The Imminent Return of Christ: A Call to Vigilance
The return of Christ is one of the most central promises in Scripture, yet it is a subject often overlooked, dismissed, or even ridiculed in today’s world. Many churches focus on present concerns—social issues, personal wellbeing, or cultural relevance—while setting aside the hope of Christ’s second coming. In broader society, the topic is often seen as extreme or fanatical, especially when false prophecies fail to come true. Sadly, history has seen pastors misuse biblical teaching, urging their followers to sell possessions and await an imminent return, turning anticipation into disillusionment.
Yet the New Testament calls Christians not to ignore or trivialize this reality. Jesus Himself warned His disciples against being weighed down by the anxieties of life and being caught unprepared when He comes again. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 13:11–14, presses this urgency upon believers: knowing the time, it is already the hour to awake from sleep, for salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The truth of Christ’s imminent return has both doctrinal depth and practical application.
Understanding Prophetic Time and Human Doubts
One of the greatest struggles Christians face is the seeming delay of Christ’s return. It has been nearly two thousand years since the ascension, and skeptics scoff at the promise. The apostles, however, spoke of Christ’s coming with immediacy because they viewed time through what has been called “prophetic time.” From God’s eternal perspective, human history is brief and rapidly passing away.
Peter reminds us that “with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). What seems long to us is but a moment in God’s sight. Paul also understood that certain events must precede the end: the great rebellion, the revealing of the man of lawlessness, and the worldwide preaching of the gospel. His sense of urgency was not naïve but grounded in the assurance that Christ’s return is certain, near in God’s prophetic calendar, and should govern the way we live.
The Nature and Purpose of Christ’s Return
Christ’s second coming will not be hidden, spiritualized, or symbolic. Scripture declares it will be visible, physical, and cosmic. He will come in the clouds with power and great glory, gathering His elect from the ends of the earth (Matthew 24; Revelation 1:7). Unlike His first coming in humility as a baby in Bethlehem, His second coming will be the climactic revelation of His kingship—conquering and to conquer.
The purpose of His return is to complete His redemptive work and to destroy the works of the devil. At His first coming, Jesus broke Satan’s authority; at His second, He will utterly and visibly annihilate all of Satan’s influence forever. On that day, there will be a general resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked: those who belong to Christ will rise to everlasting life, while the rest will face condemnation (John 5:29).
Divine Judgment and the New Creation
The Apostle Peter draws a sobering comparison between Christ’s return and the days of Noah, when scoffers doubted God’s warning until the flood came. Likewise, many today dismiss the promise of Christ’s return. But the “day of the Lord” will come like a thief—suddenly and unexpectedly. Peter writes that the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be destroyed by fire. This fire is not merely destructive but purifying, burning away all evil and corruption from the cosmos.
Just as sin infected every part of creation through the fall, so the final judgment must involve nothing less than a complete renewal of heaven and earth. The world will not simply be improved but wholly reconstituted—transformed into a creation without sin, suffering, or death. While Christians may work for good in this present age, their ultimate calling is not merely to “make the world a better place” but to call people into the eternal kingdom of God.
Judgment for Believers: Rewards and Reckoning
For believers, Christ’s return also involves judgment. This is not judgment for salvation—for those in Christ there is no condemnation—but a judgment of works and rewards. Paul teaches that “we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10). At this judgment, the faithfulness of believers will be revealed, and rewards will be given according to one’s service and obedience.
Paul’s analogy in 1 Corinthians 3:13–15 describes the Christian life as building upon the foundation of Christ. Some build with gold, silver, and precious stones—acts of faith, love, and selfless obedience. Others build with wood, hay, and straw—superficial or self-centered efforts. On the day of Christ, the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. Though all who belong to Christ will be saved, some may be saved “only as one escaping through the flames,” with a sense of loss over what could have been offered to the Lord.
Jesus illustrated this truth in the parable of the talents: faithful servants, whether entrusted with much or little, received the same commendation—“Well done, good and faithful servant… Come and share your master’s happiness.” The greatest reward for believers will be entering the joy and honor of Christ’s eternal kingdom.
A Call to Vigilance
The imminent return of Christ is not a doctrine to be feared or ignored but a truth to awaken our hearts. It calls Christians to live with urgency, faithfulness, and hope. Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed, and the day is fast approaching when Christ will return as Judge and King.
For the unbeliever, this is a warning to repent before it is too late. For the believer, it is a call to vigilance—to fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith, and long for His appearing. To such as these, Christ has promised “the crown of righteousness” and everlasting joy in His presence.
[AI-generated notes for this sermon]
