Melanie Cave and Revd Canon Dr John Parr explore the complex and often misunderstood concept of the Second Coming of Jesus. They discuss its biblical foundations, the confusion surrounding it, and how it relates to the story of salvation. John emphasizes that the Second Coming is not just an end but a call to action for Christians to live in a way that reflects the teachings of Jesus, embodying self-sacrifice and non-violence. The discussion also touches on Daniel's vision of the Son of Man and Paul's perspective on the Day of the Lord and the importance of understanding the Second Coming in the context of living out one's faith in today's world.   Keywords Second Coming, Jesus, Bible, Theology, Salvation, Judgment, Paul, Advent, Christian Faith, Eschatology   Takeaways The Second Coming is often seen as confusing and mysterious. Many churches avoid discussing the Second Coming due to its complex nature. The Bible tells a cohesive story of salvation with a beginning, middle, and end. Jesus' role as the Messiah is characterized by self-sacrifice and non-violence. Paul's writings focus on the 'Day of the Lord' rather than the 'Second Coming'. Imagery of the Second Coming includes themes of judgment and victory. The Second Coming is not the end but a call to action for Christians. Living in light of the Second Coming means embodying the teachings of Jesus. The future envisioned in the Second Coming is one of peace and reconciliation. Understanding the Second Coming requires a nuanced interpretation of biblical texts. Sound Bites "Jesus comes to judge the earth." "The Bible tells a story of salvation." "We need cross-shaped lives." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Second Coming discussion 03:56 Understanding the emotional reactions to the Second Coming 06:26 Biblical roots of the Second Coming 09:14 Salvation as a story: The narrative framework 11:41 The enigmatic nature of the Second Coming 14:16 Living in light of the Second Coming 16:50 Jesus' teachings on the future 19:22 The Son of Man: Jesus' self-identification 21:58 The role of Daniel's Vision in understanding Jesus 24:41 Messianic Expectations in Jesus' time 31:43 The non-violent Messiah 35:26 Understanding the Second Coming 43:11 Paul's perspective on the Day of the Lord 49:50 The complexity of salvation 56:03 Imagining the future with Christ 01:00:47 Introduction to Roots   Show Notes www.rootsforchurches.com John's article for Roots: Advent and the 2nd coming: an imminent and future hope