Waiting For Jesus to Come

Waiting For Jesus to Come

That’s what we’re all doing now more then ever, but exactly what is it that Jesus wants us to do while we’re waiting? Are we just supposed to stand outside, listening for that trumpet and looking up in the sky to see if we can see Him yet? No, I don’t think so lol, and I doubt if any of you think that either, even if that is how the world likes to make us look. But then what are we supposed to do?

The one thing they all say over and over is that we are to "watch, be alert, be self controlled, etc. Jesus Himself tells us this and it's repeated a bunch of times elsewhere as well. (I've learned to think of everything in God's Word as coming from God Himself even if it's not Jesus speaking in one of the Gospels but wanted to make the distinction that in this, Jesus Himself does address it specifically.)

Anyway, I wanted to know why this is so very important. We know that any time God has something repeated in scripture that it means that it's very important and that the more often it's repeated the more importance it has... I realized that the only way to discover the "why" is to read these in context, so I thought I'd share several passages with you guys and see what we could all come up with as to why Jesus wants us to watch, be alert and self controlled etc. But instead of looking at all of them at once, it will be easier to look them over one at a time. Plus that way we won’t miss anything! So let’s look at the passage from Luke first.

Luke 12:35-48 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Wow! Just reading that passage reminds me of so many other passages; like the parable of the ten virgins with their oil; the parable of the wedding banquet itself, the parable of the talents and others as well.

Obviously from the number of times Jesus says this, "being ready" is very very important for us. So from this we can understand that we must first "know the signs" so that we can expectantly watch for His return, and while doing that keep ourselves ready so that when He does call us home, He will be pleased with us.

I think one of the biggest problems though is that many people don't know what they are to do to "be ready". What is it that Jesus is looking to find in us on that day? What does He want to see in us then?

waiting for Jesus to come (on FH)