Tuesday. Jesus has been received as the Messiah by the crowds (yet we all know how fickle they can be), He has cleansed the temple. Now on Tuesday, He gives His disciples some instruction on things to come. Here He is, in His last week, and He’s worried about His friends, and those of us who would follow later. Is that alone not more proof of His total otherness from us? How many of us, if we knew we were going to go through what Jesus would go through this week, would be worrying about everybody else? Me? I’m looking for the first ticket out of Jerusalem. But not Jesus.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Jesus wasn’t exactly the most chipper guy while doing this. The stuff He told them about wasn’t exactly Sunday morning “How are you doin? I’m fine!” stuff. No, He told them about the coming destruction of Jerusalem (by Titus in 70 a.d.) and the temple, of future wars and the persecution of the disciples (then and now), and of His second coming. (See Luke 21, Matthew 24)
In all of this, He’s getting them ready for life after the crucifixion and resurrection. He’s getting them ready for what’s going to come their way. He’s not painting the rosiest of pictures here. He’s trying to wake them, and us, up. (Luke 21:36)
And boy, do we ever need waking up. Much like in Noah’s day, we are “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” until it was too late, the door was shut, and they were outside watching the rain come down. The signs are all around us, but we either refuse to believe them, or we’ve allowed ourselves to be blinded to them by the god of this world.
“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be one who misses it. The signs are all around us. Lets wake up, folks. Our redemption draws near. Tell everyone you can.
The Wading Pool 