Title: Who will be taken, in that day?
Matthew 24 is what Jesus said on the 3rd day of Passion Week. It was 3 days before the crucifixion of Jesus, when every minute and every second were so precious and cannot be wasted. However, because Jesus loves us, He was explaining once again about what would happen in the last days.
If we look at Matthew 24 in detail, verse 1-14 talks about the signs of the last days, verse 15-28 talks about the Final Great Tribulation, verse 29-31 talks about the second coming of the Jesus, verse 32-35 talks about we must discern the time of the second coming, verse 36-41 talks about no one knows the day of the second coming but Father himself, and finally verse 42-52 as a conclusion, talks about what we should do for the last days.
- There will be “that day and hour” among those days
Matthew 24:36-37 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
The days of Noah were the time when sin was overflowing and those who heard the message of Noah regarding to the flood didn’t pay attention to it but became so busy with eating, drinking and marrying.
Noah built the ark for 70 to 80 years. He must have preached the message of salvation and message with regards to judgement. Yet the people did not pay attention to it until they encountered the flood and when they were drown in the flood.
There are last days, time when sin is overflowing and people do not pay attention to the message of the judgement and message of second coming.
Bible is saying that among last days, there will be one specific day and one specific moment and hour. Single day and single hour when Jesus Christ comes again, when the judgement of God comes.
Mark 1:15 tells us that we are already in the last days. If we are living in the last days, we should pay attention to that day and hour because that is the main thing will be happening. If we say that we are living in the last days but no prepare ourselves for the last day and hour, we are basically ignoring God and His message, just like in the days of Noah, people ignored the message of Noah telling them about the day of the flood.
- In that day, there will be a separation
Matthew 24:40-41 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
This teaches us that there will be a separation. Between husband and wife, if both believe well, both of them will be taken. Between Father and children, if they believe well they will be taken; else there will be a separation.
Transfiguration is a momentary event. Once one was taken it was too late for the left behind to ask how can I be like you or bring me with you. It is already too late when it happened. Those who believe well in Jesus Christ will be taken. Those who don’t believe well will be left on earth and be destroyed.
These 2 men in the field represent believers. Among believers there will be a separation. There will be people who will be taken. There will be people who are not taken (Matthew 7:22-23).
In the last day, there will be the measuring work of God and it is happening within the temple. The court outside represents the place where unbelievers and gentiles are, whereas the temple represents the place where believers are (Revelation 11:1-2). What is the criterion for to be taken or to be left?
- We should be on alert
After a Jesus told the disciples that no one knows they your except for the Father, He warned people to be on the alert. The only way for us to be aware of the day and the hour is to be on the alert every day and every hour. That is the only way we can be prepared for the last day and last hour. It seems that both the 2 men were believers, the one who were taken signify the one who is ready and prepared. The one who was left signify the ones who did not pay attention to His coming.
- Reading the Bible everyday
To be on the alert means to pay attention to the Second Coming. John 5:39 says that the Bible bears witness of Jesus, we cannot neglect reading and studying the Bible daily, in order to be read for that day.
- Praying everyday
To be on alert means to pray unceasingly. Prayer is not only the tool to ask what you want from God but the tool to converse with God and get to know what God wants from us, too.
Conclusion: We should evangelize
After telling the disciples to be on the alert all the time, Jesus continued to explain about the important of evangelism. Thus, evangelism is the final way to be on the alert and ready for that day (Matthew 28:19-20).
Evangelism is also the Great Commission given to all the believers. Generally speaking, evangelism and church growth are two different things. Evangelism (传道) is to deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ and the gospel of redemption.
The above are the summary of the sermon by Pastor David Shin of The Lord’s Covenant Church (TLCC) of Malaysia. TLCC is a Presbyterian Church based in Petaling Jaya, near to Mont Kiara, SS2, Sri Hartamas and Bangsar area.
TLCC is a cozy church with about 50 congregations from nations such as Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 