1/6/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.
Always be vigilant! In Luke 12:35-40 Jesus tells his disciples to make no mistake. The coming of the Lord is like a thief. He cane the first time as the infant King of all, announced to shepherds, some foreign sages, and, of course, fully expected by Mary and Joseph. Yet in that coming, he was neither the kind of person expected nor in the place you would hope to find a king.
Those who needed to know about his first coming were notified. They recognized what they saw. And it's significant that someo f those who knew were plain, ordinary people and some were representatives from another people group far away. Jesus' coming is for those who would not always be included in "good society."
What of his second coming? Jesus compares it to the coming of a master who comes home at some indeterminate time. The servants are to be ready and watching. Even in the dark, they recognize the master. They will be on the lookout.
When Jesus comes back, he will be like the thief breaking into Satan's dominion, to rob it. What kind of plunder is he after? He's coming to gather all who will believe in him. He's coming to rescue us, for we have been held hostage in darkness. He's going to come and call. I want to be among those watching and waiting.
In the meantime, as with the servante metaphor, we have our marching orders. We know what we're supposed to be doing. We'll just keep at it while we wait for him to come. We are not idle. He has given us each a work to do, for the good of our world, as we await his coming. Therefore, we dig into our work, always rejoicing in the hope that he will come and find us well occupied.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.
Always be vigilant! In Luke 12:35-40 Jesus tells his disciples to make no mistake. The coming of the Lord is like a thief. He cane the first time as the infant King of all, announced to shepherds, some foreign sages, and, of course, fully expected by Mary and Joseph. Yet in that coming, he was neither the kind of person expected nor in the place you would hope to find a king.
Those who needed to know about his first coming were notified. They recognized what they saw. And it's significant that someo f those who knew were plain, ordinary people and some were representatives from another people group far away. Jesus' coming is for those who would not always be included in "good society."
What of his second coming? Jesus compares it to the coming of a master who comes home at some indeterminate time. The servants are to be ready and watching. Even in the dark, they recognize the master. They will be on the lookout.
When Jesus comes back, he will be like the thief breaking into Satan's dominion, to rob it. What kind of plunder is he after? He's coming to gather all who will believe in him. He's coming to rescue us, for we have been held hostage in darkness. He's going to come and call. I want to be among those watching and waiting.
In the meantime, as with the servante metaphor, we have our marching orders. We know what we're supposed to be doing. We'll just keep at it while we wait for him to come. We are not idle. He has given us each a work to do, for the good of our world, as we await his coming. Therefore, we dig into our work, always rejoicing in the hope that he will come and find us well occupied.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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