ADVENTUS DOMINI
The Coming of the Lord
October 25, 2026
@JohnBevere @ImpactChurch
Typical Responses
Fear
Uncertainty
Ambiguity
Controversy
Indifference
Mockery
Eager Anticipation
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
2nd most frequent topic in the Bible and the writings of the early church fathers
Mentioned 318 times in the New Testament (1 in 30 verses)
The most written about time period in Scripture
“God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and He blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. ”
Revelation 1:3 (NLT)
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
- Winston Churchill
Jesus’ First Coming
The Essenes vs The Pharisees
“At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come. ”
Luke 2:25 (NLT)
The 3 Distinguishing Characteristics
1. righteous: “conforms in action to constitutionally just character.”
2. devout: “one who takes God’s Word seriously; reverent.”
3. eagerly waiting: “to remain in a place of expectancy.”
Anna:
“…talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly.”
Luke 2:38 (NLT)
Jesus’ Second Coming
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are (eagerly) waiting for their master to come.”
Luke 12:35-36 (ESV)
The 3 Critical Instructions
Stay dressed for action
Keep our lamps burning
Remain in eager expectation for Jesus’ return
“…as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 1:7 (NLT)
“The prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)
“Christ… will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Hebrews 9:28 (NLT)
What fosters eager expectation?
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven… Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT)
“For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose behavior shows…they set their minds on earthly things.”
Philippians 3:18-19 (NLT & NKJV)
“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. ”
Philippians 3:20 (NLT)
Why is eager expectation so important?
“When Christ appears… we will see Him as He really is. And all who have this eager expectation will purify themselves, just as He is pure.”
1 John 3:2-3 (NLT)
The opposite of “eagerly waiting”
“If the servant… thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?”
Matthew 24:48 (NLT)
“Most importantly, I want to remind you that scoffers will come in the last days… saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things will continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
2 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT & NKJV)
“Most importantly, I want to remind you that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say…”
2 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT)
“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
2 Peter 3:8 (NLT)
“Remember, the Lord is coming soon.”
Philippians 4:5 (NLT)
“Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”
James 5:8 (NLT)
“The end of the world is coming soon.”
1 Peter 4:7 (NLT)
1. “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have.”
2. “Look, I am coming soon!”
3. “Look, I am coming soon, bringing My reward with Me.”
Revelation 3:11, 22:7, 12 (NLT)
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are (eagerly) waiting for their master to come.”
Luke 12:35-36 (ESV)
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.”
Matthew 25:1-2 (NKJV)
“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’”
Matthew 25:6 (NKJV)
“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’”
Matthew 25:8 (NKJV)
“You can be sure that no immoral, impure or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God… Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins… be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.”
Ephesians 5:5-6, 15 (NKJV
“I say this because some ungodly people have crept in to your churches unnoticed, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives.”
Jude 1:4 (NLT)
“remain in fellowship with Him”
1 John 2:24, 27, 28 & 3:24 (NLT)
“Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with Him, and He with them.”
1 John 3:24 (NLT)
“And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when He returns, you will be confident and not shrink back from Him in shame.”
1 John 2:28 (NLT & NKJV)
“Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.”
Matthew 25:10 (NLT)
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are (eagerly) waiting for their master to come.”
Luke 12:35-36 (ESV)
dressed for action (osphús)
“to cause oneself to be in a state of readiness – ‘to get ready, to prepare oneself.’”
GREEK ENGLISH LEXICON
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
Revelation 19:7 (NKJV)
“And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Revelation 19:8 (NKJV)
“Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”
Revelation 16:15 (NLT)
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are (eagerly) waiting for their master to come… the servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded.”
Luke 12:35-37 (NLT)
“To all who are victorious, who obey Me to the very end, to them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations…they will have the same authority I received from my Father.”
Revelation 2:26-28 (NLT)
“For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. ”
Philippians 1:10 (NLT)