Mark 13:28

Mark 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:  Jesus told them that they needed to learn from the fig tree.  When the fig tree branch is tender, they would know that the time was close for the for the figs to be produced, so they should be ready for the coming harvest.  Verse twenty-nine adds, So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.  Jesus said that when we see the signs that were mentioned that we can know the end is near.  Jesus said that many who believed that He was the Christ in that day expected Him to almost immediately claim great power, and after His death, burial and resurrection that they would expect His almost immediate return.  He had given them many signs, such as the wars and rumors of war, the earthquakes in diverse places, the false christs and persecution of Christians for example that would lead up to the day of destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, and they were interpreting this to apply to the second coming of Christ.  Verse thirty continues, Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.  We today also often interpret it the same way, but Jesus said that the generation alive then would not pass away before these things came to pass, and the Temple at Jerusalem was destroyed in that time frame.  Verse thirty-one says, Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Then, He said that heaven and earth would pass away, but His words never would, which I believe means that we need to simply wait patiently for His return.  Even if we pass away, Jesus's promises are still certain, and He will return.  Verse thirty-two adds, But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.  Jesus then said that the Father alone, and not any person, angel, nor the Son, Jesus Himself, knew.  There really is no reason for us to attempt to decide the nearness of the return of Christ to claim His church, those who have accepted Him as their personal Savior and Lord.   Verse thirty-three continues, Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.  Jesus said we are to take heed, watch and pray, because we don't know when He is coming again.  Still, we can be certain that He is, and He will claim those who are His, so if you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, I pray that you will do so today. Verse thirty-four declares, For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.  Though Jesus was telling the disciples this before His death, burial, and resurrection, we today know that He has gone to His heavenly home to await the Father telling Him it is time to return and claim His church.  His church is those who have accepted Him as their personal Savior and Lord and has nothing to do with church buildings or denominations.  This is not to say that we should not have organized religion, or maybe I should say religion that is organized, because we are told also that God is not the author of confusion. (1 Cor. 14:33) Verse thirty-five adds, Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:  Jesus told His disciples that He was leaving His work to them under His authority.  We are His disciples as Christians today, and this still applies to us.  We have our calling to the work that God assigns to us, and we need to be working and watching.  We may be watching the signs for the return of Jesus Christ today, but as He Himself said, we don't know the time when He will return, but that we are to be at work can be understood easily enough.  Verse thirty-six continues, Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.   Jesus then warned the disciples to be ready, so that He would not return and find them sleeping.  We need to wake up today as followers of Christ and be busy doing what He calls us to do.  We cannot know the time of the Second Coming, but we can know that it is closer every day, and that doing the work of God becomes more critical each day.  Verse thirty-seven concludes, And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.  We need to look at lost people, no matter how bad they may be, not with scorn and hatred, just waiting for them to get what they deserve, but with the love and compassion that Jesus Christ feels for them.  We ourselves never deserved God's forgiveness and mercy, and the comparison is not between other people and us, but between Jesus Christ and us, and we all fail by comparison.