I want to share a part of my study for this morning’s message that I decided to omit having to do with the differences between our Lord’s first coming and His second coming. This isn’t new for most of us: Jesus is coming again. He came the first time and He is coming again. But there are dramatic differences between our Lord’s first coming and His second coming. Rev. 19:11-16:         

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

        The Scripture establishes a dichotomy – a clear distinction between the nature of Jesus’ kingship during His first coming and His kingship when He comes the second time. At His first coming Christ’s kingship created a unique season of salvation in human history; until He comes again people can be saved – they can switch sides as it were; they can stop serving the Prince of Darkness and chose to serve the King of Kings; at His first coming our Lord came on a donkey; He came as a humble servant; and in His first coming He came to lay down His life as a ransom for many.

        But when He comes the second time things will be different: He will be on a horse; instead of a towel in His hands there will be a rod and a sword; His Kingship will be completely different than it was the first time – and then it will be too late. As we consider the significance of the events of Palm Sunday; Good Friday; and Resurrection Sunday let us pray that we remember those around us that are living on borrowed time and pray that God will give us a burden and a passion to reach the lost with the Good News of our Lord’s First Coming! We are living in a unique period of time in the history of the human race – a period of human history when anyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord – can and will be saved.

        Pastor John