13: The Second Coming of Jesus – Lesson Plan
Key Thought : The promised return of Christ displays the fact of a loving Savior who desires to be with His people. We are admonished to daily spiritual preparation and watchfulness..
[Lesson Plan for The Second Coming of Jesus September 22, 2014]
1. Have a volunteer read I Thessalonians 4:13-18.
a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. Why is it a comfort to know that Jesus is coming a second time to raise the dead?
c. Personal Application: What is the difference in earthly sorrow for loss of a life, and the Christian grief for a loss of life? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Doesn’t this say when Jesus returns, He comes with the saints to get their bodies? Doesn’t the soul go to heaven and come back with Jesus to get their bodies?” How would you respond to your relative?
2. Have a volunteer read Matthew 24:36-38.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. Why aren’t we supposed to go and see if Jesus has returned to the earth?
c. Personal Application: Since we know Jesus’ coming is near, how can we not get caught up in fanaticism? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “I thought Jesus was going to rapture the church before the time of trouble and leave all the unsaved behind to face the tribulation. What do you think?” How would you respond to your neighbor?
3. Have a volunteer read Matthew 24:42-44.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What does “watching” include in our being ready for Jesus
return?
c. Personal Application: Do you think you are ready for Jesus’ return if it were today, tomorrow, or the day after? Share your thoughts..
d. Case Study: One of your friends states, “All the signs of Jesus’ return have been happening for centuries. How do you really know He is going to return soon?” How would you respond to your friend?
4. Have a volunteer read John 14:1-3.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. How can we keep from an attitude that puts Jesus’ coming far off into the future? How does this affect a troubled heart?
b. Personal Application: How can we keep the fire going in our hearts that Jesus is returning soon, since His promise is over 2,000 years old? Share your thoughts.
c. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
(Note : “Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.” MH p. 149.
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Its not just a say that Christ will come again. He will come and every eye shall see him coming in the sky.
The pagan belief of Rapture will not happen. As he said that every eye shall see him even those who pierced him. (Rev. 1:7)
We have to be ready for his second advent.
I do look at the lesson studies and when I see a lot of reading I will ignore most of the lessons. Why? We need to remember that most everyone has read the lesson during the week. Yes, I will use some of the text, but if we will put these text into practical ways that makes these texts so that we can apply them to ourselves and understand and that they can and will have a deeper more meaning full. I find that as I read there are things that helps me to have deeper desire to know Christ more.
THe Lord is reign forever and ever!!
And we shall see His presence in our hearts and soul,His promise is forever alive when we believe in Him,
Eventhough how many years had passed,,
The King of kings will appear in the sky with His glory. Our doubts will fade into nothing. His second coming promise is our blessed hope. If His promises are sure, surely He is soon coming. Let's Pray for one another so that when He comes,He should find us prepared.
I have found that lots of people read 1 Thess 4:14 as Jesus bringing a 'soul' back to a body.
How can we answer?
1)we can do the study to show that we are not born with immortality, it is a gift to beliers that is realized at 2nd coming, see 1 Cor 15.
2) The word translated 'bring' in English could/should also have been translated 'bring forth'.
3)Read Rom 8:11 which explains what Paul who wrote both texts meant. Just as Jesus was resurrected so will His followers be resurrected. Jesus died, rested in grave, did not go to His Father, then on third day was resurrected.
I believe,that 3 things will happen when Jesus comes:
1. He will wipe away our tears
2. He will unite us with our loved ones that had gone before us
3. He will vindicate God in terms of the insults people were hurling at Him saying He was a cruel God.
Mind you this will be a public even where the whole world including those that pierced Him will see Him.
Oh! what a reunion.
It will make sense then even more to have followed God and His teachings