Module 7 Lesson 1 - The Hope of the Church

Bro Koay Kheng Hin

The Hope of the Church

Note: The text in grey are notes transcribed by Bro Tommy and is not in the notes given.

End Times – Nearing the end of the world as it is – Beginning of a new world

First Coming – inaugurates the Kingdom of God (Promises)

Are we redeemed?

Ephesians 1: 7 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

(We already have redemption)

Romans 8:23 – Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

(We await redemption)

Ephesians 4:30 –  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

(The day of redemption is future)

Tension of the first coming – “already/not yet”

Second Coming – consummation of the Kingdom of God (Complete Fulfilment)

Tension removed

The first coming ends with the second coming (our resurrection) – that period is Easter time

Easter time (tension)

Jesus comes back to remove tension

Tension does not bear us down because we have the hope of victory in Christ Jesus

This hope makes Christians joyous

Be a happy Christian but be serious about our faith

The second coming gives us hope! The blessed hope of the church

Colossians 1:27 - To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The hope of glory (but we first must have the glorified body)

Last words

Acts 1:9-11 – 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.”

(Jesus is coming again!)

Titus 2:13 – while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

(Blessed hope – Jesus appearing)

2 Timothy 4:8 – Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

(Longing for His appearance)

Conclusion

It is a book of exhortation and hope

Revelation 19: 11-21 – talks about the hope of the second coming of the Lord of lords and King of kings – our blessed hope!

Consummation of the Kingdom of God:

Rapture the church

Judge both believers and unbelievers

Establish the visible kingdom

Usher in the new heaven and new earth

The Hope of the Church

The church today is a body of believers that have varied understandings of the faith. Some

believers are unduly focused on heaven and the age to come while others, on the contrary, are

more interested in the present age. In His Word, God has revealed to us that our Lord Jesus

Christ is coming again. Have you ever asked this question of why the Second Coming?

The First Coming of Christ inaugurates the kingdom of God. At Golgotha, the death and

resurrection of Christ opened the way for the salvation of all who are willing to believe in the

atoning work of Jesus Christ. At the Day of Pentecost the gathered believers became the

church. The present age began from the First Coming. As believers we are redeemed and living

out the promises of God that are found in our salvation. However, we realize that often these

promises seem to be only partially fulfilled.

This experience of partial fulfillment can be seen from the different aspects of our salvation

experience. We already have redemption (Eph 1:7) and we await redemption (Rom 8:23).

Therefore, the "day of redemption' is still future (Eph 4: 30). We are dead (Col 3:3) and we put

to death our members (Col 3:5). Holiness is totally God's work (1 Thess 5:23) and at the same

time totally our work (Heb 12:14). The Christian lives below on earth (John 17:11,15) but at the

same time he is seated with Christ in heaven (Eph 2:6). We are supposed to have eternal life

from the moment of our salvation, but the experience of eternity awaits the future since we are

still living in the temporal world (John 5:11,12).

How are we then to reconcile this tension of the already/not yet perspective of our salvation?

The answer lies in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In the First Coming of Christ, in ushering

in the kingdom of God, the age to come has already dawned but is not complete. We receive

the promises and experience them partially in this present age on earth. In His Second Coming

is when the consummation of the kingdom of God is accomplished. The promises of God

intrinsic to salvation become completely fulfilled.

Jesus clearly revealed to the disciples that He would come again. During the Ascension of Christ

to heaven, as the disciples were looking intently at Jesus going up into the clouds, two angels

had proclaimed that Jesus will come back again(Acts 1:11). In his epistle addressed to Titus for

the church established in Crete, Paul mentions about the Second Coming (Titus 2:13). The book

of Revelation stands as the clearest and most detailed description of the events that will unfold

prior to and after the Second Coming.

Rev 22:20

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly'

Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Questions

1 What do you think is the purpose of the Second Coming?

2 What is meant by the already/not yet eschatological tension?

3 Are you longing for the Second Coming?