14. A FINAL WORD UNTIL
HE COMES
1. Preparing for Christ’s return is
something each one of us must do for ourselves. No one else can get our hearts
ready to meet God. That is our own responsibility. Jesus urges us to do three
things in view of His second coming:
(a) Keep watching (Matthew 24:42).
(b) Be ready (Matthew 24:44).
(c) Keep serving (Matthew 24:46).
2. Jesus left several instructions
about what we should do while we await His return:
(a) Witness for Him everywhere you go
(Acts 1:8)
(b) “Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15).
(c) “Repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:47).
(d) “Make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
(e) Continue building the church in
every generation (Matthew 16:18).
(f) “Do business (occupy) till I
come.” (Luke 19:13).
(g) Remain faithful until He returns
(Matthew 24:45; 25:14-30).
In the meantime, we can live with our
eyes looking to the skies, watching for Christ to come, and with our feet on
the earth, working for Him until He comes. We are to balance expectation (the
awareness that Jesus could come any moment) with participation (serving Him
faithfully until He comes). Living in the light of His coming keeps us focused
on what is really important in life.
All
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, © 1979,
1980, 1982, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.
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