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The hymn that we just sang — “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near” (Lutheran Service Book #508) — was written by Bartholomaus Ringwaldt. He was a Lutheran pastor in Germany in the late 16th century. He was also a very prolific hymnist writing at least 165 hymns. The hymn that we just sang does a good job of putting the events of the end times in order. The hymn starts off:
The day is surely drawing near;
When Jesus, God's anointed,
In all His power shall appear;
As judge whom God appointed.
The second coming of our Lord is surely drawing near. But the date of his coming is unknown. No one knows the day or the hour of his coming. There is a recent movie out called “2012”. I haven't seen it, but according to the trailer, the end of the world will be December 21, 2012. But this is foolish speculation. The time of the end is not for us to know. Christ will come on a specific day known by God alone. Therefore, we are always to be ready living lives of repentance and faith in Christ.
When the last day has come, the trumpet will sound, and Christ will come visibly. Everyone will see him. Our Holy Gospel for today says that Christ will “come in his glory, and all the angels with him” (Matthew 25:31). But his return will be a source of hope and joy for us, because he will come to bring salvation to us who are waiting for him (Hebrew 9:28). When these things begin to take place, we will stand up and lift up our heads, because our full redemption will draw near (Luke 21:28).
The false teaching of pre–dispensational millennialism believes that Christ's second coming will be secret, but that his third coming will be visible. This teaching is not faithful to Scripture. Beware of many false prophets who make the events of the end times complicated. They don't understand the Gospel.
The hymn continues:
The final trumpet then shall sound; And all the earth be shaken,
And all who rest beneath the ground; Shall from their sleep awaken.
But all who live will in that hour,
By God's almighty, boundless pow'r, Be changed at His commanding.
When Christ returns, a bodily resurrection of all the dead will take place. The same bodies that have died will be made alive. The soul will be joined to an incorruptible and immortal body. Jesus once said, “A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out” (John 5:28). He also said, “My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). Believers will rise with glorified bodies and unbelievers will rise to eternal death. Because Christ rose, you too shall rise. Because you were baptized into Christ's death and resurrection, you will live.
Then, everyone will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17). Our Holy Gospel for today says, “Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left” (Matthew 25:32–33).
What will take place? Christ will judge the world. All those who are clothed in His righteousness will be to His right — all believers in Christ. But those on his left, who relied on their own righteousness, will meet him as their condemning Judge.
According to Scripture, the resurrection of the dead and the judgement will all take place at the same time. But the false teaching of pre–dispensational millennialism believes that these two events are separated with time and events in between. Plus, they believe that Christ will come, not to judge the world but, to set up an earthly government. Again, this teaching is not faithful to Scripture.
The hymn continues:
The books are opened then to all, A record truly telling
What each has done, both great and small, When he on earth was dwelling,
And ev'ry heart be clearly seen,
And all be known as they have been; In thoughts and words and actions.
Christ will know when faith was evident. Works of mercy toward the neighbor freely flow from faith in Christ. The Christian was glad to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and visit the sick. They did not do these things in order to be saved. We are not saved by our works. But these acts of mercy were done freely out of thankfulness for what God in Christ has done for them.
To those who have rejected the Gospel, Jesus will say, “Depart from me you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” The hymn describes them this way:
Then woe to those who scorned the Lord; And sought but carnal pleasures,
Who here despised His precious Word; And loved their earthly treasures!
With shame and trembling they will stand
And at the judge's stern command; To satan be delivered.
Who will experience eternal damnation? John the Baptist said, “He who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). Jesus said, “He who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18). Jesus again said,“whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but he wants the wicked to turn from their way and live. In our Epistle lesson, we learned that God wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. The reality of hell is a warning for all of us lest we fall away from the faith. For those who do not yet believe, it's a call for them to trust in Christ as their Savior.
Christ died for the sin of the whole world. He suffered the wrath of God upon the cross. His death was the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. He died and rose again. The blessings of the cross and the resurrection are taught, preached, given in the waters of Holy Baptism and during Holy Communion. Because of what Christ did, there is the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
And yet, unbelief says “No, thank you.” It is very clear in Scripture that those who hear the Gospel and reject it will be condemned on judgement day. Since they did not believe in the Gospel, it cannot save them. Eternal damnation will be the consequence of unbelief and of sin unforgiven. Hell is the worst fate that can befall anyone.
Those on our Lord's left will ask the question, “When did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison?”
Jesus was hungry when He fasted for forty days and forty nights during the temptation of Satan. Jesus was a stranger in the middle of the Garden of Gethsename. All of his disciples forsook Him. Jesus was considered a prisoner being crucified with criminals. Jesus was also naked – having his outer clothing stripped off him. Even the soldiers cast lots for his clothing. While Jesus hung on the cross, He was thirsty, yet they gave him nothing but vinegar.
Did you do anything to help Jesus? We were not there, but if we were we would have run away just like the disciples did in the Garden of Gethsename. We would have denied Him just like Peter did. We would have been more concerned about our own home and welfare than defending Jesus.
Inwardly, we are naked in sin. Our righteousness was stripped of us by Satan in the Garden of Eden. We are a lost lamb — a stranger lost from the fold. We are hungry and thirsty for daily bread and drink, but we also hunger and thirst for righteousness. We are in the prison house of death, and there is no way out. We are deserving of eternal damnation.
Dearly beloved, you were a stranger, like a lost lamb, but through your baptism, Jesus brought you into His fold. You were naked in sin, but Jesus clothed you with His righteousness. You were sick with iniquities, and God absolved you. You were hungry and thirsty, and Jesus gives you His body and blood. Our hymn puts it this way:
My Savior paid the debt I owe; And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know; My name has now been written
I will not doubt, for I am free
And Satan cannot threaten me; There is no condemnation!
The author of this hymn is correct. Jesus paid our debt of sin. He paid our debt not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood. Furthermore, because our sin, Jesus was smitten. He was smitten in our place and on our behalf. Therefore, we are free. In Adam, we are slaves of sin, but in Christ, we are free. In Adam, we have a sinful nature, but in Christ, we are righteousness and holy. Satan cannot threaten us. There is no condemnation.
The author of the hymn continues:
May Christ our intercessor be; And through His blood and merit
Read from His book that we are free; With all who life inherit.
Then we shall see Him face to face,
With all His saints in that blest place, Which He has purchase for us.
Again, this is beautiful Gospel. Christ is our intercessor who pleads before the Father for us and on our behalf. It's through Christ's blood and merit that we are free and that we will inherit eternal life. Jesus will say to those on his right, “Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” The gift of eternal life is a free gift — an inheritance — and not something that we earn by our works. Eternal life has been purchased for us by the blood of Christ.
Then, the earth will be destroyed by fire. Our hymn put it this way: “Then fright shall banish idle mirth, and flames on flames shall ravage earth.” Our Epistle lesson says that the earth will be destroyed by fire. Then, God will create a new heaven and a new earth where we will live forever and ever.
But while we remain here on earth, the hymn writer says,
O Jesus Christ, do not delay, But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way; In fear and tribulation
O hear and grant our fervent plea:
Come, mighty judge and set us free; From death and ev'ry evil.
While we remain here on this fallen earth, there is fear and tribulation; sin and suffering. We often tremble and are filled with sorrow. But Christ is our hope and joy. He is our strength and refuge. He is our Savior. Yes, come, Lord Jesus, come. Come and set us free from this fallen world. Come and bring us home. Amen.
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