These days, audience participation seems to be key.   At school, in our factories, in our corporations, and even in our local Christian congregations.  Sporting competitions hand out participation awards regardless if serious effort was made or not?  The goal is to get the widest possible participation.

When Jesus came the first time, it was rather difficult to have known the timing.  Even the small handful who understood the timing, missed the dual appearances of the Suffering Servant and later, the King.  When I think about the first coming, I recognize that the audience participation for the first three and a half years was sparse.  By the end of it, three knew Him intimately.  The rest of the eleven knew Him very well.  The seventy knew Him.  Five thousand knew of Him.  But that was about it.

It occurs to me that with the second “appearance”, we can more easily know the time.  We have significantly more data available to determine that general time.  The secret is out.  No need to cloak it to the same level as was done with the first appearance.  Interesting, that for the first three and a half years after the second appearance, the audience participation rate increases dramatically.  This time, millions will become known by His Father and participate, in mass, and in concert.  All this without Him being here the way He was the first time.

With that in mind, His strategy to pull that off becomes intriguing?  The first time He mentored eleven who were complete by the end of His time.  This time He has one hundred fourty four thousand ready day one.  What a remarkable contrast to the first appearance?  How do the one hundred fourty four thousand prepare for the moment?  Is He readying them even at this time?  While I can only speculate, God is already at work.  Discovering His plan and His will then become profitable.

Is God desiring of you to be one of those participants?  Could you be ready day one?

Some of you are intrigued by that thought?

What’s your next step?