How to Prepare for the Coming of Christ

Ready for the King: How to Prepare for the Coming of Christ

Introduction

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is not a myth, a metaphor, or a distant possibility. It is an irrefutable biblical truth, a glorious hope, and an imminent event. As surely as He walked the dusty roads of Galilee and ascended into the clouds of Bethany, He will return.

The angels declared in Acts 1:11: "This same Jesus... will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." And the Apostle John echoes this in Revelation 1:7: "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him."

While we do not know the day or the hour, we have the absolute certainty of the event. Therefore, the most vital question for every human soul today is not if He is coming, but rather: Are we prepared?

I. Preparation Means Constant Vigilance

In Matthew 24:44, Jesus gives a direct command: "So you also must be ready." He emphasizes that because the hour is unknown (v. 36), the posture of the believer must be one of "watching" (v. 42).

• Doctrinal Emphasis: The imminence of Christ’s return demands constant vigilance.

• Active Expectation: Preparation is not a one-time event or an occasional thought; it is a daily lifestyle of living in the light of His return.

II. Preparation Means Being About the Father’s Business

When Jesus was twelve, He asked, "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house [business]?" (Luke 2:49). Later, He commanded us not to work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life (John 6:27).

• Faithful Service: We are not called to be idle spectators waiting on a mountaintop; we are called to be faithful laborers in the harvest.

• The Principle: Christ is coming for a church that is active, committed, and fruit-bearing.

III. Preparation Means Enthusiastic Anticipation

For the world, the end of the age brings terror. For the believer, it brings triumph. Paul commends the church for "eagerly waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed" (1 Corinthians 1:7).

• The Blessed Hope: We are "waiting for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

• Doctrina: Biblical eschatology (the study of last things) is intended to produce joy, not panic.

IV. Preparation Means Living a Righteous Life

We must never forget that Christ returns not only as Savior but as Judge. He will "bring to light what is hidden in darkness" (1 Corinthians 4:5) and judge the secrets of every heart (Romans 2:16).

• Holy Conduct: Peter asks a piercing question: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives" (2 Peter 3:11).

• The Standard: Grace does not grant us a license to sin; it empowers us to live righteously in view of the Judgment Seat of Christ.

V. Preparation Means Growing Toward Maturity

The goal of the Christian life is not just to "get in" to heaven, but to be transformed into the image of Christ. Paul prays that our whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

• Spiritual Growth: We are called to grow until we reach the "measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

• Progressive Sanctification: Preparation involves a continuous, upward trajectory of spiritual maturity.

VI. Preparation Means Obedience and Faithfulness

In his final instructions to Timothy, Paul charges him to "keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Timothy 6:14). Similarly, Jesus tells the church in Smyrna to be "faithful, even to the point of death" (Revelation 2:10).

• Consistent Faith: It is not enough to start the race well; we must finish it well. Faithfulness is the external evidence of an internal, genuine faith.

VII. Preparation Means Patient Endurance

The wait can be long, and the world can be cruel. James encourages us: "Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming... because the Lord’s coming is near" (James 5:7–8).

• Future Reward: Patience is perseverance under pressure. We endure because we know that we must all appear before Christ to receive what is due us (2 Corinthians 5:10). Injustice will not have the last word.

VIII. Preparation Means Abiding in Christ

Finally, the Apostle John gives us the ultimate key to confidence: "And now, dear children, continue [abide] in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28).

Abiding involves:

1. Walking as He walked (1 John 2:6).

2. Keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3).

3. Finishing the race (2 Timothy 4:7).

Conclusion

To be prepared for the coming of Christ is to live every day as if it were the day of His return, while working as if we have a hundred years. It is a life of watchfulness, holiness, and abiding. When the trumpet sounds, let it find us not in the shadows of worldliness, but in the light of His presence, busy with His work, and filled with His peace.

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