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It Is Written Canada

Chris Holland

The Return

God's book, the Bible, still relevant in today's complex world.

It is written sharing messages of hope around the world.

The humpback whale is 1 of the most majestic creatures on all the earth.

It is massive in size and amazing in its beauty.

It is almost unimaginable that an animal that is 16 meters long, weighing over 30 tons, can breach the water fully in display of its magnificent power.

This mammal has a heart that weighs around 200 kilograms and eats, during the feeding season, 2, 000 to 2, 500 kilograms of plankton, krill, and other small fish every day.

You can find whale-watching tours all over the world.

The northeast and west coast of Canada offer ample opportunity to see these grand creatures.

On December the 3rd, 2012, Captain Jerry Smith of AquaVentures Dive Center in Baltimore, West Cork, Ireland led a group of people on a tour to see this king of the sea.

They were aboard the Wave Chieftain, pursuing a humpback whale.

As the boat stopped, all the people were directed to look to the starboard side of the ship.

They looked intently, waiting for the telltale signs that they were in the right area.

They gazed, looking for the footprint left by the whale, waiting for the whale to surface.

But then, in the now famous picture by photographer Simon Duggan, he captured a humpback whale breaching, but everyone on the wave chieftain with their backs to the action.

They were in the right place, but looking the wrong way.

They looked on the wrong side of the boat.

Friends, as we watch for Jesus and His soon return, are we watching in the right direction?

Or are we looking in all the wrong places?

Throughout history, civilizations have been concerned with immortality.

Each culture seemed to have a quest for immortality.

In ancient Egypt, the pyramids were built to immortalize the pharaoh's pursuit of immortality.

The ancient Babylonians sought after immortality.

The Incans and Mayans and their great pyramids were building quests for immortality.

This shouldn't come as a surprise to us because the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3 and verse 11, also, He has put eternity in their hearts.

Man was made with a natural desire to live forever.

However, throughout the course of history, mankind has looked in all the wrong places.

Even today, there are some Christians looking in the wrong direction.

Today, we will study the manner in which Jesus will return.

In the last 2 weeks, we have discussed what signs you need to watch for.

If you've missed those programs, you can log on to our website at itiswrittencanada.ca to watch the programs you've missed.

To begin with for our study today, we will look at a descriptive passage in 1 Corinthians 15, 51-54.

The Bible promises, Behold, I tell you a mystery.

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

This passage says that the corruptible will put on incorruption.

Literally in the original Greek, this word means perishable.

We use this often in the context of food.

Perishable food is that food which can spoil easily.

Non-perishable foods are those foods that are canned and packaged and will seemingly last forever.

Right now, you and I are perishable goods.

It may be a bit of a morbid thought, But as soon as we are born, we begin to die, because we're perishable.

This corruptible, this perishable, this mortal, will at that time, when Jesus comes again, put on incorruption and put on immortality.

That immortality, which from ancient times, civilizations have been striving to achieve, will be ours.

Jesus is coming again to set up a kingdom of imperishable goods.

He created us originally to last forever.

But Because of sin, we are bound by its consequence of death.

But Jesus died to free us from that consequence.

And when He comes again, that will be fully realized in His Kingdom and His people, which will last forever.

After that twinkling of an eye, after that last trumpet, after we have put on immortality, then what?

We will get to see for ourselves what Jesus really meant when he said in John 14, 2 and 3, John 14, 2 and 3, In my Father's house are many mansions.

If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Jesus has prepared a wonderful place for us, And it is described by the Apostle John in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 21, 18 to 21, John describes this remarkable city in heaven where we will go and live.

The construction of its wall was as of jasper and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones.

And then John tells us that there are 12 foundations of the city, each of them made up of a different type of precious stone.

And he goes on to say in verse 21, the 12 gates were 12 pearls.

Each individual gate was of 1 pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

It will be a place of unparalleled beauty.

This city and its inhabitants will last forever.

God has revealed this thrilling end time plan in His Word and He wants us to be watching in the right direction.

He doesn't want us to miss this beautiful and peaceful place.

Jesus desires that we would see with clear eyes and not be deceived.

So let's go to the Bible with the eyes of our hearts and our minds open and discover how this will take place.

So how then will Christ return and take us to that most magnificent city described in Revelation 21.

Luke 17 and verse 24 describes Jesus's second coming.

For as the lightning that flashes out of 1 part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.

The coming of Jesus is described as lightning.

It flashes and it streaks across the sky and people see it.

It can be so bright that you can see it even with your eyes closed.

In the book of Acts, the second coming is described in a bit more detail.

The book of Acts, chapter 1, verses 9-11, Now when he, speaking of Jesus, had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, 2 men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?

This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven.

Jesus did not vanish from them, but He ascended to heaven.

The disciples saw Him with their own eyes.

When 2 heavenly beings taught them that the second coming of Jesus will resemble His ascension to Heaven.

A real Jesus ascended to Heaven and a real Jesus Christ will descend at His Second Coming.

Some have talked of Jesus' Second Coming merely being a spiritual coming.

The Bible teaches that a real Jesus literally ascended up into heaven and that a real Jesus will literally descend from heaven through the atmosphere to this very planet we call home.

Just as Jesus' coming will be a literal event, it will also be a visible event.

John described this visible event in Revelation 1 and verse 7.

Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him." The passage clearly states that every eye will see him.

His coming will not just be seen by believers, but all the inhabitants of the earth will observe his coming.

Jesus Himself said in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 30.

Matthew chapter 24 and in verse 30, Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." All the tribes of the earth is a description of the entire population.

Everyone will see the coming of Jesus because it is a literal and a visible event.

But His coming will also be an audible event.

The Apostle Paul outlined the Second Coming of Jesus in his first letter to the Thessalonians in chapter 4 and verse 16 and 17.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 16 and 17.

The Return

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