Jesus entered the world quietly the first time, but His return will be loud, unmistakable, and filled with hope for all who believe in Him the second time around.
Click here to receive today's free gift on the Radio Page:
Bible Overview – The Bible has 66 Books, more than 1,000 chapters, and was written by about 40 different authors. Bible Overview will help you get a grasp of each book quickly.
Use the coupon code: RADIOGIFT for free shipping!
*Limit one copy per person*
SHAUNA: Welcome to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. It may be the day after Christmas, but we’re still celebrating. And there’s a good reason. Here’s Joni with a few reflections on Christ’s Advent that we celebrated yesterday.
JONI: Because when you think about it, the first coming of Jesus attracted so little attention, except for the, well, the small group of shepherds who hurried to the manger. The angels appeared in the sky only for an instant and then they were gone. After those few seconds, everything was back to normal. So, apart from the shepherds who noticed, the entry of Jesus into the world was so quiet. Maybe it stirred a few animals, but certainly no people. And, probably the next morning, it was just another ordinary day in Bethlehem. The Roman soldiers set up street tables for the census. And inside the crowded inn, the inn from which Mary and Joseph had been turned away, those out-of-towners headed downstairs for breakfast. Maybe a few travelers made their way to the stable – but, did any of them hear the cry of the newborn infant in the far stall? I doubt it. So, except for the Roman census, it was business as usual. No one knew, they didn’t realize, that the night before, God stepped into human history. God slipped into our world, virtually unnoticed. That was the First Advent. But, oh, what a contrast it’ll be at the Second Advent when Jesus returns.
Revelation 1:7 describes, “Look, He’s coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, and even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him.” Every single eye of every person on earth shall witness His arrival. Now, exactly how God intends to pull that off, I do not know. All I know is, it won’t be quiet; it won’t be a silent entry into the world. God will not intervene, unnoticed. It’s gonna be loud; it’s gonna be thunderous and even dangerous because of man’s rejection of salvation. However, for those who have trusted in Christ’s work of redemption, our days of mourning will be over; they won’t be just beginning, as for others. For us Christians, the idea of Christ’s Second Advent will be joyous, and not terrifying.
All through the Bible, God drops hints and omens, whisperings of that terrible, yet wonderful day. When you read through the Bible, you see many references pointing to the return of Christ. Some are hard to pick out; but others are so obvious, filling you with wonder. Whenever Ken and I have come across these hope-filled passages, we’ll say, “Look, look, Isaiah is talking about the Second Coming here.” Or “Hey, Ezekiel’s highlighting Christ’s return right here.” Or “Look, here’s David writing a psalm about Jesus coming back.”
Reading all the way through the Bible really gets your heart pumping for the return of Christ. And Ken and I are gonna read through the Bible again, and we’ll be doing it in chronological order; that way, you get a really good feel for the flow of the Bible’s history. So join us. Get your heart pumping for the Lord and do it by going through the Word of God in its entirety.
SHAUNA: Visit joniradio.org to download our chronological reading plan, and while you’re there, ask for your free copy of our Bible Overview pamphlet. The Bible Overview pamphlet gives a blow-by-blow listing of each book of the Bible, how it fits into the chronology of God’s Word, and what you can learn from it. ʼCause if you’re gonna read through God’s Word, this Bible Overview pamphlet will really help. It’s all there for you at joniradio.org. Get ready for the Second Advent of Jesus. The Word of God is filled with references to His Second Coming, and you don’t want to miss a one of them. Read what God has to say about it, and a lot more, at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends