MARANATHA! COME JESUS

Sir,

The expression ‘Maranatha’ is an Aramaic word which literally means ‘The Lord is coming’. The term was first used by Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 16: 22. It was soon found on the lips of many Christians in the early church. The early church faced much persecution, and life for a Christian under Roman rule was not easy.

The Romans required everyone to declare that Caesar was god. The early Christians could not call Caesar ‘Lord’ because they knew that there was only one God and Lord who is in heaven. This, as a result, aroused the anger of the Romans. The Romans looked upon these Christians as traitors so they persecuted them and put them to death.

The expectation was that eventually these Christians would either be wiped out, abandon the faith, or they would compromise. But living under those adverse conditions actually strengthened the church, emboldened their witness and enriched their morale. And one of the key elements that helped them through these times was ‘Maranatha, the firm abiding conviction that Jesus was coming again.

‘Maranatha’ became such an important concept in the church’s faith that it soon became their greeting. It replaced the Jewish greeting ‘shalom’, which means ‘peace’. When believers gathered or parted, they didn’t say ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’ but, rather ‘Maranatha’. That upward look revolutionised the church. I think it could do the same for us today.

The Christians knew the Lord would be returning to set up His kingdom, and from that truth they drew great comfort. They were constantly reminding and being reminded that the Lord is coming.

Today, when we pray ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’, we are saying ‘Maranatha!’ We are saying ‘Come, O Lord!’ And we are also saying ‘I will let your will for the earth be done in me and through me until you come to finish the task’.

Maranatha gives us hope, redemption is not complete until Jesus comes. By ‘looking up’ our hope is renewed and we are filled with joyful anticipation.
To those who are discouraged today, Maranatha! To those who are worried today, Maranatha! To those who are filled with anxiety over the problems you are facing, Maranatha! Our Lord is coming! Let us proclaim, pray and rejoice in the Maranatha promise.

The answers to life’s problems do not lie solely in our ability to create a better world but in the return of the One whose sovereign power promises to make all things new (Rev. 21:5). Redemptive history remains incomplete until Christ returns. The church waits with longing for this final act in the great drama of redemption.

The Maranatha promise, which is the earliest confession of the church, is so appropriate that we find this confession at the close of the Bible. Revelation 22: 20 says; “He who testifies to these things says ‘Yes, I am coming soon’, Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

Bopoto Gwinyai
7663 8191

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