Matthew 24:29-35 - Sign Posts
Hello and welcome to the Bite-Sized Gospel with Aneel Aranha. Today we will reflect on Matthew 24:29-35. Listen.
“Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
I know that Google has made navigation very easy these days, but what if you found yourself in a place without network? How would you find your way to your destination? You didn’t carry a map because you were relying on Google, so what are you gonna do? Well, you’d look out for sign posts, I imagine, because they would point you in the right direction. The Bible is full of such sign posts. It first points towards Jesus Christ, who famously declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And then Jesus points us towards heaven, by telling us what needs to be done, often prefacing his words by saying: “Listen.”
In the passage we are reflecting upon today, Jesus says, “Look”, rather than, “Listen”, pointing us toward a sign post that will indicate his return. “Look at the fig tree and all the trees,” he says. “As soon as they sprout leaves you know that summer is already near. So also, when you see the things I have described taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.” We can see the signs around us today, but instead of being distressed and anxious, let us look with anticipation of the new season to come. What will the season bring?
In the Book of Revelation, we find Jesus saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4). And then he says, “I am making everything new! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children” (Revelation 21:5-7).
Let us be counted among the victorious. All we need to do is to stick close to the Holy Spirit who points out the signposts along the way. “That way leads to death,” he says, “But this way leads to life. Follow me.” And as we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of God, he will help us overcome the obstacles and stumbling blocks that lie in our path. And if we cannot yet hear his quiet voice, let us use the guide book known as the Bible. King David’s words are true when he wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Happy travels!
May the Spirit be with you.
