Hope for the Future
Helping Your Kids Understand Jesus' Return
Some topics are easier to discuss with our kids than others. For many parents, conversations about Jesus’ return bring uncertainty and fear. We immediately think of the endless debates about the End Times. Scripture, however, presents Jesus’ return as a source of hope for believers. How do we help our kids understand what Scripture teaches about the future when there are so many conflicting ideas? How do we give them hope without avoiding the conversation altogether?
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There is a way to help our kids understand what Scripture teaches and why it matters. To help us think through this important topic, I invited Luke Fredenberg to share some thoughts. Luke has spent more than a decade serving at The Prayer Room in Dallas, helping believers understand God’s redemptive plan and the hope found in Jesus’ return. He is also a husband and father of two young boys, giving him a unique perspective on how these truths can be discussed within the home.
The Story That Ignites the Heart
It was a Friday afternoon between prayer meetings. I was in the lobby of my church with a teenager from our youth group. I don’t know if he was expecting a 30-minute rant when he asked me, but I couldn’t help it: “Mr. Luke, I don’t think I get it…tell me about the End Times?”
I began painting the picture of the most breathtaking, dramatic, and emotionally charged story ever written, and one that involved him as a main character. And the best part. It is a true story. As he listened intently, this young man’s eyes got as big as the moon, and I noticed tears welling up inside them. His heart was coming alive not because I’m some amazing storyteller, but because he was beginning, for the first time, to put together some pieces of the story he was created for.
Part of our privilege, and dare I say responsibility as parents, is to pass along the beautiful story of Jesus’ return to our children. If we don’t, who will?
Be sure to check out Luke’s work at Midnight Light and consider subscribing to his page as well.
Something Bigger Than Themselves
Gen Z (and Gen Alpha behind them) is not interested in “playing church.” They are looking for something real. They are looking for something bigger than themselves to give their lives to.
The story of Jesus’ return provides them an opportunity to live for something bigger than themselves. It serves as the culmination of God’s redemptive story, from creation to the cross. Everything has been pointing forward to the day when Jesus will return and establish His kingdom forever.
And the best part? God wants to do it with us. He wants us to partner with Him in prayer, evangelism, and discipleship. Our kids were made for this. Let’s help them discover the purpose God has for their lives.
Giving Them a New Lens
Lenses affect everything. If our eyesight is bad, and we match it with the right prescription, everything becomes much clearer. If we put a blue tint over them, everything suddenly becomes blue.
We can raise our kids to have an “End Times lens.” We can help them understand what God has promised to do in the days ahead and actually live like it’s true, that every part of their lives is filtered through the lens of Jesus’ return: how they use their time, how they grow in their walk with God, and what they do with their lives. All of these decisions are made differently when looking through this End Times lens.
With a proper lens of Christ’s reign, they can boldly declare:
I want to be all in for Jesus because He’s coming soon.
I want to pray because I want to be part of God’s story.
I want to be holy because I will stand before Him someday to give an account.
I want to live for Jesus, not myself, because he deserves to be made famous.
Our Role as Parents
Consider how you can help foster this End Times lens for your children:
We’ve got to get clarity ourselves. We can’t give away what we don’t have. We don’t have to be experts on every last detail, but we should try to explore it so we can impart our understanding to them.
We’ve got to expose them to the main themes. There’s a lot we are responsible for teaching our kids. Talking about Jesus’ return should be one of those things. Unfortunately, in many places, this discussion has been given a bad rap and relegated to something fringe and weird. Often, it is not given much time in pulpits or in children’s ministries. We can discuss it in our homes.
Talk through the passages with them. Read the verses together. Wrestle through the content. Dialogue about the most amazing story imaginable. It’ll become more real to our kids and us as we do this.
It Is All About Jesus
At the end of the day, there’s nothing more we want as parents than for our kids to know and walk with Jesus. Studying the End Times isn’t about memorizing facts, winning debates, or knowing the future. It is primarily about Jesus.
“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place…” - Revelation 1:1
The End Times are about the revelation of Jesus. They show us who He is. Let’s teach our kids about the Jesus of the Gospels and the Passion Story, as well as the Jesus who will come back again.
Our Hope Is in Jesus
One thing I appreciate about Luke’s perspective is that he continually brings the conversation back to Jesus. As parents, we do not have to understand every detail of biblical prophecy before talking with our kids about Jesus’ return. In fact, some of the most meaningful conversations happen when we simply open God’s Word together.
The goal is not to raise children who can win theological debates or perfectly explain every future event. Our goal is to raise children who love Jesus, trust His promises, and eagerly anticipate His return. When our kids understand that Jesus is coming again, they can face an uncertain world with confidence and hope. They learn that God is still in control, that His promises are true, and that one day He will make all things new.
Do not be afraid to have these conversations. Point your kids to Christ. Help them see the bigger story of Scripture. Then remind them that no matter what their future holds, our hope has always been found in Jesus.
Next Week: New Beginnings
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Thanks for sharing, Matt. Yes, some topics are easier than others to talk to our kids about...and it can be easy to neglect, or even avoid them, but opening up the Word together, letting them ask questions, and pointing them to Christ through it all is the better way!
In a world that often feels uncertain, pointing children back to the hope found in Christ's promises is such a powerful foundation. I also liked the reminder that we don't have to have every answer before opening Scripture together. Sometimes the most meaningful discipleship happens simply by learning alongside our children.