Today's Scripture
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Jeremiah 20 -21; Matthew 24:1 -28
Love grows cold – Matthew 24:3-14
Now while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?”
4 Jesus replied, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the Christ.’ They will deceive many people. 6 You will hear about wars and reports of wars. Don’t be alarmed. These things must happen, but this isn’t the end yet. 7 Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in all sorts of places. 8 But all these things are just the beginning of the sufferings associated with the end. 9 They will arrest you, abuse you, and they will kill you. All nations will hate you on account of my name.10 At that time many will fall away. They will betray each other and hate each other.11 Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because disobedience will expand, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. 14 This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to all the nations. Then the end will come.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
Talking about the ‘End Time’ is difficult. Especially, when things seem to be good and we have things thought that we want it to be this way, as long as possible.
Talking about the ‘End Time’ needs a foundation of two understandings; the heavenly kingdom cannot compare to anything we might have seen or experienced and that no matter happens Christ is victorious.
In the ‘End time,’ there will be confusion. When we think of the ‘End time’ we tend to think of the next World War. Yes, there might be chaos and persecution, but I think we need to remember that confusion can one of the greatest sign of the ‘End time.’
Due to the confusion, people will walk away from the truth, and the “increase of wickedness will grow love cold” (v.12).
There we hear a call to people holding onto the truth. We are called to ‘Stand firm.’ Eugene Peterson says, ‘Staying with it.’
When we stay in the truth, we can share love in a world where love grows cold.
When we stay in the truth, we can present the truth that frees us from all confusion to the world.
Whether we live in the End time or not, the call the ‘Stand firm’ still resonates with us.
So ‘stand firm’ in the truth today!
Prayer
Lord, help us to stand firm in your truth. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us today. In the name of Jesus, we pray, AMEN.
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