T his Generation

Matthew 24:32-37 “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. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
 
ONE of the great debates from Jesus’ Olivet Discourse is the sentence, “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” As we have seen in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus’ reference to “all these things” include the gospel covering the earth, great distress in the world, and Jesus’ return in glory. The Lord taught his disciples to be urgent about their work. They would see the church expand. And they would see the distress of physical and spiritual warfare opposing the gospel. This included Jerusalem’s destruction and a great violence against Christians under the Jews and the Romans.
          But what about the Son of Man coming in glory? Did Jesus say he would come during that same generation to whom he ministered? One way to understand our Lord is that he spoke particularly of the distress to come. You could say that at Jesus’ ascension and then the Day of Pentecost when the church began, the world has been in this battle of Kingdom of God against kingdom of the world. Jerusalem’s destruction was a preview of world events attempting to destroy the church. The ongoing world warfare culminates in Jesus’ coming with the angels for the harvest.
Another way to understand Jesus is that “this generation” is the generation of the church, proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord. Jesus’ purpose is not to specify his return. Instead, his point is to tell us that each human generation will experience persecution, false teachers, signs in the Heavens and on earth, and the gospel preached until he returns. Jesus warns all disciples - those standing before him that day - as well as you to be aware of and find hope in God’s plan. Know that as the fig tree gains strength through the winter months to bloom at the right time in summer, we must gain strength through the persecution to be ready for the harvest. Jesus is imploring all of his disciples in history to be urgent and to be strong to preach the Good News amid great trouble.
 
Jesus Teaches: Prepare for Jesus with Jesus’ words.