The Second Coming - an Introduction
A Sermon on the Second Coming
Originally preached Jan. 7, 1955
Scripture
Sermon Description
When will Jesus return and how will anyone recognize the second coming of Christ? In this sermon on the Second Coming, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches a message on the second coming of Jesus Christ. There is much confusion over what the second coming refers to, and some argue about its timing. Did the second coming happen at Pentecost? Did it happen when the temple was destroyed in AD 70 or will it happen in the future? The coming of Christ is a topic all throughout Scripture—some have said that one in every thirteen verses refer to this, with those referring to His second coming being eight times more frequent than those about His birth. Why is it so important to understand this doctrine? Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this doctrine is one of the most important for the church, especially since it was used by Paul and the other early apostles to encourage Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also issues a warning to those who undertake a study of this subject—to take topics in Scripture that are unclear and make them requirements to be a Christian is to abuse the word of God. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches on the second coming of Christ and addresses issues that arise when studying this topic.
Sermon Breakdown
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones introduces the topic of eschatology and the doctrine of last things.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines that the doctrine of last things can be divided into two categories: individual destiny and the destiny of the whole world. The sermon will focus on the general aspect, specifically the second coming of Jesus Christ.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the importance and centrality of the second coming of Jesus in Scripture. He cites statistics showing one in thirty verses refer to the second coming and there are eight references to the second coming for every one reference to the first coming.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones acknowledges that the doctrine is often neglected for various reasons, including spiritual lethargy, false views of the second coming, and extravagant or unbalanced teaching on the topic. He warns against losing balance or becoming obsessive in studying this doctrine.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones introduces the terms used to refer to the second coming: apocalypse (revelation), epiphany (appearance), and parousia (presence). He argues these terms are interchangeable, contrary to some teachings.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines the manner of the second coming: it will be personal, physical, visible, sudden, and glorious. He contrasts this with spiritual or secret comings of Jesus.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by exhorting the listeners to study this doctrine devotionally and let it lead to humility, worship, realization of the shortness of time, and holy living. He prays for grace to approach this truth in the right way.
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.