Matthew 24:36–51 (ESV)
No One Knows That Day and Hour
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not
even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then
two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what
day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore
you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper
time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if
that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come
on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The suddenness
of Christ’s second coming, along with His promise that faithfulness will be richly rewarded, moves us to watch eagerly for Jesus. Sadly, many Christians today seem to have lost their expectation of Christ’s imminent return. Countless sins and vices
follow. Christians who are found faithful when called home will be unbelievably privileged: they will share in Christ’s everlasting reign!
I pray: Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Come, save us from this dying world, and lead
us into Your everlasting kingdom, where we shall reign with You. Amen.[1]