For Elect's Sake!

The Pharisees always thought they were extremely righteous. That's why they didn't like it when Jesus told them what to do. For example, the Pharisees prayed all the time!
...except it was in public for excess amounts of time.
If they were really trying to make a connection with God, they would pray one on one in a meaningful manner, not in front of everyone to show how righteous they were.
No one likes that person who drags their prayer over the pulpit for five minutes.

In verse 13 of Matthew 23 it says they were "shut up from the Kingdom of God" Yes, they followed rules, but they were following so many that they were missing the point. Not only were they missing the point, but they were condemning people who weren't following the rules they made up.

You know how we have these rules that we are never to break?
So we create other smaller rules and boundaries for ourselves so that we don't break the big rule.
It's the same thing.
Which isn't a problem until you start judging people who don't follow the rules you do.
Not everyone has the same issues you do.
Relax.

The Second Coming has always been an interesting topic to me. Matthew 24 talks all about it. The signs and warnings can be both terrifying and interesting.

We've got wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes.
Next, we have persecutions, murder, betrayal, hate, false prophets, and iniquity.
Not to mention the darkened sun and moon ... plus the stars falling from heaven.

So that can be kind of scary.

Except Jesus didn't tell us all this stuff to scare us. He didn't want to scare us into righteousness so we wouldn't be burned or whatever.

Time and time again he says "for my elect's sake" - meaning he is telling us this so we won't be taken by surprise and be afraid when this stuff happens. He's telling us that these wars, earthquakes, etc. are going to happen and that we need to prepare ourselves.

Don't you love a good heads-up? I do.

Don't forget to be awesome :)