34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” 37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.
Jesus challenges people to watch for His coming. He warns them not to be surprised when He comes.
21:34
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down [burdened] with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
Preparation for Christ’s Second Coming requires keeping short accounts with God. Those weighed down with revelry, drunkenness, and excessive concern for “the cares of this life” will not be prepared for the Day of the Second Coming. This verse warns us about those values because they make us less alert for His coming. Partying and the stresses of life will blunt His expectation.
21:35
For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Most of the world will be surprised when Jesus comes the second time. The entire world will see His appearance.
21:36
Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Unlike those caught unprepared for Christ’s coming, believers must stay alert and pray. If so, they will escape an unworthy readiness for the Lord’s coming. Standing before the Son of Man is when He will judge believers.
21:37
And in the daytime He was teaching [continual] in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.
Verses 37-38 conclude Jesus’ sermon on the Mount of Olivet. Beginning with verse thirty-seven, Jesus outlined His schedule during His last week before the crucifixion. During the day, He taught in the temple, and in the evenings He spent time on the Mount of Olivet.
21:38
Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.
In the morning Jesus returned to teach in the temple from the Mount of Olivet. People came early in the morning to hear Him and to become exposed to His teaching.
PRINCIPLE:
It is dangerous to be careless about Christ’s coming.
APPLICATION:
We can become so entangled in the affairs of this life that we lose sight of Christ’s coming. It creates a callousness about His coming. The Day when Jesus comes will come as a thief (Lu 12:39-40). He comes the first time to take the church to Himself, but He comes the second time to judge the world. The Rapture is a blessed hope for believers (Tit 2:13), but the Second Coming is a time of judgment on the world and also the event that ushers in His kingdom.
