Probably the most misunderstood aspect of Jesus’ life and teaching is the subject of His return. Some say He has already returned, others say He isn’t returning, yet others say He is coming back – but only as part of a series of apocalyptic events.

If we confine the source of our information about Jesus’ return to what is revealed in the Bible, it is not too complicated or cryptic.

First, like every other event in Jesus’ life, the Old Testament prophesied He would return after His ascension.

Job did not fully comprehend the meaning of the scheme of redemption, but expected the Redeemer to bring equity after his death: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:25-27). David prophesied the Lord would eternally repay His enemies (Psalm 2:9; 110:1).  Isaiah foretold of a time when “every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” submission to the Lord (Isaiah 45:23).  Daniel foresaw a future resurrection and eternal consignment (Dan. 12:2-3). These are all references to Jesus’ second coming. 

Second, the second coming of Christ is proclaimed in the New Testament as a major feature of the New Covenant. The message of the Bible can be summarized in three statements: The Old Testament proclaims “Jesus is coming;” the gospel accounts declare “Jesus is here;” and the rest of the New Testament from Acts to Revelation announces “Jesus is coming back again.” Several passages focus on this major end-time event:

John 14:3: “And if I  [Jesus] 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.”

Acts 1:11: “Which [an angel] also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Phil. 3:20-21: “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.”

1 Thess. 1:9-10: “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Heb. 9:27-28: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Rev. 1:7: “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. Even so. Amen.”

Third, based on these straight-forward teachings, we should prepare for Jesus’ return. Knowing He is returning should compel us to:

• • Convert, by turning from our old life and seeking reconciliation through Christ (Acts 17:30-31).
  • Correct, and amend our ways before God, knowing we must give an account to Him (II Cor 5:10; II Tim. 4:1; II Peter 3:9-13). And,
  • Cope, through every trying circumstance, remembering that Jesus is returning to take His followers to a place of eternal peace and rest (Rom. 8:18-25; I Thess. 4:13-17; Titus 2:11-13).

More info about the second coming of Christ is in our YouTube video: Seven Reasons We Can Know Jesus is Going to Return.

One of the greatest chapters in the Bible is I Corinthians 15, which presents the facts, features and force of the resurrection of Jesus – He came back to life after His crucifixion to confirm that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. Consider the three themes of this part of the Bible:

First, the resurrection of Jesus was verified (I Cor. 15:1-9). Paul insists we acknowledge the facts of the gospel, especially with regard to the resurrection of Jesus. He cites the prophecies of Scripture and other critical pieces of evidence. 

We are not left to wonder whether Jesus actually arose from the grave. Consider:

(1) His death was brutal and public (John 19:1-18). No one survived that type of punishment;

(2) His burial site was easily identified and well-guarded (Matt. 27:57-66); 

(3) His tomb was empty and His burial garments were left neatly folded where His body had rested (John 20:4-8);

(4) He appeared to numerous witnesses who knew Him well and to others who may not have met Him previously (Luke 24:13-52);

(5) His disciples were martyrs who would not renounce His deity or resurrection (Acts 12:1-2);

(6) His enemies were unable to disprove His resurrection so their focus was on silencing His followers (see, e.g., Acts 3:10 and 3:15-18); and

(7) Devout Jews, like Paul, who persecuted Christians changed their religion to follow Jesus (Acts 9:19-22). These changes included a new day for worshiping God: The first day of the week, the day on which Jesus rose again (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2).

The circumstantial evidence of the resurrection of Jesus is overwhelming.

Second, the resurrection of Jesus was vital (I Cor. 15:12-19). It would have been terrible for Jesus to have suffered the emotional, psychological, social and physical trauma He endured during His final 24 hours, only to have His story end that way. Bible critics assert the Book of Mark was supposed to end at Mark 16:8, but that would have ended in fear and despair. Jesus had to die, but it was also essential that He rise again. Paul pointed out that if Jesus did not rise again, we have no hope after death. The oppression experienced by Christians has no purpose if Jesus did not rise again (I Cor. 4:7-13; II Cor. 4:8-18). Paul explained they were “[a]lways bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (II Cor. 4:10). We can cope with the hardships of life because Jesus rose again for us.

Third, the resurrection of Jesus was victorious. When Jesus rose again from the grave, He declared victory over our greatest enemies. Paul pointed out how Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope for eternal life, and proclaimed  “thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 15:57). Jesus’ resurrection also gives us hope for today – we can begin a new life through his resurrection. We die to sin in faith and repentance, and rise again to a new life through baptism (read Rom. 6:1-10). Jesus said, “I am the resurrection…” (John 11:25).

If we believe in our hearts that Christ rose from the dead, we should commit our lives to trust and obey Him (Rom. 10:10).

More about this great event is in our video: A Dozen Reasons to Believe in Jesus’ Resurrection on YouTube.

Jesus didn’t have to die, but chose to do so because it would help others – including you and me – in ways we could not achieve ourselves.

1 – Jesus gave Himself for the sins of the world. One of the most familiar passages of Scripture emphasizes this: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16, 17). Jesus said, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). He gave Himself for sinners (Rom. 5:8-9).

He is willing to help us even when we sin again: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:1-2). But this makes willful sin much more egregious (see Heb. 10:26-31).

God is completely impartial and shows no regard between nationalities, cultures or status (Acts 10:34-35). The invitation to benefit from Jesus’ sacrifice is open to anyone who chooses to follow Him (Matt. 11:28-30; Acts 2:38-39; Rev. 22:17).

2 – Jesus gave Himself for the church. The value of the collective group of baptized believers who follow Him is seen in His sacrifice. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). And, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). His death was intended to motivate His followers to live loyally to Him: “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14; see II Cor. 5:14-15).

Jesus said He intended to die for His followers: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). And, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

3 – Jesus gave Himself for those who are imperfect. This should lead us to be more patient with those who are still learning about His will. Paul reminded the stronger, more knowledgeable Christians: “But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died” (Rom. 14:15).

Fourth, Jesus gave Himself for you and me. Our names may not be found in the Bible, but He was thinking of us on the cross: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). He “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Gal. 1:4).  He offered Himself out of love: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5). He offered Himself in our place as our example to love others: “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Eph. 5:2). Because God loves us (John 3:16), we should love others (I John 3:16).

Watch our YouTube video: Jesus’ Death in Five Words.

The early disciples were persuaded to follow Jesus because they recognized He answered the prophecies of the Old Testament about the Messiah. For example, in John 1, as the first apostles were dedicating themselves to follow Him, this was a compelling consideration:

“The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:43-45).

The Old Testament contains over 300 prophecies of the Messiah, with 109 being highly detailed. And Jesus fulfilled them all. 

The Old Testament is so replete with forecasts of Jesus that He has been described as the only person who ever lived who had His biography written before He was born. Jesus recognized and declared He was fulfilling these prophecies (see Luke 4:14-22; 24:27, 44; John 5:39). Consider some eight categories of prophecies He fulfilled:

1 – The forerunner of Jesus – John the Baptist – was described in Old Testament prophecies.  The Old Testament ends in Malachi with a promise concerning the one who would precede and prepare the world for Christ: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5). Isaiah described the forerunner’s work: “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3). John the Baptist fulfilled these (see Matt. 3:1-3; 11:9-15; 17:11-12).

2 – The birth of Jesus was prophesied.  The Old Testament predicted: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14; see also Gen. 3:15). It was also foretold He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). It happened exactly as predicted so “it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet” (Matt. 1:22).

3 – The childhood of Christ was prophesied. Jesus’ family lived for a time in Egypt, as foretold (see Hos. 11:1; Matt. 2:13-15). Young children were slain, as predicted (see Jer. 31:15; Matt. 2:16-18). Jesus’ family settled in Nazareth, just as the Old Testament had implicitly predicted (see Matt. 2:23).

4 – The method of teaching by Jesus was prophesied. He frequently taught in parables, which was predicted in the Old Testament (see Psalm 78:1-2; Matt. 13:34-35). See more about one of Jesus’ most memorable parables in our YouTube video on the Parable of the Good Samaritan: Ten Ways to be a Good Samaritan.

5 – Jesus’ miracles were foretold. The Messiah would heal in every form (Isa. 35:5-6). So did Jesus (Matt. 11:4-6).

6 – The mission of Jesus was prophetically described. The Messiah was foretold as a suffering, sinless Savior to sacrifice Himself for our sins (see Isaiah 53). He would be betrayed by His closest friend (see Psalm 55:12-15) for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12). This is Jesus.

7 – The victory of Christ was prophesied. The Old Testament foretold the death and the resurrection of Jesus (see Psalm 22-24; I Cor. 15:1-3). Jesus explained to His disciples that all of this was foretold (Luke 24:44-49). One of the frequently cited prophecies of Jesus’ resurrection is: “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10 NKJV). And Psalm 110:1 is quoted more times in the New Testament than any other single Old Testament verse, and it described in advance this monumental event: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

8 – The church of Christ was also foretold. Prophetic statements in Isaiah 2, Daniel 2 and Joel 2 all look forward to what transpired in Acts 2: a body of baptized believers formed around the common purpose of glorifying Jesus and serving others in His name. Paul explained that  one of the goals of his ministry was that “the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:10).

The fulfillments of these advance descriptions of Jesus and His work are meant to signal unmistakably that He is “‘the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ)” (John 1:41).

If your prayers have been infrequent, perhaps a dose of motivation is needed. In 2 Chronicles 33:12-13,  we learn what turned one of Judah’s most ungodly kings, Manasseh, into a man of earnest prayer: 

“Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.”

Notice three features of this prayer that can help us reinvigorate our prayer-life:

1) The incentive for Manasseh’s prayer: “when he was in affliction” (v. 12a). Sometimes the turmoil or trauma of life can remind us of our humanity and mortality and reawaken us to our spiritual needs. Manasseh had created these problems by many years of ungodly living and turning away from God’s message. The Lord was open to receive him back. His forgiveness, however, won’t necessarily take away the course of natural consequences set in motion by our misconduct. Nothing bad that we experience is for nothing if it draws us closer to our Creator.

2) The intensity of Manasseh’s prayer: “he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him” (vv. 12b-13a). Manasseh’s prayer reminds us of the publican who “standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!'” (Luke 18:13). Prayers that lack spirit or are merely repeating words without feeling perhaps won’t rise any higher than the ceiling. Prayers that reach the ear of God are like “groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26). “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). 

3) The impact of Manasseh’s prayer: “He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom” (v. 13b). What a tremendous example of God’s presence and patience! Manasseh had ignored the Lord for decades, yet our Father readily provided for Him when he turned his situation over to Him. Of course, the precise outcome of our prayers are in God’s plan and according to what serve His purpose. For example, the apostle Paul pleaded for relief, and in his situation, the Lord saw that instead of eliminating the problem, He would continue to equip Paul to endure it (see II Cor. 12:7-10). As he relied on God, “Manasseh knew that the Lord was God“ (v. 13). Regardless of the manner in which the Lord answers our prayers, we can continue to have certainty that He is providing for us in the way that is best for us. 

James pointed out that “you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). As we increase the urgency of our prayers, the Heavenly Father increases the frequency of His answers.

More about God’s Makeovers: Manasseh are in our YouTube video.