What Is So Important About the Second Coming?

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9–11)

Today’s big question: what is so important about the Second Coming?

Some of the eyewitnesses of Christ’s post-Resurrection appearances gathered with Him and heard His final charge before the Ascension. Jesus called them to share the good news of His death, burial, and Resurrection, starting with their local area and then to the whole world.

Prior to ascending, the Lord told them, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).This verse gives us the context to understand what the angels told those witnesses who had gathered. Jesus has ascended, and you have just been given a job to do until He comes back. He will return—so much depends on this truth. Knowing this truth should motivate us to take the gospel to the whole world as we long for His appearing. Lives are at stake. Billions of lives from every corner of the earth need to hear the good news.

No Christian should underestimate the importance of the Second Coming of Christ. Without His return, there is no final consummation of all things, which includes the restoration of creation, the eternal reward for the redeemed, and the eternal punishment of the wicked. Every Christian should long for His return—to see Him gloriously carry out the victory that was already won at the Cross.

Revelation 1:7 starts with the words, “Behold He is coming. . . .” The plans have been made, and the preparation is underway. Even though none of us know the day or the hour of the Second Coming, we must live in expectation of His arrival. He is coming. This means that we must be ready—not in the sense that we stand around gazing at the heavens, but in the sense that we are busy spreading His gospel with urgency.

Today’s big idea: the Second Coming of Christ should motivate us to action for the gospel.

What to pray: pray for the unsaved and for boldness to proclaim the gospel.