Step 6: Jesus' return and the Kingdom

Jesus is coming back

When Jesus ascended into heaven, two angels said to the disciples: “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” (Acts 1:11).

Jesus Himself promised: “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). His coming will be visible and glorious: “they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7).

The resurrection and the judgment

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

God “hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). That is why the Gospel calls everyone to repent now.

The Kingdom of God

The prophet Daniel saw “one like the Son of man” to whom “was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion” (Daniel 7:13-14). At the last trumpet loud voices in heaven say: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

Jesus will say to the righteous: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). And God’s promise is wonderful: “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4).

Be ready

Nobody knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36), but Jesus said: “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44). For those who belong to Him, it is “that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

How to say it

“Jesus promised: ‘I will come again.’ Acts 1:11 says that this same Jesus will return. He will raise the dead and establish His Kingdom, where God will wipe away all tears. The Bible says, ‘Be ye also ready.’ Are you ready to meet Him?”

The whole Gospel in six steps

1. Sin – all have sinned (Romans 3:23).
2. Jesus – God condemned sin in His Son and justifies all who believe (Romans 8:3; Acts 13:39).
3. The cross and resurrection – Christ died for our sins and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
4. Repentance – repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15).
5. Born of water and the Spirit – be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit (John 3:5; Acts 2:38).
6. Jesus’ return and the Kingdom – this same Jesus shall come again (Acts 1:11).