“I don’t have anything more important to say”

chief apostle jean-luc schneider ended the liturgical year 2024 with an urgent appeal: “come, lord jesus!” in the year-end service, he focused on this important prayer. as the basis for his sermon in alsdorf, germany, on 29 december 2024, the chief apostle chose revelation 22: 17: “and the spirit and the bride say, ‘come!’”. a longing expressed in prayer. “dear brothers and sisters, welcome to this last divine service of the year,” the chief apostle greeted the congregation. he emphasised that the last service of the year is not just an opportunity to look back, but above all an encounter with god. the key question is, “what do you want to say to god?” one of the most important answers to this is the prayer: “lord, come!” it is an expression of our deep longing for the return of jesus. a wish and its effects. the prayer “lord, come!” is not just a wish, but an attitude of faith, the chief apostle said. “if we really believe this, then we will prepare ourselves for it.” that means. recognising and doing the will of god. those who seriously pray for the return of jesus must be willing to live their life in accordance with it. belief in the return of christ should not only consist of words but have a concrete effect in our daily life: a definite orientation towards god’s commandments and principles. wanting to change. the return of christ is not something in the distant future, but a reality that requires preparation: “i can change. i want to do better.” true repentance does not only mean recognising the need for change, but also actively moving towards a life that corresponds to the will of god. don’t forget your neighbour: “i also want my neighbour to be there.” this desire goes far beyond a personal longing and implies responsibility towards our fellow human beings. in fact, every christian has a role to play in removing obstacles that could prevent others from turning to christ. ‌we can set an example by taking action, namely by being kind and caring and creating an atmosphere in which others feel invited to come closer to christ. are you really convinced? the chief apostle asked a central question, “do you still believe in the return of jesus christ?” he warned against seeing this promise as merely a symbolic image: “it is a divine reality!” jesus christ will return—not sometime in the distant future, but in the existence of every single believer. he compared it to the first coming of jesus. “everything that was prophesied was fulfilled, even though for the people back then everything turned out very differently than they had imagined.” this will also be the case with the return of christ. “we cannot imagine how it will transpire. definitely very different from what you and i imagine. but it will take place.” the prayer “lord, come!” is therefore not just a hope, but a strong profession of our faith. the essence of faith. the chief apostle said that the petition “lord, come!” is the quintessence of our prayers, it sums up everything. “lord, come!” is our salvation. the question is, do we still really believe in it? if we believe in it, this prayer will have an effect, a concrete effect on our conduct in daily life, on our thoughts, words, and deeds, chief apostle schneider emphasised. “i know i am not saying anything new, but i really don’t have anything more important to say than ‘lord, come!’”. photos: frank schuldt.