30 Reasons to Hope in the Return of Christ
from Pastor Zach
Jesus Christ is coming back, and that reality is meant to change everything. Not just how we think about the future, but how we live today: how we read Scripture, how we pray, how we gather as the church, and how we walk into our work and relationships each day.
Throughout the Bible, the return of Christ is not a hidden or obscure doctrine. It is everywhere! Like a landscape that shapes everything around it, the promise of Jesus’ return runs through Scripture, anchoring our hope and orienting our lives.
As we began a new year, Pastor Zach traced this “golden thread of hope” through the New Testament, gathering 30 truths that show how the second coming of Christ fuels our faith, steadies our hearts, and calls us to live with alertness, holiness, joy, and hope.
Below is that list: 30 reasons to set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us when Jesus Christ is revealed.
30 Reasons to Hope in the Return of Christ
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13 ESV).
1. Unites us with the hope of all true Christians
“…He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.”
– The Apostles’ Creed
2. Gives us confidence that God will complete our salvation
“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 1:6)
3. Encourages us unto good works and faithful church attendance.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
(Hebrews 10:24–25)
4. Gauges our spiritual affections
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
(Titus 2:11-13)
5. Is the reason for Christ’s sanctifying work in you today
“So that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 1:7-8)
6. Will cause all creation to burst into praise
“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”
(Romans 8:19)
“Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.”
(Psalm 98:7-9)
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns
our mortal songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.
– Isaac Watts
7. Tempers our judgment about ministry
“Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.”
(1 Corinthians 4:5)
8. Fulfills the deepest meaning of your marriage and wedding
“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready. It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure– for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”
(Revelation 19:6-8)
9. Inaugurates the greatest banquet where we, who should have been outcasts, will come as guests
“And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’”
(Revelation 19:9)
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
(1 Corinthians 11:26)
10. Transforms our deepest grieving into temporary goodbyes
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep; you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep… For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-16)
“Death used to be an executioner. But the gospel has made him just a gardener.”
– George Herbert
11. Admonishes us to hospitality
“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
(1 Peter 4:7-9)
12. Calls all people to repent
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
(Acts 17:30-31)
13. Outweighs any suffering we can face with a glory so great that we are able endure suffering with joy
“But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
(1 Peter 4:13)
14. Rewards faithful pastors with the crown of glory
“And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
(1 Peter 5:4)
15. Frees you to work hard, whatever your task, knowing that your labor is not in vain
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
(1 Corinthians 15:58)
16. Crowns us with the joy of eternal, Christian friendship
“For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)
17. Will answer your call for justice for those who have been martyred for Christ
“They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer.”
(Revelation 6:10-11)
18. Calms our hearts
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
(John 14:1-3)
19. Ends once and for all theological and political debates
“So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(Philippians 2:10-11)
“It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’”
(Jude 14-15)
20. Conquers every enemy and ends all wars
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
(Revelation 19:11-16)
21. Gives aim to our prayers
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’”
(Matthew 6:9-10)
“Our Lord, come!”
(1 Corinthians 16:22, Maranatha in Aramaic)
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
(Revelation 22:20)
22. Transforms your saggy, weak, creaking, dying body into a perfect, glorious body just like Jesus, suited for eternity
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
(Philippians 3:20-21)
23. Evokes a panoply of emotions from shame and wailing to pride, boasting, joy, love, and more
“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.”
(Revelation 1:7)
“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
(1 Timothy 4:8)
24. Teaches us to stay alert (and a whole list of other lessons)
“Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.”
(2 Peter 3:3)
25. Exhorts us to purify our lives
“And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.”
(1 John 3:3)
26. We will see Jesus
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”
(1 John 3:1-2)
27. Confirms how loved you are in Christ
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
(1 John 3:1)
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
(Colossians 3:1-4)
28. Answers the question, “Was it worth it?” with a resounding, “YES!”
29. Walks us into the treasure room of Christ’s riches to be enjoyed: an ever-expanding joy for all eternity
“So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
(Ephesians 2:7)
30. Is not the final chapter, but the start of eternity
(NOTE: Our church teaches that the return of Christ is multiple eschatological events. I decided to unite them under one major heading rather than distinguish different subheadings.)
Podcast Highlight
Listen to our podcasts for helpful prayer tools, Scripture readings, and moments for meditation throughout your week.
More Details