Jesus Is Coming Again

As a family, read Revelation 1:4-8 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

When the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation, he was in exile on the Isle of Patmos, an island in the Mediterranean Sea that was used to keep criminals away from people on the mainland. John wasn’t a criminal, but he was teaching the ways of Jesus, which caused great controversy and sparked riots. So to control the spread of Jesus’ teachings, the disciples were often imprisoned or… worse.

John wrote what God gave him concerning the coming of Jesus to redeem His kingdom. One day – we don’t know when – Jesus will return to bring His kingdom together. The letter that John wrote to the churches is called “Revelation” because it tells us that Jesus will one day reveal Himself to the world again. Sometimes the Book of Revelation is hard to understand because John wrote about events that would occur in the future, things he didn’t understand or hadn’t experienced in his lifetime.

A few things from this passage, however, are very clear: Jesus has always existed and He always will. He is eternal. He is God. Jesus died to pay the final price for sin. And one day, Jesus is coming back to take those who follow Him to live with Him in Heaven forever and ever!

Why is this important to us today?

Knowing that Christ will return for His followers is an incredible promise. But if Jesus is coming again – and we don’t know when that might be – what do we need to know and do in order to be ready? First, it’s important to understand who Jesus is. The descriptions of Jesus in the Book of Revelation are very different from what we read about Him in the Gospels. When Jesus returns, no one will doubt that He is God because everyone will see His power and His glory.

Next, we must know that we’ve received Jesus as our Savior. Jesus loves you so much that He died in your place to pay the price for your sin. In order to live with Jesus in Heaven, each person must personally make the decision to follow Jesus.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. Does knowing that Jesus could return at any moment excite you? Why or why not?

2. Have you accepted Jesus’ payment for your sin? If so, share how you made the decision to start following Christ.

3. Which friends or family members need to know how much Jesus loves them?

How can we better follow God this week?

Write down the names of the friends and family members who may not know Jesus as their Savior yet. Post the list on your refrigerator, or write the names on separate pieces of paper. As a family, make a commitment to pray for one of those people each day. Brainstorm ways you can show them the love of Christ and tell them about Jesus’ payment for their sin.

Spend some time praying together for those on your list. While you are praying as a family, take time to thank God for His desire to save us, and His promise to come again.