Return Of The King

imminent (adjective): likely to happen soon [Latin imminere to project over]


We're having guest speakers during the summer in our church and today we had one that impressed me quite a bit. He did a sermon on the imminent return of Christ. Fascinating! I was moved by his sermon on this often ignored piece of theology. He said that when he was a boy he rarely made it through a week without hearing some sort of conversational snippet about Christ's return. Two things he remembers: one, that he was not afraid of the idea of Christ returning and two, he often thought about how Jesus might return whenever he was eating food that he liked - and this made him wolf down his food quicklyon more then one occasion! In his family, Christ's return was spoken of always in positive terms and that is the feel I got as expounded on the topic in church. It got me thinking:

1. I too had my behavior changed by thinking about the return of Christ. As a hormonal teenager I "worried" that Christ would return before I would have a chance to experience the blessings of marital life (I think you know which ones I'm talking about). This thought entered my mind on more then one occasion and I remember after my honeymoon thinking "Thanks for waiting Jesus, you can come back any time now!"
2. Why aren't we thinking about this more? As Christ followers, shouldn't we be longing and expectant about His return? As I listened to the message this morning I realized that I am a little too wrapped up in this present world and not thinking enough about eternity in the next. It was a great sermon (even Riker listened intently to the first 10 minutes or so which is a miracle in itself) and I was challenged (not "guilted") into thinking and acting more on this.
3. Sometimes I struggle with this doctrine. Imminent means "soon" and it's about 2000 years since Christ returned to heaven. I know that a thousand years are like a day for God, but I still find it difficult to live like he will return soon when it seems to have taken so long already. Also, the Bible seems to say no man will know the day or the hour yet believers should not be completely surprised either as there will be signs. I find it difficult to embrace that Jesus could return at any moment and live a Christian life that plans and dreams about the future. Ah, these crazy paradoxes!

I definitely want to look more into this important doctrine.

May Light increase!