Matthew 24

Ok all you end timers...let's see if we can pick out everything in the daily headlines that proves Jesus is comming back. Tornadoes, war in the Middle East (like there is ever peace there), earthquake in Chile, the European Union...that proves Jesus will return in our life time!

Just kidding. He might, but I'm not betting on it yet, as these are just the "beginnig of the birth pangs," and my wife had 2 kids...I know how long birth pangs can last.

This chapter speaks volumes about Jesus' return, and it shouts loudest that we should be prepared. How? Well, verses 44-46 seem to say we need to be prepared at any hour by doing what our master has commanded us to be doing. To me, what we should be doing seems to be something that has to do with seeking holiness, and sharing Christ with the world, using the gifts and talents God has given us.
The sad thing to me is that the end time to most people is about wrath and judgment to the unbeliever, so these verses are used as a tool to interpret the times and predict the comming of Christ, and to scare people about what awaits the unbeliever. I wonder what could happen if it was just as popular to use them to show people the promise of a Saviour, who will come with his angels in power, and collect his people who are struggling to himself. Stop trying to predict the coming and instead embrace that no one knows its timing and we should always be on guard, ministering and feeding the world arround us. Stop the fear and give the hope. But I don't suppose that would sell as many books.
And finally, I would like to add that the generation Jesus spoke to has passed away (verse 34). Does that mean it all happened already? or that we can't read this literally? Did I miss the event? Did is misunderstand the intent of the scripture? That is a challenge I'll be trying to overcome today.