As disciples of Jesus, we focus much of our time and energy becoming like Him. This is implied in His call, “Follow me.” When we disciple someone else, we encourage them to become (by His grace, of course) like Jesus. One seeks to become like Jesus by spending time in prayer and Scripture reading, gathering with other disciples for worship and fellowship, serving the community, and sharing throughout the world the good news of Jesus.

And yet, perhaps becoming like Jesus is only one side of the discipleship equation. To disciple someone is not just to encourage them to become like Jesus; it is also to encourage them to live like Jesus is coming! When Peter wrote to disciples of Jesus, he did exactly that. He reminds them, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God . . . !” (2 Peter 3:10–12b).

In this statement, Peter tells us to let the coming of the Lord influence how we live. But he also hints that, somehow, by living for the Lord, we hasten the coming of His day! Therefore, as both disciples and disciple-makers, let us never lose sight of the return of Christ—for that day is the very horizon upon which we must look as we follow Him.