When I was a kid, and even as an adult, I loved playing ‘Hide & Seek.’ One person was IT, and the rest went to hide. We had ‘ground rules’ but after a few countings to 100, and we were all hid, IT would yell ‘Ready or not, here I come.’ It was fun being IT, but it was equally fun hiding.
The return of Christ is similar to the game ‘Hide and Seek.’ Four things about Jesus and the guy who was IT: (1) He’s coming. (2) He’s coming when he’s ready. (3) He’s coming whether you’re ready or not. (4) If you’re not ready, then you’ll pay the consequences.
We just finished a ‘Prophecy Conference’. I am always encouraged to think of the near return of Jesus. But some people get kinda weird when it comes to Bible prophecy. I have encountered people who are so caught up in trying to determine prophetic events that they are failing to live in the time God has given them.
Do you remember what the angel said to the disciples in Acts One after Jesus ascended into heaven? He said, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky?” It seems that the disciples had already forgotten what Jesus had just said to them in the preceding verses. Look at Jesus’ words in Acts 1:7-9.
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Jesus makes the point of telling them that they should not be standing around waiting for His return but they should be busy about His business before He comes.
You can know a great deal about prophecy and the second coming but that does not mean you are ready to meet Him when He comes. I am not saying that learning about prophecy or the end times is not important for us because it is. My point is what difference will it make if I am successful at predicting the second coming of Jesus and yet so busy trying to understand the prophecies that I fail to tell those who need to know the Savior of whom those prophecies are about? Will Jesus say to me “Well done good and faithful servant, you figured out the date of my return.” Or will he say, “…’well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
I think it interesting that Hebrews 10:24-25 talks about ‘that day.’ Here’s what it says:
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Did you catch that? As we see the ‘signs’ pointing to His soon return (and they’re all around us), we should be meeting together more often, not less. We should be encouraging each other more, not less. We should make attending with our church a habit.
Just as labor pains increase with intensity and frequency as the birth of a child gets closer, the signs will be seen with greater intensity and frequency. Don’t be so caught up in ‘when’ He returns you neglect ‘what’ you will be doing when He returns. Be a witness to the unsaved you know. Attend your church with increased faithfulness. May Jesus find us witnessing and worshiping when He returns!
What do you hope you’re doing when Jesus returns?
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