This evening I heard a very interesting advertisement for an upcoming show. Tune in next Monday night for a surprise visit from (blank). They mentioned the name of someone famous. You can fill in the blank with any name you want. The name wasn’t important. It was the concept that next week we will be surprised to see this person. Really? Didn’t they just tell us who it is? They must have figured the only people who will be watching will be us old guys who will have forgotten who it is but tune in because we want to be surprised.
It reminded me of people who will be surprised by the sudden second coming of Jesus. While we have not been told when He is coming, like the TV announcement, we are assured by so many people He is returning. It should not be a surprise. He tells us in Matthew 24 He is coming again. He tells us in John 14 He is coming to take us home to be with Him. In Revelation He tells us that He comes quickly. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15 and I Thessalonians 4 that He is coming again. It is not a secret nor is it a surprise. We are encouraged, like in the TV ad, to watch. Jesus tells us in the parable of the ten young ladies to be ready. For the young ladies in the parable being ready meant having enough oil and for us being ready means being filled with the Holy Spirit after accepting His gift of eternal life.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is not that He is coming but that He hasn’t yet come. And yet we shouldn’t be surprised because He does tell us why He is waiting. Please see II Peter 3 for the answer.
Written by Roger Bothwell on July 6, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St.Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org