Watch

Since the dawn of time, humanity has been obsessed with predicting the end of the world.

From the panic of Y2K to the doomsday predictions surrounding the Mayan calendar in 2012, people have been trying to nail down the moment the world will end. I still remember being in high school when 2012 rolled around. I’ll be honest—it freaked me out. But guess what? Nothing happened. Just like Y2K. And just like the more than 200 other failed predictions throughout history. People have tried again and again to figure out when the end will come. And every single time, they've been wrong.

If more people simply opened their Bibles, they’d save themselves a lot of fear, confusion, and wasted energy. Because Jesus already made it clear in Mark 13:32 - “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” 

Let that sink in. No one knows. Not even the angels. Not even the Son. Only the Father.

The disciples—Peter, James, John, and Andrew—had come to Jesus privately and asked, “When will these things be?” Jesus answered by outlining the signs of the times, warning against deception and fear, urging them to stay on mission. But as He approached the end of His teaching, He transitioned from prophecy to practicality. Jesus didn’t just want His followers to be informed—He wanted them to be ready.

And He drove the point home with one urgent word: Watch.

In Mark 13:33–37, Jesus repeats that word four times in just a few short verses. And when Jesus repeats Himself—especially four times—it’s not just important. It’s critical. “Take heed, watch and pray…” “The Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey… and commanded the porter to watch.” “Watch ye therefore…” “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

Let’s be clear: Jesus is coming again. And the only right response is to live with eyes wide open—to watch. But what does that actually mean?

In these verses, Jesus gives us four compelling reasons why we must watch.

We don't know when He will return. And we never will.

Jesus tells us plainly: only the Father knows the day or the hour. It’s not for us to figure out. It’s not our job to crack the prophetic code or draw charts trying to pinpoint the exact moment of His return.

Our job is to be ready. “Take heed,” Jesus said. “Watch and pray.” That phrase “take heed” means to stay on guard, like a soldier on night watch—scanning the horizon, alert to every movement. Spiritually speaking, that’s how we’re called to live. Awake. Aware. Ready. Because Jesus could return before this very sentence ends. His return is not only certain—it’s imminent. The moment is coming. And no one knows when.

So don’t drift through life on spiritual autopilot. Don’t coast through your Christian walk half-asleep. Watch—because the timing is a mystery.

In verse 34, Jesus shifts into a parable. He tells of a man going on a long journey who leaves his house in the care of his servants, assigning each one a specific task, and commanding the doorkeeper to watch.

This parable isn’t just a story—it’s a snapshot of our present reality.

Jesus didn’t save us so we could sit and wait. He saved us so we could serve. He gave us a mission, a role to play, a calling to live out. Until the trumpet sounds, the Christian life isn’t a waiting room—it’s a worksite. There’s still work to be done.

I remember when we had guests coming over for dinner. The house needed to be cleaned, the food needed to be cooked, and we were buzzing around making everything just right. Why? Because we were expecting someone important.

That’s what Jesus is saying: I’m coming again—so prepare accordingly. You have a job to do. A gift to use. A calling to fulfill. Don’t bury your talent in the sand. Don’t wait for someone else to do what God has called you to do.

Watch—because the mission isn’t over.

In verses 35–36, Jesus warns that the Master may return at evening, midnight, dawn—or any moment in between. There will be no warning text. No countdown. No last-minute announcement.

It will happen in the twinkling of an eye.

That’s why Jesus urges us to stay spiritually awake. Don’t get caught sleeping. Don’t get lulled into complacency. Don’t just look spiritual—live spiritual. You can’t fake readiness when Jesus returns. He doesn’t want us coasting. He wants us watching.

Ask yourself often: Is this where I want to be when Jesus comes back? Is this how I want Him to find me?

Because ready or not—He is coming again.

Jesus began this conversation privately with four of His disciples. But in verse 37, He broadens the scope: “And what I say unto you, I say unto all: Watch.”

This isn’t just for preachers, disciples, or missionaries. This is for everyone. “And what I say unto you, I say unto all: Watch.”

Remember - Jesus didn’t say watch once—He said it four times. Not as a gentle suggestion, but as a loving command from a returning King.

Don’t hit snooze on your spiritual life. Don’t settle for cruise control Christianity. Don’t waste another moment in distraction or delay.

Watch.

Because Jesus is coming again.