St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 32b; The leaves of the fig tree.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (Jerusalem's impending destruction) Part 3. 

In those times people lived in small villages and farming was the main economic way of life.  They raised cattle, sheep, goats, chicken.  They grew grops and farmed grapes, olives, dates, and figs.  So Christ spoke to them through terms that they were familiar: fig trees.  He gave them a message that they could understand and heed its meaning.  That was two tousdand years ago.  What can we take from his words today.

Today most people do not live on farms but in large cities.  They do not raise cattle and grow crops for a living.  Today people have a total different way of living.  We have busses and cars and trains and plains for transportation.  We buy food at the local food store.  We go out to eat at restaurants to entertain ourselves to enjoy a meal away from home.  And we entertain ourselves with various forms of pleasure from digital to live shows and group events like baseball or basketball or some other form of group event.  Life is completely different today from the time of Christ.  How then can we take meaning from his words:  "When the leaves break forth you know that summer is near."  

The leaves fall from the trees and we know that winter and cold weather is coming.  The leaves return on trees and that tells us that soon warm weather is coming.  These two things we can relate.  But Christ in this paragraph was saying more than just speaking of  trees and leaves.  He was giving the people a sign, information to beware.  He had told them of the last days and the signs to look for.  Now he is saying beware, if you see any of those signs then you know what is about to happen.

The signs are a message for us also, that we need to look for in our daily lives.  As he said before if the owner knew that he would be robbed he would have made preparations to defend himself against attack.  We also must be prepared to protect ourselves and stay on guard against the coming of the end days for we know not when they may come.  Stay vigilent, stay prayerful, continue in the faith of Christ Jesus and the grace of God our Father.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself.  Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.