One Sunday my husband preached a sermon on the need for all of us to be ready for heaven today. He said none of us can know when our time here on earth is finished. It was a good sermon, and one of our church members picked up a pen and paper that Sunday afternoon to write him a note of gratitude for his words. She mailed that note on Monday morning and died on Monday afternoon. He read her note a couple of days later at her memorial service.
The Lord will return, or return for us, at a moment when we do not expect him. Most of the first-century believers were certain Jesus would return in their lifetime. Some of those early Christian believers began to die, and their deaths raised some questions in the early church that Peter addressed in his letter.
Peter assured them that their faith should remain strong. He also reminded them that Jesus wasn’t slow to fulfill his promise to return but was patient to return because he wanted all people to reach repentance. Jesus told his disciples the week before his death, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
Many have speculated about the second coming of Christ, but no one, not even Christ, knows when that time will occur. Jesus’ words to his disciples on the Mount of Olives are interesting in light of today’s technology. Jesus said that when his gospel had been preached to the whole world, the end would come. There has never been a time in human history when that was possible—until now.
The internet has opened up God’s word to anyone who owns a cell phone. The Bible has been translated into almost every language. The entire world might be a constant hot spot in ten or fifteen years because of satellites. Quite possibly, Jesus' words on the Mount of Olives could be fulfilled in our lifetime.
But Jesus didn’t promise that “as soon as” everyone heard he would return. He did say that everyone would hear. Sharing the gospel has always been important, but our urgency has never been greater. Jesus could return soon! Wisdom is joyfully sharing Christ with others. Is there any reason to wait?
