ADVENT 2019 - DAY 4

READ: Mark 13:24-37

But in those days, after that tribulation: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. He will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

Learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognize that he is near—at the door.

Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Now concerning that day or hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son —but only the Father.

Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming.

​It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his servants, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. Otherwise, when he comes suddenly he might find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!

Stay awake. I love how Jesus shifts the focus away from His disciple’s question of how they would know when the end would come. It’s really not about that. In fact, Jesus doesn’t even know when it is going to happen, only the Father.

So as we wait for His return, we need to do so in a manner that glorifies God. We don’t need to worry about the different signs or all the craziness that is bound to take place. Really, what we need to focus on is Jesus and living like Him, to stay awake really means to be prepared. When Jesus returns, He wants us to be prepared for Him.

It’s like if you have a friend coming over to stay the night. You might get some snacks, rent a new video game, or get movie tickets. You do it before they arrive so you can enjoy your time together. The same is true in our obedience to Christ. We follow Him and do what He wants so that when He does come, we are ready to go with Him, wherever He takes us.

​REFLECT:

What do you need to do to stay awake? 

How can you use the next few weeks to really prepare for Jesus?