Main Text: Matthew 24:29–31 (ESV) 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Preaching Point: Every Christian should long for the glorious return of Christ, when he will unmistakably appear to judge the nations and establish his kingdom!

Teaching Points:

1. Remember the Fleeting Nature of This World (v. 29)
2. Pray for the Return of Christ (v. 30)
3. Look Forward to the Inauguration of Christ’s Kingdom (v. 31)

Application Questions:

1. Write down one observation or application you found helpful from this week’s sermon. Why did it stand out to you?
2. Read Psalm 102:25–27, 2 Peter 3:10–13, and 1 John 2:15–17. What do these passages teach about the danger of loving or building your life around anything other than Christ in this fleeting world?
3. Have you been treating anything as permanent that will ultimately pass away? What would holding those things more loosely and investing more deeply in eternity look like practically in your life?
4. Read Matthew 6:9–10 and Daniel 7:13–14. How does Jesus’ instruction to pray “your kingdom come” help you understand what Jesus’ ultimate plan is for the world and your life?
5. How often do you genuinely long for and pray for Christ’s return? What do you think would change in your life if you spent more time praying for Christ’s coming Kingdom?
6. Read Revelation 19:11–16. How does this vision of Christ as the conquering King who judges the nations shape the way you should think about his second coming?
7. Where in your life are you currently resisting the authority of King Jesus, and what would it look like to submit that area to Christ as you anticipate his coming Kingdom?
8. Read Isaiah 27:12–13, Zechariah 12:10–13:1, and 1 Thessalonians 3:13. How does knowing that Christ will gather his elect from across the earth and unite them with those who return with him to establish his kingdom shape the way you persevere in this age as you look forward to the defeat of evil and the triumph of Jesus in the age to come?