14. A FINAL WORD UNTIL HE COMES

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). The warning to “watch therefore” is repeated in Matthew 24:44; 25:13 and relates to the hour (a general period of time). Watch (Greek, grēgoreo) is a Greek present imperative, meaning “be continuously on guard.”

(b) Be ready (Matthew 24:44). The parables that follow teach Christ’s followers to be ready in case He comes sooner than anticipated (verses 43–51); and also to be prepared in case He delays longer than expected (25:1–13).

(c) Keep serving (Matthew 24:46). Jesus was teaching that every person in the world holds his life, natural abilities, wealth, and possessions in trust from God and must give account of how these things are used. Those who fail to be diligent servants of God will not share in all of God’s blessings when they enter the Millennial Kingdom (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 25:30).

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). A witness is one who tells the truth about Jesus Christ (John 14:26; 1 Peter 3:15). The Greek word means “one who dies for his faith” because that was commonly the price of witnessing. “Be witnesses” is Christ’s command to His disciples to tell others about Him regardless of the consequences. Church tradition tells us that all but one of the eleven apostles who heard this promise became martyrs (John died in exile). God empowered His disciples to be faithful witnesses even when they faced the most vehement opposition. That same power for witnessing is available to us today. Our task is not to convince people, but to testify of the truth of the gospel.

(b) “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15). Quite literally what is being said here is not, “Go into all the world,” but, “As you are going throughout the world, preach the gospel to every creature.” In other words, the focus is not on where we are to go, but on what we are to do. Whether it is across the ocean or across the street, around the world or around the neighborhood, on foreign soil or on the camps—whatever we’re doing, we’re to share the gospel.

(c) “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:47). Jesus summarized the mission of the disciples as preaching repentance, calling people to turn from their own selfish ways to Christ, the One who had died for them; remission of sins:The content of the disciples’ preaching would center on God’s gracious offer of forgiveness to all who would believe (Acts 2:38; 10:43); in His name: This is a reference to Jesus’ authority. Forgiveness and blessing come only through the work of the risen Jesus (Acts 2:30–39). The message of Jesus’ salvation can go to all nations, to Jews and Gentiles alike. The offer is made to anyone who will receive it (Acts 10—15). The disciples’ mission would begin in Jerusalem where Jesus died; from there, it would spread out into the entire world (Acts 1:8).

(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). On the basis of His authority, the disciples were sent to “make disciples of all the nations.” The sweeping scope of their commission is consummate with His unlimited authority: in the name of the Father … Son … Holy Spirit. The formula is a strong affirmation of trinitarianism. In reality the Great Commission revolves around one main imperative: make disciples. Making disciples involves three steps: going, baptizing, and teaching, especially the last two. Baptism looks at the decision to trust in Christ. It was assumed that when a person trusted in the Lord Jesus he would be baptized; the New Testament knows of no unbaptized believers.

(e) Continue building the church in every generation (Matthew 16:18). Matthew is the only gospel where this term is found (Matthew 18:17). Christ called it “My church,” emphasizing that He alone is its Architect, Builder, Owner, and Lord. The Greek word for church means “called out ones.” While God had since the beginning of redemptive history been gathering the redeemed by grace, the unique church He promised to build began at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit, by whom the Lord baptized believers into His body—which is the church (Acts 2:1–4; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13).

(f) “Do business (occupy) till I come.” (Luke 19:13). This detail shows that Jesus’ return would not be immediate (v. 11). The servants represent Jesus’ followers. They are to serve faithfully until Jesus returns. The master, symbolizing Jesus Himself, wants to see fruit or dividends from his investment.

(g) Remain faithful until He returns (Matthew 24:45; 25:14-30). Every person in the world holds his life, natural abilities, wealth, and possessions in trust from God and must give account of how these things are used. The parable of the talents illustrates the tragedy of wasted opportunity. The man who goes on the journey represents Christ, and the slaves represent professing believers given different levels of responsibility. Faithfulness is what he demands of them (25:23), but the parable suggests that all who are faithful will be fruitful to some degree. The fruitless person is unmasked as a hypocrite and utterly destroyed (25:30).

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.

©2013 Kenute P. Curry. All rights reserved.