nice but it’s a serious misapplication of the text. Jesus was going to the cross and in so doing would prepare a place for us in the Father’s House. Jesus is the only way to the Father. The cross is the place where the troubles of your heart are taken away and replaced by perfect peace.

Please take a moment to thank God for the cross because it alone has the power to calm your troubled heart. The cross has the power to heal your fear and anxiety. Focus your faith upon what happened there, and you will find yourself at peace in a troubled world.

“I will come again to receive you unto myself.” He’s coming back for YOU!

He will “descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4) He will return for His Bride, His Beloved, the church.

Knowing that He is coming soon, we can remain in the perfect peace that He gives to all who know and love Him. Pause for a moment and posture your heart in expectation that He will return for YOU. Yes, you. All who have come to the cross by faith and receive Jesus as the gift of God to us, are reconciled to God and have a secure home in His everlasting Kingdom. This kingdom is described in the New Testament as a “Kingdom that is unshakable.” (Hebrews 12:28

Church family, Be prepared for His return! pd

Pastor Deric

P.S. We are continuing our study in Mark 13 this Sunday morning. The coming TRIBULATION is our theme. See you then!