The return of Christ necessitates that we live in ready and anxious anticipation of His coming. Woe to that person caught unawares at His return (Luke 21:34–36; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3). His second coming has always been the plan, and Jesus made certain we understand that (John 14:2–3; Acts 1:11). What then should be our response? I like how J. C. Ryle put it:
“Our plain duty then is to live always prepared for His return. Let us walk by faith and not by sight. Let us believe in Christ, serve Christ, follow Christ, and love Christ. So living, whenever Christ may return, we shall be ready to meet Him.” That sounds like a plan to me! Jesus is coming back, and we have no excuse not to be found ready (Matthew 24:44; Luke 12:40).
No one knows when the return of Christ will occur (Matthew 24:36). Despite the Bible being clear about this (Acts 1:7), countless men and women throughout the ages have proclaimed to have figured it out. The only thing you can know for sure when someone makes a claim as to the time of Christ’s return is that it will not happen then. People who even attempt to determine the day violate what God’s Word teaches. While many throw around the word with far too much carelessness today, this is the very definition of heresy.
Since the time of the return of Christ is not ours to know, we should live every moment in expectation and readiness for it. In the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) Jesus gave a picture of what happens to those who are not ready for His return: He will shut them out of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 25:10–12). What could be more horrifying? Unless we enter His Kingdom, we are damned to eternal suffering in Hell (Matthew 25:46). If that doesn’t terrify you, you are in mortal danger and do not understand the fury of God’s holy and righteous wrath (Romans 1:18-19; Hebrews 10:31).
What does it mean to be ready for the return of Christ? First and foremost, it means you believe Jesus is who He claims to be, the sinless Son of God who died for your sins and rose again to defeat forever the power of death (1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Romans 1:1-4). It means giving more than lip service to your belief in Him and bowing to Him as Lord in every area of your life (Romans 10:9–10; Luke 6:46). Being ready for Christ’s return means we live knowing we are slaves of God, acquired at an extraordinary price (1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Romans 6:22). To be ready for His return means surrendering everything to His will and for His glory.
The return of Christ will find some ready, and some who will be left behind (Matthew 24:40–41). Over fifty years ago, Larry Norman sang, “I wish we’d all been ready.” But we won’t. Some know it, and some don’t. Please don’t wait until it’s too late to get ready. You can prepare now.
Non-Christians, it’s time to stop fighting the truth. Jesus is Lord, and He will prove it to you, one way or another (Philippians 2:9–11). I beg you to turn to Him today (Acts 17:30-31). To you who call yourselves Christians, my admonition is to wake up. Jesus says many will be surprised when He turns them away from Heaven. They are convinced they know Him, but He doesn’t know them (Matthew 7:21–23). What if Jesus returns tonight? Will you be ready? Don’t put this off. You must know, and you must be ready.