Christ's Coming in the Future
A second Advent focus relates on Jesus’ return as described in the reading below taken from Acts 1:6-11:
Acts 1:6-11
Then [the disciples] gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Pondering Point
This sub-theme of Advent is often referred to as Jesus’ “second coming,” a reference to the last day, the end of time, the Apocalypse. Jesus had told His disciples that "no one knows about that day or hour" (Matthew 24:36). Yet, like the apostle Paul, we can look forward to "the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).
Knowing that the Lord could come back today, some are tempted to stop what they are doing and just “wait” for Him.
However, there is a big difference between knowing that Jesus could return today and knowing that He will return today. Jesus said, "The time of His coming is something God has not revealed to anyone", and so, until He calls us to Himself, we should continue serving Him.
In Jesus’ parable of the ten talents, the departing king instructs his servants to “occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13).
Luke 19:11-13
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 While they were listening to this, he [Jesus] went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
Advent Hymn Verse for the Day
Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending
Lo! He comes with clouds descending,
once for ev'ry sinner slain;
thousand, thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Christ reveals his endless reign.
Ev'ry eye shall now behold him
robed in glorious majesty;
those who set at naught and sold him,
pierced and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
shall their true Messiah see.
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