Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. — Matthew 24:42

Recently, my husband and I had the pleasure of attending the wedding of a young couple in our church family. Along with many other friends and family members, we gathered in the sanctuary late one Saturday afternoon to share in the joy of this special occasion. A string ensemble played soft, romantic music as we waited for the appointed hour to arrive. After a time, the mothers of the bride and groom were escorted to their places. The minister and handsome (though a bit nervous) groom took their places in the front. The lovely bridesmaids walked down the aisle, one by one; the flower girl and Bible-bearer came next. These were all signals that the moment we were awaiting was about to arrive! Then, trumpeters in the balcony sounded forth, announcing, “Here Comes the Bride.” It was time! The audience rose, and all eyes turned toward the double doors opening into the sanctuary, anticipating the first glimpse of the beautiful bride.

An event is coming for which we all need to be watching — Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth again! Only those who are watching will be ready for this great event. We read, “Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time” (Hebrews 9:28). 

How do we watch for Christ’s coming? First, we look into the Word of God. The Bible enlightens us, and tells us how to correctly prepare for the return of Christ. As we study His words and put them into practice, we are “watching.”

The second way we watch is by looking at the events that are taking place in the world today. Prophets of old foretold what would occur in the time prior to Christ’s return, and we can see the fulfillment of those prophecies all around us. We watch by taking note and recognizing that the day we are waiting for cannot be far away.

Finally, we watch by looking within. We watch to make sure that we maintain a conscience void of offense before God and man. We watch to make sure that the cares of life do not overwhelm us. We watch to guard against a root of bitterness springing up. We watch by letting God’s mirror of truth reveal the motives of our hearts.

When the trumpet of God sounds, it will not be announcing an earthly bride, but the King of the ages, the Son of God himself! Are you watching for His return?

BACKGROUND

The text for today focuses on the prophesied events at the end of the Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. The sun being darkened and the stars falling are a few of the cataclysmic events that will take place. The mention of “the sign of the Son of man in heaven,” in verse 30, is not fully explained here. However, some ancient commentators believed a cross will appear in the sky, while others suggest it will be the glory of Christ himself. What is known is that some visible manifestation will mark the return of Christ at the end of the Tribulation period. 

The illustration of the fig tree, in verses 32-35, was used to represent the nation of Israel, while the surrounding trees represent the other nations of the world. Just as the budding of the trees is an indicator that summer is near, the signs are an indicator of the imminent Rapture of the Church. 

Verses 36-42 compare the days of Noah to the days of the last generation in that they prefigure the condition of humanity at the time of Christ’s return. “Eating and drinking,” and “marrying and giving in marriage” indicate that the last generation, like that in Noah’s day, will be pleasure-oriented and self-gratifying without heeding the signs of His return and judgment. 

The collapse of families is just one example of the direct results of the pleasure-oriented lifestyle. With recent data indicating that there are one million new divorces every year in America, the signs are strikingly evident today. The warning in verse 44 (and again in 25:13), to, “watch therefore,” comes from the Greek word grēgoreo, which means to “be continuously on guard.”

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

(Hannah’s Bible Outlines - Used by permission per WORDsearch)
VI.   The official presentation and rejection of the King
      D.   The prophetic announcements of the King
            3.   The development of prophetic history
                  b.   The sign of Christ’s return (24:27-30)
                  c.   The regathering of Israel (24:31)
                  d.   The coming of Christ (24:32-51)
                        (1)   The sign of Christ’s coming (24:32-36)
                        (2)   The suddenness of Christ’s coming (24:37-51)
                                (a)   The historic precedent (24:37-39)
                                (b)   The future events (24:40-42)
                                (c)   Instructions to be ready (24:43-44)
                                (d)   An illustrative parable (24:45-51)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. In the story of the two servants, what is the good servant blessed with?
   
   
2. What can we learn from the parable of the fig tree about preparation for the end times?
   
   The days of Noah?
    
   The thief in the night? 
   
   
3. What must you do in your own life to be prepared for Christ’s return?

CONCLUSION

No one knows the day nor the hour of Christ’s return. How important it is for us to watch for the signs so we are not caught off guard!