Passion Week: Holy Tuesday

“And as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?’"—Mark 13:3-4

The coming of Christ ushered in the beginning of the end times. As we take time out of our week to commune with our Lord, meditate on His passion, and remember His death for our sins, we not only remember His crucifixion and resurrection, but we look forward to the time when He will come again to reign and set up His kingdom on earth.

In our passage for today, Jesus taught His disciples what signs to look for at the close of the age before He was to return again. Paul wrote about this to the church of Thessalonica, describing Jesus’ Second Coming as our “blessed hope”—the day when He will be

“revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might, when He comes on that day to be glorified in His saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”—2 Thessalonians 1:7-12.

Jesus is coming again! It is our blessed hope and the day we long and pray for. As we consider Christ’s sacrifice, may we see it through the light of His resurrection and ascension. Luke tells us that after Jesus rose from the dead and walked and fellowshipped with His disciples for forty days, He ascended into heaven. As they were standing there looking into heaven, two angels appeared, saying to them,  

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven"—Acts 1:11.

May we look to His coming with great joy, making sure that we are ready when He comes, since Jesus said at the end of the book of Revelation, “Surely I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:20). And may we pray, with great conviction and courage, the prayer of John the apostle, “Amen. Come Lord Jesus”(Revelation 22:20). Amen.