The Coming of Christ

 

“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Matthew 24:44 NLT

The Gospels talk about the first time Jesus came to earth. John 1:14 (NLT) says, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” Over two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, our precious Lord and Savior, lived on this earth. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, helped the deaf to hear, and He showed love and compassion to everyone. But the cross showed the greatest love of all, because He sacrificed His life so that we could live receive salvation and live forever with Him. Jesus came then so we could know Him now.

Jesus promised that He would come again, and this we often call this “The Rapture.” The Bible teaches that one day He will return for His people—those who believe in Him and follow Him. 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (NLT) says, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.” You may have already heard about the Rapture at church or from your family, but here’s the important thing: it could happen at any time.

That’s why Matthew 24:44 (NLT) says, “You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” We can’t wait until “later” to take God seriously. Jesus could return at any moment, so every day matters. We need to live each day ready for Him—trusting, loving, and following Him with all our hearts.

One way we stay ready is by turning away from the sins we keep repeating and messing up with. We should humble ourselves, ask our Heavenly Father for forgiveness, and not act like He doesn’t see or is okay with it when we keep doing wrong. 1 John 1:9 (NLT) says, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” God isn’t looking for perfect people—He just wants hearts that keep running back to Him.

Another way to stay ready is by sharing our faith. If we know Jesus is coming back, we shouldn’t keep that to ourselves! This is the time to invite friends, family, or anyone we can into God’s kingdom.

But we also need to be careful. The Bible warns us that in the end times there will be people who try to trick believers. Matthew 24:24 (NLT) says, “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”

 This means not everyone who talks about Jesus is truly following Him. Some will even pretend to beHim! That’s why we must know what God’s Word says, so we won’t be fooled.

A while back, there was even a rumor on social media that the Rapture was going to happen on September 23rd. Some people believed it so much that they sold their homes, cars, and even quit their jobs. But the Bible says in Matthew 24:36 (NLT), “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” That shows us that we have to be careful who we listen to and stay close to Jesus.  

As followers and believers of Christ, we need to stand strong in God’s Word. We need to keep our focus on Him, and not let anything else come before Him. The best way to prepare for Jesus’ return is to walk closely with Him every day. When we do that, we’ll be ready whenever He comes. 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“The Coming of Christ”, written for aheartforchristdevotions@blogspot.com by Kraiapril©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!