A Year with Jesus

Note from Jesus

Dear Beloved,

Are you ready?

That's a question that could be asked about so many things that are a normal part of life - things like marriage, children, illness, moving, job change, or death.

But what about even bigger things? Are you ready for those things?

Some folks can't think of anything bigger than the first list. However, there are bigger and more important things - things like following Me, recognizing the presence of the kingdom of God, and preparing for My return as the victorious Son of Man. I want you to be ready for the things in both lists. However, the verses we focus on today center on the more important second list.

As I approached Jerusalem for My last visit before the cross, there was speculation about the kingdom of God coming. People were wondering if I was going to seize control politically and militarily. Some were hoping that I would use My power to restore the greatness of Israel as a nation. Notice how Luke describes it:

The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the kingdom of God would begin right away.
(Luke 19:11 NLT)

The power and character of the kingdom of God were already present and visible in the lives of My disciples. They had yielded their hearts to My Lordship and had submitted to My reign as Lord over their lives. This reign was displayed in the spiritual family they formed after Pentecost and the character and compassion with which they lived (Acts 2:42-47).

Read the verses below carefully. The coming of the kingdom of God is more than just My return as the glorious Son of Man from heaven (Daniel 7:13-14). Notice what I taught My disciples to pray:

Your prayers, rather, should be simple, like this:
Our Father in heaven,
let Your name remain holy.
Bring about Your kingdom. Manifest Your will here on earth,
as it is manifest in heaven.
(Matthew 6:9-10)

It is important for you to realize that the manner of writing and speaking at that time meant that "Manifest Your will..." was a restatement of "Bring about Your kingdom." That kingdom has already arrived among you as you live for Me and as you live My lifestyle in the world. Yet there is still My coming with power and glory in the kingdom at the end of time. As long as you are on earth, there will always be glimpses of the Father's kingdom breaking through, and yet the full dawning of that kingdom will be still ahead.

Here are some basic things about My coming in power at the end of time:

Before My great coming as the victorious Son of Man, I had to suffer and be crucified.
There will be no doubt when I come as the victorious Son of Man and no doubt that I have come: My coming will be visible and recognizable to everyone!
At My coming, people will be carrying on life normally as they always have done - marrying, eating and drinking, doing business, farming, building, etc.
The day I come as the victorious Son of Man will come suddenly, and so you must always be ready for it.
When I come as the glorious Son of Man, I will raise and bring eternal life to those who have died but belong to Me, also bring eternal life to those who are still alive and belong to Me, and take them all to share in My glory.

My plea to you, today, contains two challenges:

Yearn, pray, and live to see the reign of My kingdom take hold in your life.
Be ready for My ultimate return - live as if it could occur at any moment because it could!

Verses to Live

Notice how carefully and firmly I move from the Pharisees' question about the coming of My kingdom to talking about My coming again in glory as the Son of Man. Both are important, but the two shouldn't be confused. The coming of My kingdom has arrived and should be present among you as you live with My character and compassion. My return to earth as the glorious and powerful Son of Man lies in the future, but you must always be ready for it to happen.

Some Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come.

Jesus:
The kingdom of God comes - but not with signs that you can observe. People are not going to say, "Look! Here it is!" They're not going to say, "Look! It's over there!" You want to see the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is already here among you.
Jesus (to His disciples):
Days are coming when you will wish you could see just one of the days of the Son of Man, but you won't see it. People will say, "Look, it's there!" or "Look! It's here!" Don't even bother looking. Don't follow their lead. You know how lightning flashes across the sky, bringing light from one horizon to the other. That's how the Son of Man will be when His time comes.

But first, He must face many sufferings. He must be rejected by this generation. The days of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage. Everything seemed completely normal until the day Noah entered the ark. Then it started raining, and soon they were all destroyed by the flood.

It was just the same in the days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building, and carrying on business as usual. But then came the day when Lot left Sodom - a different kind of rain began to fall, and they were all destroyed by fire and sulfur falling from the sky. That's how it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

When that day comes, if you're on the housetop, don't run inside to try to save any of your belongings. If you're in the field, don't bother running back to the house. Remember Lot's wife. Turning back is fatal for those who do so. If you try to hold on to your life, it will slip through your fingers; if you let go of your life, you'll keep it. Listen, on the day of the Son of Man, two people will be asleep in bed; destruction will take one and the other will be left to survive. Two women will be grinding grain together; destruction will take one and the other will survive. Two men will be working out in the field; destruction will overtake one and the other will survive.
(Luke 17:20-36)

Response in Prayer

Glorious God, thank You for Your promised victory when all of us who love Jesus and long for His return as the victorious Son of Man will be brought to You. Until that day, I pray that I can - and that we can - display the values of Your kingdom in the way we live with each other and before a world caught in darkness. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.