Stay Ready

Intro

A. Prayer:

Lord, we come before you humbled, that we get to gather and worship you in this new location. We ask that your peace would rest upon the grange and that your name would be glorified in this place. Lord, would you build your church, equip us, and help us to live our your teachings well. As we open your word, would you remind us that it is a light at our feet and a lamp on our path. Would you illuminate it to us we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

B. Do you ever doubt that Jesus is coming back?

It has been almost 2,000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven. Because Jesus has tarried, it sometimes feels like we are waiting in vain, or worse, that he isn’t coming back. But, we see in the Word of God, that Jesus’ tarrying is all part of His plan.

Scripture Reading

Luke 12:35-59

Body

A: Blessed are the Awake

vs. 35-36

1. GIRD UP YOUR LOINS, Keep your lamps lit

Describe how one Girded their Loins. Utilizing a Girdle, a sash or belt used to tie up the long robe worn by men/women.

Girding up your loins was a sign of preparedness, being ready to preform a physical task, be it battle or labor.

Keeping your lamp lit was not just to show that someone was awake, but ensured that they were aware, alert, and could see clearly.

We Spiritually keep our lamps lit by being attentive to our master Jesus.

vs. 37-48

2. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when He comes.

Jesus is returning, expecting us, His servants to be ready for Him. His Word says that those servants whom the master finds awake will be blessed.

This blessing in vs. 37b is a display of Jesus’ Girding himself to serve.

Our reward for being awake is unprecedented, He puts on the uniform of a servant and invited us to His table to be served by Him. It is a beautiful image of the Humility of our King, being willing to step into our place.

Whether he comes in the first, second, or third watch. Blessed are those slaves who he finds awake.

The Romans divided the day into four six-hour periods for guard-duty. The Jews, however, divided the day into three eight-hour periods, or watches. Have you noticed what happens when people expect something of crisis proportions to happen at a given moment, but it doesn’t? As time passes, people begin to think that it isn’t going to happen at all. It has been almost two thousand years since Jesus said that He would return to this world, and as time passes a spirit of skepticism emerges in many people. If he hasn’t come now, he will probably never come. Perhaps it was only a fairy tale in the first place.

We don’t know the appointed day or hour of His return, but we know two things with certainty. One, that he is coming, and two, that His coming is closer today than it was yesterday. With each passing moment, human history moves closer to the return of Jesus.

R.C. Sproul

A Walk With God: Luke

We are blessed when Jesus returns and find that we are prepared for him to come back, awake, alert, and ready. Our eyes are fixed firmly on the door waiting for His return.

A Warning for the Distracted

If you have used Jesus’ tarrying as an excuse to live for yourself, taking advantage of others, living for the pleasures of the world, and assuming that you will never be called into account. Then hear the words of Jesus “The mater of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect… and will cut him to pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. Be ready, He is coming back.

Even though Jesus tarries, don’t take your eyes off the door.

vs. 49-59

3. Being prepared means knowing the plan of God for humanity.

Know the plan of Judgement

Jesus’ return is to bring Judgement.

Original Word: κρίσις Transliteration: krisis Definition: a decision, judgment Usage: judging, judgment, decision, sentence; generally: divine judgment; accusation.

Jesus’ appearance in the flesh brings with it a krisis to mankind. Any who encounter Him are called to either stand with Him or against Him.

Jesus is not advocating a spirit of dissension, he is predicting the reality of our commitment to Him. It will cause Strife, even in our own families.

Know to identify the present time.

In the same way that we examine the weather, let us examine the things happening around us.

Lets get ourselves right with Jesus while there is time.

Even though Jesus tarries, don’t take your eyes off the door.