The Unfinished Story of Christmas | Part 1

What is the unfinished story. Christians listen to Adrian Rogers, Jesus first time is coming again, and Christmas is not complete without the second coming of Jesus Christ, the most glorious fact of the past is that Jesus came the first time the most glorious of the future is that this Jesus is coming again, but once you open the general world is the second coming of Jesus Christ love word finding featuring the dynamic teaching pastor and author this past weekend we celebrated the birth of Jesus came to this earth to save us from our but the story of Christmas is not the without the second coming of Jesus. The best is yet to be. The story is not finished until Jesus returns. If you have your Bible turned out to second Thessalonians chapter 1 will begin in verse seven as Adrian Rogers begins.

Part one of the unfinished story of Christmas God's precious inspired America forward and turned to second Thessalonians chapter 1, second Thessalonians chapter 1 were talking today about the finished Christmas story far as Paul Harvey would say the rest of the story may see big Jesus who came the first time is coming again, and Christmas is not complete without the second coming of Jesus Christ. The incarnation without the coronation would be like East without awareness, it would be like an engagement without a marriage. The story is not complete until Jesus comes again. We all know the old story about the man who was in a hotel room late at night very weary going to bed, took off one of his shoes and dropped it on the floor with the many thought that so thoughtless of me that somebody beneath me. I shouldn't drop that you like that so took the other shoe all and quietly put it on the floor in about an hour and 1/2 somebody knocked at the store. It was the man in the room with anything he said would you please drop the other shoe clear way for the dropping of the other shoe Christmas hey this is yet to be not only the incarnation, but the coronation I was raised during the times they call the Great Depression. We did have a lot of the toys that kids have today's men fight when very few things and the way play ball.

We play ball with a bat that had been broken, wrapped up with electric tape by friction tape we called.

We had a ball that had tape around it and by the way, if the guy will the ball went home. The game was over I was. I mean we did have a Nintendo, a Game Boy PlayStation is something I would have. And there were three of us. We have one bicycle where it came from. I don't know somebody gave it our family.

It was a big bicycle Mount normal-sized bicyclist 26 inches. This one was 28 inches. It was black and opened the zoning but it was started and all of this, my sister.

When the girls biker. She had arrived at the bikes, will assist. I have an older brother and I was the youngest of the three we rode that old life by second big thing I learned how to ride, not by sitting on the seat because I can reach the pedals.

If I did that I learned how to ride by putting my legs underneath the bar and holding the bicycle at that way and riding a bicycle and really I rode a bicycle at way with I could straddle that bar that went across all the boys bicycle so that's the way I rode my bike and when I got a chance to ride bagel bicycle like that I can remember Christmas when Christmas and I thought was pretty good Christmas, but very frankly, I thought my brother and sister got just a tad more than I did was Christmas and not supposed to complain and so forth and so I just was happy and Adrian July compresses yes ma'am yes daddy.

Thank you very much Vincent were going to see uncle Rufus on Christmas Day will line fine to see uncle Rufus and after we visited for a while as Adrian got a look on the front porch. I went out and looked on the front porch and there was a 24 inch bran new candy apple red swim bicycle that was mine. What I could not believe it was a good Christmas with friend. I want a the best is yet to come. Not all that Christmas so long ago, but this Christmas today. Now friend. Thank God for what we have. But I tell you that heavenly father has so much more. When Jesus comes again the Christ of Christmas is coming again. I want you to take your Bibles and look if you will hear in second Thessalonians chapter 1 status began in verse seven that Paul was talking to some people who were living in chaotic times.

He says this and you are troubled rest with us.

When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe because our testimony among you was believed in that day, wherefore also, we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of his calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power walking wonderful, wonderful Scripture to see we get all wrapped up in the little baby baby that was born and we then go even beyond the birth of the baby and we say yes. He came to die for our sins.

Thank God he did that but I want to remind you now of the Christmas message and see how the first coming of Jesus and the second coming are linked together put this scripture down the Christmas story. Luke one. Listen what Angel said. Look want to marry concerning brother Lord Jesus Christ one verse 31 my seat and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus will that literally happened that it not that's history. Say amen that she can see she brought forth a son, she did call his name Jesus, and he shall be great, and should be called the son of the highest wedding was great is great. He is the son of the highest now watch this. Listen to the rest of the story and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no in his speech, not only the Jesus who redeemed with the Jesus who reign not only the Jesus who came the first time. But Jesus was coming again the second time to sit upon the throne of his father David and a rule over the house of Jacob, and that's the name for fleshly Jews for ever and ever. The most glorious fact of the past is that Jesus came the first time the most glorious fact of the future is that this Jesus is coming again. I want to tell you the one sure, but once you open this general world is the second coming of Jesus rise. Can you imagine without the second coming of Jesus the resurrection. The rapture and all that. Can you imagine what it would be like man in our church died a dear man beloved man. I said that's all those flowers. I saw the children so the grandchildren. I went up and looked at the flowers. Once at the top. Another said to grandpa.

I watch that sweet widow who lived with that man for so long and they had both come up to a full ripe age. I watched it.

I stand there so many times that at the open casket and fight back the tears. When I watched her as she went up they spoke to lived together for over 50 years was sushi just put her hand on that coat sleep gave the little tug, then turned and walked away and I thought how terrible it must be to be an atheist.

She wasn't.

She was a true believer. What did what atheist is times like that coming. This is this all it is that we just really sick and I can go to the ground and go Jesus is coming again in Christ will rise first and we would remain our lives we caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Even so, Lord Jesus telling his first coming that his second coming would be like an engagement without a wedding know he is coming again, and I thank God for that.

Now is will be a glorious contrast. That's what Paul is talking about is talking about the contracts you see, the first time he came he came to die.

The soonest place.

This scripture tells us that when he comes again. He's coming to execute judgment upon those who refuse such law when it came the first time he came as a messenger of when he comes again he is coming as in vengeance as a righteous judge when he came the first time he came in the greatest of humility, deity and diapers when it comes again is coming as King of Kings and Lord of lords. When he came the first time he came as the lowly Nazarene when it comes again. He's coming as the one who will rule and reign over the universe. The first time he was despised and rejected of men. This scripture tells us he's coming to be glorified and admired in all of them that believe no longer crown of thorns died in modern cradle of straw but a crown of glory. Now with that in mind as we think about the rest of the story. Natalie three things upon your heart free things that I give you Christmas cheer three things that ought to help you in this weary old world in which we live. Number one, according to Scripture you be not be disturbed look if you will, in verse seven and you who are troubled rest with us. That is, please quit worrying. Are you troubled today. Listen, it is not over yet is if your trouble rest with us to set pastorates gas is gloriously dark because the darkest hour of the night is just before the sunrise. Our hope is not in politics.

Hope is not a sociology I hope is not in science. The only sure hope I say for this tutorial world is the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ not just look in these verses for moment look in verse seven and think about who is coming again, look at it and you are troubled rest with us now to score this when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed, the Lord Jesus. That's who's coming again were not looking for some event in history were looking for Jesus Christ to be revealed.

And when he is revealed is going to be revealed as the Lord Jesus. Today he is despised is rejected. He is not but he is coming as the Lord Jesus to be glorified and admired. Look at it when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired now if you run Savior.

One of the saints is coming will strike start terror in your heart but if you save used to going to say old glory to the land.

Isn't he beautiful isn't he is coming to be admired. That's the who of this coming decedent. Verse seven. I think not only of the who of this coming, but think of the wind of this coming looking verse 10 again when he shall come, not if, when you know it's Anne's inbox about it.

Jesus Christ is coming again we say are you and tell us the date, no the date that's a time known to God alone, and the Jesus Christ and said even the angels don't know that time only my father and Amanda sets a date for the second coming of Jesus as committed blasphemy because the Bible forbids it, but yet there is a win, not if, when the Lord Jesus shall come. That's what our verse says his coming is like the sunrise. That's what Malachi said. Malachi said on the you that fear my name shall the son of righteousness arise. One thing about the sunrise you can't hurry up and you can't stop a man you can't hurry it and you can't stop it. Jesus coming is like the sunrise, the son of righteousness and SU in like the sun that come this coming and adorably Jesus is coming, we'll know in it may be this afternoon at 232 that Jesus comes are some dates just like that. But Jesus is coming again the son of righteousness shall arise.

I heard about little more one night set up all night wondering where the sun went violent on the coming of Jesus is going to be like that one day Jesus Christ will pull back the shades of night and the with the star open the door the morning and flood the world with the sunlight of his presence wanted to be the Lord Jesus is coming again. We think about who it is coming. We think of the women of his coming and then I want you to look with me for just a moment at the wonder of his coming.

Look, if you will, in verse 10, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired. The word admired literally means to be 100 and it has the idea of all. Wonder when we see Jesus when I go to see him as a baby with his little dimple feet.there in the straw. He will come to be glorified and all how we will wonder how we will admire him some images of things that we will wonder at when we see him. For example we going to wonder at his transforming love. Look at verse 10, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints to say what you think of those saints are going to be by going to be those who are stubborn, God hating unbelieving wicket lascivious people who were transformed just like some of us there going to be those who were once ignorant and blind stumble in darkness.

These are his saints to go to be those who were demonized by sex and drugs and greed him out to be like the Lord Jesus Christ and there when we see them when we see them with him not a vestige of sin not spot not a ranking he's going to be glorified with his saints folks what transforming love and we will wonder at his amazing grace. We wonder not only this, transforming love, we will wonder at his saving grace. Look again at verse 10. It doesn't say he's going to be glorified in all of those who gave tons of money to the church doesn't say is going to be glorified in all of those who live impeccable lives or who were big shots all of those who believe. You think about don't go past that friend that's grace belies you get to heaven was we say run around the block some little children can't run three savory chapter in the Bible. Some people can't read as was we Savior hundred dollars. Some don't have $100, but he is coming to be glorified in all those that believe he said that Stu sample let's do something else. A lot of preaching and praying about easy believe is a mole I'm opposed to easy believe is be careful when you say that what you want hard believe is be careful that interest you and your effort to make stronger, better saints, USACE, not just enough to believe it is enough to believe in Jesus, if you truly believe I met him and intellectually.

I'm talking about the belief that says trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, one faith when you put your faith where God put your sends his grace, amazing grace, there's nothing you can do to our desire. You put your faith in Jesus and he will save you Mr. and you keep your say will see that these people saints Jesus to be that way. They believe known. The Bible says Shirley. Simply, sweetly, sublimely believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saying that's amazing. But when when we say that was almost got me more to do something else that just trumps the legs out of the self-righteous person who thinks he will describe Evan by his own good works.

God says your good works are like filthy rags in my side. You just cast yourself up on him in mercy. Put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And when you see him, you will wonder at his transforming power.

When you see the saints you will wonder at his saving grace not to something else. You will wonder at. You will wonder at his keeping power.

Look again in verse 10, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and be admired. Now watch this in what's the next three letter word all them that believe not a one is lost when you put your faith in Jesus Christ. I'm telling you, not one will perish and the soul that only Jesus has a lien for repose.

I will not, I will not desert to expose that soul should endeavor to shape a member member for say hello when we see the Bible says we are going to admire him were going to be glorified and look at it verse 10 because our testimony among you was believed in that day.

Oh, thank God, the power of the gospel. Our testimony among that's why I'm preaching because I got these reports kept at it. I want to believe what I'm telling you, you believe in this day and Fran in that day you will be in that group goal saints you will be in that group because you put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and he will never know never know.

Never will never forsake you. You will be glorifying and admiring the Lord Jesus, all of those that believe coming up tomorrow will present the second half of this vital message. We hope to join us then, but today if you have questions about who Jesus is what he means to you.

How to begin a relationship with God through Christ, go to our website LWF.org/radio and click find God's love. There you'll find resources and materials that will answer questions you may have about your faith again. Go to the find God's love page when you log on to LWF.org/radio after like to order a copy of today's message in its entirety: 1877 love God and mention the title the unfinished story of Christmas, this lesson is also part of the insightful series. The mystery of history that complete collection. All four insightful messages: 1877 love God or you can order online it LWF.org/radio or write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 so glad you took time to studying God's word with us today.

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Esther Adrian always draws me in with his stories as he explains in plain words what God is doing in our lives that great.

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