Notes of Faith March 27, 2026
Pastor’s Pen Pulpit
December 9, 2001
“WHEN GLORY APPEARS”
Titus 2:13, 14
Looking for that blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
In our last Pen Pulpit we talked about when Grace appeared (Titus 2:11, 12). This, of course, referred to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. He came to provide salvation to the human race and for that salvation to run it’s course in this phase of God’s plan in which we are living – the Age of Grace.
It has been 2,000 years since His birth. Every day, through missionary effort throughout the world, thousands of people are plugging into that plan. However, one day that part of His plan will be completed. The last person will come to Christ through faith. The body will be complete and will be caught up to glory (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). Shortly following that event will come the appearance of His Glory (Revelation 19:11-16).
We Christians live in the hope of that event every day of our lives. So did Christians before us. Living in constant expectation of the appearing of His glory does something for us:
1. It instills in us true expectation (verse 13). We run into hope all over the New Testament. Hope is everywhere. God will not let us avoid it nor should we want to (cf. John 14:3, Matthew 24, Colossians 3:1-3, Romans 8:18-25, I John 3:3). The grace of God instills the expectation of the return of Jesus Christ in the hearts of Christians.
2. It provides emancipation (verse 14a). Emancipation/redemption touches all areas of life “redeem us from every lawless deed”. Sin is like quicksand. The harder people struggle to free themselves from the hard core of life - the deeper into its deadly mire they sink e.g. drugs, alcohol, sex. Jesus Christ is the only true emancipation.
3. It produces true sanctification (verse 14b). How does God purify us? He uses two sanctifying agents: The Holy Spirit (II Cor. 3:18); The Holy Scriptures (Eph. 5:25-30), however the Christian is to participate in this purification (I John 3:3).
4. It promotes true representation (verse 14c). Good works emanate from a life that is pure before God. Good works are the issue of sanctification - not an aid to sanctification. Good works are a true representation of God in a hostile world (Matt. 5:14-16; Eph. 2:8; Titus 3:8).
Beloved, in light of the above, let us re-evaluate our reason for being here. What an impact on the world we will have if we, as truly emancipated people, live godly lives in the expectation of the appearance of His Glory. God bless.
Love to you all,
Pastor Charles Covington
I can’t remember a time after being saved that I did not want to be with Jesus. Those that daydream about living in a different time in history cannot beat being here during the last three years of Jesus’ life on earth. How could we, at this time in history, not want to be alive when Jesus calls for His bride, (the church), to be with Him forever?
1 Thess 4:13-18
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Cor 15:50-58
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
We comfort one another with the fact that Jesus is coming again. Our hope is in the person of Jesus! Therefore our hope is not a wish or want or even strong desire. Jesus, Himself said that He would return to take those who believe in Him to be with Him forever. We pray (sincerest hope) that the day will be soon! But, until then, we have work to do, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, that His death, burial, and resurrection, make it possible for a person to be forgiven of his/her sin, be saved from the wrath of God, and be taken from death (the earnings of sin) and receive eternal life!
Maybe you will be the one to lead the last one to believe in Jesus during the church age…and as my wife says, “He’s gonna toot and we’re gonna scoot!” The trumpet will sound and the church, dead first, then those who are alive, will meet Him in the clouds and be taken to heaven, to return with Him to earth at His second coming! Be faithful in the work God has given you, to speak truth in love, bringing as many as possible to the throne of grace, to receive salvation, to grow toward the image of Jesus, and finally to be made new, without sin, in the glory of what God has prepared for those who love Him.
Pray for yourself and what God has planned for your life and His work for you. Pray for those that will hear the good news of Jesus Christ through you relationship with them. Pray for it to be the will of the Lord Jesus to come quickly!
Pastor Dale