Readiness Check

 

Readiness Check

 

Matthew 24:29-44, The Message - “Following those hard times,

Sun will fade out,

    moon cloud over,

Stars fall out of the sky,

    cosmic powers tremble.

“Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he’ll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God’s chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.

“Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you’ll know he’s at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.

“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

“The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah’s. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away.

“The Son of Man’s Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field—one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill—one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.

 

                A couple of reflections ago, I mentioned that Matthew 24 has spurred many wide-ranging interpretations scholars over the history of the Christian church.  It is this passage above, concerning the return of Christ, that presents the most difficulty.  What does tall this strange imagery mean?  I’ll be completely honest; I’m not sure.  I not even sure that Jesus’s intentions with these words was to provide any real clarity on what His return will be like.  Jesus even states that even He, in that moment, did not know exactly when all this would occur.   Jesus also states that no one other than God knows the timing.  But there is a thread of clarity throughout this passage.  That thread is readiness.

Readiness.  Right now, could you make a list of the things for which you know nothing about, but you are currently prepared?  That’s pretty hard to do when we don’t know what is coming.  When we know the details about a coming event, we prepare.  We pack for a trip.  We study for tests.  We board up the windows when the hurricane is coming.  The Lord has said that He is indeed coming.  Are we prepared for that? 

Awake.  It is a reminder to me to not live in the past (what could have been) or the future (waiting for something to happen in the future that may or may not ever come).  We are to live fully in the present because the present is the only time we can do anything about. Living in the present can redeem the past and prepare us for the future.

Jesus is teaching that being fully engaged (awake) in the moment in which we are living and prepared for Him to show up in any of those present moments is the way that His followers are to live.  No, the smartest biblical scholars can’t agree on the details of the Second Coming.  Jesus assures us that knowing the details is not necessary.  Knowing Him is what prepares us.  Living fully awake in the present will help us recognize when the time is coming.  Jesus makes it clear that, while everyone will know when the Second Coming occurs, not everyone will receive it as good news because of unreadiness.  Ready and Awake. The words for this day. And every other day for that matter.

 

Questions:  Have you ever caught yourself living on autopilot?  (in other words, not fully present with what was going on right in front of you)

 

Prayer: God, help us to live in the present, knowing you can redeem our past and you have a glorious future in store for us.  Prepare us for to recognize and respond to Christ when He returns.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for political prisoners all over the world today.

Song:  I Wish We All Been Ready - DC Talk

Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric March 1, 2022

Readiness Check

 

Matthew 24:29-44, The Message - “Following those hard times,

Sun will fade out,

    moon cloud over,

Stars fall out of the sky,

    cosmic powers tremble.

“Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he’ll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God’s chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.

“Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you’ll know he’s at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.

“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

“The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah’s. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away.

“The Son of Man’s Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field—one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill—one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.

 

                A couple of reflections ago, I mentioned that Matthew 24 has spurred many wide-ranging interpretations scholars over the history of the Christian church.  It is this passage above, concerning the return of Christ, that presents the most difficulty.  What does tall this strange imagery mean?  I’ll be completely honest; I’m not sure.  I not even sure that Jesus’s intentions with these words was to provide any real clarity on what His return will be like.  Jesus even states that even He, in that moment, did not know exactly when all this would occur.   Jesus also states that no one other than God knows the timing.  But there is a thread of clarity throughout this passage.  That thread is readiness.

Readiness.  Right now, could you make a list of the things for which you know nothing about, but you are currently prepared?  That’s pretty hard to do when we don’t know what is coming.  When we know the details about a coming event, we prepare.  We pack for a trip.  We study for tests.  We board up the windows when the hurricane is coming.  The Lord has said that He is indeed coming.  Are we prepared for that? 

Awake.  It is a reminder to me to not live in the past (what could have been) or the future (waiting for something to happen in the future that may or may not ever come).  We are to live fully in the present because the present is the only time we can do anything about. Living in the present can redeem the past and prepare us for the future.

Jesus is teaching that being fully engaged (awake) in the moment in which we are living and prepared for Him to show up in any of those present moments is the way that His followers are to live.  No, the smartest biblical scholars can’t agree on the details of the Second Coming.  Jesus assures us that knowing the details is not necessary.  Knowing Him is what prepares us.  Living fully awake in the present will help us recognize when the time is coming.  Jesus makes it clear that, while everyone will know when the Second Coming occurs, not everyone will receive it as good news because of unreadiness.  Ready and Awake. The words for this day. And every other day for that matter.

 

Questions:  Have you ever caught yourself living on autopilot?  (in other words, not fully present with what was going on right in front of you)

 

Prayer: God, help us to live in the present, knowing you can redeem our past and you have a glorious future in store for us.  Prepare us for to recognize and respond to Christ when He returns.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for political prisoners all over the world today.

 

Song: I Wish We’d All Been Ready – DC Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSW5uO4kKto