By: Steve Wilmot
Edgerton, Ohio
Jesus is coming again. He’s returning to receive those who have crowned him the King and Savior of their lives into the eternal blessings and joys of heaven, and to send those who didn’t want him to have any part in their lives to eternal darkness and suffering.
Throughout history, Christians have believed the Second Coming of Jesus is just around the corner.
Every generation from the days of Jesus’ time on earth believed he would return in their lifetime. Surveys indicate a significant percentage of believers today hold the same view.
No wonder. The state of the world seems to match up with many of the signs the Bible lists to alert the world that his return is at hand.
It’s interesting to note Jesus said very little about signs to predict his return. Instead, he talked a lot about how we should live until that day comes. His most frequent advice deals with preparedness.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42). Stay awake. Keep your eyes peeled. Be alert. Don’t be surprised or caught off guard.
It’s so easy to fall asleep spiritually. We get comfortable and drift little by little from our passion and commitment to Jesus. Our fire for God dims and slowly turns to embers, causing our souls to cool toward him and how he taught us to live.
But what if we lived every moment of every day as if Jesus was about to show up any minute? Like we’d been given advance notice that a thief was going to break into our house at 2 a.m.?
We get caught up in all the things that divert our attention from God and cloud what’s important with what’s urgent: bills to pay, schedules to keep, work, play, children to raise, school activities to attend and problems to overcome.
These mundane chores lull us away from staying alert, and we lose sight of our glorious hope: the Second Coming of Jesus and all the good things that accompany it forever.
Jesus urges us to keep watch — to live with expectation. Later in his instructions to his disciples in Matthew 24, Jesus adds, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matthew 24:44).
If Jesus returned before you finished reading this Pastor’s Ponderings, would you be ready? Or would there still be things undone?
Have you said everything you need to say to the people in your life — “I love you; I forgive you; please forgive me; let me tell you about Jesus and how he changed my life?”
Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior — as your only pathway to abundant life, both now and for eternity? Also in Matthew 24, Jesus tells us to remain faithful (verse 45).
Remaining faithful to Jesus becomes very hard when we don’t keep watch and stay ready. When there’s no expectation of the looming return of Jesus, we get lazy.
We compromise. We lower our standards. Our love for him grows cold. Our behavior sinks into sinful practices.
We become just like the servant Jesus described as “faithful.” His master put him in charge of his household while he went on a trip.
But when the master stayed away for a long time, the servant began to wonder if he was ever coming back. He began to beat his fellow servants and hang out with drunkards.
This servant abandoned faithfulness. Loyalty. Love. Righteous living. And boy, did he wish he hadn’t when the master returned! A Christian who fixes his mind on the Second Coming is different. He’s watchful. Ready. Faithful to the end.
I leave you two verses to inspire you as you wait for Jesus’ return: “Continue in him, so when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him as his coming” (1 John 2:28).
“I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 4:7).
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Steve Wilmot is a former Edgerton, Ohio area pastor who now seeks “to still bear fruit in old age” through writing. He is the author of seven books designed to assist believers to make steady progress on their spiritual journey.