Preparing for His coming
Jesus spends time with his disciples, instructing them to keep a watchful eye on their hearts and habits. The Son of Man will return when least expected.
- Be dressed for service. Any type of service as a calling requires a uniform. A type of dress. The military service, the cleaning service, the pastoral service. Why? So that all who see us in our service dress will know what we are there to accomplish and who gives us the authority to accomplish it. In other words, our uniform identifies who we’re with, so to speak, without us having to say it. In the service for Christ, Paul identifies this clothing to be love and good works. In Ephesians 6 we are reminded to put on the armour of God as our uniform to engage in the spiritual battles. When Jesus said, dress for service, he meant for our intention/purpose and the origin of our authority to be identifiable and ready for action for all to see.
- Keep the lamps burning. Jesus previously explained that there is no sense in lighting a lamp and then covering it to contain its radiance. He draws a comparison to guiding someone home with our light. Let our thoughts and actions be transparent, a beacon by which the path home becomes clear for those that observe us.
- He may come in the 2nd or 3rd watch. He may come in the middle of the night or he may come closer to the morning. He may come in this generation or the next. He may come when you’re wading through the valley of death and all around you is no goodness at all. Or He may come just when you are starting to see change on the horizon. What is going on in the world around you is only an indication of his coming, not a clear-cut map. The sin of the world cannot make Him come sooner.
- Be vigilant against the burglar. Being dressed for service and having lit lamps (now that we know what that means) is as much for our sake as others. The awareness of waiting for Christ’s return, allows us to be aware of the enemies attacks when they come. Actively waiting for Jesus, anticipating his return and the rewards that come with it, prevents the devil from catching us unaware with a surprise attack.
I’m not saying that we will be safe from attack. If we do our job right, we will be attacked with a vengeance to incapacitate us and minimize our influence. But if we wear the armour of God and are actively waiting for him, the attack will be obvious and we will have the means to engage and to combat it.
- Peter is curious whether this message is just meant for them (the disciples) or for everyone. As usual, Jesus elaborates beyond a simple yes or no. He wants us to think for ourselves.
- Those that serve honestly, will be rewarded. Humility comes before Honour.
- Those to whom much has been entrusted, much will be expected in return.
Those of us that have been entrusted with understanding, need to share that understanding. Those of us that have been entrusted with a bible-study group, a classroom, a chatroom audience, a blog or a radio/tv-audience or even a congregation, we will be held responsible for how we took care of the souls of those entrusted to us.
Be encouraged that you don’t have to be the source. Our heavenly Father is continuously willing and able to sustain us through all circumstances and all needs. If you were entrusted with someone whom you don’t know how to care for, ask God to show you. Ask Him to present opportunities and inspiration. We can only plant the seed, we cannot make it grow. But we must remember not to pull up the roots in our impatience to see results.
Wildwspr 
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