Are you ready for the return of the Lord?

1 John 2:28-3:3

Standing at the kitchen sink, looking out the window in utter horror as my parents pulled into the driveway a day earlier than their scheduled return from vacation.  My parents and younger siblings left two weeks earlier to go on their summer vacation, but I had to stay home because of work.  Mother gave me specific instructions on how to keep the house in their absence.  Unfortunately, at 17 years old, I was not as responsible as she required.  

Every day I left for work only to come home in the afternoon to ride my horse until dark, then after fixing supper, I left the dirty dishes in the sink.  My lack of discipline had an escape plan; I would wash the dishes and clean the house the night before my parents were to arrive home.  Everything was moving along smoothly until they came home early and discovered my failure to follow instructions.

To say the least, it embarrassed me at the condition I allowed the house to become and my failure to follow my mother’s instructions.  She was not pleased and verbalized it several times.  My father just shook his head in disappointment. 

The Boys Scout motto is to “Be prepared.”  I thought I had plenty of time to set things right and be ready for their return.  But I wasn’t ready because they returned early.

I wonder how many Christians will be surprised when the Lord returns.  

1 John 2:28–3:3 ESV “2:28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 

2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. 

3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 

3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 

3:3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

What would my response be if the Lord came back today?

Matthew 25:1–13 ESV “25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

25:2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

25:3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

25:4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

25:5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

25:6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’

25:7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.

25:8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

25:9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’

25:10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

25:11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’

25:12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

25:13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

1 John 2:28 ESV “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” 

Either you are ready for the Lord’s return or you are not.  Either you are prepared for the Lord’s return or you are not.  There is no middle ground.  The ten wise virgins had made preparations for the bridegroom’s coming by having extra oil for their lamps.  They were waiting and ready for His coming.

1 John 2:28 ESV “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”

The key to being ready for the Lord’s return is to abide in Christ.  When you are abiding (remaining) in Christ, you have a vital, connect relationship with Him.  You are walking with Christ.  Christ is part of your daily life, not just a passing thought on Sunday morning while you are in church.

“Abide is an old English word for “remain,” “stay steady” and “keep your position.” What it means to abide in Christ—that is, always to be resting on him, anchored to him, fixed in him, drawing from him, continually connected and in touch with him—is a pervasive theme in chapters 14—17. There is no more precious lesson to learn, no more enriching link and bond to cherish, no more vital connection to keep snug and tight, so that it never loosens, than this. Abiding in Christ brings peace, joy and love, answers to prayer, and fruitfulness in service. The abiding life is the abundant life.”^⁠1

John 15:1–11 ESV “15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

15:2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

15:3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

15:6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

15:10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

How does a person know he or she is abiding in Christ?  Fruit.  When one’s life is producing fruit for the Lord, then one can understand his life is abiding in Christ.  Abiding in Christ as the true vine brings confidence because of the fruit that is produced in once life.  The fruit is a sign of salvation.  Please concentrate on verse seven, where the Christian abides in Christ and His words abide or remain in our life.

When the Christian is abiding in Christ, then he will not be ashamed when Christ returns but is looking forward to the return of Christ.  

How will the Lord return?

Two words about the coming of the Lord

There are four main words that Paul used to talk about the coming of the Lord:  parousi (His coming), phanerosis (His appearing), epiphaneia (His epiphany), and apokalupsis (His revelation).  John uses two of these four words in this verse alone.

His appearing

“5319 fanero`w phaneroo {fan-er-o’-o}  •  from 5318; TDNT – 9:3,1244; v •  AV – make manifest 19, appear 12, manifest 9, show 3, be manifest 2, show (one’s) self 2, manifestly declare 1, manifest forth  1; 49 •  1) to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any  other way 1a) make actual and visible, realised 1b) to make known by teaching 1c) to become manifest, be made known 1d) of  a person 1d1) expose to view, make manifest, to show one’s self, appear 1e) to become known, to be plainly recognised,  thoroughly understood 1e1) who and what one is •  For Synonyms see entry 5812”^⁠2  

This is an interesting word because outside the New Testament, the word had the meaning of “to make visible what is invisible.”  In the New Testament, it means to “make visible or appear.”

His coming

“3952 parousi`a parousia {par-oo-see’-ah}  •  from the present participle of 3918; TDNT – 5:858,791; n f •  AV – coming 22, presence 2; 24 •  1) presence 2) the coming, arrival, advent 2a) the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise the dead, hold the last  judgment, and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God”^⁠3  

The general meaning of this word is to be present.  It is talking about an active presence of a person in a legal sense.  In classical Greek, it meant the visit of a king or ruler.

So the two Greek words used together in this verse mean there will be a literal presence of the king.  The Lord will return personally.

Acts 1:9–11 ESV “1:9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 

1:10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 

1:11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”” 

We believe in a visible, personal return of Christ who will return and sit upon the throne of David to reign during the Millenial reign of Christ.

Two responses at the coming of the Lord

Ashamed at His coming

“153 aivsc`unw aischuno {ahee-skhoo’-no}  •  from aischos (disfigurement, i.e. disgrace); TDNT – 1:189,29; v •  AV – be ashamed 5; 5 •  1) to disfigure 2) to dishonour 3) to suffuse with shame, make ashamed, be ashamed”^⁠4  

Those who do not know Christ as their Saviour will be ashamed at His coming.  They have not prepared themselves to stand before God and give an account of their life.  This phrase literally means to be ashamed of Him.  It has the meaning of shrinking back from Him.  They will want to run or flee from the face of the Lord.

But, not only those who do not know Him, but those who know Jesus yet who are looking for His return.  They have become wrapped up in the affairs of this world.  Backslidden and immature Christian who are not prepared will be ashamed of how they are living when Christ comes back.

How can a Christian be ashamed at Christ’s return?

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 ESV “3:10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 

3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

3:12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 

3:13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 

3:14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 

3:15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

At the Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema seat), each Christian will give an account of how he or she built upon the foundation the Lord has laid.  Just like Paul and Apollos will give an account, so will every Christian.

In this passage, there are two outcomes for the Christian:  reward or loss.  The person is a Christian; he is saved.  However, how he lives his life will determine if he will be ready for the Lord’s return or ashamed.  His works, how he lived his life, will be put on trial.  Tried by fire to see what remains, his works will be tested.  If he spent his life on the things of this world and not of eternity, he has built with perishable things like wood, hay and straw.  It will disappear in the fire.  However, if he has built with imperishable things, his labors are not in vain and he will receive a reward. 

Those who receive no reward for their labors will have nothing to give to the Lord in adoration and worship of Him who sits upon the Throne of Glory.  They will be ashamed of their wasted life.

Mark 8:38 ESV “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.””

Romans 1:16 ESV “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” 

Romans 9:33 ESV “as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.””

Romans 10:11 ESV “For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”” 

2 Timothy 1:12 ESV “which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”

Philippians 1:20 ESV “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” 

Boldness or confidence at His coming

1 John 2:28 ESV “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”

“3954 parrhsi’a parrhesia {par-rhay-see’-ah}  •  from 3956 and a derivative of 4483; TDNT – 5:871,794; n f •  AV – boldness 8, confidence 6, openly 4, plainly 4, openly + 1722 2, boldly + 1722 1, misc 6; 31 •  1) freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech 1a) openly, frankly, i.e without concealment 1b) without ambiguity or  circumlocution 1c) without the use of figures and comparisons 2) free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness,  assurance 3) the deportment by which one becomes conspicuous or secures publicity”^⁠5  

Boldness comes from the blood of Christ.

‘Parrhesia’ literally means to be outspokenness, frankness, freedom of speech, boldly, plainly, etc.  It denotes a confidence to come into the presence of the Lord.  With boldness, one can come into the presence of the Lord because he has been abiding in Christ and knows his sins are forgiven and he is ready to meet the Lord.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 10:19 ESV “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,”

The last phrase of Hebrews 10:19 is the reason that one can come boldly into the presence of the Lord.  That phrase is “by the blood of Jesus.”  No one can ever come into the presence of the Lord outside of the blood of Jesus.  It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses the sin and shame.

Exodus 12:13 ESV “The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 12:23 ESV “For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.”

Isaiah 1:18 ESV “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” 

Boldness comes from abiding in the vine.

John 15:7 ESV “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Abiding in Christ as the true vine brings confidence because of the fruit that is produced in once life.  The fruit is a sign of salvation.  Please concentrate on verse seven where the Christian abides in Christ and His words abide or remain in our life.

Boldness comes when we are prepared for His coming by living holy.

2 Peter 3:8–14 ESV “3:8  But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 

3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 

3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

3:11  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 

3:12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 

3:13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

3:14  Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”

Peter reminds the church that Christ is coming back.  The Lord cannot lie, He will fulfill His promises.  Therefore, Christians must be ready for His return.  

Since Christ is returning, Christians are to live holy, blameless lives before Him.  As He is holy, Christian is called to be holy.  

Notice that the response to realizing that the Lord is going to return is to make sure that it reminded us of what kind of person we need to be – holy behavior and godliness.  Notice that in verse 14, we are called to be diligent in our walk in Christ. 

Seeing God’s character helps the Christian to prepare for His return.

1 John 2:29 ESV “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.”

Matthew 7:16–18 ESV “7:16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

7:17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

7:18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.”

One evidence of abiding in Christ is a holy life.  Living a righteous life is one of the greatest evidences of a life that is abiding in Christ.  A person who lives a righteous life is a person who knows God because God is righteous.  A person who knows God is a person who wants to live a righteous life because he wants to be like his Heavenly Father.

Colossians 3:9–10 ESV “3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices

3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Seeing God’s love prepares the Christian for His return.

1 John 3:1–3 ESV “3:1 ¶ See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 

3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 

3:3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

The greatest subject in the Bible is the love of God.  John 3:16 sums up God’s love for the world that He sent His on, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross of Calvary so those who believe in Him will be saved.  John emphasizes God’s love in three ways in this passage.

God’s love is seen in adoption into the family of God.

John 1:12 ESV “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

Romans 8:15 ESV “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!””

Galatians 4:4–6 ESV “4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 

4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 

4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!””

God adopted those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour into the family of God.  Reconciled to the Lord through faith in Christ, they become part of the family of God.  Sons and daughters in Christ, bound in the love of God, they have been called out of the world to be God’s children.

The world no longer recognizes them because the world did not know Christ.  World does not understand Christians.  They cannot comprehend those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ because the world has never recognized Christ.

God’s love is seen in His eternal plan for His children.

1 John 3:2 ESV “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

1 Corinthians 15:50–57 ESV “15:50  I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 

15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 

15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 

15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 

15:54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 

15:55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 

15:56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 

15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“We cannot understand a body, a personality, like that, we cannot comprehend such tremendous truth with these finite minds. Therefore God did not explain ‘in detail what it will mean to be like Jesus. We will just wait and let Him show us in that glorious resurrection morning”^⁠6 

We do not know what this imperishable body will be like but we know it will be a body that will last for all eternity.

We do not know exactly what God has in store for those whose faith is in Christ, but we know God loves us and His plans for us will far exceed anything we can imagine.  We can trust Him for our eternity.

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—”

God’s love is an incentive for the Christian to purify his life.

1 John 3:3 ESV “And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

Hebrews 9:14 ESV “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

Here is the incentive to live a godly life:  God’s love.  More a Christian understand and experiences the love of God, the more he will strive to live a life pleasing to the Lord.  That is a life of faith and purity, a life which the Lord will be pleased.  

More a Christian understand the depth of God’s love for him or her, the more he or she will desire to please the Lord by living a life of purity and holiness.

Things to Consider:

Matthew 24:36–39 ESV “24:36  “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

24:37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

24:38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,

24:39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

1 John 2:28 ESV “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”

Romans 14:10–12 ESV “14:10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 

14:11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” 

14:12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

One day, each one of us will give an account to the Lord of our lives.  We will stand before God and be judged either at the Bema Seat of Christ where the Christians will be judged, or at the Great White Throne judgment where the unbelievers will be judged.  

Revelation 20:12–15 ESV “20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 

20:13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 

20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 

20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Therefore, the only way we can stand before Him with confidence is to be in Christ and live faithfully for Him.  We need to examine our lives and see if there is anything displeasing to the Lord and repent of it.

If you were to stand before God today, would you have confidence in how you are living your life?

¹ J.I.Packer & Carolyn Nystrom, Abiding in Christ (LifeGuide Bible Studies), InterVarsity Press.

² Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “paragraph 1

³ Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “paragraph 1

⁴ Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “paragraph 1

⁵ Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “paragraph 1

⁶ Oliver Greene. The Epistles of John. Greenville, SC: The Gospel Hour, 1966, p.112f