Originally posted: 04/23/2019
As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (24:3).
Before His Coming others will come: deceivers and false prophets; wars and rumors of war; famines; earthquakes; brutal persecution and killing of believers; the increase of wickedness; the love of many growing cold; the gospel preached to all nations; and the abomination of desolation, (24:4-15).
And behind His depiction of future events, He is preparing His own to live with this truth at the forefront of their every decision, action, and thought… be ready; He is Coming.
Consider His Coming
- His Coming will be clearly visible to all.
- “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be,” (24:27).
- His Coming will cause all the peoples of the earth to mourn.
- “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory,” (24:30).
- His Coming will be at a time no one but the Father knows.
- “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah,” (24:36-37).
- His Coming will be a horrific revelation to those unaware.
- “…and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be,” (24:39).
- He expects His own to live as those who are ready: alert and in continuous anticipation of His Coming.
- “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will,” (24:42-44).
How do we respond to His Coming?
Such marvelous grace to prepare His own to live alert and ready, in confident assurance that all He has said will absolutely transpire.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away,” (24:35).
Jesus continues His discourse of His Coming by asking His followers a question; and today, He asks us the same.
“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?” (24:45).
- Until His Coming our faithfulness must be marked by wisdom.
- Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil, (Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV).
- Until His Coming our faithfulness will be validated by our stewardship.
- As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God, (1 Peter 4:10).
- Until His Coming our faithfulness will be demonstrated in proper and timely provision for both the physical and spiritual needs of others.
- If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? (James 2:15-16).
- Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God, (Colossians 3:16)
- There is a promise of reward for the faithful and wise, living in the expectation of the blessed hope of His Coming.
- “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 47 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions,” (24:46-47).
- For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds, (Titus 2:11-14).
- His discourse of His Coming concludes with the severest of warnings. Hell is real; Jesus spoke of it often. We must make the most of every opportunity for the sake of others. We cannot merely enjoy His grace for ourselves; we must prepare others to live in anticipation of His Coming, to be saved from the reality and horror of eternal mourning and separation from Holy God. His Coming may occur at any moment. Who do we need to tell?
- “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (24:48-51).
- “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (24:48-51).
Oh, when He Comes, may we be found faithful and sensible in His service! May we daily seek to invite others to know Him, that they too be prepared and ready for His Coming.