Waiting for the Kingdom

In today’s text the Pharisees are the ones that ask Jesus to tell them when the kingdom would come. The disciples in Acts 1 thought that the kingdom was coming right before His ascension.

Each of these groups had some preconceived ideas about the kingdom, as this had often been spoken about in the Old Testament and was certainly later revealed in the New Testament. In fact, there are over 1800 references to the Second Coming of Christ in the Bible. It has been said that roughly 7 out of ten verses in the New Testament reference the return of Christ.

As events unfold in the Middle East, some are even wondering if this is the beginning of the end, or a sign of Jesus’ Second Coming. I can’t dogmatically say that it is, for “no one knows the hour or the day”. But I can say that we are closer to His return than ever before. Both in Matthew and in Luke, Jesus say that we need to be ready for He will come in an hour when we don’t expect Him.

In our passage in Luke 17, Jesus says be ready, for when He comes, it will be like the lightning which flashes from one part of heaven to the other. It will be instantaneous, Paul refers to it as a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. There will not be any time to repent, get ready, say last goodbyes, one will be on the roof top, one will be in the field, and two will be in bed, 2 working together, one will be taken and the other left behind.

The key is to be certain that you are one that will be taken, and that you encourage all your loved ones and friends to be in that same group.