Ready, Set, Return
Scripture: Mark 13:5, 9, 20, 23, 32, 35-36
5Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you...9 You must be on your guard...20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them...23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time... 32 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come...Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back...What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"
Observations:
Jesus' explanation about the signs surrounding His return is accompanied by 7 separate warnings to His followers stay alert and keep up their guard at all times. Jesus in now way hinted about His return. He made it as clear as possible so that no one would misunderstand. The fact that He so strongly cautioned His followers to keep their focus at all times was directly related to the fact that His return would come unexpectedly with no time to prepare after the fact. The conclusion to His explanation tells all believers to always be prepared in advance for His return and to guard themselves against any distraction that could steal their focus. The significance of Jesus' warnings point to the reality that those whose fail to prepare themselves in advance and stay alert will not be able to endure (vs. 13 & 20).
Application:
The reality of Jesus' return is just as real today as it was then, making His warnings to us to be ready just as real and important. Jesus told His followers to be ready because there was at least the possibility that some of them might not be. We can't allow ourselves to be distracted from being prepared for His return at any moment just because we let our guard down. Anything that has the potential to distract us could potentially get us off track with God. We should recall the warnings of Jesus often in order to protect ourselves from that which might lure our attention away from the most significant event in history still yet to come- the return of Christ. God's word challenges us to "Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you." 1 Timothy 4:16. We have a responsiblity to Christ, ourselves, and to the world to do our best to ensure that we and the world around us are ready to "meet Him in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Who in your world is not ready to meet Christ today?
Prayer:
Father, make our hearts ready to meet you today. Cleanse us from sin and guard us from that which seeks to blur our vision. Keep us alert by Your Spirit and use our example as a sign to others of Your soon return. Amen.
5Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you...9 You must be on your guard...20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them...23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time... 32 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come...Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back...What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"
Observations:
Jesus' explanation about the signs surrounding His return is accompanied by 7 separate warnings to His followers stay alert and keep up their guard at all times. Jesus in now way hinted about His return. He made it as clear as possible so that no one would misunderstand. The fact that He so strongly cautioned His followers to keep their focus at all times was directly related to the fact that His return would come unexpectedly with no time to prepare after the fact. The conclusion to His explanation tells all believers to always be prepared in advance for His return and to guard themselves against any distraction that could steal their focus. The significance of Jesus' warnings point to the reality that those whose fail to prepare themselves in advance and stay alert will not be able to endure (vs. 13 & 20).
Application:
The reality of Jesus' return is just as real today as it was then, making His warnings to us to be ready just as real and important. Jesus told His followers to be ready because there was at least the possibility that some of them might not be. We can't allow ourselves to be distracted from being prepared for His return at any moment just because we let our guard down. Anything that has the potential to distract us could potentially get us off track with God. We should recall the warnings of Jesus often in order to protect ourselves from that which might lure our attention away from the most significant event in history still yet to come- the return of Christ. God's word challenges us to "Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you." 1 Timothy 4:16. We have a responsiblity to Christ, ourselves, and to the world to do our best to ensure that we and the world around us are ready to "meet Him in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Who in your world is not ready to meet Christ today?
Prayer:
Father, make our hearts ready to meet you today. Cleanse us from sin and guard us from that which seeks to blur our vision. Keep us alert by Your Spirit and use our example as a sign to others of Your soon return. Amen.
I really like how Jesus concludes, 37 "What I say to you, Watch!". He said it many times throughout the chapter, but he ensured he concluded it by leaving that as the last thing he says. In the military, when there was something they didn't want us to forget they would stomp the floor as a way to say this is important. I kind of take what Jesus is saying here as stomping the floor if we were in classroom setting with him. If that doesn't tell you we are in for some doozy of a time in the future I don't know what will, other than all of Revelations. :)
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