That Day

This is a message preached on 31/12/2023 Watch Night Service

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In the morning, we considered the title End of The Road examining Paul’s life as the curtain is drawn on his life and ministry. We saw that 2nd Timothy is Paul’s final letter written to Timothy at his impending execution. We also noted two things from the verses 6-7 : Surety of Death and Safety in Death.

This evening we come back to look at the second part of this morning’s sermon: End of The Road Part 2. And I want you to turn with me again to 2nd Timothy 4. Our interest will be on verse 8: Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing….In the text we read, there is a phrase which is of great interest to me: “that day”…… Not only here, but it is a recurring phrase in Scripture. And in 2 Tmothy alone, we see the phrase used three times

which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. (2 Timothy 1:12)

may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. (2Timothy 1:18)

Then in our verse we read also we see the phrase “That Day”. Question: What is that day? That day refers to a specific day. It refers to a particular day in redemptive history. And at least in the text we read, we can see about four things “that day” refers to.

A Day of The Return of Christ.

If you look closely at the text, there is a phrase that is connected to “That Day”. And that phrase is “his appearing.” That same phrase is in v.1 “his appearing”. The word in the original Greek is the word from which we have the word “epiphany” meaning a manifestation of glorious appearance. And the word actually refers to both the first and second coming of Christ. In 2 Timothy 1:10, Paul used the word to refer to Jesus’ first coming (Read from v. 8 to 10). But his appearing in the verse 8 of Chapter 4 concerns Jesus’ second coming. The return of Christ or the second coming of Christ is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith. Again, the second coming of Christ is a recurring theme in Scripture. The Scriptures clearly tells us Christ will return. In fact Jesus himself gave assurances to his disciples that he will return. Before he was crucified, while having a conversation with his disciples, he assured them he will return

John 14:1-3

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also

On his ascension, while the disciples looked up into the skies, we are told two men dressed in white appeared and spoke to the apostles:

And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. (Acts 10:11-12).

So when will Christ return? How long must we wait for Jesus’ return? This subject is fraught with many problems including many people predicting the date of Christ’s return. Very recently, a so-called man of God engaged in some weird conspiracy theories about covid-19 and 5G network as preparation for the anti-Christ. And he made some vague predictions about Christ’s coming. Why do people entertain such people when Christ himself said nobody knows the hour (Matthew 24:36). But though unknown, it is a day that will surely come

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (1Thessalonians 5:1-2).

You see the phrase “the day of the Lord?”, it is another way of saying “that day”. There’s something important I want to draw your attention to. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1, though the 2nd coming of Christ will come as a thief in the night, that is, people will be caught unawares, to the Christian, his coming must not be as a thief to us. We won’t be caught unawares because we must live in anticipation.

But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober (1Thessalonians 5:4-6).

Every generation of Christians have lived in anticipation of the second coming of Christ and you and I are no different. We must equally live in eager anticipation. Nobody knows when Christ will return. But that doesn’t mean indifference. But rather in expectation. You see what Paul says? Look again at 2Timothy 4:8: “all who have loved his appearing” This is eager anticipation. In fact, anytime we come to the Lord’s supper, we do anticipate Christ’s return: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes”

What has this got to do with us in a New Year you may ask? Maybe you want promises of hope, promises of a good life, promises of growth and increase and I am here talking about the second coming of Christ etc. I know. I feel the pressure of the society we live in. You want something to give you hope. Dear friends, this is precisely what you need to give you hope.

C.S. Lewis is quoted to have said

If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.

Indeed there is no Christian doctrine that has no value for the present world. And in fact the fact that Christ will return one day should give us hope more than anything. Christ’s return emboldens believers for good works. Christ’s return emboldens us to live lives pleasing to God. Christ’s emboldens us to be productive. The second coming of Christ must not program us to be idle. In fact, Jesus said “Occupy till I come”. In other words, while waiting, get busy. Get productive. Be a light and salt for the world. Be an example. Let the glories of Christ shine through you. These things have implications for how we treat one another. These things have implications for our daily lives. Truly, there are people idling around because they claim Christ will come. But this is not the teaching of the New Testament. As believers, we are to be faithful representatives of Christ till he returns.

Now apart from those attempting to predict the return of Christ, there are those who mock and question the coming of Christ. In fact, there are those who say there is nothing like the return of Christ. And as far back as the 1st century and in the Bible, people have mocked Christ’s return (2 Peter 3:2-10 don’t read). Christ will surely return. As we transition from one year to another, may this truth guide us. May we not live our lives aimlessly. But we live our expectantly. Do you love his appearing?

Now to the second meaning of the phrase “That Day.”

A Day of Judgement

That day is a judgement day. It is a day Christ will judge the world. Jesus is not coming back as a Saviour to save the world. He is coming as a judge to judge the world. His coming will mark the end of the world. It will be The End of The Road. And it and will usher in the judgement day. Look at how Paul addressed Jesus in verse 1 of 2nd Timothy 4: “the righteous judge”. Again in the same verse we clearly see a judgement day: “Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom.” There is a coming day when the world will be judge. Those dead when Christ return will be resurrected to face judgement together with those who are alive. Paul described this judgement in Acts 17:31 “he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

The resurrection is God’s statement that judgement will come. And indeed the resurrection also is a core doctrine of the Christian faith. Deny it and everything else follows.

A Day of Eternal Reward

See again how Paul speaks about a crown of righteousness. Paul anticipates a reward of eternal life, because he has been saved and has lived a life pleasing to God.

2 Timothy 1: 9

2 Timothy 4:7

Paul doesn’t only anticipate a crown of righteousness for himself only. In fact he made it general for every believer: “For all who love his appearing” Can you confidently say you love the appearing of the Lord? Do you look forward to it. Or you say, he should hold on for you to enjoy small. Every believer holds a promise of eternal life and the Scriptures clearly teaches this. This must encourage you and I. That as we enter a new year, our lives is not a random turn of events. But God himself is in control of everything we experience. And we are sure that one day our toil and labor will not be in vain. This should encourage us as we enter a new year. That one day, you and I will hear well done thou faithful servant.

A Day of Eternal Punishment

While believers will receive the reward of eternal life, those who have not believed in Christ and have lived their lives to please themselves in defiance to God and his word will be rewarded with eternal punishment. They will be cast into eternal damnation. Hell is not a popular subject, but Scripture teaches about hell and eternal punishment and we must take note. Revelation 20:12-15.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates (2 Corinthians 13:5-6

When Paul assessed his life he said “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (v.7) Can you say so about your life? That you are keeping the faith.  Talking about keeping the faith, you cant keep what you don’t have. So a crucial question I want to ask you is “DO YOU HAVE THE FAITH”? Paul told Timothy “Lay hold on eternal life”  How do you lay hold on eternal life? By believing in Jesus’ Christ. By putting your trust in him. He died to save sinners and the only way by which we can lay hold on eternal life is to believe. Note that Christ is coming with his kingdom and the only way to enter that kingdom is to be born again.

Have you believed? If the Lord tarries and doesn’t come in our lifetime, all of us will die. And at that point our judgement has come. There will be no opportunity to repent. It is appointed unto men once to die, after that the judgement. Where will you be on that day? That day is not only a New Testament expression, for in the old also we see this view of the day of the Lord. It is with vengeance. It is a day of wrath for those who have not believed:

For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch (Malachi 4:1)

That day is coming and if you are not prepared for it, it shall spring upon you like a thief. It is a fearful day. God is a consuming fire. He shall punish every evil