May 4:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS GOSPEL.
"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come."--Matthew 24:14

 Being part of a generation that was born without social media, I continue to be amazed at the way the whole world can be reached with the touch of a button.  As our ministry is growing, I was curious to find out where, geographically, people are watching our videos.  It was a sobering moment when consulting one of our internet video program hosts, I saw a world map with areas of our audience highlighted in shades of blue.  I was stunned to see that areas of blue spanned the globe.  Matthew 24:14 immediately came to my mind.

Jesus explained in general terms to expect difficult times, including false messiahs and pseudo-prophets, as well as wars, rumors of wars, betrayals, hate, famines, earthquakes, and lawlessness (Matthew 24:5-12).  These things sound like our daily news, don't they?  As a result, some will be misled, others will fall away and the love of many will grow cold, but Jesus says this will not yet be the end (verse 6).  The good news is greater than the bad news: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come" (verse 14).  The phrase, "then the end will come" stands in contrast to the previous phrase "is not yet the end" (verse 6), highlighting that the wars, famines, and earthquakes do not usher in the end, but that the fulfillment of the gospel commission does.  The scope of the proclamation is clearly delineated in the phrase "in the whole world."  It literally means all the inhabited earth.  The focus of the preaching is the gospel (verse 14; see Revelation 14:6).  The word translated as "gospel/good news" was used secularly as the victory cry that the heralds brought from the battlefield.  We are to herald Jesus' victory over evil, which He achieved through His perfect life, death, and resurrection.  Hence the title of this devotional book: "Jesus Wins!"  As important as the signs of the end may be, these are not to be our core proclamation; the gospel of Jesus Christ is the focus of our mission.  May Jesus' sacrifice be preached to all the nations, and then the end will come!

My Response:__________________________________________________________

May 3:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS ARRIVAL.
"At Midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him.' "--Matthew 25:6

When I married my husband, my three close friends were my bridesmaids.  They planned a special, intimate time just for the four of us before the wedding.  It was so beautiful and meaningful!  I remember everything about it.  At the wedding, they readily took care of every detail, including some unexpected situations that arose.  I am so thankful for my bridesmaids, who made our wedding extra special.


After the discourse of Jesus about His glorious second coming, Luke records three parables that address being ready for His coming, because we don't know the hour.  The second parable (Matthew 25:1-13), referred to as the parable of the ten virgins, talks about a longer than anticipated delay of the bridegroom.  In the first century, and even now in some Palestinian villages, the bridesmaids, after a day of festivities, leave the bride at night and go out with torches to meet the bridegroom.  They bring him to the bride, and then the joyful procession escorts the bride to the groom's house.  It was common for the groom to be delayed, and therefore the maids had to be prepared, having extra oil for their torches.  In this parable, as the groom delays longer than expected, all ten virgins fall asleep.  Then at midnight the shout is heard: "Behold, the bridegroom!"  There is one other occasion in Matthew where the word bridegroom is used (Matthew 9:15); in both cases it refers to Jesus.  When the bridegroom arrives, only half of them are ready (as is the case with the men in the fields and the women at the mill; see Matthew 24:40, 41).  The foolish maids who are lacking oil to light the way for the groom go out to buy some, but it is too late.  The time for getting ready is over, and they miss the procession and the festivities.  The parable ends with the exhortation of Jesus: "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:13).  This is the time for persistent, joyful spiritual preparedness and watchfulness.  "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9).  Let's not become weary of waiting for His arrival.  Be assured of the certainty of His coming!

My Response:_______________________________________________________

May 2:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS REDEMPTION.
"When these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."--Luke 21:28

When I was a young girl, we were blessed to have a good-sized backyard with several fruit trees in the city of Buenos Aires.  I eagerly awaited summer time, when I would be able to play with my friends and eat the delicious figs, avocados, and sweet grapes.  As an adult, I discovered that my anticipation of summer was actually a parable that Jesus told about His second coming.

During His ministry, Jesus prophesied things to come, both in their immediate future and in His second coming.  In the last days, there would be signs in the sun, moon, stars, and the sea (Luke 21:25-27).  Jesus mentioned two strikingly opposite responses to these signs: some would faint from fear of the things that are coming, yet Jesus admonishes us to straighten up and lift up our heads because our redemption is drawing near.  Then He tells the parable of the trees and the summer: "Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things [attesting signs] happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near" (verses 30, 31).  When leaves appear on the trees, we start looking forward to summer!  Jesus exhorts us to choose faith over fear and to lift up our heads when we see the signs of His coming because our redemption is drawing near!  I find a calm assurance in the terms "Redeemer" and "redemption," because in the Old Testament (LXX) these terms related to the release of a person or property on payment of a ransom.  Redemption is the recovery of the human race through the high price that Jesus paid for us on the cross!  The ransom had been paid, and He is coming back to take us home!   Jesus said: "They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" (verse 27).  Christ is coming back for us as a parent who paid the ransom for His kidnapped children and is coming to deliver them!  I am eagerly awaiting that blessed day!  In the meanwhile, choose faith over fear!  Our redemption is near!

My Response:_____________________________________________________________

May 1:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS COMING.
"They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory."--Matthew 24:30

I was standing on the Mount of Olives, and the view virtually took my breath away.  There is a Jewish cemetery there, with thousands of tombs overlooking the temple.  Some scholars believe that the earliest burials there date back three thousand years.  Certainly, the cemetery was already there during the Second Temple period and the time of Jesus.  I find it fascinating that Jesus decided to deliver His discourse about His second coming and the end times from this place, overlooking the temple and this oldest and most important Jewish cemetery.

Jesus was on the Mount of Olives when His disciples came to ask Him about the destruction of the temple (Matthew 24:1, 2), His coming, and the end of the age (verse 3).  The Mount of Olives is mentioned in a prophecy found in Zechariah 14:4: "In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley."  Now Jesus is on the Mount of Olives, in front of this ancient cemetery, overlooking the magnificent temple, and he chooses this specific place to discuss the destruction of the temple and, most importantly, the signs and the event of His Coming.  At this time, the disciples were not able to distinguish between the two events; both probably seemed the same to them.  After mentioning persecution, wars, pseudo-prophets, et cetera, Jesus reveals how this age of pain will end with His second coming!  The Greek word for His coming is parousia; it is used three times in this discourse (Matthew 24:27, 37, 39) and not at all in the other Gospels.  Parousia became the blessed hope of Christians in all ages..  In the New Testament, the word "hope" is used in the sense of "assurance," not in the English sense of "I hope this happens" but with the certainty that it will happen.  When I visit my parents' tomb, I often imagine what that cemetery will look like on the morning of the resurrection, the day of Jesus' second coming.  I can't wait!  Jesus promised it, and therefore, it is a sure thing!

My Response:__________________________________________________________