Pretend you’re at a local coffee shop or cafe, and someone comes up to you, requests to sit down, and then proceeds to ask you the following questions:
- To what do you cling to anchor your hope, comfort your pain, and calm your fear?
- Are there Bible passages that come to mind? Are there doctrines or theological truths that guide your heart?
How would you answer?
Today, I want to offer one biblical-theological answer: The return of Christ. The objective fact and reality of Christ’s return are among the many ways Christians can ground their faith and be equipped for life.
Christ is coming back, and for the Christian, that offers us both promises and implications.
Promises
God Finishes What He Starts
- Revelation 21:1-2. This passage lays out the promise that Christ will tabernacle among men forever.
God Initiates
- 1 Thessalonians 4:17. In this passage, Christ’s return is clearly public and initiated by Him.
- Revelation 19:11. Christ is depicted on a horse, bringing judgment, and once again initiated by Him.
Bodily/Sudden/Triumphant
- Bodily: 1 Thessalonians 4:16 / Acts 1:11. In these passages, we are told that Christ will return in the same way (body) as He had when He left earth after His resurrection.
- Sudden: 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3. In this passage, we learn that Christ’s return is sudden and without warning. This simply means that no one can predict it.
- Triumphant: 1 Thessalonians 4:16 / Matthew 24:30. Christ’s return ushers in an instantaneous cosmic and earthly understanding of His authority, majesty, and power.
Escape From The Wrath To Come
- 1 Thessalonians 1:10 / 5:9. These passages promise Christians that they will not face the ultimate wrath of God.
- Revelation 3:10. This passage reminds the Christian that God’s wrath on the world will not come to them.
Implications
Hope
- He’s coming: Titus 2:13. We long for His return with hope!
- There’s an inheritance: 1 Corinthians 3; 2 Corinthians 5; 2 Timothy 4:81 Peter 1:3-4. He promises to reward us for our deeds done for His glory.
- We are secure: 1 Thessalonians 4:13. We can rest with hope.
- Our bodies are redeemed: Romans 8:23-25; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. He’s going to deal with all of our sinful, decaying, and painful bodies.
Faithful
- Purify: 1 John 3:2-3. Thus, we are to walk in purity.
- Strong hearts: James 5:8. Walk with hearts that are strong and patient.
- Live as though living in our glorified bodies: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Motivated by our future reality of living with glorified bodies in a new heaven and new earth.
Growing & Learning
- Increase in grace and knowledge: 2 Peter 3:17-18. In the meantime, we grow and learn from our Lord Jesus Christ (as taught in the Bible).
- Increase in knowledge and discernment: Philippians 1:9-10. We also grow in discernment, approving that which is excellent.
- Increase and abound in love: 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13. We love one another and establish our hearts in the faith.
Urgent Stewardship
- Invest well: Matthew 25:19-21. We invest our talents for God’s glory and the building up of the Church.
- Your spiritual gifts are for the body of Christ: Romans 12; 1 Peter 4:7-10. We invest our gifts in the work of ministry.
- Night is coming: John 9:4. We remember that night is coming…one day, our world will experience and know the return of Christ. The opportunity to believe is not forever. Christ is coming back!
Might I encourage you to look up these passages, meditate on these thoughts, and rest in Christ’s return.
He’s coming back!
Amen.
— April 30, 2026