Living in Readiness for Christ's Certain Return

Devotional

Day 1: Live Confidently in the Certainty of Christ’s Return

Jesus calls us to live with confidence, not because we have all the answers about the timing of His return, but because His promises are sure and unchanging. Just as the changing of the seasons is unmistakable, so too is the certainty that Christ will come again. The world around us is filled with shifting values and fleeting pursuits, but Jesus urges us to build our lives on the solid foundation of His Word, which will never pass away. In a world where so much is temporary, you are invited to anchor your hope in the unshakeable truth of Christ’s return and the authority of His promises. [11:15]

Matthew 24:32-35 (ESV)
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been building on “shifting sand” instead of the promises of Jesus? How can you intentionally shift your focus to trust in His unchanging Word today?

Day 2: Live Obediently, Not Speculatively

Rather than getting caught up in predictions or speculations about the timing of Christ’s return, Jesus instructs us to live in daily obedience. The example of Noah’s generation reminds us that many will go about their lives ignoring God, but we are called to heed His warnings and live in a way that honors Him. Obedience means turning from self-centered living and responding to God’s call, even when the world around us is indifferent or dismissive. The call is not to know every detail of the future, but to walk faithfully with God today, trusting Him with what is unknown. [17:13]

Matthew 24:36-39 (ESV)
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Reflection: In what practical way can you choose obedience to God today, even if it means standing out or being misunderstood by those around you?

Day 3: Be Ready and Alert for Christ’s Imminent Return

Jesus urges us to live with a sense of readiness, knowing that His return could happen at any moment. Just as a homeowner would stay alert if he knew a thief was coming, so we are called to be spiritually vigilant and prepared. This readiness is not about fear, but about living each day with purpose, pursuing holiness, and keeping our hearts aligned with God’s will. The call is to be awake, alert, and expectant, not lulled into complacency by the routines of life. [23:04]

Matthew 24:42-44 (ESV)
“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Reflection: What is one spiritual habit or area of your life that needs greater alertness and readiness for Christ’s return? How can you take a step toward that today?

Day 4: Pursue Holiness in Light of Eternity

Knowing that everything in this world is temporary, we are called to live lives marked by holiness and godliness. The reality of Christ’s return and the coming judgment should motivate us to live differently—to be set apart, to reflect God’s character, and to be examples to those around us. Holiness is not about perfection, but about a sincere desire to honor God in every area of life, resisting the temptation to take His grace for granted. Let the hope of eternity shape your conduct and your choices today. [23:49]

2 Peter 3:11-12 (ESV)
“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!”

Reflection: Is there a specific area where you have been compromising your holiness? What is one concrete step you can take today to pursue godliness in that area?

Day 5: Live on Mission—Share the Hope of Christ

If we truly believe that Jesus is coming back and that He alone is the way of salvation, we are called to share this hope with others. The urgency of Christ’s return should move us beyond fear or self-consciousness, compelling us to tell others about the forgiveness and new life found in Him. You don’t need to have all the answers—just a willingness to share your story and the truth of the gospel. Let your life and your words point others to the hope you have in Christ, knowing that today is the day of salvation. [31:56]

Acts 1:8 (ESV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Reflection: Who is one person in your life who needs to hear about the hope you have in Jesus? How can you take a step to share your story or the gospel with them this week?

Sermon Summary

Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 remind us that his return is not a distant myth or a puzzle to be solved, but a certain reality that should shape the way we live every day. Just as travelers on a plane are given instructions they often ignore—until the moment of crisis—so too have we been given clear warnings and instructions about the coming of Christ. The signs of the times, like the budding of the fig tree, are not meant to be decoded with charts and timelines, but to awaken us to the nearness and certainty of his return. The changing of seasons is obvious to anyone paying attention; in the same way, the spiritual season is shifting, and we are called to live with confidence in the promises of Jesus, whose words are more enduring than heaven and earth.

Rather than getting lost in speculation or predictions about dates and world events, we are called to build our lives on the solid foundation of Christ’s words. All else—our achievements, our status, our possessions—are shifting sand. Jesus’ authority and promises are the only sure ground. He warns us not to be like those in Noah’s day, who went about their lives ignoring God until judgment came suddenly. The call is to live obediently, not distracted by the ordinary routines of life, but attentive to God’s call to repentance and righteousness.

Jesus also urges us to live ready, alert, and prepared for his return, which will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. Readiness is not about fear or frantic activity, but about pursuing holiness and living on mission. If we truly believe that Christ is coming and that his sacrifice is the only way of salvation, we will be compelled to share this hope with others, even if it costs us our comfort or reputation. The urgency is real: there will be no time for last-minute decisions when he comes. Today is the day to respond, to trust Christ, and to live in such a way that our lives point others to him.

Key Takeaways

1. Confidence in Christ’s Promises: The certainty of Jesus’ return is not found in deciphering hidden codes or world events, but in trusting the enduring authority of his words. Everything else in life is temporary and unreliable, but the words of Christ are the foundation that will never be shaken. Building your life on his promises gives you a confidence that transcends the shifting circumstances of the world. [11:15]
2. Obedience Over Speculation: Jesus explicitly tells us that no one knows the day or hour of his return—not even the angels or the Son in his humanity. The obsession with predicting dates or identifying the Antichrist distracts us from the real call: to live in daily obedience, turning from sin and walking in faithfulness. Obedience is the true response to prophecy, not speculation or anxiety. [17:13]
3. The Danger of Spiritual Apathy: The days of Noah were marked not just by wickedness, but by a culture that ignored God while going through the motions of life. It is possible to be so absorbed in daily routines that we miss the urgency of God’s call. True readiness means refusing to let comfort or distraction lull us into spiritual sleep, but instead living with a heart awake to God’s purposes. [21:59]
4. Readiness Means Holiness and Mission: To be ready for Christ’s return is to pursue a life of holiness—set apart, above reproach, and distinct from the world. But readiness also means living on mission, sharing the hope of Christ with others. If we truly believe judgment is coming and salvation is found in Jesus alone, we will not keep this news to ourselves, but will courageously bear witness, even at the cost of our comfort. [23:49]
5. The Urgency of Today: The return of Christ will be sudden and final, leaving no time for last-minute repentance. Delaying a response to God’s invitation is a dangerous gamble, as the opportunity to turn to Christ could vanish in an instant. Today is the day of salvation; to put off trusting Christ or sharing him with others is to risk missing the moment entirely. [31:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Airplane Instructions and Spiritual Warnings
[02:12] - What Do We Do With Prophecy?
[05:09] - The Parable of the Fig Tree
[06:21] - Misinterpretations of the Fig Tree
[07:33] - The Simplicity of Jesus’ Illustration
[09:15] - Changing Seasons and Imminence
[11:15] - The Authority and Certainty of Jesus’ Words
[13:00] - Building on the Rock, Not Sand
[14:30] - No One Knows the Day or Hour
[17:13] - Lessons from the Days of Noah
[21:59] - The Pop Quiz of Judgment
[23:04] - Living Ready and Alert
[23:49] - Pursuing Holiness and Living on Mission
[29:29] - Overcoming Fear to Share Christ
[31:05] - The Reality of Coming Judgment
[31:56] - The Urgency of Responding Today
[32:57] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 24:32-44 (ESV) — > 32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.
> 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
> 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
> 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
> 36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
> 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
> 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
> 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
> 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
> 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
> 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
> 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
> 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Observation Questions

What simple lesson does Jesus want us to learn from the fig tree in verses 32-33?
According to Jesus, who knows the exact day and hour of his return? ([14:30])
In the days of Noah, what were people doing when judgment came? ([16:00])
What two commands does Jesus give in verses 42 and 44 about his return? ([23:04])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus compare the signs of his return to the changing of seasons, like the budding of a fig tree? What does this teach about how we should respond to prophecy? ([05:09])
Jesus says that no one knows the day or hour of his return—not even the angels or the Son. What does this say about the dangers of trying to predict or speculate about the end times? ([14:30])
The people in Noah’s day were not necessarily doing evil things, but were simply living life and ignoring God. What warning does this give to us about spiritual apathy? ([16:00])
Jesus says his return will be sudden, like a thief in the night. How should this affect the way we live each day? ([23:04])

Application Questions

Jesus says his words are more enduring than heaven and earth. What are some things you tend to build your confidence on instead of Christ’s promises? How can you shift your trust to his words this week? ([11:15])
The sermon warned against getting caught up in speculation or predictions about the end times. Have you ever been distracted by these things? What would it look like to focus on daily obedience instead? ([14:30])
The people in Noah’s day were busy with normal life and missed God’s warning. What are some “ordinary routines” or distractions in your life that might be dulling your spiritual alertness? ([16:00])
Readiness is not about fear, but about pursuing holiness and living on mission. What is one area of your life where you sense God calling you to greater holiness? What step can you take this week? ([23:49])
The sermon challenged us to share the hope of Christ, even if it costs us comfort or reputation. Who is one person God is putting on your heart to share your faith with? What is holding you back, and how can you take a step of courage? ([29:29])
Jesus says there will be no time for last-minute decisions when he returns. If you knew Jesus was coming back soon, what would you want to change about your life or priorities? ([31:56])
“Today is the day of salvation.” If you have been putting off a decision to trust Christ or to obey something he’s calling you to do, what is stopping you? What would it look like to respond today? ([31:56])

Sermon Clips

Well, in the same way, Jesus has been giving us a warning, not only that it could happen, but something is absolutely going to happen. And that is that he's going to come back. And so we have to ask ourselves a question based on all of these things that we've learned so far, some of which are very interesting. I mean, when we start talking about the events that are going to ramp up leading to the return of Christ, when we start thinking about these sort of events that are going to happen, wars and rumors of war and natural disasters and all these things that are going to begin to take place, and then there's going to be this period of tribulation in which the world is going to be subjected to the wrath of God, and there are going to be worse natural disasters. There's going to be this diabolical world leader who's going to arise named that we call the Antichrist, and he's going to basically rule the world until Jesus comes back in glory at the Battle of Armageddon and defeats the Antichrist and his sidekick, the false prophet, and casts him into the lake of fire. I mean, all this stuff is fascinating, but what do you do with it? What do you do with it today? [00:02:51] (71 seconds) #ReturnOfChristWarning

See, there are some people who study biblical prophecy, and they get really caught up in all the numerology, and they get really caught up in trying to figure out, is this world leader who's kind of arising? Is this the Antichrist, and they get caught up in a lot of the charts and graphs, but that's not what Jesus told us to do. Jesus actually gives us some very specific instructions about how we should respond to knowing the truth that he's going to come back. [00:04:20] (35 seconds) #FocusOnJesusInstructions

And here's what Jesus is telling us. He says, I want you to be confident because, verse 35, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Jesus is raising his words to the level of Holy Scripture. In Isaiah chapter 40, verse 8, the grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Jesus is saying, my words have authority and my words have certainty. [00:12:09] (31 seconds) #UnchangingWordFoundation

The fact of the matter is that God is going to send his judgment. And the coming of Christ is going to be glorious for those who have turned to him. But for those who haven't, it's going to mean judgment. And Jesus says, at that time, there will be two men in a field. One will be taken, one will be left. Two men will be grinding in a mill. One will be taken, one will be left. Some people see the rapture in that passage. I think it's pretty easy to see that. But it could also simply mean taken in judgment. That there will be those who will be separated very quickly when God's judgment comes. And there will not be time to change your life. [00:22:29] (50 seconds) #LiveAlertAndReady

What does it mean to be ready for the return of christ i want to give you two practical thoughts what it means first of all it means that we should pursue holiness we should live lives that are holy 2nd peter chapter 3 verse 11 says this since all these things are to be destroyed in this way what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness looking for the hastening of the coming of the day of the lord because of which the hell the heavens will be destroyed by burning and the elements will melt with intense heat what sort of people should we be we should live lives of holiness before the lord see this is a forgotten concept in the church in 2025 that we take grace for granted so many times and god has called us to live holy lives to live lives that are above reproach to live lives that are examples to those who are outside the faith we are called to holiness but beyond that we are also called to live on mission [00:26:35] (86 seconds) #ShareTheUrgentMessage

If you knew, if you knew that disaster was coming, wouldn't you do everything in your power to warn those around you to protect them? Of course you wouldn't. If we really believe this stuff, why aren't we telling people about it? If we really believe that the blood of Jesus shed on a cross is the full payment for our sin and the only way for us to be forgiven of our guilt and our shame and our sin, if we really believe that, why don't we tell others that need that same, that same forgiveness? If we really believe that Jesus is coming back, if we really believe that, then why aren't we telling people that he's the only way of escape, that Jesus and Jesus alone is the only way to escape the wrath of God that will be poured out in judgment on this planet? [00:28:42] (69 seconds) #OvercomeFearSpeakBoldly

You say, oh, Bob, I've heard that for years from preachers. Yep. You've been warned. But someday, just like those of us who take those flights, we've heard that speech over and over and over, but the masks are going to drop. And it's not just hypothetical. It's reality. It's coming. [00:31:15] (26 seconds) #LeadOthersToSalvation

So here's my challenge. There are those of you who are saved. You know you're saved. You're going to go to heaven when you die. I don't doubt that. But are you living to lead others to heaven? Are you telling the story of what God did for you? You do not have to know every answer. All you have to know is John 3, 16 and have a testimony. [00:31:41] (26 seconds) #TodayIsTheDayOfSalvation

But for those of you who've never trusted Jesus, I need you to know something. If you're putting it off and believing that somehow you're going to wait right up to the edge and right up at the edge, you're going to say a quick prayer, it's going to happen so fast. Jesus said, like lightning comes from the east and goes to the west. I mean, there you go. Jesus said, that's how fast it's going to happen. You won't have time. There will be no time to repent. Today is the acceptable day of salvation. So if you've never trusted Christ, I implore you, I plead with you, give your life to Christ today. [00:32:07] (42 seconds)

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