HIS RETURN

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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Today’s devotion follows the next section of the teaching that Jesus Christ gave concerning the coming of the final days, the days that precede the return of the Christ and the end of this experiment known as the old heaven and old earth. 

At the end of all that Jesus predicts, there will be a recreation of all things, a setting right of what sin spun out of alignment. But before that great and glorious day, there will be signs and markers of distress and trial for all alive to witness these days. 

Today’s devotion will consist of a larger section of this teaching from Jesus. I have given you this whole message with only a few breaks for context. Read this message carefully and consider the following questions as you read:

•   What point did the Lord want his followers to learn by sharing this future oriented information?
•   Is the section you are reading meant to be literal or figurative? What makes you think that?
•   What does this mean for me?

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 

(Matthew 24:15-21 NIV11)

•   The sacrifice of swine on the altar during the time of the Maccabees was a trigger point for revolution during the century preceding the birth of the Christ. This is commonly thought to be the fulfillment of this abomination. 
•   Clearly, Jesus is pointing to another form of corruption of the Jewish religious expression that would lead to another form of upheaval.
•   The flight from this time of trial will be terrible and not likely to be something easy to miss for those paying attention. 

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 

(Matthew 24:22-25 NIV11)

•   Who are the elect? Again, Bible translators can be very lazy as they sometimes just use an English word that is just a transliteration of the Greek. This is one of those time. The term used in the Greek is electos. Which turns into the Englis word… you guessed it… elect. 
•   This term is often used to describe a small group that is differentiated against a larger group. So this does not mean some form of individual choosing, rather it can mean that all who are a part of Christ as opposed to the world. 
•   The point here is to help the future believer in Jesus Christ not fall for the fraud of the cults and idolators that seek to lure the unsuspecting away from worshiping the Lord. 

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 

(Matthew 24:26-28 NIV11)

•   Point – You will not miss the return of Jesus Christ in all of his glory. No one will need to convince you of his return, you will see it, feel it, know it, and be changed by it. 
•   So ignore all who would seek to tell you the Lord’s secret plans that only they know. I would not want to be standing to close to those charlatans when the King of Glory comes blasting into our world for the last time. 

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

(Matthew 24:29-31 NIV11)

•   Verses 29-30 describe a time of worldwide calamity and distress that will be obviously tied to the return of the Lord. 
•   In Verse 31 we hear that the Lord will enter into our world once again. This entrance will not be like the first, full of mercy and humility. This final entrance will be a reconning and a cleansing. 
•   Those who are in Christ will be gathered unto the Lord. How? No idea. But it will happen as the Lord promised. That I know for sure.  

As you face the world around you today, consider this prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, I want to be in that number. I want to be one of those who stands firm in my faith until the end. Use me to bear witness to your love, mercy, grace, and finality today. Let me be someone through whom you choose to do what only you can do. I love you Lord and I wait for your glorious return. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Senior Pastor at PARK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Worked at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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