The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Kathryn Kuhlman Part 1 of 3

You and I are in a series of heart -to -heart talks regarding the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I could not bring you a series of messages that I felt was more timely, more important, more vital to all people everywhere than this series of messages we... the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, an event that will take place and could take place in our generation and not violate one portion of the Word of God. There is no fact in history, more clearly established than the fact of the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not an established fact because God's Word says so, but it is a matter of recorded history. Jesus did come in bodily form. There was proof. that his coming was supernatural. It had the seal of heaven upon it. These are all established facts and a matter of history. But as his first coming did not fulfill all the prophecies associated with his coming, it is evident that there must be a coming to completely fulfill them. There must be a second coming. And it was because the religious leaders of Christ's day failed to distinguish between the prophecies that related to his first coming and those that related to his second coming that they rejected him. All the prophecies regarding his coming were not fulfilled at his first coming. And as surely as he came the first time, he will return to earth again. And we call it the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He spoke of it himself. And oh, there's something about his own words that means so much to the child of God. It's there in the word. And remember, it's one thing for me to read it to you, but it makes it so much personal. If you'll just take your own Bible and read from your own Bible the words of Jesus. We caught it there in the 16th chapter of Matthew, the 27th verse. For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father. with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. This did not happen at his first coming. That's the reason they didn't accept him as the true Messiah. That is the reason they didn't understand the difference between his first coming and his second coming. And he was rejected. But Jesus himself said of his second coming, For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels. He's talking about his second coming. And then he shall reward every man according to his works. Oh, that familiar portion. That's found in the 14th chapter of John. 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, watch it, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. And he cannot lie. It is impossible for him to lie. These words came directly from the lips of Jesus himself. He said, if it were not so, I would have told you. I don't have to lie to you. I tell you the truth. I go to prepare a place for you. And if... I go, and he did go. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again. I will. I'll give you another scripture. And these are words from his own lips. The 21st chapter of John. If I will that he tarry, How long? Till I come. What is that to thee, follow thou me? Mm -hmm. Jesus said himself that he would return to earth again. But oh, beloved, that testimony. of that great event. As recorded in the first chapter of Acts, I have lived it and relived it a thousand times. You have heard me in heart -to -heart talks, talking about last seconds. When he looked round about, them and spoke of that mighty third person of Trinity, the Holy Spirit. He had spoken of the Holy Spirit prior to this moment. And he said, it is necessary, is expedient for you that I go away. I must serve in the capacity of great high priest. I'm leaving you. But if I go away, the Holy Spirit, the third person, the Trinity, will come unto you. And then, those last moments, those all -important words, ye shall receive power. The same power that has been demonstrated in my life. The same keeping power. The same power that is manifested and has been manifested in my life and through my body here on this earth shall be given to you through the person of the Holy Spirit. Ye shall receive power. After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem. and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. It was not that he had confidence in men. He knew the fickleness of human nature, but he had confidence in the person of the Holy Spirit, the one to whom he had entrusted his earthly life. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up. And a cloud, watch this thing of a cloud. This is most important. He was taken up. In other words, his feet literally left. The Mount of Olives. He was taken up visibly. He was taken up in bodily form. And a cloud received him out of their sight. This was not a spirit that was leaving them. This was not the figment of somebody's imagination. Just a second before, He was speaking to them, talking to them of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Just days before, he had eaten with them the fish that had been prepared. He had broken bread with them. They had seen him. They had conversed with him. He had... eaten with them. He was in bodily form. And watch something. Do you remember what Thomas said after the resurrection of Jesus? Thomas was so dumbfounded. Thomas was so amazed. He could not believe that it could possibly be his master. He thought he was seeing things when Jesus came and stood in their midst. And this was after the resurrection of Jesus. And Thomas said, I can't believe that it can possibly be the Christ. And I won't believe until I actually, literally, see the marks in his hands. I was there when they nailed him to the cross. I saw the soldier with my own eyes. drive the spikes through his hands. I will not believe that this is Jesus until I have proof and the proof will be if I can see the scars from the spikes that were driven through his hands. And Jesus opened his hands before Thomas. And Thomas fell at his feet and cried aloud. He knew he had his proof. Do you know something about it? The only imperfect body that there will be in heaven will be the body. of Jesus. Our resurrected bodies will be absolutely perfect. There will be no imperfection. I do not believe that there will be a scar. I do not believe that there will be a wrinkle. I believe that every body will be absolutely perfect. when we stand in his presence. But beloved, if those marks were in the hands of the master after his resurrection, and Thomas with his own eyes saw the marks and they were visible to Thomas, Then when the body of Jesus left the Mount of Olives, the imprint was still in his hands. I am convinced that those marks will forever and ever remain in his hands and will constantly throughout all of eternity be a reminder to you and to me the price that Jesus paid for our redemption. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, oh, I like that little word, up. You know why? Because Instinctively, when I talk to him. Instinctively, when I pray. I find myself looking up. Instinctively, when I praise him. I find myself looking up. And there's something about people who keep their heads down when they pray. Sure. We bow our head in reverence unto him. But, my friend, in talking to him, remember he's up. Uh -huh. I do not think of him as being someplace in the bowels of the earth. He isn't. When he left, where did he go? Up. Uh -huh. Sure. While they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, when he comes again, he comes down. What did John see when he saw the city of the new Jerusalem? Where was it coming from? It came down. And behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus. I find what he's going to do with this. You can't spiritualize it. It's impossible to spiritualize it. This same Jesus. They saw him in bubbly form. He was visible to their eye. It was not a spirit. This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Can you know? John caught that same wonderful vision. And he speaks of it in the very last book of the Bible. the first chapter of the book of Revelation, the seventh verse, Behold, he cometh with clouds. What's that word cloud again? He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Do you know that it would have been absolutely, literally impossible for this prophecy to have been fulfilled 25 years ago? Why? We didn't have television 25 years ago. It would have been impossible for this thing to have been fulfilled 15 years ago. Television 15 years ago. It wasn't what it is today. It is possible in our generation for Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, to come back in bodily form to this earth and for every eye to see him when he comes back because we have the medium of television. Oh, men think they're so smart. We think we've made such great discoveries in our time. And yet, you know, God just put it in our hands. God just gave us the knowledge of the things that he put there so that his own word might be fulfilled. Now come back. to the very same thing that I've been talking to you weeks ago. Go back again to Jerusalem when Jesus comes back to earth again in bodily form. Where do you think he will set foot? The very same spot where he took off. Exactly. Why do you think that through the centuries, Jerusalem has been destroyed or partially destroyed 25, 26 times? And there were times when there were those who might have said, this is the end. This is the finish of Jerusalem. And yet we're coming to the hour when every eye will again be focused on Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be the principal city of the world in our generation. The day is coming when Jerusalem will again be declared an open city. All of these things were in the plan of God. All of these things were in the mind of the Heavenly Father, a God who never forgets, a God who silently said when they took the body of his son off of the cross, I will vindicate my son. I will see. that he returns, and when he returns to earth, he will not return in defeat. He will return in great glory, and that's exactly what he's going to do. He's coming back in bodily form. I promise you that. I give you that truth with the word of God. As my authority. And I saw the heaven opened. John had a preview of all of this. And behold a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire. And on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. Remember, it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. And his name is called the word of God. And the armies which were in the heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Mm -hmm. Go back again to Acts. This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manners ye have seen him go into heaven. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treadeth the winepress of the... fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is coming back to earth again to rule. and rain, and for the first time in the history of mankind, he will give peace to this earth.