Jesus Will Come Back - John 14

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction: Understanding the End Times and the Hope of Christ’s Return

Currently, we are talking about “Understanding the End Times.” Last Sunday, we discovered that we are living in the last days according to the Bible. The last days are the time between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and His return to this earth at the second coming.

So the last days have been going on for 2,000 years, but one day they will end when Jesus appears. That is what we are going to talk about today in a message entitled “Jesus Will Come Back.” To begin the message today, I want to put Jesus’ return into historical perspective.

God wants you to have the big picture of history, which is really His story, and it is all about Jesus. Too many people just understand bits and pieces of the Bible and do not understand how it all fits together. In order to understand the second coming of Jesus, we need to understand what has happened in history and how the second coming will complete God’s plan for history.

Last Sunday, I introduced you to the seven major supernatural events of history, the seven C’s of history. We are going to look at them again today in light of Jesus’ coming again. These events help us see how God has been working from the beginning and where history is ultimately heading.

Creation. God created and put Adam and Eve in paradise, the garden of Eden. God created man in order to have a relationship with him in an incredible paradise. Humanity was designed to live in fellowship with God in a world without sin or suffering.

Corruption. However, there was an enemy who had infiltrated paradise, and his name was Satan. Satan enticed the first couple to disobey God and sin, which broke Adam and Eve’s relationship with God and resulted in their removal from the garden. Yet God had not given up on His original plan to have a wonderful relationship with man in a beautiful paradise without sin.

Catastrophe. The sin of Adam and Eve spread among all their descendants until the earth was filled with corrupt and violent sinners. God brought judgment on all mankind through a catastrophic flood, yet spared Noah, a righteous man, and his family. God gave them a fresh start and continued His plan for redemption.

Confusion. However, again, the descendants of Noah went their own prideful way, attempting to build a tower to the stars, the tower of Babel. God brought judgment on their pride and scattered the people into separate nations by confusing their languages. Humanity was divided, but God’s redemptive plan continued.

Christ. Finally, God sent His only Son, Jesus, the second Adam, to accomplish what the first Adam had failed to do. Jesus came to live a sinless life and reveal God fully to humanity. Through Christ, God moved decisively to restore what was lost.

Cross. Jesus did not yield to temptation but died on the cross so that our sins might be forgiven. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating Satan and setting God’s plan into motion for the last days. During these last days, believers are added to God’s Kingdom, becoming part of His family, but we do not yet see paradise restored, as Satan and sin are still active.

Consummation. When Jesus returns again, it will not be as a baby, but as a conquering king. He will bring judgment on all evil, sin, and Satan himself, separating unbelievers from His kingdom and assigning them to hell forever. Believers will receive resurrection bodies and live in a new heavens and new earth forever with the Lord, as paradise is fully restored.

Our understanding of this coming future impacts how we live life today. What we believe about the end shapes how we think, act, and endure in the present. Scripture reminds us that our hope and identity are not rooted in this world.

Philippians 3:18–20 (NIV) For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

In this passage, we see two types of people: enemies of the cross and citizens of heaven. Everyone on earth is one of these two kinds of people, and there are no other categories. This distinction is eternal and has serious consequences.

The enemies of the cross, people who have not believed in Jesus, have a destiny of destruction in hell forever. Their god is their own pleasure, and they boast about the sin they should be ashamed of, with minds fixed only on earthly things. Followers of Jesus are the exact opposite, as they understand that they are citizens of heaven with hearts set on eternity.

Followers of Jesus eagerly await their Savior to return so that they can be with Him forever in paradise restored, the new heavens and new earth. Their lives are shaped by that future hope. Today, we are going to look at the teaching of Jesus Himself regarding His second coming in John 14.

Do Not Be Troubled, Trust in God

John 14:1, 27 (NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Jesus begins His teaching on His second coming by instructing His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled. Their hearts would be tempted toward fear because Jesus had told them that He was going to die. They would also be troubled by the fearful events Jesus prophesied for the last days.

Yet Jesus told them not to let their hearts be troubled because trouble and fear do not come from God. It is our enemy, Satan, who seeks to trouble hearts with worry and fear. Jesus points them instead toward trust as the antidote to fear.

Jesus explains that protecting your heart begins by trusting in God and trusting in Him. At the end of this passage in John 14, Jesus gives His followers His peace. As they trust in God, they receive His peace, which drives out all trouble and fear.

Jesus Is Preparing Heaven for You

John 14:2 (NIV) In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

When Jesus ascended into heaven, He still had work to do. Last Sunday, we talked about His work in pouring out the baptism in the Holy Spirit on those seeking it. In this verse, Jesus describes heaven as His Father’s house, a vast place with many rooms.

Each believer has a dwelling place in heaven within the Father’s house. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He began preparing eternal dwelling places for us in the new heavens and new earth. This is paradise restored, where there is no more death, pain, or sorrow.

Heaven is a place of endless joy, worship, and relationship with God. Jesus’ departure was not abandonment but preparation. He left so that eternity with Him could be made ready for every believer.

Jesus Will Come Again to Take You

John 14:3 (NIV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Here is the big answer as to why Jesus is coming back. Jesus is coming back to take all believers with Him so that we can spend eternity together. His return is motivated by love and a desire for eternal fellowship.

Jesus will take both those who are alive at His return and those who have already died as believers. We will talk more about this in another message. The big picture is that Jesus is coming back for you and for me.

He wants us to be together with Him forever. Knowing this gives us hope, courage, and deep assurance. This promise anchors us when the world feels unstable and uncertain.

Living with Peace Because We Know the End

In the last days, many evil and diabolical things will happen, and they will increase in intensity. As believers, we put our trust in God and refuse to let our hearts be troubled. We can live with peace because we know the end of the story.

No matter how bad things get, Jesus will return to set everything straight. The wicked will be judged, and the righteous, every believer including you and me, will be taken to be with Jesus forever. He has prepared dwelling places for us to spend eternity with Him in paradise restored.

Knowing this wonderful end gives us peace and strength to persevere in following Jesus. Hope in the future empowers faithfulness in the present. This confidence sustains us through hardship and uncertainty.

Get Ready for Jesus’ Coming

John 14:4–5 (NIV) You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Thomas did not understand what Jesus was talking about, and many people today still do not understand this teaching. In order to get ready for Jesus’ coming, you must understand how to get to heaven. You must know how to have a relationship with God that lasts forever.

If you are not ready when Jesus comes, or when it is your time to die, you will miss heaven. You will miss a relationship with God forever and end up in hell. Understanding the way to heaven is essential for eternal life.

Tell Others That Jesus Is the Only Way

John 14:6 (NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus clearly and definitively answers Thomas’ question about the way to heaven. The way to heaven is not something you do or something you learn. It is a person that you must know.

The way to heaven is by knowing Jesus Christ personally, the very Son of God. Jesus said that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. There is no other way to God or eternal life.

When you know the way to heaven, you must tell everyone you know about it. This is the most important thing in life. The truth about Jesus is too important to keep to yourself.

Help People Know Jesus

John 14:7 (NIV) If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.

When you know Jesus, you know the Father as well because Jesus and the Father are one. They are both fully God, perfectly united. Knowing Jesus means entering into relationship with God Himself.

We get to know Jesus today through the Word of God by reading the Bible and seeking understanding. We also get to know Jesus through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, whom God sent to help us know Him personally. Relationship with Jesus grows through Scripture and the Spirit.

Getting ready for Jesus’ coming involves building a relationship with Jesus Christ and telling others about Him. Faith is personal, but it is never meant to be private. Preparation includes both devotion and mission.

Living Wisely in Light of Eternity

One of the most important marks of a wise person and a mature believer is how they think and prioritize their life. A foolish person lives only for the moment and seeks pleasure without regard for eternity. That path ultimately leads to destruction.

A wise believer thinks about heaven and eternity. A wise believer thinks about Jesus’ coming every day and makes sure that they are ready. They are not afraid to tell others that Jesus is the only way to heaven.

A wise believer prioritizes life in light of eternity and the second coming of Jesus. Their choices reflect eternal values. Their hope shapes their daily decisions.

Believe and Follow Jesus as God

John 14:11 (NIV) Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

The truth of God’s Word is attacked at every turn by the enemies of the cross. Jesus instructs us to believe that He and the Father are one, fully united in nature and purpose. His words and His miracles both testify to His divinity.

No other religion teaches that Jesus is God. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, New Age, Mormonism, and Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was a good man or prophet but not God. If Jesus were not God, there would be no salvation.

Because Jesus is God, He is the only way to the Father. Therefore, we must believe and follow Him as God. Our faith rests on who Jesus truly is.

Do What Jesus Did

John 14:12 (NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

If you believe in Jesus and follow Him, you will do what He did. Jesus spoke God’s truth, healed the sick, and set people free from demonic oppression. His ministry continues through His followers.

When Jesus went to the Father, He poured out the baptism in the Holy Spirit on believers who asked. That baptism empowers believers to be witnesses and to carry on Jesus’ work. The greater things refer to greater scope and reach, not greater authority.

Through millions of believers around the world, Jesus’ ministry is multiplied. In the time remaining before He comes back, we are called to continue His mission. We do this by relying on the power of the Spirit.

Pray in Jesus’ Name

John 14:13–14 (NIV) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

We carry out Jesus’ work through believing prayer. Asking in Jesus’ name is not merely adding words to the end of a prayer. It means asking for what Jesus Himself would desire and request.

When we truly ask in Jesus’ name, Jesus promises to answer. The purpose of answered prayer is that the Son brings glory to the Father. Prayer aligns us with God’s will and releases His power.

Believing and following Jesus in these last days means trusting Him in prayer. We depend on His authority and His purposes. Prayer becomes central to our obedience and effectiveness.

John 14:26 (NIV) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

The Holy Spirit lives in us and teaches us how to follow Jesus. He reminds us of Jesus’ words and guides our actions. Life in the last days depends on walking by the Spirit.

Continuing the Ministry of Jesus in the Last Days

Jesus came to earth, ministered for three years, died on the cross, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven. After His ascension, the period of the last days began. During this time, the church carries on the same ministry Jesus started.

The church teaches God’s Word, brings healing to the sick, and freedom to those under Satan’s power. The ultimate goal is to see people saved and brought into God’s kingdom. This mission continues until Jesus returns.

Jesus participates in this ministry by living in every believer through His Spirit. He empowers believers to do His work in the world. The last days will end when God’s family is complete and the final believer comes to faith.

Conclusion: Living Ready for the Return of Christ

Jesus is coming back, and it is certain. History as we know it will end when He returns. Because of this, we must not be troubled but trust in God completely.

Jesus is preparing a dwelling place for every believer and will come back to take His church to be with Him forever. In these last days, we must stay alert and ready. We are called to tell everyone that Jesus is the only way and help them know Him.

God desires every believer to do what Jesus did through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to pray in Jesus’ name and expect God to answer. One day, paradise will be restored, and we will dwell with God face to face forever.

📘 Continue the Journey

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