Acts 3: 19-21 This passage contains the church’s short-term, mid-term and long-term goals: (1) Short: live lives quick to repent, turn from our bad behaviour, apologise and put things right with those we have sinned against – this is a time of restitution and restoration, not just with God but with other people. It is time to put right the wrong we have done, if possible. (2) Mid: Live in constant expectation that times of refreshing will come from the Lord – there is so much more for us! Live in divine dissatisfaction with how things are now. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matt 5: 9 (3) Long: Pray, work and live towards the return of Jesus to take His throne here on earth, where we will sit with Him and share His joy.
Jesus talked repeatedly about ascending his throne, and he attracted huge numbers of people who thought that meant he would become an earthly king in their lifetime and drive the Romans out of Israel. The early church lived in constant expectation that Jesus would return to ascend his throne as king of the world and put everything that was wrong right – the time of the restitution and restoration of everything. We should be living now in daily expectation of His return. How dare we be casual about it?!
Great tribulation means great pressure. One day today will become The Day – the great and terrible day of the Lord. The gap between today and The Day is getting smaller, and the pressure, tension, stress and upheaval are going to keep on increasing. We need help to make it through. It won’t help us to understand things like the meaning of 666. What will help us endure is what helped Jesus: Heb 12: 2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Rev 3: 21 To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with me on my throne We must look beyond our present troubles to the joy of sitting on His throne with Him in the place of ultimate blessing and glory. Lock your mind and your whole being onto Him and the joy He sets before you – on His return, when He sits on His throne in Jerusalem and puts everything that is wrong right, YOU will sit with Him on that throne and share His joy - enjoy seeing Him receive His reward.
Stay locked onto the joy that is set before you as you run this earthly race with perseverance right to the end – only this joy can anchor your heart and pull you through, and it will. That’s a promise. Look through your present life and what you are enduring to Jesus. Live like that and there will be a Day when His joy becomes your joy.
