In The Clouds

 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. 

It was just a few weeks ago that I attended  the funeral service of a near neighbour of ours. So I sat through the mass at our local RC church and the next day visited John's widow. We soon where in conversation and she said how John so wanted to be around for second coming of his saviour. He wanted to see his Lord coming in the clouds of glory.  I was rather a taken back at this, but then why should I be. 

Friends we come together today, as a living testimony. To the Jesus of yesterday, today and forever. For in the words of Billy Graham, we are the people of the future. For we will see Jesus, so it is with anticipation we await his return. For there is joy in our hearts for we love him for who he is. As the hymn reads and as we do our spirits answer to the blood and tell us we are born of God. For on that day we will  arise to the sound of the trumpet call, for we say so come quickly Lord Jesus.

Through all the trials of life we look with anticipation to the sky, for we are not cast down today, for our eyes are only for him. For we shall see his face and gaze on the the radiance of his glory. For on that day he will outshine them all.

The Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 97:1-6

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.

So it is that the writer John tells us.

Look He is coming in clouds.

We so often talk about the light of the world and the light of his word. I trust that there was a day in your life that like me you walked into the light, into the glorious light of His presents. Our new birth was for us all a step from the darkness into his most glorious light. The truth of the gospel brings us into new creation, with the old gone. He makes all things new. But what would you say if I told you that God can be known in the darkness. It was in the act of creation that God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

I'm sure we have a basic understanding of science that you cannot have light without darkness, but in truth God immediately made a difference as he separated them. Here we remember the truth of all scripture that God created light. For darkness was the by product of this creative act.. For there cannot be one without the other. Isaiah 45:7-8 tells us I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down.

Now David new these words express Gods devine will and purpose, for he is involved with light and darkness  prosperity and disaster.But God takes direct action regarding  disaster. Distinctly God moves into darkness to destroy it and and into disaster. It is significant that the Psalmist David picked up on this in.

Psalms 18:9-13

So he bowed the heavens and came down with a thick cloud under his feet. And he mounted a cherub and flew, and he swooped down on wings of wind. He made darkness his hiding place; all about him his covering was a darkness of waters, thick clouds. From the brightness before him his clouds passed over with hail and coals of fire. And Yahweh thundered from the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice with hail and coals of fire.

David understands this God of action, who came in the cloud, mounting a cherub with wings of spirit. But even more as he sees his God enveloped in dark clouds.

So what is it I desire to convey here this morning. Well perhaps it can be better understood with a quote from Cory Ten Boon. "No pit so deep that his love is not deeper still". My friend even in the darkest hour He is there to show that it is always darkest before the dawn.

It was Moses who met God in the cloud

Exodus 19:9. And Yahweh said to Moses, “Look, I am going to come to you in a thick cloud in order that the people will hear when I speak with you and will also trust in you forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh. And on the third day, when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain and a very loud ram’s horn sound, and all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out from the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. And Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke.

God's approach to Moses and the people of Israel was that he would meet Moses in the cloud, so that they may not be able to see him. But they would certainly hear him. What with thunder and sound of the ram's horn they would be left in no doubt as to what was happening on the mountain. If we translate that into our lives we may not be able to see him especially if we find ourselves in a dark place. It is then we become extra sensitive to his voice and call. When much of life is swept away, life becomes dependent on his touch on our lives as we are enclosed with him. It was the people of God that stood at the foot of mount Sinai and where in no doubt that God was in the cloud. But it was not enough to be aware, or to hear.

The issue remaining is that God had a purpose and that was God wanted to make a covenant with his people. God chose a mountain clothed in a cloud to not only share through law, but to enter into the life of mankind by giving His law and His promise.

The same is true for the new covenant, for there was a Cloud at the cross

Luke 23:44-45

And by this time it was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour because the light of the sun failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn apart down the middle.

The events of the day where overshadowed by the darkness which enveloped all involved. As for our Lord he faced death in the darkness and as he called out those words of truth "my God why have you forsaken me". It is because of this many have interpreted these events as God turned his back on his son. With the words "God cannot look on sin". May I suggest that God was in the darkness and Jesus new it. For he won for us victory in the darkness not just as our God. For he is fully man and fully God. For He new that his father would not despise his son. For he turned to Him and said into your hands I commit my spirit. God made his presents known by the darkness, as he literally overshadowed the events of our salvation. God was riding on the clouds to redeem us to himself. This was the God of Deuteronomy 33:26 For

"There is no one like God, O, Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, and with his majesty through the skies.

When I decided to follow Jesus I was in a bad place, I was afraid of the darkness. Each night I would look under my bed to check there was no one there. I don't know what I would have done if there had been. But I was scared and I needed Jesus. I was aware more of darkness than light. But that night I slept like a little child and began my walk into the light. The next night I didn't have to stop looking under my bed. I just went to bed. He who was in darkness of soul was now filled with the light of truth.

The Cloud of assention

Acts 1:4-8 And after he had said these things, while they were watching, he was taken up, and a cloud received him from their sight. And as they were staring into the sky while he was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood by them.

Luke 24:7. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

This cloud is the cloud of blessing, as clouds vary in the natural world. So it is in biblical terms. For scripture reminds us through Daniel when he calls them clouds of heaven. Numbers calls them the clouds of the Lord, sometimes the cloud was there like a satnav as they journeys for 40 years. For Noah it was a cloud of judgement as the earth was flooded. But at our saviours ascension into the glor, he left blessing them. The cloud was not just a way to whisk our saviour away, or to make something of the event.  He was received up into glory. Ushered into the almighties presents of his father. This came with a promise, for "In such a way as you see him leave he will come again." Friend this morning are you looking up, or are you caught in a trough of low pressure.  Spurgeon, that preacher of old said of his depression.

You may have no outward cause whatever for sorrow and yet if the mind is dejected, the brightest sunshine will not relieve your gloom. … There are times when all our evidences gets clouded and all our joys are fled. Though we may still cling to the Cross, yet it is with a desperate grasp.

That may be how you feel this morning, as if you are just hanging in there. The truth is however it is He who is hanging on to you. For he will not suffer your foot to be moved, friend you will not fall from the cliff face of Sinai.  For you are planted in Christ who laid his life down for you on a tree .

Jesus will come again not only in the clouds. But also blessing His church. Jesus has given his church authority  and has never taken it back. We do well to remember this.

So with all this fresh in our mind we return to our thoughts from Revelation.

Look he is coming with the clouds.

It was Joel who delivered a warning to Judah which was realised 57 years later. But these words are relevant to us as he uses the words "The day of the Lord"

Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh is coming —it is indeed near. A day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and thick darkness, like the dawn spreads on the mountains, a great and strong army! There has been nothing like it from old, and after it nothing will be again for generations to come.

Obviously Joel new the relevance to Judah, but he more than hinted a future day as he pointed to generations to come. His understanding was not just judgment in his day, but also into the future. As much as the cloud speaks of God's present, glory revealed, blessings through authority and power  We see that this cloud is also the cloud of judgement.  All will be revealed at his coming and we shall all stand before Him.  I'm not sure if you can remember the film "Thief in the night". All will be revealed at his coming as his feet will stand on that great day on the Mount of Olives.

Three things about his arrival.

It will be noisy,

For the trumpet will sound. Angels will peal fourth the glory of their Lord, as he rides in majesty. There will be nothing quiet on that day,  he came as a baby the first time, into a silent world controlled by sin, but this time He will come in power and great glory to usher His world of peace. Some of us need to take on board that there will be silence in heaven for about half an hour. According to scripture that is. As for eternity the joy of seeing him will be unending. All of heaven and eternity will be full of his praise which will truly be unending. If you have never lifted your voice in shouts of praise then in that eternal day you will join in with echo's of glory. The intention of the world has been to silence the church and to make sure it's voice is not heard. But on the day of his glory he will be heard as well as seen. The thunder of His voice will be heard on earth again. The sound of heaven will break through at his voice of command and all will fall before Him.

1 Thessalonians 4:16‭-‬18

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

All eyes will be for Him.

Every eye will see him, whatever has caught the attention or the imagination of the world will be turned to look up to the sky. As he will be revealed from the heavenlies as king of kings and lord of lords. With this in mind I ask you this morning have you set your hearts affection on Him. Is it his face that you long to see. Don't be cast down, but look up and see him arrayed in the spledure of His throne. For He shall outshine all others. Lift your eyes to the heavens for he is the one you so desire. It is He who can meet your need if you gain a glips of Him. We look to him for guidance today, for his smile and the moving of His Spirit. I trust that He captivats your interest every day. That He fills your life and gives you a reason to get up every morning. I trust it is our blessed Lor that you look to this morning to answer your prayer.

It was the writer to Ephesians who recognised that the church had lost there first love. Take your eyes off Him, Jesus and who are you looking at. For He not only wants our attention, but he wants our affection. So many are unmoved by the sight of our saviour and when it comes to the moving of his spirit it's as if we walk into the fog and loose sight. In fact if Jesus turned up in church we wouldn't even know it. It was said in church when I was young man" Many are called and many are frozen". To many so called followers of Jesus comply wrongly with  the words of scripture found in Ephesians, where the apostle says. None of these things move me. In fact there often more movement in the grave yard than in the church. In truth on that great day the graves will open and the big break out will be seen and heard at the response to the trumpet call.

Prayer: Jesus make this real to us here today, we stand here and gaze upon you. Our spirit rises to you faith as we look at you. The one who is high and lifted up. Who inhabits the praises of His people. Jesus how lovely you are, we are truly enraptured with you and we look to the day when we will see you for who you are. Wonderful Jesus.

His coming brings comfort: "Comfort one another with these words"

Jesus is coming friends, he has not and will not leave us here to just carry on. He is coming for His bride and so if you need comfort. Here it is, my bags are packed and I have my ticket. I am bound for the glory land and like the prophet of old I am looking for more than a chariot. I am looking for the King of Glory. It does us good to consider his coming in the clouds of glory as we encourage a true sense of expectancy. We are waiting for our Lord. It will not be long, as soon and very soon we are going to see the King. John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, so that where I am, you may be also.

We are going to be with Jesus, the friend of sinners, a saviour, redeemer and deliverer. That's our Jesus, your Jesus. He can't stay away for His love for you will not let Him. "I will receive you to myself". Friends the future to many is daunting, it seems that tomorrow has no gauruntee. For this reason the world is in a hopeless mess. Thank God Jesus is coming again. Arise church see him coming on the clouds. Look up for your redemption is nearer than you first believed.

Time to stand up and be ready:

In such a time that you think not the son of man cometh. My friend I have come here to scare you and neither have I come to give you a false hope. I declare before you this morning. Stand up and be ready. As the people of God we have sat for far to long. We have been walked on and over and Jesus calls His people to arise and stand. To take up our bed and walk. This is not the time to lie back and be an apostate church by being asleep. His word tells us be strong and of a good courage, be not dismayed because the Lord your God is with you. I call you today to stand to attention in His presents. For when he comes you need not only to stand, but to be ready. When I was asked are you ready, my reply was my bag is packed. Have you put every thing in place by seeking Him and by asking what is it Lord that I need in my bag. Friend you will not want anything of this world in that holdall. For on that day of refining only pure gold will stand the test. For anything that is dross will be lost. It's time today to seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Friend if the Holy Spirit is working on you this morning don't resist Him. Just let Him have His way. Jesus warned those of His day. Harden not your heart. Friend don't excuse yourself through some vain argument.  For when on that day you gaze into his beautiful face everything will fade away in the glory of His splendour. He is coming even so come quickly Lord Jesus.