Luke 21:5-11
5 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, he said,
6 "All that you see here--the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
7 Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
8 He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them!
9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end."
10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
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You know, there is a part of me that wouldn't be surprised if we were living in the end times, and that Christ is coming soon.
Of course, people have thought that since the very beginning of the Church.
In this passage, Christ warns us against following people who come in his name, telling us that the time has come. We see THAT happen all the time, don't we? Some times it's in ridiculous ways, and sometimes it's in tragic ways. But I'm sure we've also seen explanations that seem pretty reasonable as well. It's an intriguing subject, and it has our curiosity.
But ... elsewhere in the Gospels Christ tells us that we will not know the day or the hour -- just that we are to be ready. To me, that means that I shouldn't be spending my time looking for something that Christ has already told me I won't be able to find.
My job is to stay focused on Him.
