Tuesday after the second Sunday of End Time, 11/14/00

Luke 21: 32, 33 "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."

In the name of the One Whose words will never pass away, amen.

"How much farther, daddy?" the kids ask again and again. It gets on the parents' nerves, but the children grow tired of the journey. Christians, however run to both extremes. Some are so eager for the end that they are looking for any indication that it will be tomorrow. Others act as if Jesus will never return. In reality, we should plan as if Christ Jesus isn't coming back for another thousand years, and we should live as if He will be back today.

We should plan as if He won't be back for a thousand years so that we are ready to continue doing the work He gave us to do in an efficient manner. We should live as if He is returning today because all the signs have been fulfilled. We will look at some of those signs this week, but bear in mind that the passage we look at today comes at the end of a long list of signs of the end. Jesus says that the generation He was addressing would not pass away until all the signs are fulfilled. The early Church believed those words, and so St. Peter had to explain to them why it seemed like Jesus was slow in returning. Today we are two thousand years closer to the end. The signs are all fulfilled. If the early Church expected Jesus to return at any time, we can be much more prepared than they were. Amen.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, keep us aware of Jesus' return so that we do not waste our time. By Your Holy Spirit, working through the Word and Sacraments, keep us in the true faith, amen.

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