THE LORD JESUS IS COMING BACK

"I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." -John 14:3 [KJV]

Our Lord spake these words to His disciples, who had faith in Him, and yet had troubled hearts. Is this your case? They are suited to all such. They are to strengthen the faith and comfort the hearts of disciples. O this coming again of Christ will be the crowning work of all! To whom? awful to think of! The greatest part of the world believe nothing of Christ’s first coming, and care nothing about His second coming. It will be a dreadful coming to them. 

“I will come again.” A second coming implies a first. If Christ has come in the power of His Spirit to our hearts, so that we have seen His glory, and believed on Him, we shall look with pleasure, and long with joy, for His coming again. This is a sure mark, that we shall “receive a crown of righteousness, if we love the appearing of Christ” (II Timothy 4:8.) 

Now, to your hearts by faith: hereafter, by sight. “I will receive you unto Myself.” Glory to Thee, my dear Lord: O! make my heart to love and thank Thee more and more, that, vile, filthy, polluted, and abominable as I am, Thou hast received me, washed me in Thy blood, justified me in Thy righteousness, caused me to see Thee, and hast given me the privilege of becoming a son of God. 

O what a day of joy and glory will that be, when our dear Lord shall receive us unto Himself! That is a sweet word, full of precious mystery, That Christ might present it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. For He hath sanctified and cleansed us in His own blood (see Ephesians 5:27.) O what love has Christ to us! what pains does He take with us! with what joy will He receive us! 

Never, never did the most affectionate bridegroom receive his bride, or the most tender parent his beloved child from the jaws of death, with such joy as Christ will receive and welcome us. “That, where am I, there ye may be also.” O my soul! what words are these? Enough to make my drooping spirit exult with joy, under all its burdens, sorrows, and difficulties. 

Is a sense of Christ’s absence, thy present pain? Is the sense of His presence now, thy greatest joy? Then soon, very soon, thou shalt be for ever with thy Lord. For, so sure as Jesus spake these words on earth, ALL His believing members shall be with Him in glory. O then, welcome pains, sickness, temptations, losses, crosses, afflictions of every kind, yea, death itself, whenever, and by whatever way it comes! for ye are all, but as so many love-tokens from my Lord, crying, Arise, my fair one, come away— No mortal joys are worth Thy stay.

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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