Day 79, Matthew 24 and 25
I have brought Matthew 24 and 25 together for today’s reading, because they both contain Jesus’ teaching on the end of history and the return of our Lord. I have bracketed both chapters to serve our understanding: if we read too slowly and with a focus on the specifics, we will trip over much mistaken “theology” that is rife in the North American Church. Conversely, if we read the both chapters as a whole, we may avoid the tripwires of escapism, self-effort and judgmentalism, to discover the broad theme of all these parables, teachings and stories.
Jesus’ foundational message is the same here as it has been since He first said “The Kingdom of God is Here” back at the start of our readings: relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the key to life in this world and life in the world to come.
We can be reassured, and corrected, by Jesus’ words in these chapters: we will enjoy the reward of eternal fellowship with Him, if we live in temporal community with Him now. We are not waiting for some celestial trumpet to herald our escape from this world into a perfect and distant heaven. Instead (and we will come back to this thought in December) we are waiting for the return of a man who has conquered death and sin, to establish an eternal kingdom of love, joy, and peace on a new earth.
So beware the hiss of self-effort as you read today. Instead, see how many times your brother, Jesus, invites you to live out your friendship with Him in your actions and priorities.
To flush your mind of mistaken theology (especially in the area of eschatology and the end times), I recommend N.T. Wright’s “Surprised By Hope” and “Jesus and the Victory of God”, Dallas Willard’s “The Divine Conspiracy” (especially Chapter 10), and Michael Heiser’s “The Unseen Realm”.
Have a great day!
Mark.