Matthew 24:36-51

About the Text

(36) If Jesus Christ is divine, then why doesn't He know when He'll return? Although the Son is equally divine and equally powerful as the Father, they have different functions as God. While Jesus Christ's work was to rescue the world, one of the Father's works was to keep the timetable of events. See Matt. 10:29, Acts 1:7. Likewise, the Holy Spirit, the third person of God, works in believers to make them live and work more like Jesus did.

(38-41) If Christ's second coming will be preceded with many signs and events, then how can these verses say that He will come suddenly and unexpectedly? Believers will be aware of the signs of His coming, but the rest of the world won't. In the midst of great religious persecution (cf. 24:15-25), the unbelieving world will still see this as an ordinary day -- nothing to be alarmed about. Furthermore, believers will still not know the exact day of Christ's coming, even though the signs will clue them to the event as happening soon.

(51) Come on, "cut him to pieces"? Why? This phrase is to indicate the severity of punishment for unbelievers and hypocrites in the church. Godly believers were tortured this way by the world (cf. Amos 1:3, Heb. 11:37). Now the wicked will be punished just as severely.

Insights

• No one knows exactly when Christ will come. (36-42)
• Christ will come when the world expects it to be an ordinary day. (36-41)
• On that day, Christ will immediately judge the faithless. There will be no more second chances, no more extra time. (42 - 5:13)
  

The Bottom Line

Be ready at all times. Live as you would if Christ were to come today, tomorrow, next year, and 10 years from now, all rolled into one. In other words, do the Lord's work as if He were to come ten minutes from now. But also plan, organize, study, and rest as if Christ were to come 10 years from now. It has been almost 2,000 years since Jesus came the first time. The condition of the human race is the same as it was then -- we are naturally rebellious to God and are unable to find peace with God on our own. So He let Himself be condemned to die on a cross, taking upon Himself the punishment that we deserved. Then He promised that those who believe in Jesus will have a newly transformed life to be enjoyed eternally. After thousands of years, the final events of Christ's coming may happen today. Are you put your trust in Jesus Christ yet? If you are already a believer, let's live with urgency. If Christ were to come tomorrow, wouldn't you tell your parents how much you love them? If Christ were to come next week, wouldn't you tell your friends about Jesus Christ? If Christ were to come 15 years from now, wouldn't you embark on a 15 year plan to reach all your relatives for Christ, raise your children in the Christian faith, and help reach a foreign country for Christ? See, there is little time for selfish living. Christ desires us to be doing all these things the moment when He returns.

Key Memory Verse

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Matthew 25:13

My commitment to nurture my faith in Jesus Christ for next year:

___I will have devotions (prayer, Bible reading of 5 min.) every morning or night.
___I will join a weekly Bible study group or activity outside of the worship service.
___I will actively participate in church every Sunday.
___My family will have devotions (prayer, Bible reading of 5-10 min.) after every dinner together.
___I will encourage and pray with my spouse once a week.
___I will regularly give 10% of my income to the church.