Living in Expectation: Christ's Return and Our Response

Devotional

Day 1: The Trustworthiness and Authority of God's Word

The words of Scripture are presented as utterly reliable and true. They are not of human origin but are given by God, making them without error and completely sufficient for life and faith. This divine authorship grants the Bible its ultimate authority, calling for our trust and obedience. It is a firm foundation in a world of shifting opinions and fallible information. [33:40]

And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.
Revelation 22:6 (CSB)

Reflection: In what specific area of your life are you most tempted to rely on human wisdom or worldly advice instead of seeking guidance from the trustworthy words of Scripture?

Day 2: The Call to Worship God Alone

The proper response to divine revelation is worship directed solely to God. Created beings, no matter how glorious, are never to be the object of our adoration. This command redirects our innate desire to worship away from anything temporal and toward the eternal, faithful, and true God. Our time, resources, and ultimate devotion belong to Him alone. [43:22]

“Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God...”
Exodus 20:4-5a (CSB)

Reflection: When you consider how you spend your time and money, what does it reveal about what you are truly worshiping in your daily life?

Day 3: The Urgency of Sharing the Gospel

The message of Christ’s return is not to be sealed up or kept private; it is for sharing. The nearness of His coming creates a compelling urgency to proclaim this hope. This privilege and responsibility extends to every believer, not just a select few. The world needs to hear that Jesus is the faithful and true redeemer. [47:58]

Then he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.
Revelation 22:10 (CSB)

Reflection: Who in your circle of relationships needs to hear the message of Christ’s return, and what is one practical step you can take this week to share it with them?

Day 4: The Eternal Divide and the Invitation to Come

Humanity is divided into two eternal destinies based on their response to Christ. This sobering reality is coupled with a gracious, open invitation. The Spirit and the church together call out to all who are thirsty to come and receive the free gift of the water of life. This is the ultimate purpose and summary of all Scripture. [01:09:34]

Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:17 (CSB)

Reflection: Have you personally responded to the invitation to come to Jesus for spiritual rest, and how does the reality of the eternal divide affect your compassion for those who have not?

Day 5: Living in Expectation of Christ’s Sure Return

Believers are called to live with a blessed hope, anticipating the sudden and imminent return of Jesus. This certain future event should shape our present conduct, purify our lives, and fuel our mission. We are to be a people who long for and hasten the coming of that day when He will make all things new. [01:00:09]

…while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:13 (CSB)

Reflection: If you truly believed Jesus could return today, how would it change your priorities, your conversations, and your actions between now and this evening?

Sermon Summary

Revelation 22 unfolds as a final summons to faithfulness, clarity, and urgent witness. The passage presents the Lord as faithful and true, the Alpha and Omega, the Root and Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star, anchoring every promise in divine authority. The text insists that Scripture must be read, kept, and obeyed: the words belong to God, carry no error, and bring blessing to those who treasure and follow them. Worship belongs to God alone; created beings, even angelic messengers, must not receive adoration.

The immediacy of Christ’s return recurs repeatedly—“I am coming soon”—and that imminence reshapes present behavior. Believers receive both comfort and responsibility: comfort in promised cleansing and access to the tree of life, responsibility to live in holiness, to use spiritual gifts for the local body, and to steward the revealed word without adding or subtracting from it. The text warns against softening Scripture to fit personal taste, reminding that the written revelation holds authority over human opinion.

A stark division appears between those who embrace Christ and those who reject him. The unrighteous persist in unrighteousness by their own choice; the righteous continue in righteousness by God’s grace. This great divide is fixed and urgent; the bridge to life is available now through Christ, not after death. The Spirit and the bride extend a final, universal invitation: Come. Let the thirsty take the water of life freely. That invitation functions as the Bible’s culminating point—every book moves toward the summons to receive Christ’s life and rest.

Practical application flows from these truths. Reading Scripture must become disciplined and habitual; worship must be directed solely to God; evangelistic courage must rise from confidence in Scripture’s sufficiency; and holy living should reflect the expectation of Christ’s coming. The closing benediction—“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”—captures both longing and assurance: the return is certain, the promises stand, and the call to respond remains immediate.

Key Takeaways

1. God's word is faithful and true God’s revelation carries divine authority, sufficiency, and reliability; it functions as the decisive standard for belief and practice rather than a human opinion. Trusting Scripture reshapes theology and ethics because it names the final realities—who God is, what redemption costs, and what hope awaits. Treasuring these words produces confident witness and steady obedience. [33:40]
2. Obedience requires daily Bible discipline Hearing Scripture must lead to reading, meditation, and practical obedience; spiritual life stagnates when Bible time gives way to entertainment or convenience. Discipline of study and application trains affections toward Christ and produces habits that bear fruit in crisis and calm. Small, persistent obedience matters more than sporadic religious fervor. [41:46]
3. The great divide demands decision Eternity divides those who receive Christ and those who reject him; that separation is real, fixed, and irreversible after death. The urgency of the gospel arises from this irrevocable chasm—decisions made now determine eternal posture. Christ stands as the present bridge; delay risks settling permanently on the wrong side. [48:54]
4. The open invitation: come to Jesus The Holy Spirit and the church together issue a simple, comprehensive call: come and drink freely of the water of life. Every book of Scripture points to this invitation as its aim; genuine faith answers it by turning from self and trusting Christ’s finished work. Delay only complicates what is presently simple and free. [67:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:03] - Revelation 22:6–11: faithful words and commands
[33:40] - Scripture’s authority and sufficiency
[41:46] - Make time for daily Scripture
[42:58] - Worship God alone
[46:54] - Do not seal; share the prophecy
[48:54] - The great divide and urgency
[67:40] - The invitation: come to Jesus
[74:06] - Benediction and final longing

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Revelation 22:6-21 (CSB)

Observation questions:

According to Revelation 22:6-7, what three characteristics are attributed to the words of the prophecy, and what is the promised result for the one who "keeps" them?
What is the immediate, repeated command given by both the Spirit and the bride in verse 17, and who is invited to respond?
In verses 18-19, what are the two specific warnings given about handling the words of the prophecy, and what are the consequences for each?

Interpretation questions:

The angel tells John, "Worship God!" in verse 9. Why is it so important that worship be directed solely to God and not to any created being, no matter how impressive?
Verse 11 speaks of a fixed state for both the unrighteous and the righteous. How does this verse highlight the urgency of the decisions we make in this life?
The invitation to "take the water of life freely" is extended to "the one who is thirsty" and "the one who desires." What does this tell us about the nature of salvation and who it is for?

Application questions:

The words of Scripture are described as "faithful and true" and are to be "kept" [33:40]. What is one practical step you can take this week to move from merely hearing God's word to actively obeying it?
We are told to make time for a daily discipline of reading Scripture, not just on Sundays [41:46]. What is one distraction (like entertainment or convenience) that often competes for the time you could spend in the Bible, and how can you prioritize God's word over it?
A "great divide" is fixed between those who receive Christ and those who reject him, and this decision is urgent [48:54]. Is there someone in your life you know is on the wrong side of this divide? What is one tangible way you can courageously share the "come to Jesus" invitation with them this week?
The call to "come" is the Bible's culminating point, and every book leads to this summons [01:07:40]. How does this truth change the way you view your personal Bible reading, moving it from an item on a checklist to a life-giving invitation?
We are to live in holy conduct and godliness as we wait for Christ's certain return [57:39]. What is one area of your life—your thoughts, words, or actions—that doesn't reflect this expectation, and what will you do to align it with the hope of his coming?
The Bible is God's word and we are warned not to add to it or take away from it [01:11:46]. Have you ever been tempted to ignore or explain away a part of Scripture because it was difficult or didn't fit your personal taste? What does this warning teach you about the proper posture toward all of God's word?

Sermon Clips

Folks, I've argued over these last couple of years in the book of Revelation. We gotta get over that fact. Time is nigh. Don't be a jerk about it, of course. Don't be all high and mighty like you know better and you're the best thing and sliced bread. No. You're not any good just like I'm not any good. We've just been saved by the grace of the holy God and called to call people to come to Jesus. Matter of fact, there's some of us here today watching online and we'll watch online that you need to come to Jesus. Why wait? [01:10:23] (44 seconds) #WhyWaitComeToJesus

We can never go wrong reading and obeying the word of God. You will not waste your time reading and obeying God's word. I can promise you we never waste your time doing that. You can waste your time reading and obeying the Internet. You can waste your time reading and obeying newspaper if they even make newspapers anymore. I don't know. Maybe some of you get them. [00:39:52] (26 seconds) #ReadObeyGodsWord

Only worship him. Well, preacher, I do that all the time. I know that. I mean, they tell me about that in in kids Sunday school. Okay. Are you doing it? Not so much. What are you worshiping? Golf, shopping, money, fishing, whatever. Whatever you worship, whatever you put above God, you're worshiping. I was I don't do that, preacher. Okay. What do you spend most time doing? What do you spend most of money on? That's a pretty good idea of who you worship and what you worship. [00:44:20] (40 seconds) #WhoDoYouWorship

If you're gonna make time to watch a crazy game of golf or baseball or football or fishing or hunting, whatever it is, why in the world if we claim to be followers of Jesus, we don't make time to read the word of God? Don't say we don't have time. We just acknowledge you're gonna make time this afternoon to watch a guy hit a little round ball into a little cup and hopefully get a green jacket later in the day and make a whole lot of money. [00:41:28] (35 seconds) #PrioritizeScripture

Make time. It takes discipline, and you also need to study. We make time to do what we want to do. Right? Then he tells us in verses eight and nine that that John is hearing this great message from the angel, and John immediately falls at the feet of the angel. But notice what the angel says. Woah. Woah. Woah. Woah, big man. No. No. You only worship God. [00:42:14] (24 seconds) #DisciplineToStudyBible

Well well, preacher, when's it gonna happen? I have no clue. I just know the time is near. Could happen this afternoon. Could be another two thousand years. I don't know. Jesus hasn't given me that information, and none of you have it either. And so when some Yahoo online tells you, well, Jesus is gonna come back on such and such date, immediately go to the next web page. [00:47:16] (24 seconds) #DontTrustDateSetters

The coming of Jesus is certain church. Not because I said it, because God's word says it. His measuring of measurement of time is not like ours. He is patient to allow more to repent of their sins and believe in him. We better be thankful that Jesus is patient. We are still living in that time of patience right now. How long is that going to last? I have no idea. There's lots of signs going on if you're paying attention. But those are birth pains as Jesus would tell in Matthew 24. [00:57:58] (37 seconds) #GodsTimingIsPatient

Ever since his ascension in Acts one, his followers have been looking for his return. Did you wake up this morning looking for the return of Jesus, or you just wake up this morning looking forward to getting through church and getting back to the TV and watching whatever you're gonna watch? Or did you live in expectation, man? I get to go to that restaurant today and get my favorite meal. If that preacher would ever shut up, I'd be get out of here. Pete stopped yelling so much. [01:00:20] (30 seconds) #LiveInExpectation

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Living in Expectation: Christ's Return and Our Response

Devotional

Day 1: The Trustworthiness and Authority of God's Word

Day 2: The Call to Worship God Alone

Day 3: The Urgency of Sharing the Gospel

Day 4: The Eternal Divide and the Invitation to Come

Day 5: Living in Expectation of Christ’s Sure Return

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Living in Expectation: Christ's Return and Our Response

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