Monday, July 4

Monday

Today is July 4^th, Independence Day!  Most Americans have celebrated Independence Day in their lifetime. The smell of burgers and hotdogs sizzling on the grill outside and the bursting of fireworks in the sky become familiar on July 4th. We eat (a lot), maybe the Star Spangled Banner is played or the National Anthem, and then everyone watches fireworks and goes home. It’s become rather commonplace, another day for big sales events and flying an American flag.  It is easy to forget that the freedom we enjoy in this country and which we celebrate each 4^th of July did not come easy or cheap.  It was bought with a heavy price and through great struggle.  Many have sacrificed and many more sacrifice still to keep our nation free.

However, as Christians we must always keep in mind that as wonderful as it is to live in the U.S.A. our true freedom is not as Americans and it was not won through any human wars.  We have been given freedom in Christ!  He has liberated us from the bonds of sin and given us the victory over death itself!  This freedom was won for us through the incredible sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  While it is true that Christ accomplished our salvation on the cross, we are also told that our liberator will return again someday.  The day of Christ’s return will be our true Independence Day!

The Bible tells us that Jesus will return to earth just like He left, through the clouds, with his angels, with the trumpet call of God and a loud command. Scripture says believers in Christ will be changed in a twinkling of an eye and Jesus will destroy all dominion, authority and power that stands in opposition to Almighty God.

This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”  - Acts 1:11

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.  – Matthew 16:27

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  – 1 Thessalonians 4:16

In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  – 1 Corinthians 15:52

Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.  – 1 Corinthians 15:24

Picture in your mind the sky filled with God’s mighty angels, the sound of God’s trumpet, which has to be the most beautiful and loudest sounding instrument, and our Lord Jesus shining radiantly as He leads His mighty angelic troop in the earth’s sky.  Try to imagine the victory as Christ and his angels capture Satan and his demons and justice is completed. It will be far more graphic and stirring than any action/adventure thriller that Hollywood could even think of producing.

Actually, the whole scene of Jesus’ return sounds so incredible that I doubt there are words to describe the immense emotional, spiritual, and physical response people will have on that day.


Jeff Frazier