A week spent on the theme of the Second Coming of Christ, culminates today with this message, one which I only preface with the note that I needed to undo so much misconception and misunderstanding about the Second Coming of Christ be before I could share this with you. Indeed, today’s message was given to us by Jesus Christ but is often run over and/or forgotten because of the appeal that sensationalized and dramatized readings of the Book of Revelation or Old Testament mythology that accentuates end-of-world disaster.
If you’d listened to the last daily messages of the last four days – those dedicated to the Second Coming of Christ – then you are ready to hear truth about the end by Jesus Christ himself. This will only make sense if you have followed the Armodoxy manual of eschatology as presented over the last few days, so if you have not read or heard those messages please do so before proceeding.
This, then, is the description of the Second Coming according to Jesus Christ, offered to you here on this 40th day of Lent as a fitting culmination of our Lenten Journey as we engage in the life that is before us. And Jesus says,
“When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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All things are affected by their environments. Few things exist in vacuums, and those that do are not organic, obviously they die of suffocation. Even religion is a product of its environment. And so begins today’s examination of yet another aspect of this week’s study of the Second Coming of Christ.
The Book of Revelation seems to be a favorite among people who want to decipher dates and times about the Second Coming, despite the fact that Jesus says it is not for us to know the dates and times and instructs us to live for the day. We discussed this over the last few days explaining that life is the gift that God to us, meant to be lived and not wasted with worry about tomorrow. And the best way to be prepared for the Second Coming is to accept the teachings of the first coming.
Furthermore, the Book of Revelation comes with a warning, “Everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” You’ll find this at the end of the Book, chapter 22, verses 18-19. A book of prophesy, demands interpretation, and those who interpret – in the words of the warning, are adding and subtracting to the prophesy.
The Book of Revelation was written by St. John, the same one who wrote the fourth Gospel, from the island of Patmos toward the end of the first century. He was talking to the Christian community of that time in a code that they would understand. The Christians for the first century were under tremendous persecution and gist of the Book is to let them that in the end, God will prevail.
Revelation was the last book to be accepted in the Biblical Canon by the Church in the fifth century. It was written in a time and place far from us. Revelation, as anything else, must be understood in context of space and time.
If I wrote in my journal, today, that I was facing some challenges and I decided to bite the bullet we would all understand that with courage and decisiveness I did something that was difficult and unpleasant. Yet, 2000 years from now, if someone found my journal they would certainly pity me thinking that in the face of my challenges began chewing on live ammunition!
In Armodoxy we allow God to be God and we live the day as best we can according to the guidelines given to us by Jesus Christ.
Today we pray a prayer from the Armenian Church’s Book of Hours, Jamakirk, Lord our God, we give thanks to You, for You have granted us to pass this day in peace. Grant us, O Lord, to pass this evening and the night before us without sin and stumbling, and to stand firm and abide steadfastly in faith, in hope and in love and in the observance of Your commandments. Give peace to the world and stability to Your holy Church and salvation to our souls. For to You is befitting glory, dominion, and honor, now and forever and ever. Amen.
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Armodoxy for Today: Prelude to Second Coming, Love
This final week of the Lenten Season is dedicated to the Second Coming of Christ. As I’ve shared over the last couple of days, the Church talks about preparedness for the Second Coming in terms of living a life based on Christ’s first coming, namely, living in harmony with God and your fellow man. We read that the leaders of the religious community tried to trick Jesus by asking which is the greatest commandment, thinking that he might choose the Do not murder, or perhaps, Do not make false oaths and in return they would argue the merits of another commandment. But Jesus gives them an answer that cannot be disputed: Love God and love neighbor and he seals this commandment by saying, “On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
Today we meditate on the simplicity of Christ’s call to love God and our neighbor. If you love God you cannot murder, you cannot lie, you honor your parents, you cannot be apathetic about life. Every commandment hinge on these two essentials.
We hear the reports from war daily. There is a vocabular of war with phrases such as targeting innocent people, friendly fire and war-crimes, in other words, there are certain crimes inside of war confrontations that are criminal, as if war itself is not a crime? Think of it for a moment, if you love God how can you possibly drop a bomb on another human being? Whether military or the civilian target, aren’t they all innocent? Aren’t they all children of God?
The 17th century French archbishop François Fénelon expressed it eloquently: All wars are civil wars because all men are brothers… Each one owes infinitely more to the human race than to the particular country in which he was born.”
Christ’s path is the higher road to take. In the context of the Second Coming, if fear of a final judgment stops people from hurting and killing one another, then let us promote that day. But let us promote it with the terms by which Jesus promoted it: Love God and love your neighbor! Everything is built on these two commandments. Love is an action that must be demonstrated not with words but with deeds.
Today I leave you to meditate this simple parable offered to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.
A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he repented and went. And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him. (Matthew 21)
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Sunday was the sixth Sunday of Lent, known as the Sunday of Advent, or coming, referring to the Second Coming of Christ. We continue from yesterday’s message…
Since Apostolic times we, the Christian Church, confesses to Christ’s return to judge the living and the dead. And we have traveled the course prescribed by our Church for two Millenia. Sadly, somewhere along the way of two-thousand years of Christianity, someone pulled the switch and took the train off course. I don’t know how, who or when, all I know is those on board will miss the destination.
It has become quite popular for people to interpret prophecies, especially the Book of Revelation. Millions are spent by innocent victims who are being given misleading information – false interpretation of philosophy – for a chance to be part of the select group that will outlast horrifying and cataclysmic events, trials and tribulations and end up sitting with Jesus on his return.
Furthermore, these false readings have caused wars and escalated anxiety and fear in an effort “help God usher in the Kingdom.”
Is it any wonder that our Church Father designated the Gospel Passage from Matthew chapter 22 as the passage for the Second Coming. Listen attentively, because you may think you missed something…
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
Did you hear that? Or, I should ask, what did you NOT hear? Nothing about horseman, tribes, the sun falling out of the sky or 666? That’s right! The Church Fathers ask us to read this passage on the Sunday of Advent because they don’t want us to miss the destination, that is, life! Just as Christ asks us, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” (Matthew 6:33-34)
It is easy to be consumed by end time discussion, and lose track of life itself. With this passage we learn, the best way to be prepared for the Second Coming of Christ is to adhere to the teachings of the First Coming of Christ: to love God and neighbor. “On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
We continue tomorrow.
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One of the celebrations of the Holy Cross takes place this week. It commemorates the discovery of the Cross of Christ. It comes from the fourth century. The mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, having converted to Christianity, sets out to find the Cross of Christ. She travels from the Roman Empire to Jerusalem and there finds the True Cross of Christ.
It is a story that is laced with beauty, wonder and what is often described as miracles. It points to one of the most precious objects of our faith, the Holy Cross, and of course, its discovery is a reason for joy and celebration.
But there is a very special message that is woven into the Scriptural passage of the Day. The Church Fathers have assigned to this day a passage from Matthew chapter 24 (verses 27 to 36). In it, Jesus speaks about the Second Coming of Christ, and likens it to “the lightning [which] comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be… the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” At the end of the description Jesus reveals, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
Discovering this “second Cross” of the Jesus has turned into an obsession with so many people, with books, seminars, sects and denominations that have sprouted in particular over the last century. Some churches have even published timelines and dates for the Second Coming. Dare I say, the Second Coming of Christ has turned into big business, bringing in millions of dollars for access to this information. Tragically, these groups and sects even confuse people by using titles such as “church” and have misinformed people about Scripture. The real tragedy is that many have abandoned the opportunity to live, in hopes of deciphering God’s will.
Plainly, Jesus says, dates and times are in God’s domain. Trust God. Don’t miss the opportunity to live and celebrate the day has God has given you. Live your life today. Or as Jesus so eloquently stated, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness… do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6)
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Somewhere along the way, in 2000 years of history of Christianity, someone pulled the switch and took the train off course. I don’t know how, who or when, all I know is those on board will miss the destination.
This last Sunday of Lent is called Advent Sunday. Advent means coming and in this case it is used in reference to the Second Coming of Jesus. And the Armenian Church, subscribes to the formula expressed in the Nicene Creed: [Jesus] is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father to judge the living and the dead; of His kingdom there is no end.
We also believe the unfailing word of Jesus Christ who says, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” And continues to say, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Mathew 24) And so, the Christian, like a Boy Scout, is always prepared.
It has become quite popular for people to interpret prophecies, especially the Book of Revelation. Millions are spent by innocent victims who are being given misleading information – false interpretation of philosophy – for a chance to be part of the select group that will outlast horrifying and cataclysmic events, trials and tribulations and end up sitting with Jesus on his return.
A look at the Armenian Church’s orthodox perspective is so necessary, not only for Christians, but for our world. On this Sunday of Advent, our Church fathers direct us to this scriptural reading where the Lord Jesus proclaims, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Jesus (Matthew 22)
That’s it! It’s so easy and basic. It’s a formula that if followed allows you to always be ready for Jesus’ Second Coming. There’s nothing further you have to think about. It is the simple “bottom line” of the Lenten Journey. Jesus cuts through the law and the prophets and profoundly proclaims the message of love – toward God and toward neighbor. The best way to be prepared for the Second Coming is to follow the teachings of the First Coming.
Your act of charity today is to love. Fast from anxious thoughts about tomorrow. Trust God and His message of love. Today’s menu includes roasted eggplant with cashews. Try the recipe at the link below.
Let us pray, from St. Nersess Shnorhali, O Christ, the true Light, make my soul worthy to encounter with joy the light of your divine glory, on the day I will be called by you; and to rest in good hope, in the mansions of the righteous, until the great day of your coming. Amen.
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Today’s Lenten meditation is a riddle of sorts. It begins with the very basic question; how can we be prepared for the return of Jesus Christ? As it unfolds, we find a very unique message with the instructions we need, with the exact steps we need to go through in preparation for a cataclysmic event. Spoiler alert: These instructions, however, have more to do with today than with tomorrow. This last Sunday of the Lent is called referred to as the Sunday of Advent in the Armenian Church.
In the Creed of Nicaea, which we recite every Sunday during the Divine Liturgy, we confess the Second Coming. We say, Jesus is to return to judge the living and the dead. In scripture there are references to the “signs of the times.” Specifically, earthquakes, famines and wars are named as the events that will precede the coming of the end. Unfortunately, curiosity often gets the better of us, and rather than preparing for those last days we consume ourselves with questions of where, when, and how these last days will come about.
Our Lord Jesus tells us that no one knows the answer to those questions, not the angels in heaven, not even the son, but only the Father. But curiosity is powerful. The book of Revelation is often consulted to quench the thirst of curiosity. Revelation is a book of prophecy, and few can understand prophecy, many times the message is distorted by conjecture. The Church does not even prescribe reading this book (it is not in the lectionary of weekly readings) nevertheless, people read it and read into it. They point to hurricanes, famines and wars as signs of the times and then speculate that the end times are here. Jesus warned us against such misinterpretation of prophecies. In fact, a quick read of history shows that every time period has had hurricanes, famines and wars,
When then should we do? How do we prepare for the second coming? What is the Church’s prescription for preparedness?
The Gospel reading for this day has the answer. Instead of turning to a book of prophecy, the Church turns to something much greater, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel reading for this day comes from the 22nd chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew. The narrative begins with the Pharisees approaching Jesus to trick him with a question as to which is the “greatest” commandment. Thinking that Jesus may pick one, they will then have an opportunity to show him the error in his ways. Jesus answers, “The greatest commandment is that you love your Lord your God with all your heart, your mind and your soul and the second commandment is that you love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments, Jesus tells us, the rest of the laws and the prophets are all based. In other words, love for God, love for neighbor supersedes all other commandments.
Because this passage is placed as the lectionary reading for this Advent Sunday, it is understood the instruction for preparedness for the second coming of Christ! The riddle has been answered. The best preparation for the second coming is to accept and live the message of the first coming. Love with all your mind, body, soul and heart the Lord your God and your neighbor.
During this Lenten journey you have meditated about many different forces that effect you. You have accepted concepts and ideas that improve you self, that bring your life back down to the bare minimum. Answering the question, what is essential for you to survive? What is really necessary for that happiness that comes not from without, but from within.
Today’s message, today’s instruction is at the heart of it. It brings you even closer to understanding the essence of life. When you love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul, that is, with everything that you have, you cannot help but love your neighbor, you cannot help but love yourself, you cannot help but to reach out to others in need, be they friends, families, be they people you do not know or even people who wish you ill. In other words, you rise for your humanity and take a different look, from God’s vantage point, realizing that everyone around you is truly related to us. They are your brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, your children. In this sense you become united with the Grand Will, with the Great Will of the universe, with God’s Will, who from the beginning of time willed this existence into being because of His Love, His infinite love.
Today you are given this unique perspective. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind, your soul tells us to be prepared, not for some future date but for today. The Christian is called to always be prepared by always loving. It is God’s way. He always loves.
The best way to prepare for the Second Coming is to practice the teaching of the First Coming!
Today’s prayer comes to us from the gospels of Matthew chapter 25. It is the prayer of the last day. It is offered to us as a parable by our Lord Jesus Christ.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Cover Photo: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023
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Next Step #667: Setting a new pillar of Armodoxy, this, in the light of the Second Coming. The Gospel by the four evangelists, according to Jesus and according to Paul: Spin the spotlight and take a look beyond the rhetoric. An understanding that moves Jesus from the temporal to the universal – why Matrilineality 2000 years ago. Get ready to be challenged and see the Kingdom as expressed by Jesus Christ. Judas was replaced by Matthias, Paul’s Conversion, Handmaid’s Tale, the Middle East and Christology without ethnicity. Matrilineality in Judaism Burbank Business Feast of St. Gregory of Narek at the Vatican Irish Heartbeat Chieftains & Van Morrison Lenten Journey
Cover: publicdomainpictures.net
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com Listen via Stitcher Radio on demand! Listen on Apple Podcasts
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