article 9: THE SECOND COMING - Hope and the Future
We believe in the glorious and personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will come in power and great glory to gather His people, to raise the dead, to judge the nations, and to bring His Kingdom to fulfillment. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and motivates the believer to godly living, growing faith, sacrificial service, and energetic mission.
Objective:
To allow the hope of Jesus to inspire us to live for him now.
[In each section start with the green question and do the others as time permits.]
Open in Prayer
Watch the Video [5–10 minutes]
Video Reflections [10 minutes]
- Why is hope so important? What would life be like without hope? How can we be reminded of the hope we have in Christ?
- How often do you think about Jesus’ second coming? If "very often," why? If "not a lot," why not?
- What difference can Jesus' second coming make in our lives today as individuals? As communities?
Read
"We believe in the glorious and personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will come in power and great glory to gather His people, to raise the dead, to judge the nations, and to bring His Kingdom to fulfillment. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and motivates the believer to godly living, growing faith, sacrificial service, and energetic mission."
(Lake Avenue Church Statement of Faith: Article Nine – The Second Coming)
Questions from the Statement of Faith [20 minutes]
"Up" Questions (Worship)
- Does Jesus’ second coming fill you with hope? Why or why not? What other sorts of things might we be tempted to place our hope in instead? What’s wrong with doing this?
- Read over the text from the Statement of Faith and underline all the words in it that reveal that God is worthy of worship. Which words did you underline? Which of them is most meaningful to you and why?
"In" Questions (Community)
- How can we do a better job of living like Jesus really is coming back? What role can community play in this?
- How does the second coming of Jesus influence our Christian communities? How do you think it should?
"Out" Questions (Service)
- How would you communicate the second coming of Jesus to someone who does not know much about God, Jesus, and the Bible? Try to use as little church-y language as possible.
- When is Jesus returning? How should the answer to this question influence how we serve, how we love others, and how we make disciples?
- CHALLENGE: If God is going to make all things new, including the plants, the animals, the planet, etc., what does that say about how we should view those same things now? How can we demonstrate that we value God’s creation like he does as individuals and as a group?
Questions from Scripture [10 minutes]
- Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2. What does this passage teach us about the second coming of Jesus? How might this passage impact how we live?
- Read Revelation 21:1-5. Which words or phrases stand out to you from this passage? Why do you think that is? What in this passage gives you the most hope? How can we, with our communities, do a better job of pointing one another toward the hope we have in Christ?
Prayer
Father, teach us to be patient. We long for the day when you will make all things new and when we can be with you fully. But even as we yearn for that promised future, help us live lives inspired by that hope. Help us be pulled into the future by the power of what you have promised. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.