By Chaplain (Col) Stephen W. Leonard, USA, Ret.
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Matthew 16:21
The future for us is under the veil of our lack of knowledge. We do not know what is going to happen. This is the norm. We simply do not know for certain the future. Except when someone with the power and authority to know the future tells us what is going to happen.
Jesus was such an authority. He proved his exceptionalness through His miracles and the truth of all He said. Yet the disciples were still apparently clueless even after being told what was going to happen.
When Jesus, their leader, was arrested, tried, tortured, and crucified, they were seemingly totally unaware this would happen, yet He had told them it would.
He also told them He would be raised to life after his torturous murder. They did not believe that either. They were despondent; they were in great grief and fear.
They hid from the authorities who had crucified their leader and who were searching for them. They expected to be arrested and possibly put to death themselves.
Jesus’ resurrection totally caught them by surprise. They did not even believe the eye-witness of the women among them. It was not until Jesus appeared in front of them and ate in their presence that the truth opened their eyes. He had actually told them in advance of all this, yet they remained in total ignorance.
Jesus has told you in no uncertain terms that He is coming again. And what events His coming will set in motion. Do you believe Him enough to do something about it? Does His certain return drive you to real preparation within? Or are you like the disciples? Totally unaccepting about what he says to you?
He is coming! Make no doubt about it. No one knows when. But He has told you to be ready! Have oil in your lamps! Have the resources He has given you invested in people and service/ministry, and not buried in the ground.
Seeing in the aftermath Jesus’ telling his disciples exactly what would and did happen, underscores the accuracy of what His Word has told you in advance of His coming again. The days you see before you now shows we are closing in on the fulfillment of this event. Preparation of your soul and life investment is paramount. Do not ignore his words. He WILL come when no one expects Him! Do not let it catch you unprepared.
Encouragement
“O quickly come, dread Judge of all; for, awful though thine advent be, all shadows from the truth will fall, and falsehood die, in sight of Thee: O quickly come, for doubt and fear like clouds dissolve when Thou art near.”
(1st verse of Lawrence Tuttliett’s hymn, “O Quickly Come, Dread Judge of All,” 1854)
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