The Lord’s Return—A Sense of Urgency?

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.—Mark 13:33

Michael Costelli

The Lord’s return has been the subject of many intense discussions, provoking thoughts and even extreme conflict among the Lord’s people down through the Gospel age. Understanding of this subject has varied. Some envision an instantaneous event with all earth’s inhabitants watching, while others expect a gradual ushering-in of the Lord’s spirit causing man’s eventual conversion process. Nevertheless, the Lord has promised his faithful followers that he would personally return into the earth’s atmosphere (1 Thess. 4:17) for the express purpose of receiving his church unto himself (John 14:3) and taking them home with him and establishing his kingdom on earth. Initially, this idea produced doubt and confusion, especially with Thomas, as to the manner and purpose of this action (John 14:5).

After the brethren discussed this subject and later when the holy spirit came upon the early church, it became clearer in their minds and hearts. We learn of this as we read the apostle’s description of his return and the associated activities (2 Peter 3:10-13).

New Testament epistles clearly record the single-mindedness of the early church concerning the promised kingdom of the Lord. One of every thirteen verses in the New Testament refers to it. In 1 Thessalonians, one of every seven verses deals with the subject and in 2 Thessalonians, one of every three. James refers to it in James 5:7, 8; Peter in 2 Peter 3:10. The early church believers were motivated by hope as well as by faith. Hope, more than faith, seems to have been the outstanding feature of the character. This is not to say that they possessed one more than the other; but together faith and hope formed the bulwark of their aspirations and energized their daily activities. They referred to it as a "lively hope," "that blessed hope," "this hope," "one hope," "our hope," "the hope of our calling," and "the hope set before us." The evidence is that it dominated their very lives and completely filled their hearts. Since the early church was motivated to an obvious urgency about the Lord’s return, it is worthy of our thoughtful consideration.

Urgency

What is urgency? What do we think of when the word urgent comes to mind? The dictionary lists as synonyms these words: "compelling," "important," "momentous," "impulsive," "enthusiastic" and "overpowering." Urgency prompts a response consistent with the thought producing it. For example, if one lives in a portion of the country prone to hurricanes, he is generally familiar with weather reports of the incoming storm. With our modern technology reporting such storms, we can respond in a relatively calm manner as compared to a sudden warning of days gone by. However, since a hurricane generally is unpredictable, there is a measure of uncertainty as to its location and intensity of strike, thus we still feel a sense of anxious urgency about our response. We begin to take care of business depending upon whether we are preparing for the storm’s direct hit or an evacuation of the area.

Anxiety can also produce similar feelings. We feel a need to quickly change our surrounding conditions or our perception of them for our continued well-being. However, the Master instructed us well regarding this subject (Matt. 6:27-34). We should place all our care with and dependency upon our heavenly Father. In that case, any sense of urgency regarding the anxious thought is relieved by the believer’s peaceful repose in his constant care and vigilance. We should not be anxious about the Lord’s return, but anticipate it with a sense of urgent confidence.

Urgency and anxiety are related in opposite ways to the concept of hope. Hope is described by the use of synonyms "to pose," "deem likely," "believe," "be assured," "feel confident," "anticipate," "be prepared for," and "make plans for."

Whenever hope has been measurably exercised by focusing on a desirable end result, the populace have usually risen to a higher capacity. On the other hand, where hope is crushed by the denial or removal of the heart’s affection, history has shown a resultant subservient, cast-down civilization.

The scriptures tell us that " . . . hope deferred maketh the heart sick." In other words, we say we are depressed. Depressed people are usually inactive and misdirected. Hope deferred is the antithesis of urgency. Conversely, the scripture continues, "when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life" (Prov. 13:12). Much is written and said about the subject of depression in our modern society. Except for medical cases, many have become depressed or lost hope because they have become ignorant about God’s promises. Simply put, the world needs the Lord and his righteous kingdom. The modern educational and societal processes have systematically crowded out the hope of the Lord’s return as well as any semblance of its righteous rule in our present civilization, causing man to become heartsick and sin-sick.

If you speak with a consecrated Christian who joyfully anticipates the appearance of his Lord and Savior, you will find one who is not depressed but is daily energetically and urgently involved in the affairs of his Lord. "This lively hope" actuates the hopeful as to its reality and fulfillment through the holy spirit, "the earnest of our inheritance." Jesus said "peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). Jesus knew upon his departure from this world that the hope of his return had to be made alive daily in the hearts of his followers or else they would soon lose hope. Therefore, he provided a down payment or an ". . . earnest of our inheritance"—the Father’s holy spirit in his physical absence. The fulfillment of prophecy, the outworking of God’s plan, when rightly understood by the instruction of the holy spirit, daily renews our hope so we believe and trust more deeply.

We rejoice to see events such as the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and their emergence as a Middle Eastern power and influence. These signs indicate to us that our heavenly Father is performing in the manner which Jesus explained would accompany his return.

Scriptural Sense Of Urgency

Our Master declared in Revelation 22:12, "I come quickly . . ." Here the word "quickly" (Strongs 5035) indicates "without delay" and "by surprise." Our Master’s return is on time and not delayed or advanced in schedule and will accomplish all intended activities.

Jesus instructed his followers that he needed time after his departure from earth to accomplish those things necessary to implement the divine plan both in heaven and on earth (John 14:3). Our minds can only speculate as to the logistical preparations, but our hearts can rest in our Father’s ability to do all things right for us and others and in complete compliance with his divine economy.

An urgent watchfulness is enjoined upon all his believers by his warning in Mark 13:35-37. We have come to learn that this watchfulness is accomplished primarily with the eye of faith. The word watch in this scripture (Strongs 69) means "to chase sleep" or "be sleepless." We know in the natural order of things that if we feel some sense of urgency about a matter, we generally cannot sleep or if we do sleep, it is at best only incomplete.

Conversely, when one senses no feeling of urgency or is lethargic, he generally sleeps more than he should. It is our Lord’s intention that we not sleep in regard to his return but that we are up and doing his business as we should; redeeming the time (Eph. 5:16). The Master knew the tendency for his church to be overcome by present crises, causing them distraction from the eternal and preoccupation with other more transient matters; hence his warning.

Peter, James, and John, at the time of the Lord’s agony, were not able to "watch one hour" (Mark 14:37), causing the Master to issue his prompt warning to us that "we watch and pray" or we would enter into temptation. Being a human being, although perfect, he was thoroughly familiar with the travail of the flesh and its ability to compete with the spirit for dominance in the believer. What about us in our crises? Are we sleeping?

A good application of scriptural urgency is observed in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). The wise virgins planned for the present and the future: "they took for themselves oils in their vessels with their lamps." By contrast, the foolish virgins "took no oil with them." Both wise and foolish virgins slept and at midnight the cry went forth "behold the bridegroom; go ye out to meet him." Wisdom focuses its attention upon things of the future and of eternal value while folly considers only the present and transient.

As the account continues, the time came when the bridegroom tarried and the virgins slept. Our Master did not appear as soon as was expected, and thus it has been through the entire Gospel age. The church fell into a slumbering condition and at midnight (the end of the Gospel age) the cry went forth, and his presence was recognized with the bright and filled lamp of faith energized by the holy spirit.

Proper Response Of Spiritual Urgency

Upon the bridegroom’s appearance, the admonition was to "go ye out to meet him." Going out to meet him means living our daily lives for Christ. This meeting of him is an intensely personal one in which our all is called into action and consumed for him. Are we fully consecrated and dedicated to serve him at any cost? Are we ready for his appearing? Can we honestly answer the question of meeting him face to face? How blessed we will be if we can heartily respond "even so, come Lord Jesus." This is what the Lord’s return is all about.

Do our hearts exalt in the consideration of Jesus’ words of John 14:3, "If I go away I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also."

As we look about us, we see most of society living as if "all things continue as they were from the beginning" (2 Peter 3:4). The day-to-day routine of mundane existence has dulled the spiritual senses of many to the extent that their hope is gone and life is less than eternally significant. Most are grabbing all they can get while the getting is good and are not listening to the Master’s many instructions to feed his sheep and to love one another.

Our Lord knew that in our present time there would be the greatest tendency to become distracted with lesser things; thus, the need for watchfulness should be more urgent than ever before (Luke 21:34 RSV). Paul admonishes us in Romans 13:13, "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." Similar to the Master’s warning, Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:6, warns us "therefore let us not sleep as do others [foolish virgins]; but let us watch and be sober."

Therefore, since we have been blessed with an understanding of his presence, let us go out to meet him. With a spiritual urgency in our hearts and remembering all of the Lord’s benefits towards us, let us reject being overcharged with the cares of this world as are the foolish virgins, and live in eager, joyful anticipation—a daily living in the joy of his appearing!