Jesus was very clear about one fact regarding his return; the date itself is not important. What matters is the manner in which we live our lives while we wait.

As people who love God, we want to live our lives to please him, and when Jesus comes back we want to be ready for him (1 Corinthians 1:4-9; Ephesians 5:8,10; Philippians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 5:23-24).

In Matthew 24:32-51 Jesus used several illustrations to define the outlook he wants us to cultivate.

The first image is that of a fig tree (verses 32-35), a tree that generally produces two crops each year. The winter figs ripen in June and the summer figs ripen in early autumn.

One of the distinctives of a fig tree is that the fruit buds appear before the leaves. We can only be certain that the figs are ripe only after the tree has grown all its leaves.

The disciples knew and understood that Jesus was telling them to be on the lookout for the indicators that would point to his imminent return.

The second illistration is found in (verses 36-39). As we consider all that God has told us in the Bible about his return, we would expect that people would be keenly alert to what is going on in the world around them.

But life goes on as usual, just as it did during the many years when Noah was constructing his ark. Suddenly, however, God will carry out precisely what he has told us all along, and even his own people will be caught by surprise.

When Jesus comes back, most of the world will be living in heedless ignorance of the signs that the time is approaching.

Two people, Jesus told us, will be busily engaged in some daily activity, and seemingly without warning will be snatched away into judgement, because the time of God’s wrath will have arrived (verses 40-41).

In (verses 43-44) Jesus pointed out that, if a homeowner were to have received advance warning that a thief would be arriving at a precise moment , he would be on guard, armed with a plan both to protect his property and to apprehend the criminal.

Jesus wants his people to look for him with the same diligence as one who waits in the darkness in anticipation of a break-in.

In the final parable in this chapter, Jesus depicted a servant who was left in charge of a household during his master’s extended absence (verses 45-51).

As the master’s return was delayed for a longer and longer period of time, the servant became careless and surely, beating his fellow servants and feasting on the household’s fine foods and drink.

The master did finally return without advanced notification, and the wicked servant received his just punishment.

Jesus’ urgent advice in this chapter is that we should “keep watch” and “be ready” (verses 42-44).

As we wait for our Lord to return, we are called to demonstrate to others what it means to belong to him, to be people who reflect his character both in attitude and in action.

A wise servant does what his master asks him to do, however trivial or simple the request may seem. Whether the task is something as mundane as building a birdhouse or as grandiose as building a monument, doing God’s bidding as we wait for Him is never a waste of time!

In what specific ways are you preparing yourself for the second coming of Jesus? Is this an issue you discuss with people your friends or family?