“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?’ And Jesus answering them began to say, ‘Take heed lest any man deceive you.'” (Mark 13:3-5 KJV)
John organized a deep-sea fishing trip for the men of his church. When they arrived in Panama City, they were greeted by a crusty old sailor with a boat that was weathered but seaworthy. The fishermen soon discovered that his technique for finding fish was different from any they had ever seen.
At sea, he would cruise around awhile then abruptly cut the engines and say, “Cast your lines. The fish are all around you.” In every instance, the fishermen couldn’t see any difference between that spot and the expanse of water before them. But John said, “Well, I read somewhere, ‘the cost of obedience is nothing compared with the cost of disobedience.’ Perhaps we should obey his instructions and see what happens.”
So they all cast out and immediately began catching fish. Several caught two and some only caught one before the fish stopped biting. The old captain grinned slyly, started his motor, and moved on repeating the process frequently. Each time he stopped, they caught fish. Try as they would they could not discover how he knew the fish were there.
The old captain’s technique was so puzzling that the men pleaded, “How do you know where the fish are?” “Well, gentlemen,” he said looking up, “It’s the birds overhead. When they begin circling, I know they see a school of fish just beneath the surface of the water. Never misses.”
Peter, Andrew, James and John approached Jesus with questions. “When will these thing be?” and “What are the signs of fulfillment?” They were fishermen and partners. They were used to reading signs for the fish were. They also knew it was easy to be deceived. The Lord’s responds cryptically, “Don’t let any person mislead you.”
Note that their questions were valid but the responsibility for discovering the answers came down to a personal level. They would need to protect themselves against deception. God has supplied the evidence. They would need to listen to him and know what to look for.
Like the birds overhead, a sign may indicate that what we are searching for is hidden just under the surface of what is visible. Author Eric Fellman wrote, “If you can’t figure out something at first, look up, down, left, right, and listen.” God has enough signs around so that we may know the truth and not be deceived.
Dear Father, thank you for guiding us by your Word and Spirit. Grant to us the spiritual maturity to resist chasing after “signs.” Enable us to know the truth of your Word that we may not be deceived. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today in following the guide overhead ,