Discern This Time!

TEXT: LUKE 12:49-59

KEY VERSE: “And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?” (Luke 12:54,56).

Our Lord, Jesus Christ knew that our present generation would be preoccupied with quest for knowledge of the present and future. He knew that man’s scientific and technological apparatus would be inadequate to answer these concerns. He mocked the short-lived power of those who could predict a rain but could not foresee the revival of righteousness which He brought.

The Bible is also mocking today’s “all-knowing” world leaders who cannot discern global occurrences as happening according to Bible prophecy relating to the end of the world. As we read the passage for today, the Jews in Jesus’ days could not understand the storm of the impending violent Roman overthrow of their city and country in AD 70. They were also ignorant of benefits the teaching and sacrifice of Jesus was going to bring.

The counsel of Jesus holds true today for the sinner: God is both the adversary and judge of the unrepentant sinner; while on the way to the judgment seat, the sinner is encouraged to acknowledge the claims of Jesus Christ and through Him, obtain pardon and eternal life. Refusal to do this will lead to a life of punishment in hell.

For the believer, we are reminded that everything we are, everything we do and everything we own really belongs to God and should be used for the Kingdom work. We are to invest all our resources in heaven’s Stock Market which never crashes.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: This is the day of grace: repentance and salvation are still possible now.