The events of the world are leading to an ultimate conclusion. Jesus has promised to return and usher in the fullness of God’s everlasting Kingdom. In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks about the end times and the signs that will precede it. He talks about many things: Nations rising up against each other, false prophets, earthquakes, etc. At the culmination of it all, Jesus says He will return. Ultimately, we do not know when this will occur, but we must be prepared for it at all times. We must be ready when the Lord appears! At that point, there is no turning back. Now is the time for repentance.
In light of this, we all have a choice to make. Will we be on the side of Christ or Satan when the end times come? There is no middle ground. The answer to this question may seem obvious to you, but just one look at the world around us will show you that it’s not obvious to so many people. That’s why it’s even more important that we do the work we’ve been called to: Spreading the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus.
There will be many trials to come in the end times, but physically and spiritually. The advance of sin in our world didn’t only taint human hearts, but creation itself. This means that we are all subject to death, illness, and disease. Our physical bodies are subject to the evils of this world as well.
Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean that God plucks us out of the troubles of this world. Remember, even Christ Himself suffered in every way! What Christianity does for us is provide us with the needed perspective and strength to give meaning and purpose to our pain.
Not only that, but our faith provides us with hope through God’s promise of eternity. In this dark and troubling world, we could all use a little hope. Hope is a powerful emotion that empowers us with strength. The hope that we receive through our faith in Christ is unmatched. Why is that? Because our faith is placed in Christ’s victory of sin and death, a battle that’s already been won.
We can endure to the end, because we have Jesus by our side. Not only that, but the promised eternity He has revealed to us is so much more powerful than the evil we face in this life. Just look how it is described in Revelation 21:1-4:
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
How beautiful is this scene? Read this verse over and over again. Commit it to memory. Let this vision serve as your strength to endure the trials of this life. Let it propel you toward the work that God has called you to accomplish in this life.
Also remember, that Christ’s supreme and ultimate authority is not just present in God’s Kingdom, but in the present as well! In his article, “What is the Kingdom of God,” Theologian R.C. Sproul says,
“So Jesus’ kingship is not something that remains in the future. Christ is King right this minute. He is in the seat of the highest cosmic authority. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to God’s anointed Son” (Matt. 28:18).[1]
This means that how we live now is important and has ramifications for our eternal life as well.
[1]What is the Kingdom of God? Ligonier Ministries. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2022, from https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/what-is-kingdom-god