Jesus has
just spoken to His disciples of His departure from the earth.
The detail
Jesus has provided about the events which will transpire from His time into our
future are staggering. Can you imagine what the disciples must have been
feeling and sensing?
In the first
case, it would have been difficult and even tragic to even think of Jesus leaving.
He has been their ‘All in All’ and their ‘everything’ in this period of their
lives.
For three
years He has walked with them and provided God’s instruction and guidance in
every thought, and every word, in every deed. It is impossible to fathom how
MUCH they may have learned from Jesus while they walked with Him. Can you
imagine trusting God with EVERY decision and action for three years’ time - and
then having to contemplate losing that sort of direct counsel and instruction?
Sure, the
teaching Jesus has just laid out for them in Luke 17 is fantastic, but rest
assured, the part they probably heard the loudest was the part where He
informed them He is leaving them. (The implication is He is leaving soon.)
And so,
certainly the focus goes to His return, which Jesus also emphasized. However, in
the prophetic manner Jesus spoke, His return is not as well-defined as His
departure.
It still isn’t
today, and this becomes an issue for all Christians. When WILL Jesus return?
How are we
to respond to His absence?
As
Christians we are dealing with the very same issues His disciples were when it
comes to Jesus’ return. He promised to return. When will this be? (WILL it be?)
Jesus
reassures His disciples with the same guidance He provides us. His return is
certain. A given. There should be no doubt. Why then do they/we doubt? Why then
would we possibly lack when it comes to making our petitions before God? Why
would our persistence ever lag – especially when we see earthly examples all
around us making their persistent petitions to earthly judges for their needs? Poignantly,
and very poignantly Jesus asks: “When
I return, will I really find faith on the earth?”
-Pastor Bill
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