1 Corinthians 16

The ancient Aramaic phrase, "Maranatha" was one of the earliest words that identified Christians to one another. The phrase means: "The Lord has come" in the sense that Jesus came to earth, died, and returned resurrected. It also is something we pray for right now in the present: "Lord, come!" We are hungry for the Lord to return and set all things right on our messed up planet. But it also means: "The Lord is coming!" It is our heart's desire that Jesus will indeed come back again soon! So "Maranatha" is a loaded idea...it celebrates the fact that Jesus has come, that we long for His soon return right now, and that He will most assuredly come again very soon. This final teaching from Paul calls us to live our lives in the light of the King's soon return! Maranatha...even so, "Come, Lord Jesus!"