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Viewpoint from Rev John Kinchin-Smith 21/06/2024
Rev John Kinchin-Smith
Assistant Minister, St Andrew’s Church, Gorleston
When Jesus came two thousand years ago, he fulfilled all the Bible prophecies about the one who would be the Messiah, the King of Israel, and the Saviour of the world. However it may be news to you that Jesus also spoke many times about his return one day to the world. Christians sometimes refer to this as “the second coming of Christ”
The first thing that Jesus taught about his return is that it is pointless to speculate about when this will be. Several times he says, “No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Watch out that no-one deceives you”
 Second, Jesus said that it will be sudden and unexpected: “It will be as it was in the days of Noah. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away”
Third, Jesus taught that it will follow a time of great distress: “When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, famines, and plagues. These are the beginning of birth-pains. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world and then the end will come”
Fourth, Jesus said that when he returns, there will be absolutely no doubt about what is happening: “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from one end of the heavens to the other”
But finally, his return will be good news because when Jesus returns it will be the end of the world as we know it. The Book of Revelation says that it will be the end of all evil, death, mourning, crying or pain. It will be as if Eden is restored in a new Heaven and a new Earth
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