Why Must Christ Come Again?

Text: Hebrews 10:36–39

Over the last several months and years, events in our world have caused many to wonder if we are living in the last days. There have been floods and earthquakes in strange places. There have been unexplained sicknesses. We have witnessed unrest in the streets, and even the assassination of political figures—reminding us of what Scripture says, that in the last days men will call evil good and good evil.

So it is no wonder many people feel that something of biblical proportion is on the horizon. Something prophetic is going to take place—something the world has never seen before.

I believe with all my heart that the return of Christ to rapture His church is imminent. According to Scripture, it will happen—and it can happen at any time.

The great preacher D.L. Moody once said: “I never preach a sermon without thinking that the Lord may come before I finish.”

Today, I want to give you a few reasons from the Word of God and preach on the subject: Why Must Christ Come Again?

1. To Fulfill the Prophecy of Scripture

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17–18: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

There are 300 scriptures in the New Testament alone that point to the Second Coming of Christ—that’s one in every 25 verses. 23 of the 27 New Testament books mention His coming again. It has been prophesied, preached, taught, and sung—and today I am declaring it again: Jesus is coming again! And when He does, He will fulfill every prophecy of Scripture.

2. To Finish What He Started

Philippians 1:6 says: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Two thousand years ago, Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, shed His blood to redeem us, rose from the grave, and ascended back to Heaven. He then sent the Holy Spirit as the down payment—the earnest of our salvation. And He will not leave that transaction unfinished.

He promised He would come again and receive us unto Himself (John 14:3). If He does not return, He cannot be the Truth—but by His own Word and by this Bible, we can trust Him. He will come again to finish what He started.

3. To Free Us from the Stain of Death

Our hearts are heavy because of death. Some grieve the death of public figures. Some grieve tragedies like the Ukrainian woman recently killed on a train. And all of us have personal stories of how death has stolen joy and replaced it with sorrow.

But one glorious morning, the trumpet of God will sound so loud that the graves of the dead in Christ will burst open, the ground will release the bodies, and the sting of death will be no more.

The loneliness will be replaced with reunion. The heartache will be replaced with a warm embrace. Our goodbyes will be replaced with a “hello forever.”

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:55–57: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

4. To Finalize Satan’s Plan

Revelation 20:10 tells us of Satan’s ultimate defeat: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone… and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

Since the beginning, Satan has sought to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He has been called the deceiver, the accuser, the tempter, and the destroyer. He has caused heartache for sinner and saint alike.

But when Christ comes again, Satan’s story will be finished. He will be chained, condemned, and cast into the lake of fire forever. The war will be over. God will prevail. Good will prevail. And the people of God will finally be at rest.

5. The Fiery Judgment of the Sinful

As a preacher, I do not delight in this truth, but I must declare it. When Christ returns, He will not come as the babe in the manger, but as the Judge on the throne. He will not come as the Lamb, but as the Lion.

For the lost, this will be the saddest day in history. 2 Peter 3:7 speaks of the judgment of ungodly men. Hebrews 10:31warns: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” And Revelation 20:15 says: “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

But just a few verses later (Revelation 21:4), God promises to wipe away every tear from the eyes of His redeemed. I believe the only way God’s people will move forward into eternity after witnessing the final judgment is for Him to wipe the tears and erase the memory.

Friend, if you go to that awful place called Hell, you will not even be remembered or cried for anymore. It will be as if you never existed—yet you will continue to exist forever in that terrible place.

THE INVITATION

But today, there is still hope. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Call upon Christ while there is time. Confess your sin. Confess your need of Him. Ask Him to be your Savior. And instead of condemnation, you will hear the words: “Welcome home, My child.”