Friday, March 26, 2010

12. JESUS CHRIST: GOD’S PROMISED MESSIAH (d)

Today we want to complete our short exploration of the prominent stages in the life and ministry of God’s Spirit-anointed Messiah (see also Med. 9 - 11).

f) He will return to our world in majesty and establish God’s worldwide and eternal dominion:

Jesus Christ spoke already before his death and resurrection about his future majestic return to Earth: “And then at last, the sign of the coming of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the nations of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)

When Jesus returned to heaven after his resurrection, God’s messengers said to his followers: “Why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!” (Acts 1:11)

The apostle Paul writes to the Christians in Thessalonica saying that many people in their part of the world are speaking about their faith in Jesus Christ and “how you are looking forward to the coming of God's Son from heaven-- Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

The apostle John opens his famous end-time prophesy called ‘Revelation’ with the announcement: “Look! He (i.e. Jesus the Messiah) comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him-- even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the earth will weep because of him.” (Revelation 1:7)

Furthermore, John writes in ‘Revelation’ about heavenly voices, proclaiming God’s worldwide and eternal dominion: “… The whole world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ (his Messiah), and he will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

Jesus Christ has the messianic titles ‘Son of God’ and ‘Son of Man’

During the introduction to our theme ‘Meditations on Christlike Maturity’ (Med. 1 - 12), we saw in the biblical texts that Jesus Christ, God’s Spirit-anointed Messiah, is also the Son of God and the Son of Man.

It is Jesus himself who testified to that fact on the night before his death. As he stood trial before the highest Jewish Court, the president of the Court asked him: “… I demand in the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” (Matthew 26:63).

In his reply, Jesus mentions his other messianic title: “Yes, it is as you say. And in the future you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God's right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64).

The apostle John writes at the end of his Gospel (i.e. Good News): “Jesus' disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life.” (John 20:30-31).

Do you believe this?

All Bible verses are quoted from the ‘New Living Translation’.

No comments:

Post a Comment