April 25, 2018
Matthew 24:30-31
Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.  And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
New International Version (NIV)
                  “Jesus is coming back soon.  Look busy!”  Have you seen that bumper sticker?  When will Jesus return?  Authors of books in the late 70’s explained why Jesus would definitely return before 1988.  Here was the logic:  Israel became a nation in 1948.  A generation is forty years.  Therefore Christ must come back before 1988. 

                I finished high school in 1980 and college in 1984.  Melanie and I were married in 1984.  None of these things would have mattered if Christ returned in 1988.  The prognosticators were wrong.  What does the Bible actually say about Jesus’ return?  No one knows the day or the hour (24:36).  Matthew’s gospel explains that Jesus’ return will be personal, visible, powerful and victorious.  These things we know for sure.  So much of what authors wrote amounted to speculation, but people took it as gospel. 

                What can we do about Jesus’ return?   Matthew tells us that Jesus told his disciples, “This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.”  Our dynamic role in God’s world is to proclaim the good news of the kingdom.  King Jesus has come.  He has begun the work of transforming our lives through his death and resurrection.  We are worse off than we thought and more loved than we ever dreamed.  We need to tell others.  Our missionaries have traversed the earth to tell this story.  This is gospel work and it will keep us busy.  It is the one thing we can do to prepare for the Lord’s personal, visible, powerful and victorious return.  
Pray with me:
Father, we thank you for the promise of Christ’s return.  Help us to live as citizens of your kingdom today.  Let us live our lives in anticipation of your coming.  Help us to do our part in taking the gospel to all people.  Use all of your missionaries, including us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 
This year we focus our Every Day with Jesus readings on Jesus’ story.  With references to Tallowood's Read Through the Bible in 2018 daily reading plan, let's focus our undivided attention on Jesus and follow where he lead. He will not fail. Neither will we!
 
Joyfully, 
 
Duane 
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