27 Things Jesus Said We Can Look Forward To

Jesus Christ is unquestionably the greatest teacher the world has ever known and the most recognized figure in human history. The Bible tells us, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes,” (Matthew 7:28-29). No figure has been more frequently mentioned, painted, written about and sung to than Him. Jesus was also the greatest help to mankind the world has ever known, and yet He was misunderstood, persecuted and finally crucified. All throughout the New Testament, Jesus warns His people of things to come, some good, some bad, others wonderful or terrible. Jesus also shares incredible things that believers in Him can look forward to. Here are 27 of those, explained by three noted Bible scholars, Andrew Hess, Quintin Stieff and Don Stewart.

No one would ever be able to predict the day or hour of His return.

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“In Mark 13:32, Jesus had been teaching His disciples about His return,” teaches Hess, “and says, ‘But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.’ Luke records it this way, ‘You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect’ (Luke 12:40). Jesus told His disciples even He didn’t know exactly when He would return. This is fascinating! At this point in history, God the Father knew the exact number of years, months, days and seconds until Christ would return and Jesus didn’t. Therefore, it cannot be figured out. It is extreme arrogance to claim to know something Jesus didn’t. Also, Jesus applied this truth to their lives, ‘Be ready.’ Jesus didn’t know if He would return in their lifetimes, but His instructions to them are His instructions to us almost 2,000 years later. Get yourself ready for my return, leave nothing undone.”

That He would be the only way to heaven.

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Of all the things the records that Jesus said, notes Stieff, “this passage contains perhaps His most controversial words of all. They are especially controversial in our culture today. What are those words? Read them carefully: Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ What makes them so controversial is the sheer exclusiveness of His words. Jesus didn’t claim to be a way, He claimed to be THE way. He didn’t offer a truth, He said He was THE truth. He didn’t say He was a life, He had the audacity to say He was THE life. He tops it all off by saying that ‘no one comes to the Father except through Me.’ In our highly relativistic culture, those are fightin’ words! How can anyone claim to be the only way, the only truth, the only life? Are there not many paths to God? Are not all ways equally true and valid? Isn’t eternal life available through many different avenues? Jesus plainly states ‘no.’”

That Christians must always be on guard.

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“Jesus continually told His followers to stay awake, to watch their lives, and to be ready,” teaches Hess. “In Matthew, Jesus gave four parables to explain how and why His followers should be prepared for His coming: the homeowner and the thief (Matthew 24:42-44); the good and wicked servants (Matthew 24:45-51); the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13); and the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In each of these parables, Christ described readiness with working to complete the work Christ gave us, namely fulfilling the Great Commission. Every Christian is to diligently use the gifts and opportunities God provides to reach the world. To be awake is to be ready and willing to do Christ’s will. In Gethsemane, Jesus’ disciples slept instead of joining Him in prayer. They weren’t doing what Christ asked, but slept. In the same way, many Christians today are asleep to Christ’s will. They don’t seek Him or ask for His direction. Instead, like the disciples in the garden, they sleep. Hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘Awake, awake, put on strength’ (Isaiah 51:9). Peter says it well, ‘The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins’ (1 Peter 4:7-8).”

That He would return for them.

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“Four times in the book of Revelation,” teaches Hess, “Jesus said to the churches, ‘I am coming soon!’ (Revelation 16:15; 22:7, 12, 20). It was originally meant as an encouraging word to first century Christians suffering by the hands of Rome and has continued to encourage Christ’s followers throughout the ages. Christians in every generation are to hold tightly to the promise that Christ will return soon. As the writer of Hebrews reminds, ‘Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him’ (Hebrews 9:28). Like young children eagerly longing for Christmas morning, Christians eagerly wait for Christ to return. In doing so, we live out Paul’s wonderful promise to the church in Thessalonica, ‘Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord’ (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Nothing is greater than to be with Jesus Christ always and forever.”

That His words would last forever.

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“Jesus made the astounding prediction that ‘heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away’ (Matthew 24:35),” teaches Stewart . “He predicted that His words would be everlasting. We need to appreciate the amazing nature of this prophecy. Here was a man who lived in the first century A.D. with only a small group of followers, and His country was subject to the bondage of Rome. There were no modern means of mass communication or storage of a person’s words, Yet Jesus made the statement that His words were eternal – they will never pass away. Although it seemed improbable at the time, it has occurred exactly as He predicted. The words of Jesus are still with us today, read and believed by untold millions. It has happened just as He said.”

That Jerusalem would be destroyed.

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“After the Jewish nation rejected Jesus,” writes Stewart , “He pronounced judgment upon them. Jesus predicted that the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed. Forty years before it occurred, Jesus gave specifics to its destruction: ‘For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground’ (Luke 19:43,44). “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). At the time when Jesus made this prediction, there was no imminent threat to the city of Jerusalem. However, in A.D. 70, as Jesus had predicted, the city of Jerusalem was surrounded and destroyed by Titus the Roman. The reason Jesus gave for the fall of the city was the peoples' rejection of Him as Messiah (Luke 19:44).”

That not everyone who expects to make it into Christ’s kingdom will.

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“Some of the most sobering words of Jesus are about those who will not be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven,” teaches Hess, “In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said, ‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’’ What could be worse than hearing these words from Jesus? At the end, there will be many people who will think they are in because of their ministry credentials. And Jesus will say, ‘I never knew you’ and call them ‘workers of lawlessness.’ Their repentance was in word only. They acted like followers, but didn’t have a saving relationship with Christ based on faith and repentance as the foundation of their lives. Jesus said there will be many people in this terrifying condition, living their lives thinking they were in and finding out in the final analysis they weren’t.”

That Peter would deny Him three times.

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Jesus predicted that Peter would repudiate even knowing Him, teaches Stewart. When told this, Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth. This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (Matthew 26:33, 34). As Jesus had predicted, when Peter was accused of being from Galilee, he grew angry and denied it. When his accusers persisted, he began to swear, shouting, “I don't know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken and he went outside and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:74, 75).

That the Father would send the Holy Spirit.

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Jesus promised that “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” (John 14:26). This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when they were all together. “Suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

There will be several signs, increasing in intensity, as His return draws near.

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This does not mean Christ’s followers shouldn’t pay attention to the signs of His return, teaches Hess, “They mustn’t try to figure out the day or the hour, but should pay attention to natural events and recognize the potential fulfillment of Christ’s words as they happen. Jesus promised there would be wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:6-7). And also, ‘signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory’ (Luke 21:25-27). Additionally, Jesus used the term ‘birth pains’ to describe these signs. Like the pain of childbirth, these signs will get more intense and frequent as the day draws close. When we see increasing numbers of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and other natural disasters, Jesus instructs, ‘straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near’ (Luke 21:28). Once again, Jesus instructs us to pay attention to the signs of His return in order to be ready when He comes.”

That the Jewish people would be persecuted.

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Jesus taught that God’s people would not only be scattered, but that the Jewish race would be persecuted,” teaches Stewart , “He said: ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, “Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” (Luke 23:28-30).’ History records that the Jewish people have gone through terrible persecution as Jesus predicted. From the ghettos of the Middle Ages, to the Holocaust of World War II, the Jews have been a persecuted race, like no other people in history.”

That the poor will be with us always.

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“One day,” teaches Stewart , “Mary of Bethany poured oil on Jesus in anticipation of His coming death. The disciples rebuked her for wasting the oil, but Jesus said she had done a good thing. ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for me. For the poor you have with you always; but you do not always have Me,’ He told them. ‘For when she poured this perfume upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her’ (Matthew 26:11-13). Jesus predicted that her story would be told wherever the Gospel was preached.” Indeed, the story of Mary of Bethany, and her anointing of Jesus is still told today. “The fact that you are reading about it right now,” writes Stewart, “continues to fulfill Jesus' prophecy.”

That we should not worry, for He would return for us.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled,” Jesus taught, notes Stieff. “Trust in God; trust also in me. 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. 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. 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?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.’”

There will be several signs, increasing in intensity, as His return draws near.

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