Our Lord’s Return: What Then?

In this message centering on 1 John 2:28–3:3 and 1 Thessalonians 4, Chuck Swindoll addresses the certainty of Christ’s return and the believer’s necessary response to it. Opening with a historical anecdote about John F. Kennedy asking Billy Graham about the Second Coming, Swindoll emphasizes that the return of Christ is an actual reality, not a “distant dream” or “pie in the sky” [6–8]. He clarifies the timeline of the end times for the believer, explaining that upon death, the soul and spirit immediately enter the Lord’s presence—bypassing any concept of purgatory or probation—while the body “sleeps” in the grave awaiting the resurrection [11–13].

Swindoll transitions from the theological timeline to the practical application found in 1 John. He focuses on the command to “abide in Him,” defining this as a steady, long obedience in the same direction. He illustrates this with the story of a machinist named “Tex,” who didn’t have to scramble to “get ready” for quitting time because he “stayed ready” [19–20]. Swindoll argues that those who abide will have confidence at Christ’s appearing, while those living in the flesh will “shrink away in shame” [20–21].

The sermon concludes with a vision of future glory. Swindoll admits that while we don’t know every detail about heaven (dismissing the idea of simply strumming harps on clouds), we know the most important thing: “We will be like Him.” Using the imagery of Michelangelo carving David, Swindoll explains that God will chip away everything that does not look like Jesus. He challenges the congregation to fix their hope on this event, noting that a focus on the Lord’s return results in personal purity today [23–29].

Message Key Facts:

• JFK’s Question: Swindoll recounts a story from Billy Graham’s autobiography where President-elect John F. Kennedy stopped his car on the way to a golf course to ask Graham, “Is it true that Jesus will return someday?” Graham assured him it was [5–6].
• Death and the Soul: Swindoll clarifies that humans are made of the material (body) and immaterial (soul/spirit). At death, these separate. The body is buried, but the soul/spirit goes instantly to be with the Lord. There is no “soul sleep” or “probation period” [11–12].
• The Rapture Sequence: Based on 1 Thessalonians 4, Swindoll outlines the event: The Lord descends with a shout and trumpet; the dead in Christ rise first (bodies reunited with spirits); then the living are “caught up” to meet them in the air [15–16].
• “Abide” (Meno): The central command of the message is to “abide” (Greek: meno), which means to stay, continue, or remain. Swindoll describes this not as a frenzy of activity, but as “keeping short accounts with your heavenly father” and walking in the Spirit.
• “Tex” the Machinist: Swindoll shares a workplace memory of a man named Tex who was always washed up and ready the moment the whistle blew. When asked how he got ready so fast, he replied, “I don’t get ready, I stay ready.” This illustrates the concept of abiding.
• Confidence vs. Shame: The motivation for abiding is the believer’s reaction to the Rapture. Those who abide will have confidence (freedom of speech/openness) in His presence, while those who do not will shrink back in shame [20–21].
• Michelangelo’s David: To explain how we will be “like Him,” Swindoll uses the story of Michelangelo seeing the statue of David inside a block of marble. The sculptor said he simply chipped away everything that didn’t look like David. Similarly, in glory, God removes everything in us that doesn’t look like Christ [27–28].
• The Purifying Hope: Swindoll connects theology to ethics using 1 John 3:3. The hope of the Second Coming is not just for comfort; it is a “moral cleansing.” When a believer focuses on the imminent return of Jesus, temptation becomes less alluring [28–29].

Message References:

• 1 John 2:28–3:3: The primary text regarding abiding, the appearing of Christ, and the purifying power of hope [2–3].
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18: The foundational text detailing the order of events for the Rapture and the resurrection of the dead [8–10, 15].
• 1 Corinthians 15:51–57: The description of the “mystery” where the perishable puts on the imperishable “in the twinkling of an eye” [24–26].
• 2 Corinthians 5:8: “To be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord”.
• Galatians 5:19–23: Referenced regarding the choice between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit while abiding.

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll