Matthew 24

Blogger: Mike Panek

I could pick a dozen verses from this “meaty” chapter, but verse 30 will be my focus:

Matt 24:30

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

Observations: The devout believer will first question why all the nations will mourn the Son of Man’s coming. It’s my interpretation that the entire planet will be shocked that the Bible actually is trustworthy, that Jesus actually has come for those who trust in Him, and that most are going to be in deep, painful, unending remorse over the fact that they didn’t believe and, therefore, will not be saved. All will see the inexplicable wonders in the sky; their jaws will drop, their mouths will hang open, and their eyes will get big. All will be in-awe of what we are seeing, but it will be those whose faith resides in the Messiah who will experience the sweet resolution to this incredible, one-time-only event.

Application: To me, the application is clear: If I am not ready on that day and hour, like an airline flight, the door will close and my ticket will be worthless! I must live my life minute-by-minute, assuming the next will be that appointed time. To the best of my ability, I must press on, regardless of the difficulty, to keep my heart focused, to keep my hands pure, and to keep my lamp trimmed and burning during this time of waiting.

Prayer: Lord, renew my hope in You and Your mysteries, and keep me steadfast in Your ways regardless of the situation. I anxiously await Your glorious return.

This is Mike's second journal entry during the 28-Day Challenge. The Pursuit has Mike to thank for many aspects of Celebration Service. The whole church benefits from his technical and sound expertise and awesome bass playing.