Ever since the late 1800s, residents of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, have gathered at Gobbler’s Knob, along with many visitors, to watch for the emergence of a groundhog named “Punxsutawney Phil.” This groundhog is believed by many to be able to predict either six more weeks of winter or an early spring, depending whether he sees his shadow or not. He has predicted 103 forecasts for winter, and only 17 for an early
spring, and has only been right about 39 percent of the time.
Likewise, there have many people who have tried to predict the date for the return of Jesus. The success rate for these predictions is far worse, with exactly zero percent of them coming true. Jesus Himself gives us the reason for this in Acts 1, where the apostle Luke records the ascension of Jesus into the clouds. On this occasion, the disciples asked Jesus when He would be coming back, and He told them it was not meant for them to know such this. He explained that this was in the power of His heavenly Father, but in the near future they would receive a special power of their own.
In Acts 1:8 Jesus told them that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit in order to be witnesses for Him in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and all over the world. According to Acts 2, they received this power on the Day of Pentecost, a special day of celebration among the people of Israel. Immediately after Jesus told them about being His witnesses, a cloud took Him out of their sight. While they watched Him disappear, two angels appeared to them and told them that Jesus would come back to earth the same way they saw Him leave. In other words, He would come back in a cloud, and His purpose would be to take His followers back with Him to heaven.
Jesus gave His disciples clear instructions in Matthew 28:18-20 about what He wanted them to do after He left the earth. He told them to go out into the world and teach others everything He had taught them. Once they had decided to follow Jesus, they were to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He also promised them that He would be with them whenever they did all these things.
We can never predict how many people will put their trust in Jesus when we share the message of Jesus with them, but absolutely no one will put their trust in Him if we don’t share His message. There are many ways that Jesus could have chosen to get His message out to the world, but He chose for His followers to share it either one-on-one or in a group. This is not an option, or something to think about maybe doing, but a mission He is depending on us to complete. The eternal destiny of human souls in on the line.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For information, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.