The Second Coming Of Christ And The Day Of Judgement

SERMON DELIVERED BY PASTOR M. O. OGUNIBE, LAWNA TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY, ON MONDAY, 5^TH AUGUST 2024, DURING THE 48^TH LAWNA ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION HELD ON SATURDAY, 3^RD TO FRIDAY, 9^TH AUGUST, 2024 AT THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH NIGERIA NATIONAL TEMPLE AT 9AM

TOPIC: DIVISION III – THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT (REV. 1:7; MATT. 25:31-46)

INTRODUCTION

The hymn, RH 770 goes thus:

In these, the closing days of time

What joy the glorious hope affords

That soon – O wondrous truth sub-lime!

He shall reign, King of kings and Lord of lords.

He’s coming soon, He’s coming soon

With joy we welcome His returning

It may be morn, it may be night or noon

We know He’s coming soon.

God is the owner of His church. He is reminding us again of His Son’s Second Coming. Why?

Because many have lost their salvation.
Many are taking their salvation with hand of levity.
Many are tired with their salvation.
Even with many their salvation has no meaning to them, they play with it.
Many have forgotten that their salvation made them what they are today.
Some have also exchanged their salvation with the things of this world, thereby joining different secret societies and engaging in unscriptural practices.

The Owner of the Vineyard in His love is refreshing our memories about His Second Coming as promised in the book of Revelation saying “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11) and He repeated it in chapter 22 verses 7, 12 and 20. This is because a church without salvation is just a ceremonial gathering. Today many are not fighting for how they will be sure of their salvation; but they are busy doing other things. God observed that carnality have taken over and that many of us are not even thinking of their end on Earth; because one day the end shall come. It is therefore the will of God at this time that everyone should make it a point of duty to be sure of his salvation. This is the greatest blessing we can have.

Again, God wants us to fight for our salvation, and have victory in order to enter His Kingdom. God also observed our uncaring attitude. Many criminality is going-on underneath that are are not known to people, even known to the Servants of God and the leaders.

The theme of this year’s Convention is hence an alert and big reminder that our time is running out in order that we would be careful, watchful and take note of all the signs around us now so as not to enter into serious trouble at the end of our race. It is noteworthy that at His first coming, Jesus Christ came as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem. The announcement was made by the host of angels to the shephereds in the night while watching their flocks. He also came as a suffering servant and a humble person. But at His Second Coming, He will arrive with the host of heaven, with the Archangel blowing the trumpet. He will arrive this time as a Conquering King.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT

These two events are both sacred. They are scriptural and shall one day come to pass. Today the whole World celebrates memorable days with a grand style. We celebrate the following days globally: Father’s day, Mother’s Day, Children’s Day, International Widows’ Day, Independence Day, Christmas Day, Workers Day, New Year’s Day, Bicycle Day, Forest Day, World Food Day, World Health Day, and Birthdays as it please individuals. Even in this Lagos of ours, we have Horn Free Day, October 15 annually. Children of God, we even celebrate the lives of those that have passed unto glory. However, the Judgement Day is not celebrated. Why? Because it is not known or ignored.

RH 773 gives us a clue:

Stanza 1 “It may be at morn, when the day is awaking

When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking

That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory

To receive from the world “His own””.

Stanza 2 “It may be at midday, It may be at twilight

It may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight

Will burst into light in the blaze of His glory

When Jesus receives “His own””.

According to Revelation 6:1-12, the Judgement Day is 100% real and His Second Coming will anchor this. This is because Jesus Christ promised that He will come again. Hecomforted His disciples after resurrection. John 14:1-3 says “Let not your heart be troubled, ye beleive in God and also in me. 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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

The promise of His Second Coming; are you expecting its fulfilment? If truly we are expecting His Second Coming you will wash yourself clean. 1 John 3:3 says “And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as He is pure.”

At His appearance, where and how? 1 Thess. 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.“

Song: App 146 Yoruba

Jesus is coming thro’ the sky – Jesu mbo! l’ofurufu pe, l’ayo

Oh! Happy day! Oh! Happy day! – Ojo ayo! ojo ayo!

Then all who love Him shall heavenly ward-fly

Oh! Happy day! Oh! Happy day!

Upward shall fly to the Lord in the air

Together with Jesus we all shall be there

Far from the earth and from sorrow and care

Oh! Happy day! Oh! Happy day!

Apostle Paul informed the Thessalonians (believers) that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2). Revelation 16:15 also says “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”

It is a day of joy for those who served Him diligently with all sincerity of heart and a great day of sorrow and regret for the sinners.
His appearance shall be fearful and all powers shall be arrested.
It is a day that will process the separation of the wheat from the chaff.
A day of dancing and rejoicing for the elect but sorrow, crying, gnashing of teeth and regret for the unbelievers.
Therefore we must be ready at all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Be on the alert, keep watch since we don’t know which day and hour our Lord is coming.

His appearance shall be through the sky and all eyes shall see Him (Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:30).

All the nations of the world shall see Him. It is not a secret agenda to a particular nation/tribe/race. Matt. 24:30 says “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Song: We shall see Jesus

One day, sometime in the sky.

Both the righteous and the wicked will see Him. The righteous will be welcomed, full of glory and joy unspeakable at His return, but the wicked would experience astonishment, perplexity, and fear. Revelation 6:16-17 says “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

The dead in Christ will first be raised and those who are alive in Christ Jesus will be transformed in a twinkling of an eye to meet with Christ in the sky. 1 Thess. 4:16 – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” This is part of the significance of the trumpet sound. The dead in Christ are those who slept in Christ, including our loved ones who served God wholeheartedly, and everyone who walked with Him, pilgrims to heaven who were sincere in their services to God, and not only the martyrs slain for the sake of the gospel. These will rise first at the first resurrection, a thousand years, before the wicked. This is referred to as the resurrection morning, and they will meet Christ in the sky leaving the wicked in the dust. They will be pronounced righteous to inherit their rewards including the kingdom prepared for them. (Matt. 25:31-40)

Christ’s Second Coming is believed by all Christians whereas other faiths have their beliefs or interpretations. The bible assured us as recorded in the book of Acts 1:10-11 saying “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said – “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” As He ascended to heaven, the same way He will descend to fulfill the prophecy.

Why is Christ Coming Back?

He is coming to execute judgement on the people who had rejected him.
He is coming to purify this sinful world (Mal. 3:2-3).
He is coming in order to fulfill the prophecy as recorded in Matt. 24:36-44.
He is coming this time not to save people but to judge (Heb. 9:27-28)
Jesus is coming to judge the living and the dead in Him (2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Thess. 4:13).
He is coming to destroy all the works of Satan.
He is coming because of His love for His own, the elects, and even finish the work He began on the Cross.
Jesus is coming to save us, humanity, from destroying itself (Matt. 24:21-22).
His return will defeat the antichrist (Rev. 19: 11-16).
Jesus Christ is coming to rule the World (Rev. 11:15) and this will mark the begining of the Millennium reign – and a mournful and fearful time for the wicked.

Song:- He is coming back again, my Lord is coming back again

He went away and promised that He’s coming back again

He is coming back again, my Lord is coming back again

Oh glory, Halleluiah, He is coming back again.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF JUDGEMENT

Song:- Jesu mbo, K’Oni pe de mo

Alagbara mbo, Jesu wa mbowa

Jesu wa mbo lati wa se d’ajo aye.

Our God is a God of justice but He has entrusted all judgement to the Son. John 5:22 says “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgement to the Son.” Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Judge of all the earth, and when He comes back, He will judge all the nations. He will separate them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The sheep, the believers, will enter into His Kingdom, while the goats, the unbelievers, go to eternal doom. Matt. 16:27 says “For the Son of Man is to come with His Angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay everyone for what has been done.”

Examples were given in the Bible to alert our generation:

God judged Adam and Eve for violating His command. Their violation of God’s instruction affected all creation (Gen 3:14-24).
I hope what you are doing today will not affect your generation? After receiving your salvation, you secretly went back to violate God’s command. No Pastor saw you; your wife/husband did not know. Please don’t create generational problem for yourself because your work shall be judged.
In Genesis 6:6, the Bible says “And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth; and it grieved him at his heart.” Why ? Verse 5 supplies the answer: “Because the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

The Lord destroyed man whom he created, even the beast and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air. The heart of Jesus is bleeding because of many that have openly and secretly denied the power of His resurrection and thereby lost their salvation.

Criminality and other wicked acts are found in many. These/this can bring the experience of the time of Noah to such people if they don’t repent. But I am happy that we have found grace in the eyes of the Lord like Noah (Gen. 6:8). In the face of what is currently happening in our generation today, you have found grace in the eyes of the Lord in order to escape God’s judgement.

Christ is the source of this GRACE – John 1:17 which says “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
It is the divine assistance and power given to man in spiritual rebirth and sanctification through Christ Jesus.
It flows abundantly and is available to all sinners according to 1 Tim. 1:14-15 which says “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

The Judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah is another example we should learn from (Gen. 19:12-13). The out cry of the land and the people came to the Lord to destroy it because of their wickedness. An instruction was given in Gen. 19:17 saying “Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away.” But in disobedience, Lot’s wife looked back and she became a Pillar of Salt. Today many of us are reluctant to leave our sinful ways, earthly attachment, quest for materialisms, love of money, etc. God is warning us to escape for our lives because the judgement is coming.

Gehazi – A messenger of God, serving under a renowned prophet Elisha, witnessed several miracles through his boss. BUT because of materialism, greed, selfish gain, deceit, covetousness, and his intention to outsmart his master, he gained leprosy for himself and his offspring as his own judgement. Total obedience to the Lord’s commands is the only way to avoid spiritual leprosy. Gehazi died in his sin. What a pity? He departed without being desired like that King Jehoram. Some are departing/dying today without being desired because of their ways of life according to 2 Chronicles 21:20, leaving their children behind in shame of their secret evil deeds.

Matt. 16:27 shows that people will be judged based on what they did during their lifetime. 2 Cor. 5:10^bsays “…that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good, or bad.”

Many people died in their sins:

Death of a disobedient prophet was recorded in 1 Kings 13:11-26.
People who offered strange fire before the Lord like Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, as recorded in Lev. 10:1.

The examples here are telling us that those who died in their sins shall be utterly judged. God kills all unrepentant sinners who did not find grace in his eyes.

Song: Today is the day of Repentance

Today is the day of Salvation

If you delay, tomorrow may be late/3x

There is danger of you delay.

The Judgement of the Fallen Angels (Jude 6) – “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day.” These are the angels who corrupted their holy estate/office, where they enjoyed the presence of God, but for sinning after the sin of Lucifer, lost their honor. They will be judged.

In that holy Office that God put you; in your Assembly as an Officer in the church, as a movement Leader, church Secretary, Treasurer, Committee member, etc how are you managing this holy office? Even as a Preacher of the word, Pastors inclusive? If God can judge the Angels who corrupted their holy position, what about you that have messed-up the holy office God placed you? It is time to repent and leave that sinful way.

The Judgement of Satan (Rev. 20:7-10) – When God judged satan in the past, he lost his position as the anointed guardian Cherub who covers (Isa. 14:12-21; Gen. 3:15). Satan was understood as an angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven with other fallen angels before human beings were created. The Bible describes him as a Tempter (Matt. 4:3), the evil one (1 Jhn. 5:18), the ruler of demons (Matt. 12:24), a roaring lion, a deceiver, ancient snake.

Ezekiel 28:14-15 says “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your behaviour from the day you were created, until sin was discovered in you.” In abundance, Satan was filled with violence is his mind and so he was cast from the mountain of God to the ground because of his proud heart and beauty, he corrupted his wisdom for the sake of his own pleasure. He was judged.

Finally the lake of fire was prepared for Satan and his fallen angels. Matt. 25:41 says “Then shall he say also unto them, on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Satan will be bound for a thousand years at the Coming of Christ while the righteous reign with Him. He will be bound, thrown into the bottomless pit, shut in confinement and sealed up there in prison. However he will be loosed at the end of the thousand years to deceive more nations, before the final judgement is finished and passed on him by casting him into the lake of fire and brimstone where he will have full torment.

This judgement concerns Satan, his angels and those who were the enemies of God, even the wicked, who also will have their portion in this lake that burns with fire and sulfur (Rev. 21:8). It is however worthy of note that everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him and thus he is not able to sin because he has been fathered by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil, are revealed (1 Jhn. 3:9-10).

CONCLUSION

The Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will feature the consequences of the judgement of God to the saints, as eternal salvation and eternal life; but to the unsaved, eternal damnation and condemnation. 2 Pet. 2:4-10,12-13,15 says “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness … speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness…They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.”

Jude 11 also says “Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”

(Num. 22:4-20 reveals the way and error of Balaam). All those who are living their lives in error, Servants of corruption, having allured themselves through the lusts of the flesh; having their eyes full of adultery and cannot cease from sin. They have turned from the holy commandment delivered unto them and live in bondage of sin, who as well profess to be on the right way but have lost their focus and returned to their own vomit. All these shall receive the reward of their unrighteousness and be judged.

APPLICATION

How well are you ready and prepared for the Second Coming of Christ? Brethren, there are heavy consequences that would follow the Second Coming and judgement for the unsaved, because there will be:

Endless sorrow and pain
Gnashing of teeth in hell
Eternal damnation – everlasting suffering
No resurrection to life
No peace for the condemned soul.

Repent now, as we await His coming again. Don’t remain unjust and filthy in sins. Repent and walk in His light till He appears in the sky. Jesus is coming again to reward you and I.

ARE YOU READY FOR HIS SECOND COMING? The Day of the Lord shall come as a thief (2 Pet. 3:10).

Do you know this or realize that many will be judged and pushed to hell through:

Their tongue – Blasphemy (Col. 3:6,8)
The sin your eyes pushed you to commit
Your finger; what you used it for in writing
The group you followed/company they kept
Where your legs took you to
No wonder why Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

ARE YOU READY?

Song: App 17

Stanza 1 There’s a great day coming

A great day coming

There’s a great day coming by and by

When the Saints and the sinners

Shall be parted right and left

Are you ready for that day to come?

Chorus

Are you ready for the day to come?

Are you ready? Are you ready?

Are you ready for the judgement day?