Faithful Until Jesus Returns
Month 12: Sent & Standing Firm · Family Worship
Today's Scripture
Read together: Revelation 22:12-13
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Memory Verse
“Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.””— Joshua 1:9 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Zechariah 12-14
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Near Day 364 of 365 — "the Lord shall be King over all the earth," Zechariah 14:9.)The Heart of It
We're almost at the end of the year. We're almost at the end of the Bible too. In the very last chapter, Jesus Himself speaks. He says, "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me... I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. It's like saying "A and Z." Jesus is telling us something wonderful. He was there at the start of the whole story. Remember Day 1, "In the beginning God created"? And He'll be there at the very end too. The same Jesus who made the world is the Jesus who is coming back for it. History isn't going in circles. It isn't going nowhere. It's going somewhere, straight toward the return of the King.
That changes how a disciple lives today. Because Jesus is coming back, every faithful thing matters. He's bringing His reward with Him. We don't share our faith and stand firm just to survive. We do it because the King is on His way. We want to be found loving Him and others when He arrives. Knowing the end of the story makes us brave in the middle of it. Sometimes the world feels scary and confusing. But the last page is already written. Jesus wins. He makes all things new, and He wipes away every tear (). So we stay faithful and full of hope, watching the horizon. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" ().
Around the Table
Jesus is coming back one day! He's the very start AND the very end of the whole story. And He's getting things ready for us.
Let's do it: Look up and wave at the sky. Say, "Come back soon, Jesus. We love You!"
"Alpha and Omega" means Jesus is the A and the Z. He's at the beginning of the story, and He's at the end.
Let's talk: If you really knew Jesus could come back any day, what's one thing you'd want to be doing when He does?
Jesus' return gives history a destination and our obedience a reward. Hope in the future fuels faithfulness in the present.
Let's go deeper: The ending of the story is already known. Jesus wins and makes all things new. How does knowing that help you stand firm when the present feels dark?
💬 Conversation Starter
If you knew an honored guest was arriving at your house today, how would you get ready? How is that like waiting for Jesus?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Christianity isn't a story that just trails off — it has a sure ending: Jesus is coming back to set everything right. That gives believers real hope and real reasons to keep going, instead of the despair of a universe that's heading nowhere. When people ask about that hope, we tell them gently and confidently ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
The Bible's structure preaches: it opens with "In the beginning God created" and closes with Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, coming again. Your family's year mirrored that arc — you started in Genesis and you're ending in the promises of the King's return. Hold the doctrine of Christ's return with both conviction and humility: be certain that He is coming, gracious about the details others dispute, and free from both date-setting hype and end-times fear-mongering. The pastoral power of this truth is enormous for raising children in an anxious age. Kids carry real dread about the future — climate, war, their own futures. The return of Christ is the antidote: history has a good Author and a fixed, glorious ending. A father who genuinely longs for Jesus' appearing ("Even so, come, Lord Jesus!") raises children who can face the world with hope instead of despair. Let your kids see that you're not just enduring until the end — you're eagerly waiting for Someone.
Draws on: Tony Evans, on living in light of Christ's return.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that Jesus is coming back, that He's the Beginning and the End, and that He wins in the end. Help us stay faithful and full of hope while we wait. Keep us watching for You. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! In Jesus' name, amen."
The King is coming back — so I'll keep being faithful and full of hope.