Jesus said to “Watch.”  But watch what? Luke 21:36

Many don’t know or misunderstand what Jesus meant when he said to watch.

When I was growing up in the church, my mom had the news on TV running seemingly nonstop. Why? Because she had heard in sermons and so had to come to believe that to “watch” meant to “watch the news.” That was always put in context of watching prophecy start to be fulfilled, of course. Many others are just like my mom, thinking to “watch” means to carefully watch the news. There certainly are areas of prophecy we should be watching and I have a recent audio sermon in March 2025 on that.

Many use watching the news to finalize their ideas on prophetic time lines and charts. Jesus was clear that his return would catch even disciples by surprise, coming at a time they wouldn’t expect (Matt. 24:44). Here at Light on the Rock, we do not set dates, years, times – but focus instead on letting God’s Holy Spirit reign in our lives.  Setting dates is the wrong focus and often is a waste of time. Just don’t.  

But is watching the news the real INTENT of Jesus’ frequent statements to WATCH? Let’s see the context of those statements to reveal what He meant. Think about it:  though truly He did tell us about events that would precede his return – like wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, epidemics and so on – just please realize this as well:

 If Jesus had meant for his disciples to understand “watch” to mean “really spend a lot of time watching the news,” how could they? THEY did not have internet, non-stop TV news, newspapers, radio, podcasts and all the means we have today of watching the news. How could they possibly have been aware of worldwide news back then? There’s a better answer.

Thinking “to watch” means watching news events on TV poses other problems too. Many of us, especially in the USA, get very little foreign news, so watch all you want, it won’t give you much world news. And the news we do see and hear is going to be biased by the political leanings of the station you’re watching. And the big news events most likely happening in secret and in private and we’re not going to even be aware of much of the real news.

But the main point, we’ll see that in context, Jesus is referring to things much deeper than “the news” when He says to “Watch.” 

Referring to his return, Jesus had this to say in Mark 13. Notice how he combines “watching” with PRAYING – and then a few verses later – to watch, pray, and be sure you aren’t spiritually SLEEPING. Keep in mind that all ten virgins of Matthew 25, who were looking for the return of the Bridegroom, SLEPT. He ends his point by saying in essence, “when I say to watch, I mean I want you spiritually alert, awake, and on your guard.”  

Mark 13:32-37   "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35 WATCH therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning —   36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" 

Even then, Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 24;44 to watch, as  he will come “at an hour YOU DON’T EXPECT –and BE ready!” 

When Jesus had asked Peter, James and John to stay up and watch with him as he prayed in Gethsemane, but found them sleeping an hour later, again Jesus combines watching with praying, lest we enter temptation. 

Mark 14:37-38  “Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” 

Are you seeing how watching goes so much further than just watching the news? 

Here are some more about watching – in CONTEXT: 

1 Corinthians 16:13-14   “WATCH, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” 

There Paul puts watching in context of being sure you’re strong in the faith. So we are to be watching how strong we are in the faith!

Christ himself puts watching in Revelation 16 in context of watching our spiritual attire, being clothed spiritually. That takes effort.

Revelation 16:15   "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who WATCHES, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 

We know we are supposed to put on the whole armor of God daily – helmet of salvation, shield of faith, sword of the spirit, and much more (Ephesians 6:11-18). But too many of us are not watching enough how we prepare for each day. So we go out to face the world daily sometimes dressed, spiritually speaking, just in our underwear! Are you each day thinking, “I need to be sure to take my sword of the spirit and the shield of faith – and all the rest”?

Several translations translate the word “watch” as “STAY ALERT” because the original Greek can mean that. Stay spiritually awake, be alert to what’s going on in your life. That’s what this word really means.

The church of Sardis in Revelation 3, are told to wake up to the fact that they are just about spiritually DEAD and need to STRENGTHEN the weak areas of their lives. That’s not about watching news but one’s spiritual condition.

Revelation 3:1-3    "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

2 Be WATCHFUL, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”

So here in Revelation 3, WATCHING is a lot about watching our SPIRITUAL CONDITION, not so much about being worried we’re not getting all the world news we want! Part of their WATCHING was to REPENT of letting spiritual areas of their lives die. So when Christ returns, they won’t be ready to receive him properly.

Here’s another – that in context tells us so much of what Yeshua means by watching. Don’t be DISTRACTED he says.

Luke 21:34-36    "But take heed [watch?] to YOURSELVES, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 WATCH therefore, and PRAY ALWAYS that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

The Greek word here for “watch” is AGRUPNEO  -- meaning “keep awake,” be aware of what’s going on. Yeshua clearly says in verse 34 and 36 to watch yourselves and pray always! Our spiritual state is his concern.

Are you overly concerned and worried about cares of this life? Are you getting too involved with friends who want to party all the time and not watching your spiritual relationship with GOD? Are we praying enough? He says to PRAY ALWAYS so we’ll be counted worthy to be protected from what’s coming, or be able to withstand the troubles coming. So again, watching is tied to watching our spiritual condition. 

Don’t misunderstand me. I also do watch the news, but I realize God wants my primary focus to be on watching my relationship with Him and fellow humans.

1 Thessalonians 5:6  “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober”.

 Other translations say to be alert, stay spiritually awake and be on your guard – which are straight from the literal translation of “let us watch.”  This is not about being obsessed with what’s going on between Ukraine and Russia, or Israel and Hezbollah.

If you’re fully understanding this, to watch means we are quick to recognize, for example, bad situations developing and to remove ourselves. Or to be aware of a temptation to sin beginning to form inside us. We’re awake and alert when we begin to hear or spread gossip or to let worry, fear, lust, hate begin to well up in our hearts. 

We’re watching, so it means actively and consciously bringing every thought we have into captivity of obedience to Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-4). So those watching are also overcoming areas of their lives that are weak and prone to sin. 

Yeshua/Jesus also said to watch” means to BE ready for His return, not to “GET ready.”  We must right now BE ready and stay that way. 

Matthew 24:42-44  “WATCH therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 

44 Therefore you also BE ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Of the ten Virgins of Matthew 25, only five wise ones were ready. They had enough oil/holy spirit. The five foolish ones were not already ready and so had to go get ready. WHERE ARE YOU in all this? Are you ready to meet your returning king? As the foolish five virgins tried to get ready, the Bridegroom came, the marriage supper started, and the door was shut to those who started too late to get ready, instead of BEING ready. “Therefore you also BE ready.” 

In practical terms, this means we are children of God who pray several times every day. God tells us to “pray always.” We spend time studying God’s Word daily so we know directly from God how to handle every thought and every situation . We take stock of how each day is going or how it went. We’re watching, meaning we are evaluating where do we need to strengthen our life and spirit. We are watching if we’re doing these things.

Someone truly watching, being alert and vigilant, is aware of Satan going about like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8-9) and we RESIST him, fight him, knowing He who is in us is greater than he in the world (1 John 4:4). So this vigilance keeps us strong and able to throw worry out of our thoughts. 

So from now on when you read Christ saying TO WATCH  -- realize he is referring to being very watchful of our spiritual condition and our relationship with God and with one another. We’re being very alert, very spiritually awake – and not caught off guard. 

Let’s show at least as much interest in learning about how the Holy Spirit works in our lives  - as we are on trying to figure out prophecy. We might even figure out a lot prophecy but if our relationship with God and one another is not strong, it will all be in vain!

Look at what Paul tells us – especially those of you who really over-emphasize speaking in tongues or knowing prophecy by watching so much world news and making time lines and charts – or focusing so much on having great faith – instead of growing in the love of GOD, which is MOST important, for God IS love, remember. Be watching the main thing!

Look carefully at the priorities apostle Paul gives us in 1 Corinthians 13. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-2, 8   “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”   

So let’s focus on watching the spiritual condition of our lives much MORE than spending so much time focusing on repetitive news stories.