By Nick Minerva
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05 Mar, 2023
It’s easy to get hung up on specific details when we talk or think about the second coming of Christ. When will it happen? What are the signs? What’s the order of events that take place around his coming? We often get stuck on the specifics and miss the main point - Jesus comes back to earth! In Come, Lord Jesus , John Piper addresses many of those questions but all the while points us back to the main point. Christ is coming back and those who love his second coming will receive a crown of righteousness. Come, Lord Jesus is broken up into three main parts. In the first part, Piper gives many reasons to love Christ’s appearance. In this first section, he gets to the heart of his book. Here he explains why we should love the second coming and all the glorious realities that we will experience when it happens. For me, the chapter on Christ as Sovereign Servant and the joy we will experience when we have personal fellowship with him was most impactful. In his second section, he tackles several questions that surround the second coming of Christ. One of the things I appreciate about John Piper’s writings is he is thoroughly Scriptural. However, I often find myself having to re-read what he writes. I appreciated his seeking to provide biblical answers, but I felt confused more than once throughout this section. Piper’s mind works on a different level. The third section was without a doubt my favorite. In this section, he answers the question of how we are to live in light of Christ’s second coming. Scripture calls us to live with alertness, patient joy, and longing for justice but living in gentleness. The soon return of Christ does not lead us in laziness, but diligence; with a renewed focus on the mission of God and a love for our neighbor. This is the shortest section of the book, but it packed a powerful punch and is full of reminders that we all need regularly. If this section was the entire book, it would still be a great read. Piper concludes the book with a Hymn to Christ which proved to be a fitting end. It puts the truths in the book into song form and I loved reading it. I believe his goal in writing this book is to lead us into the worship of Christ and it does that. Even though there were parts I didn’t fully track with, my mind was still directed toward the coming of Jesus and ultimately worship and for that I am grateful. This book is worth anyone’s time who wants to read it and is a great end-times resource to have. “We are made to image forth the glory of God- to see it, love it, and be transformed by it so as to reflect it.” - John Piper I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can get your own copy from the affiliate link below.