Matthew 24:14
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
The title of this passage in my Bible in Matthew 24 is called “Signs of the End of the Age.” The disciples came to Jesus asking what the world will look like when the end is approaching. In verses 5-12, Jesus said that they would know his second coming was near when nations would rise against each other, famines and earthquakes would take place, believers face hatred, false prophets rise, and lawlessness be rampant. Sounds awful, right? How could we possibly be encouraged by this?
In Matthew 24:14, at the end of the passage, Jesus states that the gospel will be proclaimed throughout the world before the end comes. He doesn’t state that everyone will be accepting of the message, just that it will be proclaimed until the end. As Christians, we should press on to share Jesus to the world even with the hope that just one soul is to be saved. The verse is a promise that the gospel will be preached through whatever means, no matter what. I don’t know about you, but that is something I want to be a part of!
Jesus paints a dark picture around what is to come, yet he ends with a statement that brings hope for us. Jesus wants us to understand that God is still sovereign. Matthew 24:14 shows that God is not giving up on us. He doesn’t stop pursuing. He doesn’t stop being faithful. God doesn’t stop offering His love even to the very last millisecond, at the very end.
I pray that my heart is in alignment with His will, that I am guided by Him, and that I am usable by Him to complete His work.
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
- Many are quick to point out the signs of the times today, but are we doing our part by proclaiming the message?
- Who can you share the good news with and provide hope in dark days?
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you?
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
A big thanks to Elise Jones (on mission this week in Solola, Guatemala) for today’s devotional thought!
Photo by Duncan Kidd on Unsplash