Mark 13:24-37
Near the end of Jesus' life on earth, he and his friends knew that bad times were ahead for him, and maybe for them, too. He knew that he was going to suffer a lot before he died. And he knew that his friends might get caught up in that suffering.
Jesus loved his friends very much. So he tried to help them get ready to face the bad times.
"You may have a time in your life when it feels like the sun will never shine again. You may go through a bad time in your life when it feels like the moon will never be bright again. It may even feel like all the stars in the sky have gone out. You may even wonder if God is losing power.
"But I want you to know this: I will come to earth again one day. I will come with great power and glory. I will have angels with me. And I will bring people from every part of the earth together as one big family. Then God's kingdom will be on earth just like it already is in heaven.
"When will all this happen, Jesus?" his friends wanted to know.
Jesus answered, "No one knows for sure – not even the angels in heaven. Not even me! Only God knows. So stay on the ball. Be ready!"
Questions to think and pray about:
Have you ever had a time in your life when everything felt like it was falling apart?
Have you ever felt like things were hopeless?
What happened to change that?
What do you think it will be like when Jesus comes back to earth one day?
What can you do to help others while you are waiting for that day to come?
How does thinking about Jesus coming back to earth help you get ready for Christmas?