The old hymn says, "Guilty, vile, helpless we; spotless lamb of God was He." What piercing contrasts we see in the lives of those surrounding the King through his mock trials. As we consider the religious leaders, Judas, and Pilate, let us consider ourselves and sing, "Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah, What a Savior!"

Betrayed. Abandon. Denied. Accused. Mocked. Jesus had legions of angels at his disposal, but refuses to call upon them. Why? This excruciating night of soul suffering sorrow was prophesied in Scripture. With the mission before him, Jesus presses on to the cross. His prayer, "Not my will, but Thy will be done" would be answered. The battle of the ages was fought and won in prayer.

Where is Jesus prior to his return? Where is Jesus in our world today? In a very real and weighty sense, in loving our Christian brothers and sisters—in loving the least of these—we love Jesus himself. Conversely, there are eternal consequences for ultimately neglecting or rejecting to do so. May God grant us grace as disciples of Jesus to love and serve him and those in the Kingdom.

How are we to live as we await the return of Christ to the earth? Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 through three vivid parables. Today, we will take look at the first two. May our minds and lives be fixed on Christ. "Thy kingdom come; thy will be done."

Jesus is King and Judge. He is coming back. When he does so it will be obvious, triumphant, awesome, physical, and unexpected. The point of his many illustrations on unexpectedness is to rouse unbelievers and believers to expectancy. We are to 'stay awake' and 'be ready' for his coming. "Come, Lord Jesus!"

In troubling times and in times of great tribulation, Christians are most susceptible to following the wrong crowd—Jesus is the Prophetic King who guides his followers with true wisdom and care. He warns of false prophets and false teachers that will be within hearing. He prepares his disciples for what lies ahead and through his final discourse in Matthew, gives true words to anchor our Christian lives.

When will the King return? Christ makes it clear that He will physically return to the Earth after the gospel of the kingdom is proclaimed to all the unreached ethnolinguistic people groups of the world. As Christians we have the calling and opportunity to participate in the fulfillment of this mission of the Church. Let us pray about and participate in the proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom.

Jesus said, "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." As Jesus and his disciples leave the temple, they privately ask questions about the End. Jesus warns of coming deceptions and redirects his disciples to the truth that it takes endurance to be saved.

God is love and delights to show mercy. When he pronounces judgment, it is necessary, but it is not—as some have observed—his "natural" work. He takes no delight in the death of anyone (Ez 18:32). Christ is faithful, merciful, and just and as King pronounces 7 authoritative woes on unrepentant leaders. May we have ears to hear these kingdom warnings and woes as a gracious call to repentance.