The Second Coming Of Jesus

…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 1:11

The second coming of Jesus is the most wonderful hope in the world. Everyone should know just how Jesus
will come and what to expect at His coming. We can find this information in the Bible.

JESUS’ PROMISE

1. With what words did Jesus promise to return?

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” – John
14:1-3

Here, Jesus tells the disciples that He is soon to leave them and go to His Father and prepare a place for His
people. And then He adds, “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be
also.” Jesus is coming again to gather His people and take them to heaven!

2. What command and promise did Jesus make to His disciples just before He went back to heaven?

“’Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” – Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus’ followers are to tell everyone about
His second coming. Yet so few people seem to understand how important His second coming is. Jesus came
the first time to die for our sins. He is coming the second time to take us away from this world of sin. We
should preach and talk of Jesus’ second coming. That’s all we have to live for – getting ready for Jesus’ return.
When the whole world has been told the story of Jesus and His return, “then the end will come” (Matthew
24:14).

WHAT OCCURS AT JESUS COMING?

3. What will take place when Jesus comes?

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” – 1
Thessalonians 4:16-17

At His coming, Jesus will call the righteous who are asleep in their graves and they will come forth. What a
wonderful hope we have! In the very near future, the graves will open and our sleeping loved ones will come
to life again.

Some say that Jesus has already come. They do not understand what the Bible teaches about His return. When
He comes, the grave of all God’s people will be opened. The righteous dead will be raised to life, then they,
with the righteous who are living at that time, will be caught up in the air to meet Jesus and will be taken to
heaven.

4. What happens to the wicked when Jesus appears in His glory?

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and
destroy with the brightness of His coming.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:8

How terrible it is to think that people are not getting ready for Jesus’ coming! Some think it isn’t very
important. Others are so busy with everyday affairs that they are not taking time to get ready.

It is sad to realize that those who reject or neglect Jesus will not be ready and that they will be destroyed by the
glory of His appearing. It is worth every sacrifice now to be ready when Jesus comes. Think of the joy it will
bring to be with Jesus in heaven forever, together with our dear ones who have been faithful.

EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM

5. How will Jesus come the second time?

“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

Jesus was on earth forty days after His resurrection. Then one day, as He was talking to His disciples on the
Mount of Olives, He suddenly began to rise from the earth. His disciples were greatly startled as they saw Him
being taken heavenward.

Two angels came and comforted them with the wonderful promise that this same Jesus will come again in the
clouds as they see Him ascend. Aren’t you glad that it is “this same Jesus” who is to return to the earth? Many
prophesies of the Old Testament told about Jesus’ first coming. They were all fulfilled literally. Thus,
prophesies about His second coming will also be fulfilled.

6. How many will see Jesus when He comes?

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man
be.” – Matthew 24:27

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes
of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” – Revelation 1:7

So brilliant will be Jesus’ glory that everyone on earth will see His coming in the clouds of heaven. This is to
be a special resurrection of those who crucified Jesus and they will see Him return as King of the universe –
the One they nailed to the cross. (See Revelation 1:7.)

7. How will the glory of Jesus’ coming affect the world?

“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” – Matthew 24:30

The reason that most people will mourn at Jesus’ coming is that they have not prepared for His return. Their
sins condemned them. They are crushed by guilty consciences that their eyes cannot look on Jesus. They die as
they behold His glory. But those who have been faithful will be given eternal life and they will delight in the
brilliant glory of Jesus’ return.

8. What does Jesus urge us to do?

“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming… Therefore you also be ready, for the
Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” – Matthew 24:42, 44

No one knows just when Jesus will come. But we do know that His coming is near and we must live right all
the time so that we will be ready anytime He comes.

Jesus is pleading with you to come to Him now. He can still save you. But the day is coming when it will be
too late to get ready. Those who wait to give up sin until they see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven will be
lost. We must be ready now!

9. What final promise has Jesus given us?

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things
begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” – Luke 21:27-28

Jesus has promised to come again. Let us believe just what He has promised.

A father getting ready to leave on a month’s trip was packing his suitcase and his little three year old daughter
was helping. Suddenly, she stopped and asked, “Why are you packing your suitcase, Daddy?” He replied,
“Because I have to go on a long trip on the boat.” The little girl slipped out quietly and piled chairs high in
front of the door. As her father started to leave, she burst into tears and cried, “O Daddy, don’t take those
chairs away! I put them here so you wouldn’t leave Mommy and me. Please don’t leave us!”

The father picked up his daughter and said, “Honey, I hate to leave you but I just have to go. We must tell
others about Jesus’ coming. I’ll get something for you while I’m gone and I’ll come back to you and Mommy.”

Do you think that father would go off and never come back to his family? Jesus has promised, “I will come
again and receive you to Myself.” He is coming back in just a little while, to take us home with Him. Will you
be ready?