Tag: ready for Jesus’ return

This World Stresses Me Out

Old Testament: Nahum 1-3

Poetry: Psalm 138

New Testament: Matthew 24

Wars, diseases, crime, hate, famines, earthquakes, hurricanes, and a bunch of other bad stuff can really stress you out these days.  It really seems to have gotten worse lately.  I am 58 and a half years old, so I was growing up in the 70’s when nuclear weapons became a big topic of the day.  Many Christians I knew were saying that we were in the end times then.  In fact, I remember one person predicted that Christ may be returning in 1982.  Clearly, that wasn’t a very good prediction and it taught me not to make predictions about such things, but I do think events are a lot more aligned now with scripture and the end times could be starting now or soon.  Matthew 24 talks about the end times when things are going to get bad, really bad, but it also gives those who can persevere a lot of hope.

I am not going to review all the signs of the end times mentioned in Matthew 24 here; you can read those yourself.  However, my quick summary that I already mentioned is that it will be bad, really bad.  Jesus warned us in verse 6 that we will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but he also said that we should not be alarmed because these things need to happen before the end comes.  He went on to describe a lot of other disturbing events that will take place.  He was warning us of what is going to happen so we can stay chill during that time.  Unfortunately, he also told us that many would turn away from the faith at that time.  If we didn’t have this warning, I do think it would be difficult to keep our faith when we see the whole world crumbling before our eyes.  But c’mon, if you say you have faith now when you know these bad times are coming, it is not much faith if you abandon it when you see exactly what you already knew was going to happen.  It should increase your faith when you start to see events that were written about 2,000 years ago actually occurring.  That’s impressive.  Moreover, we already know how this story ends, and it is amazingly positive for those who keep their faith to the end.

It is true that some will lose their faith because they just can’t handle all the bad things that are going to happen, but Jesus has another warning for a different group of people.  He talks about a group of people that aren’t ready for his return.  They are people that even believe in Jesus, but they start thinking that he has been gone a long time, so they have more time before they need to get their lives in order.  They think they can live for themselves a bit longer before they need to repent and start living for God.  There are two major problems with that thinking.  First, your life could end today, and you will have missed your chance to be saved.  Second, only God knows when Christ is going to return, and it is going to surprise many people.  Jesus told a story about a master of a servant who will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.  There will be people that put off the decision to live for God because they think they have more time, but instead will find themselves in the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  It will be too late the same way it was too late for all the people in Noah’s time who didn’t believe Noah until it started raining.

This has all been explained to us in scripture so you really shouldn’t be surprised when it happens.  It was explained to us beforehand so we can stay calm and know that once this happens, we will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

Reflection Questions:

Does this world stress you out or do you realize that God is in control, and everything is going to turn out great in the end for His people?

Are you glad Jesus warned us of the bad things that are going to happen or would you rather have not known and be surprised when it happens?  Do you think it would be easier to keep your faith in the end if you knew what was going to happen or if you were in the dark?

-Rick McClain

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Be on the Alert!

Mark 13

Many teachings and thoughts could be extracted from the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24, Mk. 13, Lk. 21). For us this section of the gospels will be the focal point of our devotions today and tomorrow. For our devotion this morning I want to look at the last verse of Mark 13 where Jesus concludes “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert’”.

This section of the gospels (Matt. 24, Mk. 13, and Lk. 21) have in mind two future events. Jesus prophesies the destruction of the Jerusalem temple (AD 70) and speaks to the events that will foretell of his second coming. In Mark 13.31 the message Jesus communicates to his disciples is the one he also wants all those who follow him to know as well, namely, “Be on the alert”. The New Testament as a whole has an urgency to it. This theme of being on alert and aware of the coming of the Lord is present throughout the New Testament. Though Jesus ascended two thousand years ago and hasn’t come back yet it does not mean we should live complacent lives as Christians. Here are some other texts that speak to urgency in the Christian life:

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly in the day…” —Romans 13.11-13

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” — Ephesians 5.15-17

“…let us be alert and sober…” (Read I Thess. 5.1-8)

What does it mean to live on the alert as a Christian? What did Jesus mean when he spoke these words? In light of these texts above and the whole of the New Testament to live alertly is to have the conduct of our lives be in line with the words of Jesus. To live alertly means to quit wasting time with sinful behaviors and practices and start living in light of eternity and the judgement seat of Christ (II Cor. 5.10). 

Is there a sense of urgency in your following of Jesus? If the day of judgement was tomorrow would you be ready? Not only in the sense of would you be saved or not but would you be proud of the life you lived and know that you were sold out for Christ with the time God had given you? Don’t be complacent, be on the alert.

-Jacob Rohrer

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Mark 13

Tomorrow we will read Matthew 24.

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Be Alert

Mark 13

Mark 13 37

In Mark 13 we see Jesus telling his disciples that things are going to get bad. Before Jesus comes back there will be trouble politically, physically, and even spiritually. This isn’t what anyone wants to hear, but it is the truth.

Politically- verses 6-9

  1. Leaders will arise in his name saying “I am He” misleading many.
  2. We will hear of wars and rumors of wars. (Isn’t this already the case? My sister is in the navy and they are always preparing for a possible war. Right now the concern is Iran.)
  3. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. (We see this, too.)
  4. You will be delivered to the courts. (You may find yourself in trouble for standing up for God’s commands. These persecutions do happen already. Check out the Colorado baker. He was “delivered to the courts” for not wanting to bake a cake for a same-sex marriage couple and recently again persecuted because he didn’t want to bake a cake celebrating someone’s transition from male to female.)

 

Physically- verses 8-9 and 12 and 14-18

  1. There will be earthquakes and famines.
  2. There will be floggings and betrayal that could lead to death.
  3. Some will have to leave their homes to run and hide.

 

Spiritually- verses 22 and 33-37

  1. There will be false Christs and prophets trying to lead people astray.
  2. Some will be found asleep.

 

Jesus says in verse 23, “I have told you everything in advance.” We shouldn’t be surprised when we see things getting rough politically or physically. God will help us with this. If we find ourselves speaking in the courts, He will send the holy spirit to help us (verse 11). If we find ourselves physically dealing with tribulation, we can find assurance in the fact that God “shortened the days” of disaster (verse 20). Jesus puts extra emphasis on the spiritual trials though. Here it is our responsibility to “take heed” and “keep on the alert”. We can’t get lazy about our devotion to our Father. If we are alert and on guard, we shouldn’t be led astray. This is why Jesus warned his disciples and it’s a warning for us, too. We don’t know when Jesus is coming back. We do know that he is and that we will want him to find us alert and ready!

-Melissa New