JESUS’ APPEARING: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

JESUS’ APPEARING: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Hebrews 9:24-28 (KJV)

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The over-arching theme in the book of Hebrews is “Christ is Better.”

·   He is better than the Old Testament tabernacle

·   He is better than the Old Testament system of worship

·   He is better than the Old Testament sacrifice

·   He is better than the Old Testament priests

·   He is better than the Old Testament High Priest

·   He is even better than the angels, who are not Old Testament but exist forever

Chapter nine begins with a description of the Old Testament tabernacle.

It was composed, really, of two parts.

·   The first room, the Bible says was a place of service[1]

·   The second was where the Ark of the Covenant[2]was – I will call it the place of fellowship

I see within the two 

·   The difference between religion and relationship

·   The difference between what man can do and what God can do

Inside the first room was:

·   The candlestick – signifying witness, being a light in the world

·   The table of shewbread – signifying the Word of God, preaching and teaching

·   The altar of incense – signifying prayer

The various priests were assigned times and seasons to perform these services.

But inside the holy of holies, the second room, was the Ark of the Covenant, and only the High Priest went in there, and only once per year.

In today’s age of grace, you and I are the priests.

·   We can pray

·   We can teach and preach

·   We can be salt and light in our world

But Jesus is the great High Priest, and it is only through Him we have fellowship with the Father.

Way too many people come short in their spiritual experience.

·   They do good things

·   They help out in good causes

·   They join churches, memorize catechisms, get baptized and all of that

But they come short of faith in Christ – and because of that, fall short of fellowship with the Father in Heaven.

It is Christ:

·   His death

·   His burial

·   His resurrection

Who is our hope.

And it is His appearing again that is the one thing every understanding Christian longs for.

His appearing.

·   It is the entire subject of the Old Testament and culminated in Bethlehem’s manger.[3]

·   It is the object of the Christian’s heart and

·   It is the finale of the plan of God.[4]

I am afraid that very often we read Hebrews 9:27 and become so focused there that we miss most everything else in the chapter.

And it is an incredibly important verse

Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

If we do get passed that, we might also see

Hebrews 9:28 (KJV)

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Which is a blessing to consider indeed.

But I want you to notice that we have in this chapter the appearing of Jesus Christ

·   Past

·   Present and

·   Future

In the past,

I. HE APPEARED TO PUT AWAY SIN

Hebrews 9:26 (KJV)

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Notice the word “once.”

I want to develop this verse revolving around that word.

Once, one or “a single time.”

A. He suffered once

I doubt that the suffering of this verse is the Cross because His sacrifice is also here.

What other suffering?

Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Philippians 2:5-7 (KJV)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

·   He suffered poverty

·   He suffered humility

·   He suffered indignity

But he did it just once.

He rose from the grave glorified and

Today He is at the right hand of the Father

B. He was sacrificed once

Jesus Christ, the Jews believed, came to ruin a really good religion.

In the Jewish system, there was a constant need for:

·   A new offering

·   A new sacrifice

·   A new suffering

and continual service.

It was job assurance for the priests. 

Since the blood of bulls and goats could never really take away sin, 

·   People just kept coming, 

·   Animals just kept dying and 

·   The blood just kept flowing

Jesus came to put an end to all of that.

Hebrews 10:12 (KJV)

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

C. He put away sin once

Hebrews 9:26 (KJV)

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

This is the focus of the verse and where I wanted to get you to.

The phrase “put away” means, “canceled, abolished.”

You sin is not 

·   Covered, it’s not 

·   Ignored, it isn’t just 

·   Brushed aside or 

·   Swept under the carpet

Because Christ came and because He offered on sacrifice for sins forever, your sin and mine – even the sins of the whole world have been: 

·   Cancelled, 

·   Eradicated, 

·   Totally abolished

And this, “while we were yet sinners.”[5]

I believe this is so true that the only thing that sends souls eternally to hell is the sin of rejecting Christ’s sacrifice as a personal gift for salvation.

James 2:10 (KJV)

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

There is only one point in which a person can offend now; that is the rejection of Christ.

And the person who rejects Christ has assumed the weight of the whole law upon himself.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (KJV)

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Why would God do such a thing as cause a person to believe a lie so as to be damned.

Because they did the one and only thing that hasn’t been put away in the Cross, rejection of Jesus for salvation.

BTW, this is, I am sure what Jesus referred to in Matthew 12:31 (KJV)

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

He has appeared to put away sin.

Presently,

II. HE APPEARS NOW BEFORE GOD FOR US

Hebrews 9:24 (KJV)

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

A. To receive us into heaven

Acts 7:55-59 (KJV)

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

If you wanted to take issue with me and say that Jesus was standing at the right hand of the Father in Stephen’s case, because they were stoning him to death and He was ready to jump to the aide of this man of God – I would not object too strenuously.

But if you will allow me the picture, I think God included this passage in the Holy Word of God to teach us that, whenever a child of God leaves this world, Jesus stands ready to receive him.

B. To make intercession for us

Hebrews 7:25 (KJV)

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

I am going to take this passage to mean that Jesus remains ready to take any who come to God for salvation by Him.

·   He remains in a state of prayer for the salvation of souls

·   He remains in a state of ready alert for any who call out for salvation by Him

He is always alive, but more, He is always available.

·   To save

·   To save completely and

·   To save anyone who calls 

He appears in the presence of God

C. To advocate on our behalf

1 John 2:1-2 (KJV)

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

I don’t want to give you a sense of flippancy about the sin in your life.

·   A true child of God is compelled to be renewed and be changed into the image of Jesus Christ.

·   A true child of God could not be satisfied living in sin

But every one of us lives in a house of flesh and we do sin from time to time.

1 John 1:8-10 (KJV)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

If you live in sin, continue in sin, 

·   Never under conviction of your sin, 

·   Never concerned about the consequences of you and 

·   Never taking action to overcome your sin

Mark it down – you are in darkness and no child of God.

But when you sin, if you are a Christian, you have an advocate, appearing right now in the presence of the Father on your behalf.

Confess your sin.

He is faithful and just to forgive your sin, and to cleanses you from all unrighteousness.

He appeared once to put away sin

He appears now in the presence of God for us

In the future,

III. HE SHALL APPEAR THE SECOND TIME

Hebrews 9:28 (KJV)

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Jesus dies for every man but notice that this verse narrows it to “many.”

The verse provides a condition, a limiter; “unto them that look for Him.”

A man of the Christian is that we look for Jesus.

·   We lean upon Him

·   We depend upon Him

·   We hope in Him

·   We long for Him

I have two dogs at home.

One of them is still a puppy, but the other one, Bela, is a German Shorthaired Pointer. They are known to be one-person dogs.

I am Bela’s one person.

·   Other people can feed her

·   Other people can keep her and walk her and watch her

·   Other people can sometimes distract her

But when I am around, Bela watches me. She wants to be near me. No one else can do but me.

Anita says when I am out of town, she cries and is nervous and unsettled. Things aren’t right in her life because she is looking for me.

Looking for Jesus is more than something Christians should do.

Looking for, longing for Jesus is a sign that you have indeed trusted Jesus – that you are a Christian.

and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The faith of those who look for Him will be rewarded.

Unto them, Jesus will appear again one day.

·   He will appear unto them without regard for sin – because, they have none – He has put it away.

·   He will appear unto them and crown them with that thing only He could have done for them, their salvation.

Conclusion 

Paul said, 2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV)

… for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

He had committed his soul’s safe keeping to Jesus Christ, and he was looking for his appearing if you will, persuaded that Jesus was able to keep it until that day he appears and makes what he promised, salvation, a reality.

·   Are you persuaded as Paul was?

·   Are you looking for Christ as He was?

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[1]Hebrews 9:6 (KJV)

Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

[2]Hebrews 9:7 (KJV)

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

[3]Though the manger is only the first of the event, as we will see in this message.

[4]Though we shall see that it is more than His coming to take the Christians to heaven.

[5]Romans 5:8 (KJV)

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.