Memory Text: Hebrews 9:28 NRSV “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Sunday – Waiting in the Outer Court
Luke 12:40-48 20th Century NT “40 Do you also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come." 41 ¶ "Master," said Peter, "are you telling this parable with reference to us or to every one?" 42 "Who, then," replied the Master, "is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43 Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. 44 His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property. 45 But should that servant say to himself ‘My master is a long time coming,’ and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 That servant’s master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, and will flog him severely and assign him his place among the untrustworthy. 47 The servant who knows his master’s wishes and yet does not prepare and act accordingly will receive many lashes; 48 while one who does not know his master’s wishes, but acts so as to deserve a flogging, will receive but few. From every one to whom much has been given much will be expected, and from the man to whom much has been entrusted the more will be demanded.”
Titus 2:11-13 20th Century NT “11 ¶ For the loving-kindness of God has been revealed, bringing Salvation for all; 12 leading us to renounce irreligious ways and worldly ambitions, and to live discreet, upright, and religious lives here in this present world, 13 while we are awaiting our Blessed Hope—the Appearing in glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”
Titus 2:13 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Paul adds a second incentive as he appeals to the Cretan church members to live as representatives of Jesus Christ. In addition to living superior lives on earth the Christian is rewarded with the immeasurable gift of eternal life. Consequently, the daily life must be in harmony with the Christian’s professed eagerness for the quick return of Jesus.
1 Peter 1:3-8 20th Century NT “3 ¶ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has, in his great mercy, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 given us the new Life of undying hope, that promises an inheritance, imperishable, stainless, unfading, which has been reserved for you in Heaven— 5 for you who, through faith, are being guarded by the power of God, awaiting a Salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last days. 6 ¶ At the thought of this you are full of exultation, though (if it has been necessary) you have suffered for the moment somewhat from various trials; 7 that the genuineness of your faith—a thing far more precious than gold, which is perishable, yet has to be tested by fire—may win praise and glory and honour at the Appearing of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have never seen him, yet you love him; though you do not even now see him, yet you believe in him, and exalt with a triumphant happiness too great for words,”
1 Peter 1:5 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES The idea is, that there was a faithful guardianship exercised over them to save them from danger, as a castle or garrison is watched to guard it against the approach of an enemy. The meaning is, that they were weak in themselves, and were surrounded by temptations; and that the only reason why they were preserved was, that God exerted his power to keep them.

Monday – Addressing the Fear Factor
Matthew 25:31-33, 41 God’s Word to the Nations “31 ¶ "When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left. 41 “"Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels!”
Matthew 25:41 COMMENTARY THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL The two preparations stand in contrast. God prepared a kingdom of joy and designed that man should be with him in it. He also prepared a place for punishment for Satan and his angels, and man can cast his lot there and share that punishment if he wills to do so.
2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 God’s Word to the Nations “6 Certainly, it is right for God to give suffering to those who cause you to suffer. 7 It is also right for God to give all of us relief from our suffering. He will do this when the Lord Jesus is revealed, coming from heaven with his mighty angels in a blazing fire. 8 He will take revenge on those who refuse to acknowledge God and on those who refuse to respond to the Good News about our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty by being destroyed forever, by being separated from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious power.”
Hebrews 12:25-29 God’s Word to the Nations “25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen when God speaks. Your ancestors didn’t escape when they refused to listen to God, who warned them on earth. We certainly won’t escape if we turn away from God, who warns us from heaven. 26 When God spoke to your ancestors, his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the sky." 27 The words once more show clearly that God will change what he has made. These are the things that can be shaken. Then only the things that cannot be shaken will remain. 28 Therefore, we must be thankful that we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Because we are thankful, we must serve God with fear and awe in a way that pleases him. 29 After all, our God is a destructive fire.”
Hebrews 12:27 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES There are some views of religion which men have by nature which are correct; there are many which are false. The Christian religion gives permanence and stability to the one, and causes the other to disappear. And in general it may be remarked, that the effect of Christianity is to give stability to all that is founded on truth, and to drive error from the world. Christ came that he might destroy all the systems of error--that is, all that could be shaken on earth, and to confirm all that is true.

Wednesday – When Will See Jesus?
No alarm - Matthew 24:6-8 God’s Word to the Nations “6 "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Don’t be alarmed! These things must happen, but they don’t mean that the end has come. 7 Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All of these are only the beginning pains of the end.”
Matthew 24:6 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Jewish and Roman writers describe the period from a.d. 31–70 as a time of great calamities. These words of Christ were literally fulfilled in events prior to the fall of Jerusalem in a.d. 70… Jesus specifically warned the early Christians not to consider the political strife, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes of that day as signs of the immediate “end” of the world.
Conflict and hatred – Matthew 24:9-13 CEV “9 You will be arrested, punished, and even killed. Because of me, you will be hated by people of all nations. 10 Many will give up and will betray and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will come and fool a lot of people. 12 Evil will spread and cause many people to stop loving others. 13 But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved.”
Matthew 24:9 COMMENTARY BY WILLIAM BURKETT The love of many shall wax cold, that is, both towards God and towards man. When iniquity abounds, trouble waxes hot; false love waxes cold, and true love waxes warmer than it was before; the cold blasts of persecution blow up the love of a few, but blow out the love of many more.
No gullibility – Matthew 24:4-5 CEV “4 ¶ Jesus answered: Don’t let anyone fool you. 5 Many will come and claim to be me. They will say that they are the Messiah, and they will fool many people.”
No gullibility – Matthew 24:23-26 ESV “23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.”
Gospel to the world – Matthew 24:14 KJ21 “And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.”
Matthew 24:14 COMMENTARY THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL Jerusalem, the seat of the old dispensation, was not removed until the new dispensation was sown throughout the then known world.
Very visible coming – Matthew 24:27 Holman “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Matthew 24:27 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Christ’s words leave no room for a secret rapture, for a mystical coming, or for any of the other false theories contrived by pious but overzealous would-be “prophets.” Men would “see” Jesus “coming in the clouds of heaven”
Previous cosmic signs – Matthew 24:29 NKJV“"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Angels Gather Faithful – Matthew 24:31 “And he will send forth his angels with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”
God knows day and hour – Matthew 24:36 NLT “"However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”
Matthew 24:36 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Those who are tempted to calculate precisely how many years remain before the appearance of Christ would do well to ponder the counsel here given, and also that of Acts 1:7.
Sudden and unexpected – Matthew 24:42-44 Moffatt NT “42 Keep on the watch then, for you never know what day your Lord will come. 43 But be sure of this, that if the householder had known at what watch in the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, he would not have allowed his bouse to be broken into. 44 So be ready yourselves, for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Thursday – When Will We See Jesus?
Genesis 3:15 CEV “You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel."”
Isaiah 40:8 CEV “Flowers and grass fade away, but what our God has said will never change.”
Galatians 4:4 CEV “But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law,”