Matthew 24:32-51
32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Reflection
This section stresses the importance of being ready for the coming time of judgment. Prior to the return of Christ, sin will grow worse, but most people will not even notice, including Jesus’ disciples (Matt. 24:37–39, 44, 50; 25:5, 19). The question then becomes, “How can Jesus’ disciples be ready for his arrival?”
Jesus instructs his disciples to be ready for his coming at all times. This is the point of the parables in 24:43–25:13, which focus on the uncertainty of the time of Jesus’ coming (24:44, 50; 25:5, 19) and the importance of doing God’s will (24:42, 46; 25:4, 16–17, 20–23, 27). Those who are “faithful and wise” will never regret the hard work of staying ready for the Master’s return (24:45–47).
1 Corinthians 7:1-5
7: Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Reflection
Paul now addresses various issues that the Corinthians had raised in a letter to him (1 Cor. 7:1, 25; 8:1; 12:1). The first has to do with marriage and sexuality. Apparently, a group within the church is arguing that Christians should avoid marriage, or at least avoid sexual activity within marriage (7:1). He corrects this over-spiritualized view of life throughout the chapter.
He begins by encouraging married couples to be sexually active with one another (vv. 2–4). A couple may choose to refrain from sexual activity for a limited time, but only by mutual agreement so that they can devote themselves to prayer (v. 5). Those who erroneously seek to maintain a sharp separation between their spiritual life and their physical activities will find themselves either indulging in physical pleasures (6:12–20) or rejecting physical pleasure altogether (7:1). God does not intend either of these options. Christ has rescued us from sin and has given us his Spirit and his Word so that we might live our lives in a way that pleases him. Christ does not destroy sexuality. He defines the boundaries for it so that it serves his purposes in our physical world. Among other things, the marriage relationship provides a God-honoring context for sexual fulfillment and therefore protects the couple from satanic temptation (7:5; see also 7:9, 36).
Psalm 119:11
11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
God’s Word is the only true source for understanding the purpose and boundaries of sexual activity. Ask God to keep you firmly grounded in the truth as the sexual ethics of our world rapidly shift from generation to generation.