Our Future Life: Mark 13:24-27
As the world turns away from Him, our task is to remain oriented towards Him. This has been the theme for several days. It isn’t always an easy task. Sometimes, the logic of the world does seem to make sense. Sometimes, the emotional appeal on our heart can be tough to ignore because it involves friends or family. Sometimes it is difficult to stand on truth when it isn’t popular.
Jesus teaches that after the world has its day making an abomination of His creation, the sky will be darkened. More specifically, the sun will become dark, the moon won’t shine, and the stars will fall. Whether this is literal or figurative, there is a neat parallel to be drawn. The world will eventually make their own way, abandoning God in the process, and as a result their light will go out. As they chase God out of their existence, the light of the world goes away. Then Jesus comes back. The symbolism cannot be more interesting.
After Jesus comes back, the angels of heaven will be sent out to collect the followers of God. They will be collected from the ends of the earth and the ends of heaven. This is another way of saying the dead in Christ and those who are still living will come together and be with God.
Imagine that moment. Imagine standing among the angels. Imagine looking across the crowd and spotting Abraham and Moses. Imagine seeing David and Elijah. Imagine spotting Peter and James and John and Andrew. Imagine standing among all your mentors and their mentors.
Even more significantly, imagine being transformed from this existence, subject to the temptations of sin, into an existence where sin can no longer touch us. Imagine a life when we can finally do the right thing, think the right thing, and live in harmony with our neighbors. Imagine a life of both inner and external peace.
Most importantly, imagine existing in the presence of God. Imagine being able to know His presence completely. Imagine the feeling of completeness that eternal existence with Him brings.
This is the end to which we ascribe. This is the hope to which we hold fast. One day, that will be our reality so long as we stay the course. This is why Jesus stresses to not be led astray. The joy of our future existence with Him – the ability to know life as He intended – will only come if we stay in relationship with Him. We don’t have to live perfectly; He can forgive our sin. Jesus came to die for our sake because we cannot save ourselves. We simply need to respond to His offer of eternal life with Him. We need to acknowledge His presence in our life and acknowledge that His ways are better than ours. As the world turns away from Him, our task is to remain oriented towards Him.
