I heard the phrase again and again in our town: “The King is coming.” And in a very real way, he did. King Charles III and Queen Camilla came to visit our town, marking a historic moment and reminding us of the extensive preparations that surround the arrival of a king. Streets were watched, schedules were arranged, crowds gathered, and people wanted to be ready for the royal visit.

But as meaningful as that visit was, I want to turn my heart to a greater King. I want to speak about Jesus Christ, the King of kings. King Charles came and went, but King Jesus is coming again, and when He comes, it will not be for ceremony or celebration only. He will come to judge the world and to reward every person according to their works.

I need to remember that His coming is certain. The angels declared it when Jesus ascended into heaven. The apostles preached it. Peter, Paul, the writer of Hebrews, and the rest of Scripture all point me to this truth: the same Jesus who went into heaven will return.

I also need to remember how He will come. He will come personally. He will come in the clouds. He will come without warning, like a thief in the night. When King Charles visited, people knew the day, the place, and the time. But with Jesus, I do not know the day or the hour. That is why I must not wait to prepare my soul.

When the King returns, He will raise the dead. The good and the evil, the just and the unjust, will all hear His voice and come forth. Those still alive will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The faithful will meet the Lord in the air, and death itself will be swallowed up in victory.

I must also understand that Jesus is not coming back to establish an earthly kingdom. He is already reigning. All authority has already been given to Him in heaven and on earth. His people have already been translated into His kingdom. When He returns, He will deliver the kingdom to the Father, destroy the last enemy, death, and bring all things to their appointed end.

That day will be joyful for the faithful, but fearful for the unprepared. I will be judged by the words of Christ. Those who do not know God and have not obeyed the gospel will face everlasting destruction. Those whose names are not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire. But for those who are ready, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, a place where righteousness dwells, where God is with His people, and where sorrow and suffering are gone.

So I must ask myself: If I were willing to notice the coming of an earthly king, am I truly preparing for the coming of the heavenly King?

The King is coming. I do not know when, but I know He will come. So I must be ready now. I must hear the word of God, believe it, repent of my sins, confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and be baptized for the remission of sins. Then I must continue faithfully until the end.

And if I have already obeyed the gospel but have fallen away, I must come back to God. The same blood of Christ that cleansed me can still cleanse me today.

King Charles came to our town for a moment, but King Jesus is coming for eternity. King Charles came to our town for a moment, but King Jesus is coming for eternity.

Am I ready to meet the King?