The Day Before
Today is the day before we recognize the day Jesus was crucified. It was a day prior to the world as anyone knew it changing forever. The four gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) all note what happened before, during, and after the death of Jesus. I highly recommend taking some time to read the end of each of those gospels over the next few days.
The other day as I was driving, I was thinking about the fact that whether anyone barely heard of Jesus, despised Him, adored Him, or just knew of Him, the world still went completely dark the day He was crucified. The point being EVERYONE was affected in some way. At all times throughout history, including now, major things happen where it’s mostly people in a particular place who are directly affected, whilst people in other places can go along with life largely unchanged. For example, right now we have wars going on in multiple places, a major bridge just went down the other day, and folks are illegally pouring over our border at a record pace. Most of you reading this are aware of all of those things. However, if you live in a quiet area of Connecticut like me (and many reading this do), your life is mostly unaffected by these things. If you tune out from the news, it’s even possible you could not know any of these things and go along with your usual life. It’s hard to fathom something happening which affects EVERYONE. Jesus leaving this earth was the only moment that was true in history. Yet, even those who planned to kill Him could not have predicted this the day before (or at any moment prior for that matter). There will be another day like this — the day Jesus returns to this earth. It will make the day the world went dark for Jesus’ death look like child’s play in comparison. Here’s a brief description —
Mat 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Mat 24:30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
—Matthew 24:29-31
It doesn’t matter how little news you watch, or what area you are located, YOU WILL KNOW JESUS HAS RETURNED! The day before, and even the moments prior, we will all be just going along with our lives, and then ‘BAM!’ there’s Jesus. Time’s up! Can you imagine that? Even though there is no shortage of Scripture describing the return of Jesus, my finite mind really can’t wrap itself around that reality. I do know one thing — I won’t be among those listed who are mourning. I’ll be celebrating! What about you? Have you thought about this coming reality? Perhaps you’ve convinced yourself this isn’t going to happen. With all due respect, that’s a really bad strategy. I’d point to Jesus’ perfect track record in fulfilling His promises as ‘Exhibit A’ on why you ought to rethink that mindset. His return is inevitable and unpredictable not because I say so, but because HE SAID SO! If you ain’t among the elect, you ain’t being gathered, and you ain’t going to be heading to a fun place. Try another ‘F’ word (No, not that one, although many of you will surely be shouting that one when Jesus returns). I was thinking of ‘fearful’ as in it’s a FEARFUL thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31) So, without Jesus, you ain’t got not no hope, and you should be in fear of God’s wrath. If I were you, I’d immediately reach out to one of those crazy Christian friends of yours and ask, “What must I do to be saved?” After all, as in most cases of life-changing events, you never know when it’s the day before…