What do we do while we wait for Jesus to come? That is a question whose answer requires some thought. I watch well meaning people getting caught up in the end times flurry and they lose focus on Jesus. They become focused on fear, survival, despair. They look to how bad the world is and fail to see how good God still is. They point fingers at Christians who they think have wrong doctrine and fail to focus on learning from God and helping to establish truth.
Jesus said it simply. “”No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ “” (Mark 13:32–37, NIV84)
When someone says they know when Jesus is coming, I already know they are wrong because of this verse. No one can know. Jesus can come tomorrow. He can come next year. He could come in a hundred years. I cannot know.
However we are clearly instructed in how to live while we wait for Jesus. We are His servants. Jesus has all called us to labor with Him. He has given us a great commission which is to preach the Gospel. “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts;” (Matthew 10:7–9, NIV84) To some He has called to the five-fold ministry. “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11–13, NIV84)
The focus of our mandate to learn from Jesus, become more like Jesus, and tell others about Jesus. We are to show the people around us the love of God and help them to also grow in the love of God.
Those who lose focus and stop fulfilling their assigned task are sleeping. Be warned – Jesus does not want to find you asleep. Serve Him faithfully each day until He does come. Are you serving Jesus today?
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