Matthew 16.2-3 2 He
replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is
red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red
and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you
cannot interpret the signs of the times. – Jesus
What are the
signs of the times? Are they cultural, political, societal, historical? The
signs of their times were all of
these, including religious. In first century Palestine, there was unrest. There
was military occupation, there was political and societal unrest. And in the
middle of all this, …when the fullness of
the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
to redeem those who were under the law, that [they] might receive the adoption
as sons. (Galatians 4) Wait, what!?
The timing of Jesus coming to earth was in the fullness
of time; and on top of world upheaval, He came proclaiming the good news of the
Kingdom. Do you mean Rome? Israel? David’s?
Credibility is always an issue with men, and perhaps,
rightly so. Jesus came into the world during a tumultuous time, and people,
especially the religious, wanted to know, Who
He was, and, how and why He said what He said. And Jesus
responded to them saying:
You guys know how
to tell what the weather is going to do, why can’t you tell what the signs of
the times are pointing to (Me)? He wanted them to look at their situation
and try to determine where God was in all of it. They of course, had different
ideas – they were looking for a conquering king; Jesus told them that the
Kingdom He spoke of was not the kingdom they sought.
Interpreting the times is always important. Nowadays with
Antifa and the Resistance, and on,
and on, it’s important to interpret the signs. But no sign today is as
important as this: we will not accomplish anything of value with these
incessant protests and cry-babying; we will only come together by the Great Unifier
(or Separator), Jesus Christ.
Well, Paul, that just your
perspective! You’ve just made my point.
They didn’t take Jesus at His word then, and we won’t
take Him at His word now. That is the sign of the times for all time: Man’s insistence that he can work things out
all on his own without God. How’s that workin’?
Jesus came, to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19) That’s
the good news. Despite what the signs
or times say, the bad news is: few will admit they are lost, and even fewer
will seek Him in His seeking them…
Lord, the signs for
me today are obvious: we are in trouble plenty. Help me to correctly interpret
the times and to pray with urgency for the lost – the lost You came to seek and
save. I’m not real sure they’re seeking You, but I know this: You are seeking
them. Use me in Your process of seeking and saving - Amen
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