“After a Long Time,” Thoughts on the Return of Christ

It’s happened again. Another verse has stood out after having read it many times. I read a short line in Matthew 25:19, the passage about the parable of the talents. In light of the desperate condition of our world, and that inner longing for the return of Christ, it hits me that we simply don’t know when he will return. We can’t know.

We have all had to wait on things. As a kid, I used to look at people older than I, some even not that much older, and wonder what it would be like to be that age.

I also recall wondering what it would be like to be in high school, then college, then wondering what work I would do. I wondered what it would be like to be married, be a parent.

Waiting is part of the human experience. We Americans are not very good at it.

I used to read a lot of Bible prophecy, all in an attempt to figure out what was what, when would this happen, who is the anti-Christ, when will the temple be built in Jerusalem, how do you interpret signs, all kinds of stuff. I used to get frustrated when I read something that was not in line with how I hoped things would be.

Then, I heard a humorous statement by someone I held in very high regard. When asked if he was a pre millennialist or a post millennialist, he responded, “I’m actually a pan millennialist; I believe everything will ‘pan out’ in the end.” This definitely caught my attention. How could someone like him feel that way?

Then the Bible began to redirect my thinking. I got the impression after searching and not finding any answers I liked, that I should be ready for whatever is next. I honestly did not know what that would be, but I had to be ready. I finally understood.

The passage that really stopped me cold, and settled the issue was in Matthew 24:36. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Wait…what? You mean even Jesus did not know when that day would be when he was here on earth…? That’s how my layman’s mind interprets that. Of course, now that he is glorified, sitting on the right hand of the Father, interceding for us, I assume he knows now. But, if even he did not know when that day would come, how can WE know? Where do some get that arrogance, claiming to know something even Jesus did not know when he was here? Later, he issues a bit of a warning in Matthew 24:42, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” The original says, “Keep watch…”. In other words be ready for whatever is coming.

Admittedly, it has been a LONG time since Jesus uttered those words. Many in the New Testament years, and beyond, fully expected his return during their time. As the centuries passed, that expectation continued. At one point in the19th century a group gave up all their possessions and waited on a mountaintop for him to come on a specific day. It did not happen. In the 20th century a lot of things happened that seemed apocalyptic, much like our own desperate times now.

In times of distress, we might pray a prayer like, “How much longer, Lord?”, or, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” That’s fine. He understands our frustrations, and want us to pour out our hearts to him, but his timing is his own. It is something we simply cannot know.

Our best option is to remain faithful, keep at his work, and hope he finds us busy when he does return.

I was happy to see that the Church of the Nazarene — of which I am a former member — elected its second female General Superintendent a few years ago, Dr. Carla Sunberg. Something by her was posted on Facebook the other day, a statement that speaks volumes in our desperate day: “The world is changing. We can either get frustrated and try to control it or we can say, ‘Maybe God is at work,’ and get involved.”

I am choosing to not fret, but to abide. I am choosing to continue his work to which I have been called. I am choosing to not strive. I will try to be faithful until his day actually comes.

Remember, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows…”. We are just to abide in him and stay busy.

Thanks be to God.

In Pity

Ok, this is one of those passages that I have read a thousand times, and on the “thousandth and first” time, a small detail finally caught my attention. That small detail proved to be the center of the whole story.

The thought is, when we suffer, or are going through hard, stressful times, Christ actually pities us like he does in the story. This is not the kind of pity where we hear, “O, I feel so sorry for you,” but the kind where the person actually experiences the fear, pain, and frustration of what we are going through. We would probably call it empathy.

I saw this in a passage I read in Matthew 20, verses 29-34. Jesus is leaving Jericho with a crowd following him. He sees two blind men by the road, and when they hear that Jesus is passing by, they immediately begin calling to him, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.” Interesting, they apparently knew who he was. The crowd begins to try to get them to back off, but they are persistent and cried the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

Jesus then did something strange. He asked them what they wanted him to do. At first it would seem obvious, but he wanted them to reveal their heart. We don’t let our requests be known because God does not know what they are. He wants to commune with us.

Then verse 34 stood out like a neon light. “And Jesus IN PITY touched their eyes and immediately they recovered their sight and...[another important point]...followed him.” They knew who he was, but the only thing stopping them was their blindness. When they got their sight back, they followed him. I have a feeling Jesus saw all of this before it even happened. However, he wanted them to reveal their hearts to him. He wants the same from us.

Are we admonished in scripture to lean into his heart that feels pity for us? Peter reminds us in his first book, chapter 5, verse 7, to “Cast all your cares on him for he cares for you.” Why would Peter tell us to do that if it would not amount to anything? He cares for us, and feels pity during our times of distress.

John 15:4 is an invitation to abide in him as he abides in us. This is another way he shows his concern and pity for us. I have wondered what “abide” refers to. One definition is “to live or dwell.” Carol and I have been in our home for nearly 30 years now. When we come home, kick off our shoes, get comfortable, we immediately feel like we belong there. We are safe, protected. We abide; we don’t just keep our belongings there, but our lives are anchored there. So it is with us abiding in Christ. He is with us, in us, and living with us. We are anchored in him. He has given us the promise of his constant presence.

Faith and trust are fundamental not only to pleasing God, but to abiding in him as well. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. Someone said that faith is taking God’s hand and walking into the unknown or darkness. The scriptures call faith substance and evidence. (Hebrews 11:1)

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in him and not to lean on ourselves. He will direct us. He will do it in his own time, but it will happen.

The two blind guys had faith in him. They knew who he was, and received their sight. Jesus had pity on them and granted their requests. He relates to us no differently. He feels our pain. He understands our sorrow. He can sustain us through difficult times, because he cares for us and feels pity, the kind in which he really does know and feel our pain and deepest needs. He wants to bear them with us.

He has called us to spread his love and grace to those around us. Our job is to experience the heart of Jesus and share his love, his caring love.

Thanks be to God.