'Twas the night before Jesus came

December 18, 2005

Introduction

'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be The Day!

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!

We are at that time of year when the poem that we often here is, “Twas the night before Christmas.” “Twas the night before Christmas has to do with the celebration of our Lord’s coming to earth the first time. The poem we just read has to do with our Lord’s return. We often call it as the second coming. How are the two related, and what do they have to do with each other?

Body

I. Before the first coming of our Lord, many were confused as to what would happen at His first coming because they confused His first and second coming.

A. He read a passage of scripture that should have helped them, if they would have listened.

(Luke 4:17-21 NKJV) And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: {18} "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; {19} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." {20} Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. {21} And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

1. What you have to know about this scripture is what follows it in the book of Isaiah.

(Isa 61:1-2 NKJV) "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; {2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

2. The day of vengeance belongs to His second coming.

(2 Th 1:7-10 NKJV) and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, {8} in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, {10} when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

B. Even when He was ready to return to heaven, His disciples were still confused.

(Acts 1:6-7 NKJV) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" {7} And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.

1. He did not say they were confused about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel.

2. He said He could not tell them a time when that would be done.

3. Sometimes my brethren fill in the time for Him with, “Never,” but that isn’t what Jesus said.

II. His first coming was a gracious coming.

A. It was announced with graciousness.

(Luke 2:13-14 NKJV) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: {14} "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

B. The people marveled at His graciousness.

(Luke 4:22 NKJV) So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"

C. The crowds marveled when he gave hearing to the deaf and corrected the impediment in his speech.

(Mark 7:37 NKJV) And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

D. His crowning act of goodness was in giving His life.

(John 15:13 NKJV) "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

III. But He’s coming back for judgment.

(Heb 9:27-28 NKJV) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, {28} so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

A. He’s not coming back to be humiliated in any way.

1. He’s coming back “apart from sin.”

2. His second coming is not to atone for sin, but for the final salvation of those who are saved.

B. In the words of the poem it will be a day when it is too late to change.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

(Rev 22:11-12 NKJV) "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." {12} "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

1. The message is clear: Today is the day of salvation.

(Heb 4:7 NKJV) again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts."

2. When He comes back the second time, it will be a frightful time for many.

(Isa 13:6-10 NKJV) Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. {7} Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man's heart will melt, {8} And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames. {9} Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. {10} For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.

C. For some that day will be wonderful.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

(John 14:1-3 NKJV) "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. {2} "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. {3} "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

D. It will be a great day of judgment of reward and punishment.

(Rom 2:5-10 NKJV) But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, {6} who "will render to each one according to his deeds": {7} eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; {8} but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, {9} tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; {10} but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Conclusion