30th August

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. 1 Thessalonians 4, 16 & 17

The second coming of Jesus Christ

The Bible announces it and Jesus promised it to them who belong to him: "I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14, 3).

Since this promise about 2000 years have passed by, however, today a lot of forerunner signs announce the imminence of his second coming. Neither a date nor a delay is indicated to stimulate the affections of the Christians and to urge them to expect the Lord at every moment. In Revelation he himself repeats: "I am coming soon..." (3, 11 ; 22, 7 & 12 & 20).

However, the perspective of the near coming of Christ should also cause practical effects in the lives of them who are sure to meet him:

Expecting the Lord detaches the Christian from the world and makes him a foreigner on earth. He should continually be ready to leave. What he does and what he says should be approved by the Master when he will come. Therefore this hope is sanctifying: "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure" (1 John 3, 3).

Expecting the Lord comforts the Christian when one of his family members goes to Jesus and encourages him in illness, persecution and every kind of trials.

Expecting the Lord causes the Christian to warn them whom he knows so that they can also prepare themselves for his coming.