Cross in front of Founders Hall

Day

36

When?

Lent 2021

Read Matthew 24:1-14

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

"When will this happen?” That was the question the disciples had. People often use Jesus’ answer to try to figure out exactly when the end of the age will come. But this misses the point of Jesus’ words, and the point that Matthew is making throughout the Gospel. Throughout Matthew we have seen that eternal life, the Kingdom of God, and now the end of the age are things that occur in the present. We are already living eternal life. We already live in the reign of God. We are already in the end of the age. They came in the person of Jesus Christ, specifically in His death and resurrection, and His filling of His people with His Spirit. These details about the signs of the end of the age are things that have been seen by the disciples, are seen in our generations, and will be seen in future generations. The time is now. But of course, we also wait. We wait because it will be made complete when Christ returns.

Prayer

Jesus, help me see this is the end of the age. Your kingdom is now; I am living eternal life already. Comfort me with the knowledge that You will bring it all to fulfillment when You come again. Amen.

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