Exact day or hour not known

Matthew 24:36-51

LUKE 16:27, “ Na mwet kasrup sac fahk, ‘Fin ouingan nga kwafe sum, Papa Abraham, supwalla Lazarus nu in lohm sin papa tumuk, 28 yen tamulel limekosr luk oasr we. Lela elan som ac sensenkunulos, tuh elos in mau tia tuku nu yen waiok se inge.”

—MATTHEW 24:

-------------------Wangin Mwet Etu Len Sac Ku Ao Sac

(Mark 13:32–37; Luke 17:26–30, 34–36)

36 “Tusruktu, wangin mwet etu lah len sac ku ao sac ac tuku ngac — tia pac lipufan inkusrao, ku Wen. Papa mukefanna pa etu.

37 Pacl in tuku lun Wen nutin Mwet ac fah oana ke ma tuh sikyak in len lal Noah ah.

38 Kutu len meet liki sronot sac, mwet uh mongo ac nim, mukul ac mutan orek payuk, nwe ke na len se ma Noah el sroang nu fin oak ah.

39 Elos tiana etu ke ma ac sikyak uh, nwe ke na sronot ah tuku, ac pahtkakunulosla. Ac fah ouinge pac ke pacl se Wen nutin Mwet el ac tuku uh.

40 In pacl sacn, mukul luo ac tukeni orekma inima uh: sie ac fah utukla, ac sie ac mutana.

41 Mutan luo ac fah tukeni ilil flao ke sie mwe ilil: sie ac fah utukla, ac sie ac mutana.

42 Ke ma inge kowos tawi ac karinganang, mweyen kowos tia etu len se Leum lowos el ac tuku.

43 Funu sie mwet etu ke pacl sie mwet pisrapasr ac tuku nu lohm sel an, kalem lah el ac ngetnget na ac tia lela mwet pisrapasr sac in kunauselik lohm sel ac utyak.

44 Ke ma inge, kowos pac, kowos enenu in akola pacl nukewa, mweyen Wen nutin Mwet el ac tuku ke sie ao ma kowos tia etu kac.-----------------------

While Jesus had given general “sign” to watch for regarding the coming of the end.

HE CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO THE DISCIPLES THAT

THE EXACT DAY OR HOUR WAS NOT KNOWN BY THE ANGELS OR THE SON (JESUS HIMSELF).

It is good that we don’t know exactly when Christ will return.

If we knew the precise date, we might be tempted to be lazy in our work for Christ.

Worse yet, we might plan to keep sinning and then turn to God right at the end.

(v.24:36),

When Jesus said that even he did not know the time of the end, he was affirming his limitations as a human (see Philippians 2:5-8) BIBLE MUTAL, “5 Ouiyen nunak lowos in oana ouiyen nunak lun Christ Jesus:

6 El nuna oana luman God in pacl nukewa,

Tusruktu el tiana srike in orekmakin ku lal elan fulat oana God.

7 El tia oru ouinge, a ke sulela lal sifacna el fuhleak ma nukewa,

Ac ekla nu ke lumah lun sie mwet kulansap.

El ekla oana sie mwet,

Ac sikme nu faclu in luman mwet.

8 El pusisel, ac fahsr inkanek lun akosten nwe ke el sun misa —

Aok, misa lal fin sakseng.

(v. 24:37-39),

The first outpouring of God’s judgment upon sinful people in Noah’s day has a natural connection with the final outpouring at the Lord’s return.

People will be going about their daily business,

just as they were in Noah’s time (Genesis 7:17-24),

Bible Mutal, “17 Sronot uh yokyokelik ke len angngaul, ac kof uh lapak nwe pahtkakunak oak uh. 18 Kof uh loali, na oak ah pahtpat fin kof uh. 19 Lapak nwe eol ma fulat oemeet uh afla pac. 20 Sronot uh kiluk na nu lucng nwe ke na sun fit longoul limekosr lucng liki mangon eol fulat faclu. 21 Ma oasr moul la nukewa fin faclu misa — won nukewa, kosro nukewa, ac mwet nukewa. 22 Ma nukewa ma oasr momong la fin faclu misa. 23  LEUM GOD El kunausla ma moul nukewa faclu — mwet, kosro, ac won. Pwayena ma lula pa Noah, sou lal, ac ma nukewa su welul in oak uh. 24 Kof uh tiana kiluk nu ten, nwe ke sun len aksiofok lumngaul.

Just as the flood caught them unawares (and after it was too late),

and swept them away in judgment,

So it will be when the Son of Man comes (see 1 Peter 3:20-21),20 Ngun inge ma lun mwet su tia akos God ke El tuh mongfisrasr in tupanulos ke Noah el tuh musai oak soko ah. Mwet oalkosr na su muta in oak soko ah pa tuh moliyukla ke kof uh. 21 Kof se inge akilenyen baptais, su pa mwe molela nu suwos in pacl inge uh. Tia orek in olla fohkfok liki mano, a orek tuh in sie wulela nu sin God ke sulela pwaye lun kais sie mwet. Ma se inge molikowosla ke sripen sifil moulyak lun Jesus Christ,

(vv. 24:40-42), SUDDENESS OF HIS RETURN - PICTURED “BUSINESS AS USUAL”

“BUSINESS AS USUAL” IN PALESTINE-

THE MEN OUT WORKING IN THE FIELD,

THE WOMEN DOING DOMESTIC CHORES SUCH AS GRINDING GRAINS.

THE SECOND COMING WILL HAPPEN SO SUDDENLY THAT IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE,

ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE MAY BE TAKEN AND THE OTHER LEFT.

THE REASON?

One was ready

one was NOT

BELIEVERS MUST BE ON GUARD AND ALERT,

CONSTANTLY READY FOR HIM TO COME AT ANY TIME.

CHRIST’S 2ND COMING WILL BE SWIFT AND SUDDEN.

THERE WILL BE NO TIME FOR LAST MINUTE REPENTING OR BARGAINING.

THE CHOICE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MADE WILL DETERMINE THEIR ETERNAL DESTINY.

[vv. 24:43-44], JESUS AGAIN POINTED OUT THE NEED FOR CONSTANT VIGILANCE.

A HOMEOWNER CANNOT NOW WHEN A BURGLAR MIGHT COME TO BREAK INTO HIS HOME,

SO HE MUST STAY ALERT.

SO IT WILL BE WITH THE RETURN OF CHRIST.

HE WILL COME WHEN LEAST EXPECTED.

[24:45-47], IN ANCIENT TIMES IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE FOR MASTERS TO PUT ONE SERVANT IN CHARGE OF ALL THE HOUSEHOLD BUSINESS.

THE SERVANT, DESCRIBED AS FAITHFUL AND SENSIBLE, PARALLELS THE DISCIPLES, WHO WERE GIVEN UNPRECEDENTED RESPONSIBILITY BY JESUS.

YET IT ALSO DESCRIBES THOSE APPOINTED TO POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN CHURCH WHO SHOULD BE FOUND

FAITHFULLY CARRYING OUT THEIR DUTIES WHEN JESUS (THE MASTER) RETURNS.

THESE SERVANTS WILL BE GIVEN REWARDS.

6. [24:48-51], SOME SERVANTS, HOWEVER, MIGHT DECIDE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS,

a.bullying others and indulging themselves.

b. the servant may have thought his master would be gone a long time,

but one day, the master will return unannounced and unexpectedly.

c. it will be sudden and without warning,

an evil servant will be “caught in the act.”

the master’s judgment against his wicked servant will be extremely severe.

even worse than that horrible punishment will be the servants’s eternal destiny.

He will be assigned to a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (referring the hell).

God’s coming judgment is a certain as Jesus’ return to earth.