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This Same Jesus


Acts 1:9-11 – “ Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

            In John 14:2-3 Jesus makes this wonderful promise, “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. 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.”  He promises, “I will come again and receive you to Myself.”  What a powerful promise of the Lord’s return. 

            In Acts 1:11 two angels make this statement, “this same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”  I love the words, “this same Jesus.”  He is coming personally for His people.  The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 

            He is coming personally.  He is not sending an angel although angels will be involved in this awesome event.  Angels are often used by God to announce His plans.  God used angels to announce the birth of the Messiah, His resurrection, and He will use them to announce His second coming.  This same Jesus, not an angel, is coming back again.

            What glorious plans await the faithful believer.  The Apostle Paul refers to this as a mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 

            This same Jesus is coming again.  Matthew records the words of our Lord in Matthew 24:42 concerning His coming, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”  He continues in verse 44, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  We must watch and pray, put God first, and be ready for His return.



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