Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, (Mark 13:3) So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?” (Luke 21:7; Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:4) And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)
Jesus had just finished prophesying to the disciples about the coming destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. (see THE GOSPEL: Be Fine, Inside and Out) Now the disciples want more detail, of when this and all the other coming woes He had prophesied about were going to happen. And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ [*‘I am the Christ,’] and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them. But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.” Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:8-11; *Matthew 24:4-7; Mark 13:5-8) These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8; Matthew 24:8)
For most of us, these things Jesus had mentioned are more than enough, but He said, "These are the beginnings of sorrows." Based on the things He described, it's safe to say that we are currently experiencing many of these things now, wars and commotions; nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; fearful sights and great signs from heaven. But in spite of all these things, He told them and the same is true for us, do not be terrified! God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. (Psalm 46:1-3)
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. (Luke 21:12-13; Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:9-10) Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. (Luke 21:14-15; Mark 13:11) God is such a loving God, and a part of that love is His honesty. God never lies to us that this Christian life will be easy. From the very beginning, He warned the disciples and all of us who would accept Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord.
We all have got to become better "hearers" of God, so that we can become better "doers" of God! But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22) When Jesus sent the twelve disciples and the seventy followers out earlier in pairs, He instructed them, Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:3) The only way all of them survived the experience and returned to Him unharmed was that they heard his instructions and followed it clearly. We have to do the same if we are going to be successful witnesses for Christ in this world. Too often, we try so hard to change the message to attract the hearers, but Blessed is the man who... his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2) Once we commit ourselves to studying the Word, He will give us a mouth and wisdom which all our adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess your souls. (Luke 21:16-19; Mark 13:12-13) And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:10-12) But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14; read I Corinthians 15)
It's bad enough when strangers persecute us, but when relatives and friends betray us, that's even more heartbreaking. But no matter what, not even death, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)
So, how do we overcome these difficult times? By your patience possess your souls. But he who endures to the end shall be saved! We can't get sidetracked by the things going on around us. And we can't allow ourselves to turn away from the clear message of God and follow after the many false prophets who will rise up and deceive many, especially those who claim to be coming in Jesus name, saying, ‘I am He,’ [*‘I am the Christ,’] and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them. But instead, let us take comfort in the Word of God, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:11) AMEN!
No comments:
Post a Comment