Second Sunday in Advent – Tuesday

The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth: they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. – John 5:28-29.

Thus says the Lord Jesus. He speaks of the hour of His second coming. Then all the dead, without exception, shall hear His voice calling them, and shall come forth from the grave, from the dust, or from wherever their ashes may have been scattered.

True, death has a power from which no mere man, nor any other creature, can awake us. But the voice of Jesus is almighty, and even the dead must hear it. – But there is a difference among the dead. First, there are the Christians, who are identified as those who have done good, because they show their faith and love for their Savior by serving Him and striving against sin. These shall rise unto eternal life and blessedness.

Then there are the unbelievers, who are identified as those who have done evil on earth, because, in their rejection of the Savior, they are hopelessly enslaved by sin and Satan. These shall come forth to eternal damnation. – Christians, how powerfully does this call and admonish us – that today, while we live – we ever cling in faith to our Savior and to His grace offered to us freely and without price.

PRAYER. – Jesus, my beloved Lord, I trust in Thee; strengthen my faith and help me to overcome all fleshly doubts. Grant that I may live and die firmly believing in Thee, my Savior, and that I may not fall into the snares and pitfalls of unbelief and sin. O Thou, dear Redeemer, draw me to Thee that I may follow Thee! Grant me a blessed end and a joyful resurrection to eternal life. By the imputation of Thy righteousness, keep me from the wrath of the judgment to come, and from eternal damnation, O Lord Jesus! Amen.

O Love, who once shalt bid me rise From out this dying life of ours;

O Love, who once above yon skies Shalt set me in the fadeless bowers –

O Love, I give myself to Thee, Thine ever, only Thine to be.

Hymn 397, 6.