Excellent prospects

Isaiah 42: 9 was the Bible text which the Chief Apostle based his divine service on in Lübeck (Germany) on 3 December 2017: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

God proclaimed the good news of the coming Redeemer more than once. “He announced this through the prophets, and the last one who did so was John the Baptist,” Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider explained. These messengers urged the people to

• believe in the promise even though there was nothing to indicate that it would be fulfilled.
• sing the Lord a new song, because the promise is a source of hope, encouragement, and joy.
• prepare for the coming of the Redeemer, renounce evil, and change their ways.

A promise fulfilled in the past

The New Testament fulfills this promise: “Jesus Christ is the Servant sent by God in order to free mankind from sin and lead them into fellowship with God,” the Chief said and referred to all the new aspects connected with it.

• God became man—something inconceivable.
• He came at a time when hardly anybody hoped that it would happen right then.
• A virgin gave birth to a child. This had never happened before.
• Jesus gave rise to a new relationship with God. He presented God as the Father.
• Christ also established a new order. He brought the law of love, grace, and compassion.

A promise in the present

And today the Holy Spirit announces new things again. Jesus has promised: “I will come again to receive you to Myself.”

• The moment of His return will be decided by Him. It could be at any time. There will be no signs heralding His return.
• How this will transpire is as inconceivable as the birth by the virgin Mary was. One just cannot imagine it.
• He will then lead us into a new relationship with God. We will be very close to Him then.
• The Lord will then create a new creature, which will be revealed when we are with Him.

The future within reach

“There is even more after that, in fact quite a lot,” the Chief Apostle continued. After the marriage supper in heaven the Lord will return to earth with power and great glory in order to establish the kingdom of peace. “The gospel can then be preached to all human beings without hindrance. And all human beings will be able to find their way to Christ—again something completely new.”

“Dear brothers and sisters, that is our future,” Chief Apostle Schneider made clear and concluded with a call to action.

• Let us sing this new hymn, the hymn of hope, trust, and joy: ‘My Lord, come soon!’
• Let us prepare for the return of the Lord, and get rid of everything that could hinder God’s activity on our own soul and the soul of our neighbour.
• Let us fervently believe in it because everything that the Lord has said so far has been fulfilled.