28 December 2025 - Martin McCrory - The Second Advent - Christ Will Come Again in Glory

Devotional

Day 1: Grace That Trains Us to Live Ready

Grace has appeared in Jesus, not only rescuing us but tutoring our hearts. Waiting, then, is not passive; it is an expectant, joyful posture that shapes how we speak, choose, and love. This hope breathes different air into our everyday pressures and disappointments, lifting our eyes beyond the immediate. As we look for the blessed hope, grace teaches us to renounce what dulls our love and to pursue what makes us alive to God. We become a people purified for His possession, eager for good works. Let your waiting look like worship-in-action today. [46:39]

Titus 2:11–14
God’s grace has shown up for everyone, bringing salvation and training us to turn from godless ways and restless cravings. It teaches us to live clear-minded, upright, and devoted lives now as we look forward to the happy hope—the revealing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself to buy us back from all lawlessness and to make us His own people, purified and full of zeal for good works.

Reflection: What is one concrete habit you will adopt this week to say “no” to ungodliness and “yes” to godliness as an act of active waiting for Jesus?

Day 2: Blessed Hope: Longing for Christ’s Appearing

We do not wait with crossed arms; we wait with bright eyes. The certainty of His first coming anchors the certainty of His second, and this steadies us in grief, pressure, and delay. You can go to sleep expectant, knowing He could return at any moment—or awaken you to another day of faithful obedience. This promise does not evade history; it will split the skies and gather God’s people to Himself. Let this hope comfort you and make you gentle toward others who are weary. Encourage your own heart with the nearness of His appearing. [55:55]

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
We don’t grieve like people without hope, because Jesus died and rose again, and God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Him. The Lord Himself will descend with a commanding shout, the voice of an archangel, and God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, and then those alive in Christ will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. From then on, we will be with Him forever. So use these words to strengthen one another.

Reflection: Who in your life could be tenderly comforted this week by the promise of Christ’s return, and how might you gently share that hope?

Day 3: Purified by Hope in a Patient God

God’s timing is not neglect; it is mercy, inviting repentance. The hope of seeing Jesus does something inside us—it purifies our motives, loosens sin’s grip, and restores first love. Like a bride preparing for her day, our anticipation leads to intentional choices here and now. The question Scripture asks is clear: since everything else will one day dissolve, what kind of people ought we to be? Hope does not make us passive; it makes us holy. Let this hope cleanse your heart today. [16:37]

1 John 3:2–3
Right now we are God’s children, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. But we know this: when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He truly is. Everyone who holds this hope keeps on cleansing themselves, just as He is pure.

Reflection: What is one specific compromise you will bring to Jesus in repentance today, and what small replacement practice will you begin to walk in purity?

Day 4: Stay Awake: Lamps Trimmed, Hearts Prepared

Readiness is not nervousness; it is love expressed through watchfulness. The wise keep oil in their lamps—habits of prayer, obedience, and devotion that burn when the night grows long. Delay is not denial; it is a test of love. When the midnight cry sounds, the prepared go in with joy, and the door is open to them. Let your daily rhythms reflect your truest expectation: He is at the door. Watch, and keep your lamp bright. [21:36]

Matthew 25:1–13
The kingdom is like ten bridesmaids waiting for the bridegroom. Five were wise and brought oil, and five were foolish and brought none. When the bridegroom was delayed, all grew drowsy; then at midnight a cry announced His arrival. The prepared entered the feast while the unprepared found the door shut. So stay awake, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Reflection: If Jesus returned at midnight tonight, what one thing would you want set in order, and what step will you take today to do it?

Day 5: The King Comes in Power and Glory

The One who once came in humility will return in unveiled majesty. His coming will be personal, physical, visible, sudden—and glorious. He rides in righteousness, judges with perfect justice, and wears many crowns; He is the Word of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. This sobers our hearts and fills them with worship, longing, and readiness. Pray “Maranatha”—Come, Lord Jesus—and let that prayer shape your choices. Hope will have the last word because Jesus will. [26:50]

Revelation 19:11–16
Heaven opens, and a Rider on a white horse appears—Faithful and True—who judges and makes war with perfect righteousness. His eyes blaze like fire, many crowns rest upon His head, and His robe is dipped in blood. He is called the Word of God, and the armies of heaven follow Him. From His mouth comes a sharp sword to strike the nations; He rules with an iron rod and treads the winepress of God’s fierce wrath. On His robe and on His thigh is written: King of kings and Lord of lords.

Reflection: Where do you sense the Spirit inviting a step of repentance or reconciliation so that your “Come, Lord Jesus” rises from a clean and peaceful heart?

Sermon Summary

Anchored in Titus 2, the proclamation centers on the second advent: Christ will appear in glory just as surely as He appeared in humility. The first appearing—historically verifiable and world-splitting—assures the second, sky-splitting return. This hope is not passive waiting but a Spirit-awakened expectancy that trains believers to renounce ungodliness, live upright and godly lives, and lean forward into the “blessed hope.” Such anticipation becomes the oxygen of Christian perseverance, especially amid grief, delay, and cultural distraction. It lifts the soul above the immediacy of disappointment, revives courage, and restores New Testament urgency.

The teaching unfolds in three movements. First, what the second advent is: the Lord Himself will descend with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise, the living will be transformed “in the twinkling of an eye,” and all will meet the Lord to be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4; 1 Corinthians 15). Second, how this hope reshapes the present: future certainty exerts present discipline. Like a bride preparing for her wedding, the Church’s longing produces purity, focus, sobriety, and zeal. Expectation purifies, because seeing Christ as He is demands becoming like Him. Third, the manner of His return: it will be personal, physical, visible, sudden, and glorious. The One who once came in obscurity will come in unveiled majesty, judging in righteousness (Revelation 19).

The delay is mercy, not neglect. God’s patience aims at repentance; scoffers forget that the same Word that formed and flooded the world now reserves it for fire. Far from inducing passivity, this truth creates holy urgency: be awake, be ready, keep your lamp trimmed, and let hope shape a life of holiness and good works. Early Christians closed their prayers with “Maranatha”—and that cry still fits today: Come, Lord Jesus.

Key Takeaways

1. Waiting that trains holiness now This hope is not a lounge-chair wait; it is a gymnasium for the soul. Expectation exerts pressure on present choices, producing sobriety, integrity, and zeal. Those who long to see Christ learn to live like they will see Him. Hope becomes a purifying fire that shapes daily obedience. [79:15]
2. His return is guaranteed and imminent The first advent anchors the second; the birth in Bethlehem guarantees the appearing in glory. History split once at His coming and will split again at His return. Delay is not denial; the Lord comes at an hour not expected, and expectancy is faith’s normal posture. [48:37]
3. Delay reveals God’s patient mercy What seems like slowness is the mercy of God giving room for repentance. Divine patience unmasks scoffing and rescues the church from passivity. The right response to delay is readiness, repentance, and mission, not resignation. [73:05]
4. His coming: personal, visible, glorious He will not send a proxy; He Himself will descend. Every eye will see; the trumpet will sound; the King will judge and make war in righteousness. The One once veiled in weakness will be unveiled in sovereign majesty. [83:20]
5. Hope that steadies weary saints For the afflicted and discouraged, the promise of His appearing becomes ballast in the storm. Suffering is not the final word; the King is. This hope secures endurance and keeps hearts awake when life feels long and heavy. [64:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[44:18] - Reverence for God’s enduring Word
[46:39] - Titus 2: Grace and the Blessed Hope
[50:03] - Waiting as active expectation
[52:08] - Why many neglect His return
[55:17] - Comfort for trials and persecution
[56:36] - Beware date-setting; stay watchful
[59:09] - Three guiding questions for today
[60:15] - 1 Thessalonians 4: The Lord descends
[61:51] - 1 Corinthians 15: Changed in a moment
[63:31] - A place prepared: John 14
[66:55] - How hope shapes present holiness
[70:26] - Scoffers and the drift to passivity
[73:05] - The Lord’s delay and repentance
[76:37] - Growing to Christ’s stature
[79:15] - Be ready and be pure
[81:36] - The manner: visible and sudden
[83:20] - A glorious appearing, not obscurity
[85:14] - Revelation 19: Faithful and True
[86:50] - Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus
[88:39] - Closing prayer of readiness

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Observation questions

In Titus 2:11-14, what has “appeared,” what does it bring, and what does it “train” believers to do? How do the words “renounce,” “live,” and “waiting” all belong together in one sentence?
When the return of Christ was described from 1 Thessalonians 4, what three sounds are named, and what happens next in sequence? ([01:00:15])
According to the reading of 2 Peter 3, what reason is given for the Lord’s “delay,” and how is time described from God’s point of view? ([01:13:05])
In the Revelation 19 vision, what titles and images are used for Jesus, and what is He coming to do? ([01:23:20])

Interpretation questions

“Waiting” in Titus 2 is active expectation, not a passive sit-and-wait. What might that change about how believers view their entertainment, money, and sexuality if the King could arrive at any time? ([50:03])
If the delay of the Lord is mercy aimed at repentance, what does that reveal about God’s heart toward neighbors and even enemies? How might that reframe frustration with “how long”? ([01:13:05])
2 Peter 3 says believers can “hasten” the day. In light of holiness, prayer, and mission described, what could that practically mean in a local church or home? ([01:13:34])
The return is personal, visible, and sudden. How should that correct both elaborate date-setting and casual apathy? Which danger is more tempting in our context, and why? ([56:36])

Application questions

Where do you sense drift or dullness about Jesus’ return? What one boundary or practice will help you stay awake this week? (For example: a news/social media limit, a nightly “Come, Lord Jesus” prayer, or a weekly fast from distractions.) ([01:11:00])
If Christ returned this week, where would He find your “lamp”? What specific step will you take to trim it—confession, reconciliation, cleaning up media, finishing an obedience you’ve delayed? Choose one and set a day/time. ([01:16:37])
What one habit will you start, stop, or tweak this month so that grace “trains” you—Sabbath phone-off window, early Scripture/prayer, accountability for spending, serving the poor? Write it down and ask the group to check in next week. ([49:24])
Where are you weary or in pain? Name it. How will you let the promise “He will come again” steady you this week—memorize 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, pray “Maranatha” nightly, or write a note to another sufferer? Pick one practice. ([01:04:45])
Who is one person in your path who needs the mercy of more time? What’s your next step of love—invite to a meal, share your story, offer prayer, meet a need? Put their name in your phone with a reminder. ([01:13:05])
Think of the wedding-day picture. If a wedding date reorders fitness, finances, and focus, what “pre-wedding” choices need to change for you before meeting Christ—speech, secret habits, dating boundaries, generosity? Name one change and how you’ll begin before next Sunday. ([01:07:40])
If timelines and end-times rabbit holes have made you anxious, what would it look like to replace speculation with watchful obedience this month—simplicity, sobriety, steady prayer? Share one concrete swap you’ll make. ([56:36])

Sermon Clips

And for the church, there is no greater comfort, especially when we're in times of persecution or times of trial. There is no greater comfort than the sense that the Lord will come again. I hope today that the morning storm will rise in your hearts with the sense that you won't go to sleep passive tonight, but you will go to sleep expectant tonight. [00:55:39] (30 seconds) #SleepExpectant

There can be two things that can happen. Three things maybe. One, you can fall asleep and enter glory because you could just pass away in your sleep. Another one where you can awaken to another day that God gives you. But there's also another one that you could go to sleep and then the Lord could come because he can come, as the scripture says, at a time when we do not expect him to come. [00:56:09] (27 seconds) #ReadyAnyMoment

But some people put timelines on these things and they say, well, it can't happen now because of this and because of that. And I want to present to you, dear friends, that it can happen exactly when the Lord decides. And that it is very possible and sometimes historically obvious that we could get these things wrong. It would seem that in the first advent, a whole people missed it. Their expectation was entirely other than a babe in the obscurity of a manger. And somewhere in their expectation, they had their lens set for that. And this came and they missed the whole thing. [00:56:42] (46 seconds) #GodsTimingNotOurs

So again, I'm saying, hold on, you can't come right now, Lord, I'm not married yet. Well, hold on, you can't come right now, Lord, I've still got debt. Or maybe you should come now because I've got debt. You know? And it'll sort it out. But really, we have these conditions sometimes about the way we want to live this life. [01:04:02] (21 seconds) #NoConditionsForChrist

And if these momentary things can produce a sense of discipline in us it's silly for you to enter a final paper without a full preparation towards the final. Is this right? You need some preparation towards it. It's just like if you arrive there it's not going to happen. You're not going to graduate. And so it is with Christ. [01:08:50] (23 seconds) #PrepareForTheReturn

There seems to be this hope that the church held, this anticipation of the Lord coming that shaped the kind of people they were. They weren't just the grace appeared. They weren't just loose about how they lived. They didn't just give themselves a certain license or permission or something that they tag under grace that I'm allowed to because God loves me. Of course he loves you. [01:09:12] (27 seconds) #HopeShapesHoliness

But Vanya loved me. It didn't give me a right now to just saunter in there like yeah let's get this done with. You know? I mean no. No. There was a certain shaping that came. And I believe with all of my heart looking at the biblical evidence that there is a shaping that comes to the believer as a result of this anticipation of our soon return of Christ our King. [01:09:40] (27 seconds) #AnticipationShapesUs

Be careful of this. Be careful of moving into passivity because the world is sounding the sound that says yeah yeah yeah he's coming again right here. He's coming again there. It looks like it. Yeah. Right. It doesn't. You know. And then sometimes we move into this place of apology and like we feel apologetic or that we're wrong to hold this thing. [01:11:18] (25 seconds) #HopeNotPassivity

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