Matthew 24:42-44 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason, you must be ready as well, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
Off all the wonderful teachings and parables Jesus spoke of this very Tuesday years ago. I would like to remind you that we often pay attention to what Jesus said we WON'T KNOW and not pay attention to what He said we SHOULD KNOW!
Jesus made it absolutely crystal clear that nobody will know the day or hour of His coming, yet He also mentioned something we ought to know and do: WATCH and BE READY! If people aren't going to be watchful, they'll be misled by many false teachings and predictions on Jesus' return, for the deception will just get bigger and bigger until the day Christ comes!
Others will simply neglect to be ready and always think there is still lots of time to live their own way without Christ. So when Jesus told us these things, He never meant for believers to keep their eyes on Israel or search for signs in the heavens or to keep a watchful eye on political events unfolding; no, He warned us that all these things must happen, but that we shouldn't be afraid of any of them when they happen!
To be watchful and ready in Christ is to live every hour of every day through faith in Christ with our lamps full of oil!
I love how Paul described watchfulness and readiness in Christ to the church when he wrote, "Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor 15:58).
As I read of all Jesus said and did years ago on this Tuesday, this reminder filled me with joy again to realise how precious it is to expect Christ our Lord, to live every day, every hour unto Him, watchful against all the deception, yet ready to live fully each day and enjoy all He gave us till His glorious return, no matter what.
Amen.