Scripture Reading : Mark 13:24-37
Theme : The Second Coming
This is the second part of the Olivet Discourse, when Jesus spoke about the second coming after telling them the events that precede the second coming.
- Be Appointed. When Jesus comes again the second time, He will gather His elect “from the four winds”, a colloquial expression referring to everywhere. This means that none of those who belong to Christ and are appointed to receive eternal life would be left out. Angels will gather unbelievers for judgment (Matt 13:41, 49-50) and the elect for glory.
- Be Aware. When the fig tree bears leaves, it is the sign that summer is coming. Jesus had foretold the events leading to the second coming, so believers must be aware and heed the Lord’s warnings.
- Be Alert. At the moment when Jesus spoke these words to the disciples as a man, He did not know when the second coming would be. Even though Jesus is fully God at all times, He voluntarily restricted the use of certain divine attributes when He became a man. The main point of Jesus’ words, however, is that only being aware (knowing) of the second coming is not sufficient, if one is lazy and does not prepare for it. It is more important to act on the knowledge and prepare for the Lord’s second coming by doing His work now.
Praying the Scripture
- When Jesus comes again the second time, there will no longer be any opportunity for sinners to repent. Let us pray for opportunity to share the Gospel with people we know, so that they too may be amongst those appointed to eternal life.
- Let us pray for discernment to be aware of the events before the end-times, many of which are already occurring (e.g. wars, earthquakes, famine, false teachers, etc).
- Being aware without taking action is like the foolish man described in James 1:23-24, who looks at a mirror but immediately forgets what he looks like. Let us pray that we may be diligent in doing the Lord’s work and prepare for His second coming.
经文：马可福音13:24-37
主题：主再来
这是橄榄山讲论的第二部；耶稣现在述说的是主再来时将发生的事。
- 要信主。当耶稣二次再来时，祂将“从四方”（即从各处）招聚祂的选民。这表示凡属基督的，被指定领受永生的将不会被冷落。天使会招非信徒面对审判（太13:41,49-50）；选民则会被招进入荣耀。
- 要清楚。当无花果树长叶子时，这是夏天将临的迹象。耶稣已经预言了祂再来之前将发生的事，所以信徒务必要清楚，并听从主的警告。
- 要警醒。当耶稣以人的身份向门徒说这些话时，祂并不知道何时是再来的日子。虽然耶稣全然是神，但当祂成为人时，祂甘愿限制使用自己某方面的神圣属性。即便如此，耶稣话中的重点是：只拥有主再来的认识是不够的；人不可以懒惰，不为此做准备。人必须要有行动，趁着现在的时间工作，好预备主再来。
用经文祷告
- 当耶稣再来时，罪人就没有机会悔改了。让我们祷告能有机会向我们所认识的人传福音，叫他们也能被指定得到永生。
- 让我们祈求能有分辨的心，能辨明末世前将发生的事，因为其中许多已经在发生了（如：战争、地震、饥荒、假教师，等）。
- 有意识却没有行动，就好比雅各书1:23-24所叙述的愚昧人一样，照了镜子后便立刻忘记自己的长相。让我们祷告我们会殷勤行主的工，预备主再来。
