Eschatology (es·cha·tol·o·gy) is a Christian term that references the biblical teachings about the study of the “last things,” including the second coming of Jesus. While Christians hold to a wide variety of beliefs about the details surrounding the second coming of Christ, there is one central truth on which there is broad agreement: Jesus is coming again, and he will come in a literal and visible manner. The return of Jesus is necessary to bring redemptive history to its ultimate conclusion where God sets all things right and restores his created order.

When the church launched, it began to grow quickly. A quick survey of the first several chapters of Acts will show that they kept track of how many people were embracing the message of the Gospel. What was the focus of the early church? What led to its rapid growth?

After his resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with his closest disciples pouring into them and teaching them from the Scriptures. At the end of that period of time, he gave them a mission: take the message of the Gospel to every nation on earth and make disciples for and of Jesus. But what is a disciple? What exactly was the message of the Gospel? How were they to accomplish this mission?

Everything in Jesus’ ministry led up to a singular crisis climax: his death and resurrection. Even though Jesus told his disciples that his death was coming, they couldn’t wrap their minds around it: the Messiah wasn’t supposed to die prematurely. Upon the first reports of his resurrection, it seemed to his closest followers as an unrealistic fantasy. Yet this dramatic event was the centerpiece of God’s plan and became the foundation of his plan to restore a broken and fallen world.