Christology – What Does This Mean?

Last Things #15: The Judgment Seat of Christ

[Twenty-Third in a series of posts on Last Things]

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When Jesus returns from heaven, all Christians will be united with him forever. Those who have died will rise from the grave, their souls reunited with their bodies. All will be restored to be just like him, sin and death removed forever. While that is much more than enough for us, it is not the only thing he intends. He will make a new heaven and a new earth, removing the effects of sin and death once for all. A key event in that restoration is the judgment seat of Christ.

The angels sent forth to raise the dead will gather all before the throne — both the saved and the lost; all angels and demons will be brought before him. Every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Saints and angels will all sing his praises. These events are beyond our comprehension, so the Holy Spirit has revealed in Scripture the things we can understand in words and images, sometimes in ways we can’t easily put together. Yet all are true.

At the throne of judgment, the Book of Life will be opened, where the names of all God’s people are written. Every event in human history, along with every thought and deed we thought secret, will be laid open. The standard for judging these deeds will be God’s holy law. The verdict is clear — God is righteous and no one else. Yet, for the sake of the sacrifice of the Lamb-who-was-slain, all who trust in Jesus will be declared not guilty. All their sins were forgiven and forgotten. All that remains are the good deeds done for the sake of Christ. These will follow us into eternal life.

Jesus himself recounts how this works: whenever we cared for the least of his children, we did it to him. The lost, however, will be remembered for what they did not do. So the saved will shine in the joy of God the Father and live forever with him. The lost will be thrown into hell with the demons, forever separated from God and his love.

Following the judgment, the Marriage Feast of the Lamb will begin. We will live with God and his people forever in a celebration that never ends.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Last Things #14: The Missing Millennium

[Twenty-Third in a series of posts on Last Things]

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Called the “Jewish opinion” by the Lutheran Confessions, the belief in a Millennium comes from a face-value reading of Old Testament prophecy and poetry about the Church or about eternal life with God after the Second Advent. It also treats the Book of Revelation, written in a symbolic code called apocalyptic, in a similar way. By doing so, it uses difficult to understand passages to complicate the very clear words of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and other New Testament writers. It is the view of the Pharisees that caused them to rule out Jesus as the Messiah, because he would not battle the Romans — and so they missed that the Scriptures pointed to the birth, life, sufferings, death, and Resurrection of the Son of God.

The word itself comes from Revelation 20, where the reign of Christ through his church is described as 1000 years. This number is not a literal 1000 years, but is Jewish numerology. The number ten meant perfection to them, and ten multiplied by itself three times—three is the number of God—means everything is complete. It points to our times when the Gospel has reached every corner of the earth.

While it may seem harmless to believe such things, it detracts from what Christ has commanded us to do. It reads every event as a sign of Christ’s return. Instead, we should be ready, as Jesus instructs us, making disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching them, knowing he is with us always.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Last Things #13: Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

[Twenty-Second in a series of posts on Last Things]

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Title: Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

They were ordinary days. The seaside resort of Pompeii was bustling with the daily activities of the luxurious retreat for the most affluent Romans, who escaped the pressures of the imperial capital of ancient Rome. That is, until Mount Vesuvius buried it in ash for 1700 years. It was a lazy Sunday morning in Hawaii, slower than usual for a navy base — until Japanese bombs shattered Pearl Harbor that December 7, 1941. On a bright, lovely September morning, a pastor drove from downtown Fort Wayne, practicing a sermon for chapel on the first regular day of classes for Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne — a sermon he rewrote on the ride in as he learned airplanes had destroyed the Twin Towers in New York City that September 11, 2001. Life was normal — until the world changed.

On another ordinary day, when people will go about their daily lives as usual, eating, drinking, marrying, working in the field and in businesses, Jesus will return from Heaven. (Matthew 24:37-41) He will appear in the sky with the angel armies of Heaven and the souls of his people with him. Every eye will see him. He will send his angels to gather both those who are saved to meet him and the damned to be judged. (Matthew 13:41, 49, Matthew 24:30-31) There will be no rapture, where Christ appears secretly to claim his own and leave the world in tribulation. This notion comes from the dispensationalists’ misunderstanding.

At that time, Jesus will break the seal of the grave forever. All people will rise from the dead in the great resurrection of the dead. All souls will be reunited with their bodies, and Christ’s own will be transformed to be just like him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; Philippians 3:21) For all the dread that surrounds this day, it is for Christians the most joyful day of all, even with the next event — the Last Judgment — coming. For the goal of the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord is this day, when all is made right, we are restored to his image, and we will shine like the stars in his kingdom. So, the Church has always prayed: Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

©2018-2026 Robert E. Smith. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share, and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@msn.com

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

[One-Hundredth in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

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The Holy Spirit sent Deacon Philip to meet a eunuch serving Candice of Ethiopia. Candace was not a personal name but a royal title, much like Pharaoh or Caesar. She was the mother of the reigning king of Ethiopia and handled many of the kingdom’s day-to-day affairs. Ethiopians traced their royal line back to the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, and many were influenced by the Jewish faith.

Eunuchs often served as trusted officials of royal households. This man appears to have been the treasurer of Candace’s kingdom. He was a devout believer who had traveled all the way to Jerusalem to worship God. On his journey home, he was reading Isaiah 53, a detailed prophecy of the suffering and death of the Messiah. Puzzled by what he was reading, he invited Philip to explain the passage.

Beginning with Isaiah’s prophecy, Philip told him the good news about Jesus. The suffering servant Isaiah described was Jesus, who suffered, died, and rose again to save the world. When the Ethiopian heard this good news and saw water nearby, he asked to be baptized. Philip baptized him at once. When the Holy Spirit took Philip away, the man continued his journey rejoicing that salvation had come to him.

This encounter shows how quickly the Gospel was spreading beyond Jerusalem. The Ethiopian was both a foreigner and a eunuch, someone who stood on the edge of Israel’s religious life. Yet through faith in Christ and Holy Baptism, he was welcomed fully into God’s family. The good news of Jesus was not only for Jerusalem or even for Israel. It was for the whole world.

According to ancient Christian tradition, this new believer became one of the first people to carry the Gospel into Africa. Whether or not every detail of those traditions is correct, the message is clear. God was already fulfilling Jesus’ command to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Forty Days with Jesus

[Ninety-Fourth in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

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After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples several times over forty days. Like the forty days and forty nights of the flood, the forty years of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness, and the forty days of testing before His ministry, these forty days were a time of preparation. Jesus was preparing His apostles for the work He was about to give them.

At first, they did not recognize Him. But one thing or another- His greeting of peace, His calling of their name, the miracle of a great catch of fish, and the breaking of bread- revealed Him immediately to them. Jesus first reassured them that it was really Him. He had truly risen from the dead, not only in spirit, but in His body as well. He ate bread and fish with them. He still had the wounds of the crucifixion, the holes in His hands and the place where the spear had been thrust into His side. The very same Jesus stood before them in His flesh, only now transformed into a body that would never again die.

During these forty days, Jesus was not merely proving that He was alive. He was preparing the apostles for the work ahead. He spent much of that time conducting what must have been the greatest Bible study in history. He showed them every place in the Old Testament that pointed to His life, suffering, death, and resurrection. He taught them how the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms all spoke about Him and why the Messiah had to suffer before entering His glory.

He also gave them a mission: to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins, baptize, teach, and forgive sins in His name. They would carry this message first to Jerusalem and then to the ends of the earth. The apostles would soon begin that work, proclaiming the Gospel throughout the world.

All of this was preparation. The same Lord who opened the Scriptures to His disciples still teaches His Church through His Word today. Through that Word He creates faith, strengthens His people, and equips them for lives of service. The forty days prepared the apostles for their mission, and through their testimony the risen Christ continues to prepare us as well.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

©2019-2026 Robert E. Smith. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share, and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@msn.com.

Stay with Us, Lord, for it is Evening

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Today, our Easter celebration of the resurrection is filled with joy. White paraments, flowers, and banners decorate our churches. Well-practiced organs, choirs, and musical instruments of all kinds add to our song. After all, we know the story and how it ends. Jesus is risen!

The first Easter was quite different. Women close to Jesus reported visions of angels and the Lord Himself. The disciples did not know what to think. The five accounts of that day show the confusion. (Matthew 28:1-15, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-49, John 20:1-23, 1 Corinthians 15:3-5) Different people were running all over the place, and each story is its own. One thing was for sure. The tomb was empty.

On the first Sunday afternoon, two disciples were on the road home, feeling very unsettled. Could it be true? Was the Lord really risen from the dead? Jesus appeared to them but did not reveal Himself. As they walked to Emmaus, Jesus showed them how Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms all pointed to Him and that the Messiah had to suffer, die, and rise again. Their hearts burned within them as He opened the Scriptures.

They invited Him to stay with them for the evening. As they ate dinner, Jesus blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. He immediately vanished from their sight. The Lord first revealed Himself through His Word and then in the breaking of the bread.

These two disciples went back to Jerusalem to report what had happened. There, they learned Jesus had appeared to Peter. As they were talking about this, Jesus removed all doubt. He appeared to them and ate food to show He was not a ghost, but had risen from the dead, body and soul. He then blessed the Apostles and gave them the power to forgive and retain sins.

When life gets confusing, and we do not know what to do, Jesus comes to us in His Word. Even though we do not see Him, He is still present with His people. He continues to teach, forgive, and strengthen us. When we pray, “Stay with us, Lord,” He does. We are never alone, even until the end of time itself.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

The Day of Resurrection

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In the silence of a cold, dark tomb, the world changed forever.

Just as He promised, Jesus rose from His rest in the grave, breaking the seal forever.

And no one noticed.

The Romans were really good at torturing people to death. Crucifixion was a slow death, designed to kill with the maximum amount of pain and humiliation possible. If the Romans killed you, you were dead. Jesus, in fact, was already dead when the soldiers moved to hurry the process to get the bodies into a grave before sunset and the beginning of the Sabbath. There could be no doubt that He had truly died.

Once they laid Jesus in the tomb, no one expected Him to go anywhere. Pilate ordered the tomb sealed by Rome’s authority, setting its seal on the stone that shut it off from the world. Had He not risen from death, the women would have completed His embalming, and they would have mourned Him for seven days. After a year, they would have gathered His bones into a stone box. In fact, this is what Caiaphas’ family did. Archaeologists have found the high priest’s box. Had He not risen, likely no one today would even know the name of Jesus.

But Jesus did rise from the dead. The seal of His tomb was broken, and with it the seal of our graves. Death no longer has the final word. Because He lives, those who trust in Him will live also. When we die now, our spirits live with Him until the Last Day, when Jesus returns. On that day, He will call our bodies from the grave, and a new creation will occur. We will finally be whole. Our bodies, like His resurrected body, will be fit for eternal life.

Death no longer has a sting. The grave will have no victory. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

That is why Easter strikes such a chord with Christians. It is why we greet each other with joy:

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Christ’s Sabbath Rest in the Tomb

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Jesus died late in the afternoon on Good Friday, just before the Sabbath began at sunset. Two of his secret disciples asked Pilate for his body — Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. They gave him a hasty but rich man’s burial. Several of the women closest to Jesus followed them to the tomb. Joseph rolled a large stone in front of the entrance, and they left him there. Later, at the priests’ request, Pilate posted a guard and sealed it to prevent theft of the body. As the second day of Jesus’ death began, he was finally at rest.

As God rested on the seventh day of creation, so now Jesus rested on the first Sabbath of the new creation. His work of redemption was complete. The sacrifice had been offered. Sin had been atoned for. The Son of God truly entered death and rested in the tomb. By His sacrifice on the cross, He destroyed sin and the power of the devil. Soon, when the Sabbath ended, He would break the power of death as well.

As Christians prepare for a joyful Easter celebration, we often miss this moment of quiet and peace. Soon, when sunset comes, the third day will begin. Sometime between that sunset and dawn, Jesus rose from the dead. Having conquered sin, death, and the devil, He proclaimed His victory and became the firstfruits of all who will rise on the Last Day. The Church will begin its Vigil of Easter at sunset and sing the songs of Resurrection again.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

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Good Friday is the most somber day in the Church Year. On this day, God Himself pays the price of our sin in full. The ancient plan for our salvation had been unfolding for thousands of years. The descendant of Eve, Noah, Abraham, and David was born to the Virgin Mary. The Son of God, the Author of Life himself, became one of us. At the Jordan River, he made the waters of Baptism holy and took on the sins of the world. On Mt. Zion, ancient Mt. Moriah, where the Angel of the Lord stayed the hand of Abraham, God’s Son, His only Son, whom he loves, was condemned to die as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Sentenced by Pilate, he began his final suffering and was nailed to the cross. Even as he began to die, the forgiving began — first of those who killed him and then of a thief on a nearby cross.

The greatest mystery of all came at the height of his suffering. The Eternal Son of God cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) in the language of his boyhood. We should not be surprised that we cannot understand this profound moment. Yet we know a few things for sure. We know Scripture itself reveals this moment in detail. Jesus’ words quote his father, David, in Psalm 22, written a thousand years earlier. We know Jesus felt abandoned by God. His unanswered prayers and loneliness show that he shares fully in our humanity. He is like us in every way, which is why his sacrifice on our behalf is possible. We know he paid for our sin on the cross, and that price is unimaginably high. We are moved as we extinguish one light after another, remembering the depth of his suffering.

Yet this is not the last word we hear from our Lord’s suffering. As he died, he said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Sin was atoned for, the power of the Devil defeated, and the seal of the grave soon to be broken. Jesus knew the Father had not abandoned him. He once again quoted his father, David, in Psalm 31, “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46), and entered his three-day rest in the tomb.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jesus Faces Off With His Opponents

Encore Post:

From Monday to Wednesday of Holy Week, Jesus taught in the temple. His opponents challenged him several times. He told parables against them and warned people about them. First, the priests asked by what authority he did the things he did. Jesus countered by asking them whether John the Baptist was from God. Because they would not answer, he would not either. (Matthew 21:23-27)

Jesus’ three parables were his last attempt to call his opponents to repentance. They were the Parable of the Two Sons, the Parable of the Wicked Vineyard Tenants, and the Parable of the King’s Wedding Feast. The point of all three was that his opponents pretended to serve God but were really disobedient. (Matthew 21:28-22:14)

His opponents responded with several test questions: Should we pay taxes to Caesar? Who will be the husband of a woman in the resurrection who was married to seven brothers without having a child? His answers were so profound that they did not follow up. (Matthew 22:15-40)

These questions were not meant to learn from Jesus. His opponents hoped to trap Him into saying something that would discredit Him with either the people or the Romans. If He opposed paying taxes to Caesar, they could accuse Him of rebellion. If He denied the resurrection, He would anger many of the people. If He chose one commandment over another, they could accuse Him of false teaching. Instead, every answer showed such wisdom that His opponents could only admire Him or remain silent.

He then asked them, “If Christ is David’s son, why does David call Christ Lord?” They did not answer.

Most of what Jesus taught that week, however, was about His second coming and eternity. While His enemies plotted His death, Jesus prepared His disciples for the future. He taught them to watch, to remain faithful, and to live in hope as they waited for His return in glory. In this way, he prepared them for his approaching death.

One evening that week in Bethany, Jesus’ friend Mary anointed him with expensive perfume for his coming burial. While many still dreamed of a conquering Messiah, Mary seems to have understood that Jesus was preparing to die.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana