马太福音24:36-41 取去一个，撇下一个

36“但那日子、那时辰，没有人知道，连天上的使者也不知道，子也不知道，惟独父知道。37挪亚的日子怎样，人子降临也要怎样。38当洪水以前的日子，人照常吃喝嫁娶，直到挪亚进方舟的那日，39不知不觉洪水来了，把他们全都冲去。人子降临也要这样。40那时，两个人在田里，取去一个，撇下一个；41两个女人推磨，取去一个，撇下一个。

首先，耶稣所说的事让人非常惊奇。当他来到这个世界成为完全的人，尽管作为神的儿子，他有神的能力，但是他却选择不去完全使用这能力。比如，神是不会累的，他从来不打盹也不睡觉（诗篇121）；但是风暴来临的时候，耶稣却在船上睡着了，因为他确实累了。同样，当耶稣在这个世界上的时候，他选择不知道末日会在什么时候到来。

然后耶稣把末日发生的事和挪亚洪水时发生的事进行了比较，洪水的时候，人们并不关注挪亚的警告，仍然照常过自己的日子，直到洪水来了，可是对他们来说已经太晚了。末日也要这样。根据使徒保罗在帖撒罗尼迦前书4章所说的，末日那一天发生的第一件事就是，信徒们要从地上被聚集起来，被提到空中与主相遇。“取去一个，撇下一个”，到时候不会有最后一秒的暂停，不会有第二次机会。

这也是为什么我们要迫切传福音的原因，你有朋友不认识耶稣吗？明天可能就太晚了。尽快找机会和他讲耶稣，所有的预兆都表明，耶稣很快就会再来。对教会来说，这是一个好消息，但是对那些不认识耶稣的人来说，这不是好消息。今天是神的恩慈在呼召我们！

祷告：主耶稣啊，求你让我警醒防备这个世界的诱惑，使我能一直和你同行。同时，求你让我睁大眼睛，看见与那些还不认识你的人分享福音的机会。时间很短，主耶稣啊，愿你快来！阿们。

Matthew 24:36-41: 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, 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. 38 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; 39 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. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

        First, Jesus says something very surprising. When he came into this world and became fully human, he chose not to use all his divine powers, even though he possessed them as the Son of God. For example, our God is tireless.  He never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121). Yet Jesus slept in the boat when the storm came up, because was really tired. In the same way, while he was in this world, he chose not to know when the last day would be. 

Then Jesus compares the last day to what happened in the flood. People kept on living their lives, not paying attention Noah’s warning, until the flood came and it was too late for them. It will be that way on the last day.  According to Paul (1 Thessalonians 4), the first thing that will happen on that day is that believers will be gathered up from this earth to meet the Lord in the air. “One will be taken and the other left.” There will be no last second reprieves. There won’t be a second chance.

This is what gives urgency to our preaching of the gospel. Do you have a friend who doesn’t know Jesus?  Tomorrow may be too late. Look for the very next opportunity speak to them about Jesus. All the signs point to the fact that Jesus will be coming again soon.  For the Church, that is good news, but not for those who don’t know him. Today is mercy calls us!

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, keep me wide awake to the temptations of this world so that I might walk with you always.  At the same time, keep my eyes open to the opportunities to share the gospel with those who do not know you. The time is short.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus.   Amen.