I would ask you to open your Bibles, please, at least to begin with, to Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews in the ninth chapter. as we continue with our consideration, at least some consideration of what the Bible refers to as our glorification, that ultimate blessing of our salvation. You know, the New Testament consistently describes Christ's people as expecting and eagerly longing for his coming Again, like we see here at the end of Hebrews 9, notice beginning at verse 27. Hebrews 9, 27, and as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for him, he will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Now what the writer is telling us is he comes to complete his work. Salvation here, especially, would point to that final installment or the ultimate blessing of glorification. Now, for whom is he coming? Well, Romans 8.30, those whom he predestined, he called, those whom he called, he justified. Those whom he justified, he glorified. So we say These, that is to say, all of Christ's people. But you notice how we are here described when he says, he comes again for those who eagerly wait for him. It's for these that he will appear a second time. Now, this is not talking about a special class of Christians, but rather, obviously, it's talking about all. And therefore, his people are here seen or described in this way, that in some measure, this is true of each, in some measure. And therefore, we can see even babes in Christ, in Thessalonica, please come to First Thessalonians chapter one. This characterized them as well. Now Paul, Silas and Timothy had preached the gospel there. And then there'd been such a work of grace that even a mountain range or two away, people knew of and talked about what had happened. And Paul says, verse nine, for they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come." So these people were babes in Christ, converted not terribly long before, and Paul is obviously listing matters that mark them as new creatures in Christ, how they had turned to the true God, the only true God, from their idols and how they worshipped the living and true God. Well, that characterized them, marked them as those belonging to Christ. But so also this, that they waited for his son from heaven. That is, they waited for the return of Christ as those expecting it and those desiring it. And again, this characterized them as babes in Christ. Not just, well, these mature saints, they've been around for a while. No, even from the outset as the outworking and evidence of their salvation. And we see this elsewhere. Please notice in 1 Corinthians, the first chapter. 1 Corinthians in chapter 1, in verse 7. So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, you know the problems, at least some of the problems there in the church in Corinth. There are carnalities, there are pride, and the like. Well, notwithstanding so many problems, verses 4 through 9 of this chapter, Paul is assuring them that he knew that they belonged to Christ. And this was one of the matters that assured him of this. You've got so many problems, but wait, I see this. You are eagerly looking for the coming Christ. And then we saw in a previous hour from Philippians chapter 3. Again this describes all of the Lord's people there in Philippi and not only there. Philippians chapter 3. In contrast to those of whom he wrote Verses 18 and 19, about they walk, their God is their belly, their glories and their shame, they set their mind on earthly things, their end is destruction, he says. But verse 20, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things himself." But you notice again, how we're described. We're not of the world. We're not like those worldlings who set their mind on earthly things. Our minds were set on heaven, and we're eagerly waiting for the Savior. Again, this is said of all those who believe. It's not given as a command. Now, you guys make sure you're doing this. This is simply a statement of fact about them. And so, too, we see in Titus chapter 2, the book of Titus, and the second chapter, having written to various segments of the congregation, older men, the more mature women, the younger women, the young men, slaves, presumably the rest were all free. And then having pointed to these different groupings, Titus, you're to teach these things and here's why you're to teach these things to all kinds of believers. Verse 11, for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. There it's not talking about all without exception, but all distinction, young, old, male, female, slave, free, all kinds of sinners have been saved. And here's what happened when that happened, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." And so you can see, he's saying this is what we do. We're looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing. Well, Paul has written much the same different wording in 2 Timothy chapter 4, where he describes the Lord's people. He says in verse 8 of 2 Timothy 4, Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing. Not simply are they who love Him at His appearing, that will certainly be true, but these are those who love that appearing itself. That is, they now look forward to and long for that time, and this is set forth as a distinguishing Again, in contrast to the ungodly, and certainly even the religious ungodly, he goes on to talk about Demas. Now, he's forsaken me, he's left this present world. He's loved this present world, rather. In verse 10, but here, here's what all true, they don't love this present world, they love Christ. You know, we could include other verses, like in Romans 8.23, it speaks of us groaning with desire or eagerly waiting for that day. Or 2 Corinthians 5.2, when Paul's talking about our being swallowed up with immortality and that new body. He says, we groan, earnestly desiring. that time, or even 2 Peter 3.13, looking for the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells, looking with expectation, but also surely with desire, preferring that time to now, enough so as to live in light of that time, which is Peter's whole point there of what manner of people ought we to be. Christ's coming. All that will happen at that time, God's people are described consistently as looking for it, expecting it, desiring, even longing, groaning for it. Now, as you can see, in all these verses, they all say that. And please understand, none of these verses that we've read are telling us to do that. These are not commands. Now, you do have our Lord a number of times in the gospel, like I referred to it in the previous hour of Luke chapter 12, as a servant whose loins are girded about, and he's looking for his master. A number of times we're told to look for that day. Don't let it take you unawares, and so forth. Those are commands, but here, These, again, are simply statements of fact, all of which affirm that we do this as Christ-saved people. We are looking, expecting, desiring His coming again. Now, it is true that these texts do not say that all believers do this to the same degree with equal intensity. They don't say that. Nor that all believers do it always, nor that any of us do it as we ought. But these several verses do insist that true believers, in some measure, do look for and long for the coming of Christ. Well, let me ask you, do you? In any measure, do you? Expecting it? Desiring it? Well, why is that so? Why is this set before us so repeatedly of being a mark of the Lord's people, characterizing them? Well, let me suggest three reasons, perhaps there are more. Firstly, this. This is actually the result of God's work of grace. in his people, of Christ's saving work, like we've seen there in Titus chapter 2. All kinds of sinners, the grace of God has appeared, saving men and women and old and young and slave and free, all kinds. And when that grace saves, And here's what it did, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, that's repentance, saying no, not going that way anymore. But it didn't stop there. At the same time, teaching us to live soberly, that is, with reference to myself, self-control, righteously, that is, doing right towards others, and godly, that is to say, doing right before God. So, teaching us to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age. When the Lord saved you, dear Christian, his grace did that internal work that's here described as teaching. Taught to repent, taught to say no to sin, taught to say yes, soberly, righteously, godly, in this present age. Ah, but it didn't stop there. Notice, he goes on to say, not just this age, but looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior. The idea is that same grace that teaches us how to live in this present age, also teaches us not to live for this present age, but to look beyond it and to live for that time. That is the working of His grace, doing that kind of work in all of those who are saved by that grace. This characterizes life. So, not living like the world, not living for the world, but rather we're looking beyond this age even while we live in it. And the same grace that produces the repentance and soberly, righteously godly, it produces that as well, giving us eternal desires, if you please. But this is not the only place. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians on what he said, he's addressing all those problems that they have. And therefore, in verses four through seven, at the very outset, I believe what Paul is doing is assuring them, he recognized they were truly converted. that they were Christians. He gives a number of things there that would mark true Christians. And though I'm writing to you guys, I'm having to deal with problem after problem after problem, well, I have reason to believe, though, that you are the Lords, and therefore I write to you as Christians, and I'll also write with the assumption that it will be effective by God's grace that you will be brought to repentance. And it's there, in that context, he says, this is what I do see of you. You've got all your problems, your pride, your carnality, you got that. But you know what? Even with all that, you're still eagerly waiting for Christ to come. That is an evidence of God's saving grace. It's an outworking. of that. Well, Brethren, I think that's, again, why is it so consistently? Even those babes, newborn babes, they're in Thessalonica. Well, here they are, right away, this is what they're doing. They're looking for Christ to come. So that's one reason why we're so described, because this is part and parcel, the outworking of God's saving grace, Christ's work in us. But now further, Believers do look and long for that day because of what will then and forever be theirs. What we will have forever, we considered in the previous hour, our glorification. All those foreknown, predestined, called, justified, all of them, they're going to be glorified. The ultimate and never-ending blessing of our salvation, even the purpose of that salvation. Not simply that we should be justified and have a happy time here, but rather that we should forever be glorified together with Christ. We read in Revelation 21.4 about that time, our eternal state, God will wipe away every tear from their eyes There should be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There should be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. If that's all there was to it, it sounds pretty appealing, right? Especially the aging process and the like, no more pain, and no more sorrow, and no more death. But brother, it goes far beyond the absence of these things. It's a positive and never-ending blessedness. that is ours. We're looking for a new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. And there in Revelation 21, it expands on that a bit. And among those things is we then inherit all things, Revelation 21, 7, as God's dear children. Romans 8, 18, this glory shall be revealed in us. The glory that's revealed in us, he says. That is to say that we will fully experience it. It will mark us. Or we look at 2 Thessalonians 2.14 in the morning worship, what Scripture describes as the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Obtaining of the glory of Christ? Well, at the very least, it means forever sharing that which is His, which Scripture speaks of, again, as our being conformed to the image of God's own Son. Romans 8, 29 and 30, glorification. That's what they're spelled out to be. Again, that we should be conformed to Christ. And so much so that the glory that's revealed in us, it's when we are, Romans 8, 17, glorified together with Christ. So that's our future. Why wouldn't we long for that? Why wouldn't we expect that? I won't take time to, in detail, cover what we've already seen in the previous hour. But brethren, remember what this means, our glorification, our conformity to Christ. It's going to involve the outward man, that we will be physically conformed to the Savior's glorified humanity, as we saw from Philippians 3, 20 and 21. This lowly body will be changed to be like His glorious body, or 1 Corinthians 15. Now all of us will be changed, and this mortality will be swallowed up by immortality, and we will bear the image of Christ from that. We bore Adam's image, well now we'll bear Christ's. image, all of his brethren to share in his inheritance, even with a physical body suited fully to share his inheritance forever. But the more we saw that our glorification is also conforming to Christ in the inner man, not only physically when we see him we shall be like him, but 1 John 3.2 follows, followed by 3.3, to the pure, sorry, those who have this hope will purify themselves as he is pure. It's talking about that moral purity that marks Christ, that's gonna mark us. That's part of our glorification of being conformed to Christ in that purity where He's able to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy and He will do so. That's the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. That means all the inhabitants. are righteous. That's our future. That's being glorified together with Christ. And then we saw that full conformity, it will be also by way of sharing his status. His status as king. He's king of kings, but we're told repeatedly, we shall reign with him. His status as Son, and though He's the only begotten and we are adopted, nonetheless, we are sons of God and will share His blessedness, all that that enjoys. So, again, that's, what does it mean to be glorified? To be conformed to Christ. This is our future. I don't care if you're doubting it or how can it be and have all kinds of questions. Christian, doesn't matter. You're truly converted, truly saved by Christ. This is your future. Fully entering into it when the Lord comes. Notice Colossians chapter three. Colossians chapter three. Verse 4 of Colossians 3, when Christ who is our life, right now he's our life. When Christ who is our life appears, then you shall appear with him. In glory. In glory and yourself being glorified. Why wouldn't we long for that? Why do Christians, why are they described consistently as looking for, longing for heaven? Longing for the eternal state? Well, why wouldn't we? Because we really believe this. This is true, we believe this, right? However feebly, we do believe this, because this is a clear teaching of God's word. Well, we do believe God's word. Repeatedly, this was promised by our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember how He put it there in John 14, I go to prepare a place for you? If it weren't so, I would have told you. But if I go, I'm going to come again. He promised repeatedly that this would be our future with Him. We believe Him and we trust Him to complete the work that He has begun to keep us and to raise us up the last day and to save us to the uttermost. He's already perfected us forever in our acceptance with God by that one offering. Well, we wait the day when He will present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. We do Believe this, again, however feebly, even if not always with a strong faith, even with lacking a mindfulness of it. But can I say to the extent we do believe it, to the extent the strength of our faith, to the degree of how real this is to us, then all the more do we desire it, right? And that's a lesson for us. Brethren, we would all acknowledge these things are true. It's right that we should be desiring and looking for, expecting and seeing all in light of that eternity. Well then consciously, deliberately believe it. Believe what God has said. and what God has guaranteed about your salvation, Christian. Perhaps we should ask ourselves, how much or how strongly and how consistently do I really believe these things to be true? I have reason to believe they're true. God's promised, there it is. But as to me personally, how strongly and consistently do I really believe it? How important, brethren, for us to truly embrace this truth for the truth that it is. In fact, it's to order our lives. Even there, that which I read earlier about when Christ appears, you're going to appear with Him in glory. Paul's very next words, verse 5 of Colossians 3, Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion. In light of your future, you are to now do this. When this is real, this should be the effect of that working of faith, a governing reality. I made reference to it in the previous hour, 1 Peter 1, verse 6, we're grieved by these various trials and yet we're rejoicing because we've got this inheritance that's not going anywhere, it's kept for us and we are kept Well, to the degree that these things are real. When Paul talks about the affliction that he's experiencing, he says it's light and temporary compared to that eternal weight of glory that is working for us. And it's in that connection he says we're looking at things that are not seen. Things that are seen, they're temporary. All the afflictions and all the, that's just passing. But the unseen, that's eternal. And he says, we're looking. We deliberately look. And then he goes on to say, we walk by faith, not by sight. Deliberately, consciously recognize and believe what is true. Pinch yourself. This is not Grimm's fairy tales. This is not Chronicles of Narnia. This is real. This is your future. Someday, millions of years some days, you will look back and say, that's history. That's history. Well, brethren, it's not real. And therefore, we're to believe these things because God himself, who cannot lie, has said and promised and guaranteed all of this. Well, I want to look more at this in our days to come when we take up that final installment in the eschatology series, the eternal state of the righteous. But we can say, the more we believe these things, the more real they will be to us, and the more real they are to us, and surely, the more our future is now desired. Therefore, deliberately, learn, know, think of, and believe what is true about your future and consciously trust your Lord to keep his word and to finish his work as the author and finisher of your faith. Why are Christians so described as eagerly looking forward, longing Christ's coming? Well, firstly, because of that work of grace in them. Secondly, because of what is going to be ours, and we really believe it. But thirdly, Christ's people desire that day not simply for what will be ours, but for who we will be with forever. See, Scripture emphasizes that time, that we will be with our Savior, with our glorious God. always, forever and ever and ever. That which I read in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 4, when Christ who is our life appears, then you shall appear with Him in glory. But it's with Him in glory. With Him! Oh, glory Indeed, with him, the one that is now at the right hand of God, we are to set our hearts on things above. Paul says in chapter 3 earlier, this one who is now our life, well, he will appear and we will be with Him forever and ever. That's the emphasis here. Or 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 17, that we shall be caught up together in the air, in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. It doesn't mean we're always going to be in the clouds and in the air. We're gonna be in the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. But the point is, wherever he is, we will be with him always and forever. Or when 1 John 3,2 says, we shall see him as he is, that means we are going to be with him. Notice how Job put this, all the way back in the book of Job. Please come to Job chapter 19. Job chapter 19. You know something of the struggles, all that Job had lost, the pain, the difficulties. And yet at times we see Job sustained by faith and hope. And what a hope it is when you look here at Job 19. Remember, 1 John 3, 2, we're gonna see him as he is? Well, that was Job's hope. Verse 25 of Job 19, for I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth, and after my skin is destroyed, that is, I'm gonna die. Worm's gonna have a feast. After my sin and my skin, is destroyed, he says, that in my flesh, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, how my heart yearns within me. Well, brethren, that's something of what we see in 1 John 3, 2. We will see Him. Our Redeemer indeed comes and we will see Him. These very eyes resurrected, seeing Him up close and in person. Job desired this. Well, don't we? Shouldn't we? Not just off a rack with pain, even if you're enjoying the best this world has to offer. And still, no. This is our hope and our desire. And then you've got Romans chapter 8, verse 17 and 18. The idea of we're being glorified together, not just all of us, but glorified together with Him. But again, the emphasis, it's gonna be with Him. As joint heirs, with Him. It's gonna be with Christ. Or then you've got it even from His perspective. Come please to His high priestly prayer in John 17. This is His petition to the Father, John 17. This is the one who said in the garden, not my will. but yours be done. Well here, the old King James has it, his will, I will. New King James simply refers to it as his desire, but it's not some passing fancy. Father, verse 24 of John 17, this is his prayer. Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am. that they may behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world." He also in this context, verse 23, talks about his love for us as well. But the point is, the Savior's prayer, the very one who says, not my will, here says, I will. Here is my will, not contrary to the Father's will, but very keeping with it, that those who have given me will be with me. They'll behold my glory. We're back up a little bit in this upper room discourse early on in it, in John 14. When he says, beginning at verse one, John 14, one, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. 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 to prepare a place for you, I will come again Notice, and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. That's not simply wonderful from our perspective, this is from his perspective. Father, I want them with me. I go to prepare a place, I come again, that where I am, There you will be also forever with the Lord. Brethren, no small part of our blessedness forever and ever is seeing Christ and being with this one whom our souls now love, right? That is what's set before us. It's that glorious appearing of our great God and Savior for which we now look and long because we desire Him. When we're described as loving his appearing, I said before, it doesn't say loving him at his appearing, but you know that will be what, because we love him, we look for that appearing with longing. We love the idea of it. I mean, right now, you've not seen him, but you love him and have great joy in him. Well, what will it be that day? when we do see Him, and we will then love Him, and what joy unspeakable will then be ours. In light of all this, can you appreciate, can you hear the sentiment in the words of the Apostle John as he brings Revelation to a close in Revelation 22? Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come, Lord Jesus. That's not just some words, yeah, yeah, come, That's his heart's desire expressed. And surely, dear brother, dear sister, that echoes in your own consciousness. Come, Lord Jesus, real desire for that time, for him at that time. And surely, It will help us to focus on and live for them by keeping our love and longing for him strong now. In other words, by keeping the relationship real. You know, when Jesus said, you abide in me and I in you, The word abide just means remain, but the idea is that the relationship is to be not only continuing, but real to us, like a vine and branch relationship and all the other analogies that are used in Scripture. Now, looking for Him, longing for Him with great desire. Well, how real is this now that you, that day, will see Him and be with Him? How real is your relationship with Him right now? How much time do you spend daily, or at least throughout a week, with your Lord? How much is He in your thoughts? Abide, continue, see and know His love for you. Think in terms of that love whereby He loves you and gave Himself for you. And love Him who first loved us and so loves us. Well, brethren, how right to love him yet more. Question I asked earlier, why? Do we eagerly wait, long for, and love Christ's appearing? I guess the question is, how can we not? How can we not? Look at what is ours, really believing this to be so, and look at who is ours forever with him. Don't you love all of this? If you think about it, don't you really love all of this? Don't you prefer all of this to this world? Even when things are going well and the bills are paid and so forth? Well, brethren, especially the thought of being with Christ, this is why we're so described. Well, therefore, let's be what we are. And as Peter put it in a similar connection, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct? and godliness. We do believe these things. This is our future. Well, all right, we should now so believe it that we live in light of it. Might God help us so to do. That is the Christian life. It's fair to say that generally, the unsaved wish that life here could just go on. Just forever and ever, life here. generally at least, not die, not grow old, and certainly no interest in Christ coming again. Well, why do they not want Christ coming? Well, they have no love for Him, no desire for Him. They have no faith in Him. They've not been saved by Him. And therefore, when He comes, they must face Him as judge. And they must give an account to him and be condemned for all their sin against him. They will not hear, come blessed to my father, inherit the kingdom. They instead will hear, depart from me you cursed and everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And these will go away to everlasting punishment. It's understandable they would not desire that day. They've no desire for him now. And if that is true of you, See how foolish and how wicked, but see why that is the case. See what this says about you. See that you're held captive by sin. You're held captive and duped by Satan. He's deceived you. He now holds you and does so quite firmly. And see that you need the only savior of sinners, or you perish forever in that never-ending punishment for your sin. but see that you're not without hope. Solomon writing in Ecclesiastes 9 says, you know, a living dog is better than a dead lion. Oh, a lion, a noble creature, and so forth, a monarch, oh, he's dead. Here's this dog, and they wouldn't look at it as all that pet poodle that you're having such a fun time with, but rather as some scrounging mutt of a thing. But that living dog better than that dead lion because as Solomon there says, because the living have hope, you're still alive. God continues to sustain you with life and breath. There's hope because the Savior lives to save to the uttermost all who come to God by Him. He died to save sinners, He lives to save sinners. There's hope. Flee to Christ. He saves. Will you go to Christ? Will you have Christ? Why will you not go to Christ? Let God have mercy upon your soul. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we do thank you for your grace to sinners like us. We thank you for that work of grace that you put in our hearts to know Christ, to be saved by him, and to love the Savior. Oh, what a future is ours. Well, please, Father, grant that we would take care to think in these terms, that our desires should be strong, that our faith, we would truly and consciously believe these things, that we would walk by faith, not by sight, and that we would love Him who loves us first. It's in Jesus' name we pray.