In Matthew 24, Jesus tells us many things about His promised return to this earth.

The condition of the people — “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” — vs 36-39

The people will be careless in their attitudes towards God, focused solely on this life, and willfully ignorant of the signs of Christ’s coming. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” — Rom. 1:21. They are not ready for His return.

A description of the event — Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. — vs 40-41

There will be a future separation of the righteous and the wicked even as they were separated by the door of Noah’s ark. Jesus said, “I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved.” — John 10:9. Turning to Christ in faith is the only way to be ready for His return.

The right response — “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come… So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” — vs 42-47

Jesus told us to watch; looking for the signs of His return, and to be ready through faith in Him. We also must be faithful to do the job He gave each of us. Those who do this are “wise” and will receive an eternal reward.

The wrong response — But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. — vs.48-51

The wicked servant neglects their God-given duty and mistreats those around him. Copying the sinful behaviors of this world, they will be destroyed along with the hypocrites, who pretend to belong to God but their actions show otherwise.

Are you prepared for the return of Christ?

Rev. Jon Schell is pastor of St. Luke’s Church in Granite Quarry.