By: Scott Adkins, Sling ‘n Stone Ministry
Carter County Times
Christmas arrives! We say Christmas celebrates Christ’s coming to ransom and rescue sinful humanity. (Mark 10:45). Yet nobody knows the exact date Christ came into this world via Mary. But we do know history’s first “official” Christmas came in 325 A.D. by Roman Emperor Constantine’s decree. And we also know, that after Christ came, He: (ii) showed us the way to life eternal (John 14:6); (iii) died so we can walk His “narrow way,” (Matthew 7:14); (iv) rose again to prove all He said and promised, (I Cor. 15:3-4); (v) went away to prepare a place for those who follow Him fully (John 14:2); and (vi) having went away, He will come again. (Acts 1:11).
The Lord’s coming again presents the “Christmas Yet To Come.” Like His first coming 2,000 years ago, no man knows the exact date Christ will return. (Matthew 24:36). But return He will. (Revelation 19:11-21). And when The Lord returns, His doing so will be nothing like His first appearance 2,000 years ago. The first time Jesus came, He did so covertly – no one but three wise men knew much about when or where He came. (Matthew 2:7-10). But when The Lord comes again, “every eye shall see Him,” (Revelation 1:7), “coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30). Nor will He show up as a helpless, cuddly infant. Oh no.
When The Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will come in righteousness with heaven’s armies to judge and make war. (Revelation 19:14, 11). Nor will He be wrapped in swaddling clothes, (Luke 2:12); rather, The Lord will wear His royal robe “dipped in blood,” (Revelation 19:13), and written on the side will be His Name: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” (Revelation 19:16). When Jesus returns, He will not whimper like an infant; rather, “He will smite the nations” with a sharp two-edged sword from His mouth. (Revelation 19:15). Then, The Lord will cast the Antichrist into hell, slay the Antichrist’s armies, and bind Satan for 1,000 years. (Revelation 19:20-21; 20:1-3).
In stark contrast to history’s first Christmas in 325 A.D., the Christmas Yet To Come will cause the ungodly to cry “to the mountains and rocks, ‘fall on us, and hide us… from the wrath of the Lamb’” (Revelation 6:16). As we prepare for Christmas in 2023, we must watch for the Christmas Yet To Come: The Lord warned us to “watch and pray,” (Luke 21:36), and busy ourselves doing “every man his work.” (Mark 13:34). Lest when He returns, He “find[s] [us] sleeping,” (Mark 13:36), and we “be beaten with many stripes… appointed our portion with the unbelievers.” (Luke 12:46-47). Lest we then stand before Him ashamed, we must labor for Him now to rescue the ungodly from His wrath that will destroy them in the Christmas Yet To Come.
