Jump Start # 2990

Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Note: There will be no Jump Start tomorrow. Enjoy this period of time with your family and we look forward to being back with you on Monday.

This week we are looking at “countdowns” in our lives. We’ve talked about Sunday worship. We’ve talked about marriage. We’ve talked about Jesus coming out of the grave. There is yet another big countdown still to come and that is the return of Jesus. We know when the next Sunday is. We know the dates of weddings. We understand Jesus’ resurrection. But this one, the coming of Jesus, no one knows. Might be in our lifetime and it might not.

Romans 8 states that “we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” Counting down. Eagerly awaiting. Anticipation.

Things will certainly change when the Lord appears. The world has never seen anything like this. This life will be over. The living will be changed in an instant. The dead will be raised. The earth will be destroyed. Nothing like this has ever happened. Jesus will appear with all the angels.

Some thoughts:

First, when that happens, nothing else matters except Jesus. You won’t be concerned that you didn’t get to the mailbox and see what was in it. It won’t matter if you left something on the stove. Finding you cell phone won’t matter. I doubt we’ll be taking selfies when Jesus comes. Where are your shoes, car keys, wallet, purse, and a dozen other things that we consider important, won’t be a that moment. All that will matter is your faith in Jesus. Some will be so happy to see the Lord because they have always believed. They will cry. Some will be so scared because they have never believed. Some may try to hide. It won’t work. Some may want to run, but there’s no place to run to. All those sermons. All those Bible classes. All those hymns. All those prayers. Now, at that moment, it’s all about Jesus.

Second, there will be some things that just won’t get done when Jesus comes. Imagine Jesus comes this morning. I’ve got some things I’m expecting in the mail this week. They wouldn’t be delivered. I have a bunch of emails to send. That won’t happen. There are some who are getting married next year. That wouldn’t happen if Jesus came today. And, all those Christmas presents and cookies. Simply gone. Everything gone, except you and your faith. Doctor visits, labs, reports, school projects, teams practicing for games, tickets for programs that will not take place—it is amazing how our lives are structured around us being around, but that wouldn’t happen if Jesus came today. Some books would never be finished. Some Jump Starts never sent. Some sermons never written. Some funerals never held. Everything stops. Everything ends. Everything is over. That’s what would happen if Jesus came today.

Third, there is a sense of expectation in our verse today. Come, Lord Jesus, is how the passage ends. It’s a prayer. It’s a plea. It’s a longing. Come, Jesus, come. Some may see this directed towards the ending of persecution. Others see this as the final coming of Jesus. Come, so we can be together. Come, so Satan can finally be sent where he belongs. Come, to make all things right. Come and let us enter into eternal fellowship. The voice of Revelation is wanting and longing for the Lord to come. Come now. Come soon. Come.

Are you at a place where you can say that? Do you want the Lord to come? Do you want the Lord to come now? Come, and let us be done with this old world. Come, and let us be through with temptation. Come, and let us never be bothered again by traffic, bugs, or Satan. Come, and let us enjoy the greatest blessings of all, Heaven. Come, and let us be reunited with the godly for all time. Come. There is nothing holding us here.

The divine countdown. When will Jesus come? We don’t know. God has not told us. We ought to live as if each day could be the last day. I have a little thing I do each day when I leave my office at the church building. The trash is taken out. Books are put up. All the papers are where they are supposed to be. The desk is neat and the room clean. I do this so that if I never come back again, the next person will find it all tidy and ready to go. We need to live our lives that way. We ought to live as if one foot is already in Heaven. Live as if you are ready. Live as if you are anticipating. Live as if you have are ready and expecting.

Countdown…Jesus is coming!

Roger