TCH MINI-STUDY 41
THE COMING OF THE LORD
Verses about the coming of the Lord:
And that, knowing the time, that
now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day
is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the
day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof (Romans 13:11-14).
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed
in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end,
that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:6-8).
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence
also we look for [the coming of] the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:20-21).
And
let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner
of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Be patient therefore,
brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience
for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (James
5:8).
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists;
whereby we know that it is the last time (1 John 2:18).
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly [shortly,
without delay, soon, readily]. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).
But as the days of Noe were, so shall alsothe coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving
in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also
the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:37-39).
Some are not expecting or watching at all for the coming of the Lord:
Watch therefore:
for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would
come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour
as ye think not the Son of man cometh (Matthew 24:42-44).
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour
the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through (Luke 12:39).
But the day of
the Lord will come as a thief [unexpected stealer, filch] in the night [middle of the night when we are sleeping, or unaware of His
coming]; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also
and the works that are therein shall be burned up (2 Peter 3:10).
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame (Revelation 16:15).
Some believe the coming the Lord is delayed:
Who
then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is
that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and
to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he
is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth (Matthew 24:45-51).
How to respond while we are waiting on the coming of the Lord:
Continue to do the work the Lord
has given you and called you to do: He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom,
and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy [busy oneself, trade, conduct
business, work] till I come (Luke 19:12-13).
Faithfully, courageously, and fully use the talents [primarily money, but also resources
and abilities] the Lord has given you: For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants,
and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to
his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and
made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and
digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so
he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold,
I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents
came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto
him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter
thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man,
reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the
earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that
I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and
then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath
ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away
even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew
25:14-30).
God gives talents based upon the ability of each person:
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and
to another one; to every man according to his several ability [force, power, abundance, might, strength, work ability]; and straightway
took his journey (Matthew 25:15).
Talents are given based upon the Lord's will, judgment, gift, and grace:
But all these
worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will (1 Corinthians 12:11).
Having then gifts
differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith (Romans
12:6).
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive
it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:7).
We have two choices – to be faithful and fruitful,
or not:
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will
make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord,
thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good
and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy
of thy lord (Matthew 25:21-23). The faithful and fruitful are praised by the Lord, and promoted to larger tasks and responsibilities.
Then
he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown,
and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is
thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather
where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received
mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents (Matthew 25:24-28). Not only
is he chastened by the Lord, but that which he has been given by the Lord is taken away from the unfaithful, wicked, and unfruitful
servant.