If it was the week of your certain death, what would you do? I’m sure this stirs up all sorts of bucket list wishes. Most will not know the time of their death, but there are others who know that it’s close because of an illness they have been fighting. For all of us, death is a certainty, unless Jesus returns first. For me, if I knew it was time, I would call my family in and we would spend that week talking about how much we loved each other. There would be some sweet reminiscing, but most of all I would want to spend my time talking about Jesus. I would challenge each one in their walk with the Lord and assure each one of my relationship with God. I want to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind where I will be spending eternity. I would also spend time texting and calling those that I know are not right with God. It would be important to me to contact those I have taught in years gone by, to encourage them to keep on keeping on for Christ. My example of how I should act this week would have to be Jesus’ actions before He went to the cross.
Jesus never stopped teaching, proclaiming the truth about who He was, and exposing the lies of His enemies. On the Tuesday before His death, Jesus enters the temple and begins to preach. The Pharisees challenge everything Jesus says. They try to trip Him up, but they cannot. He calls them “blind guides” and “hypocrites.” In Matthew 23:24-28, He continues to call them out and expose who they really are. In verse 33, He pronounces their judgment for their actions. They will not escape the damnation of Hell for their unbelief and the treatment of those God has sent to teach them the truth.
Matthew 23:24-28 “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so, ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
Matthew 23:33-34 “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:”
That afternoon, Jesus and His disciples left Jerusalem and went to the Mount of Olives. In Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives looking out over the city of Jerusalem. His disciples are with Him, they must be in His company but not sitting where He is because verse 3 tells us that His disciples came unto Him privately and started asking questions. Jesus begins to teach and tell them of the destruction that is going to come to Jerusalem. As they continue to ask questions, He teaches them of the events that will happen at the end times. He speaks of false prophets, His second coming, and of the final judgment.
This must have been an exhausting day for Jesus and His disciples. Yet, He pushes forward teaching more and more as His end approaches. Chapters 24 and 25 are chocked full of information about the future. It’s enough to throw the disciples into overload in their thinking. However, Jesus wants them to know what to look for, so they will not get off track. He wants them to know the urgency of preaching and teaching others the truth of who He is and why He came.
Today, we are still waiting for His second coming. It appears that His prophecies are being fulfilled as we look at the current events that affect the entire world. We too, are to be busy seeking every avenue to tell others about Jesus and the future. We must be creative and look for every way possible to connect with people. Be ready always to give an answer for Christ and the hope that is within you. Ask God to help you to reach out to others. As people are running frantic trying to fulfill all their obligations during this holiday season it is the perfect time to offer them the hope, peace, and joy that only Christ can give. Just like Jesus, let us be pushing forward until the end of our lives, or until we meet Him at His second coming. Now, the big question is, what will you do?
