The closer we get to the end of days, the more we need the bright hope of the early church that radiated from the catacombs and arenas of persecution to radiate from our lives today.

As we open to Luke 21 we find Jesus explaining how to impact our lost world for Him on a daily basis. We can make a choice, that makes our life able to powerfully display Him to a watching world; and that choice is to live in hope. When we live in hope we redeem our time. Daily life when filled with hope makes every moment count for eternity.

Is hope alive in you? Does it guide your thoughts and decisions in life? Are you marked at work, school, among lost friends in sports and recreational times by your living hope they can observe each day? If not, today is a great time to start doing so. Living in hope can redeem time, and invest it for eternity. Now look at the context of v. 25.

Jesus Was Not

Optimistic About the Future

When Jesus was asked at the end of His earthly ministry, "What will be the sign of Your coming, and what will the closing chapter of human life as we know it look like at the end of days?"

Christ's answer starts with a rundown of the now-familiar list of: earthquakes, famines, wars, and pestilences; all of which, He said, would come suddenly and unstoppably upon the Earth like "birth pangs" - increasing in frequency and intensity as the end of days grew near.

But after those words He also added one more characteristic of the end starting in v. 25:

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken."  - Luke 21:25-26, NKJV

After that, Jesus said in v. 27: "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

In the meantime, He told about those who would witness the ramp up of all those signs of His return in v.28:

"Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

Jesus said when things start looking bad, when global patterns line up with end times scenarios, it is time for hope to shine. Those words are Christ's call for each of us to make those little choices today that lead to a pathway that declares we are: Living Hopefully in A Despairing World.

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