The Life that is Imminent

On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” (Luke 17:31-37).

What do you think it will be like when Jesus returns? The Spirit inspired Paul to describe the glorious moment like this… “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). On a personal level, what do you think your life will be like when He returns? What will He catch you doing at that amazing moment? After He described the imminence of His return Jesus used three illustrations to compel His disciples to be expecting and prepared for that moment every day. With these and many other words, Jesus exhorts disciples in every day of every age to look forward to and to live the life that is imminent.

Determined disciples are preoccupied with heavenly things. Jesus described the position of many disciples as being “on the housetop” or living over and above the control of material things. As the days of His return approach there will be much temptation to gather and cling to worldly possessions as the culture and economy of the rebellious world threaten the prosperity of Christians. As the adversary increases his pressure on us to renounce the faith by threatening to take away our material possessions, Jesus’s exhortation is echoed in the Holy Spirit inspired words of the Apostle John… “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Evidence of maturing faith is an increasing love for God that replaces our love for things of the world and prepares us to run from this world and into His arms upon Christ’s imminent return.

Diligent disciples are persistent in sharing the gospel. Jesus described the position of others as “the one who is in the field”. His carefully chosen words remind us of His exhortation to pray for and be fully engaged in the work of sharing the gospel among the lost people of this world… “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2). Disciples that seek and seize every opportunity to proclaim His gospel in word and deed are naturally and spiritually sensitive to Christ’s presence in every moment of the day and therefore will be more aware of His approaching, imminent return in glory.

Discerning disciples are prepared to leave at any moment. Jesus described the imminence of His return by saying people will be going about their daily business, sleeping, waking, or working when suddenly… “One will be taken and the other left”. His words remind us that despite the false claims of many in every age… “Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Although no one knows the exact moment of His return, Jesus would soon exhort His disciples to live differently from the unbelieving world that surrounds us… “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:34-35). The Spirit of Truth inspired Peter to echo this instruction… “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:11-12). Discerning disciples live not for today but in eager excitement and anticipation of the imminent day of Christ’s glorious return.

As we grow up into Christ, we are set apart from the distractions of the temporal world as we live…

The Life that is Imminent.