Title: Active Waiting (Ref. Israel waited for the Messiah; Mary waited for Jesus’ birth; We wait to celebrate his birth and in anticipation of his Second Coming)
Text: Matthew 24:36-44
Thesis: We are to practice active waiting in the present, in light of the uncertainties of the future.
Introduction
Sleep or the lack there of is a big deal. They say hypersomnia, i.e., sleeping too much is a hallmark sign of depression. Of course we may cherish a nice nap or a long night of sleep because we are simply exhausted. On the other hand there are those of us who are exhausted because we cannot get a good night of sleep. We call that insomnia. So we have can-sleepers and cannot-sleepers.
I rather like to sleep so I’m not sure if I suffer from laziness or a need to escape the realities of life or if I am genuinely tired or if I just like lolling around on our big ole pillow-top, king-size bed. However, I am reluctant to spend too much time in bed in that one major caveat in spending a lot of time in bed is the solemn reminder that most people die in bed… better to be up and about and active.
There are numerous biblical references to staying awake or keeping watch with regard to the coming of Christ, I don’t think being either an insomniac or a hypersomniac is the issue. Quite frankly an insomniac can be as unprepared as a hypersomniac can be fully prepared for Christ’s return.
In a few weeks we will celebrate the 1st Advent of Christ. People will be wide-awake for Christmas but miss the Christ of Christmas. And at the 2nd Advent of Christ there will be those who are wide-awake when Christ comes and miss out while there will be Christians who are asleep who will not miss out.
There are numerous reasons why people may blow it so Jesus speaks to some of those issues in our text today.
One of the problems with being aware and prepared for the Second Coming of Christ is the uncertainty of it all.
I. Waiting in a world of uncertainty
“No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” Matthew 24:36
The ambiguity regarding the actual time of Christ’s return can cause insomnia, so to speak, for some and hypersomnia for others. Knowing that Christ may come at any moment can throw some people into hyper vigilance while the uncertainty of it all can lull others to sleep.
We understand what it means to be uncertain about things. Will the teacher throw a Pop quiz today? Will my baby come on the due date of will the baby arrive early or late? When will I be deployed and will it be a nice gig in Germany or will it be Afghanistan? When will the pathology report come back? Are there going to be lay-offs and will I be the one being laid-off and when will lay-offs occur?
The point of verse 36 is to inform us that there are uncertainties in life and particularly so when it comes to end time events and the coming of Christ. And since we do not know the day or the hour of an impending event or the return of Christ, it is important that we remain attentive. The rest of the passage makes us aware of some of the ways we may be inclined to let our guard down, so to speak.
So we begin by facing the reality of the tension between knowing for sure and not knowing at all.
One of the dangers in not knowing is to lapse into distractedness.
II. Waiting in a world distractions
“When the Son of Man returns it will be like it was in Noah’s day… when the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered the boat.” Matthew 24:37-39
This week I heard on the news that the State of New Jersey is intent on passing new laws with regard to things that distract drivers. The law against texting while driving is already in place but the intent is to expand that law to include snacking or eating, smoking, putting on make-up and so on.
Being distracted while driving may not have significant consequences but sometimes someone dies because a driver is distracted.
In sports we often hear color commentators refer to someone taking their eyes off the ball. The receiver loses his concentration when he anticipates being hit by a linebacker or a receiver ceases to focus on the ball and turns his attention to the run. In my brief foray into the world of golf I soon learned that if you hope to drive the ball off the tee you have to keep your eye on the ball if you expect to hit the ball.
The activities that distracted people in the Days of Noah – banquets, parties and weddings, seem innocuous enough. But it is increasingly challenging to keep one’s eye on the spirit of gratitude during the season of Thanksgiving and the spirit of Christ during the season of Christmas. In that less than 5% of people living in the Denver Metro area attend church on any given Sunday it seems that most people are pretty much distracted from things spiritual. Apparently the thought of missing the boat, so to speak, has not crossed their minds.
The tension in this Scripture is the tug between staying spiritually focused on what is important and being distracted from spiritual things.
Not knowing and the waiting associated with not knowing can also lead to a state of unawareness or obliviousness.
III. Waiting in a world of unawareness
“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken and the other left.” Matthew 24:40-41
This passage is not only a reminder that Christ will come while people are doing normal things… it is also
Are minder that there will be a separation of those who are in Christ and those who are not. This may be a look back to the days of Noah when some were savvy enough to get on the ark while others were not. It may also be an allusion to the separation of the sheep and the goats at the Final Judgment in Matthew 25:31-33.
Last Sunday Bronco fans watched the Patriots punt the ball to sure-handed, Bronco Wes Welker. The game was tied at 31. Welker opted to let the ball go rather than try to field it giving the Broncos either another attempt to score or at least be able to settle for a tie. However, Bronco special team member Tony Carter did not get the memo and inadvertently touched the bouncing ball which was promptly recovered by the Patriots who then called in their ace-in-the-hole kicker and Grostkowski kicked a game-winning field goal.
Once “Bear” Bryant, widely considered one of the greatest coaches of all time, gave a pre-game speech to his players in which he told his team that in every game there are four or five game-changing plays that have the potential to decide the outcome of a game. He told his players to be at their very best for every play because the team that optimizes the advantage of game-changing plays will win the game.
That game-changing play, just a muffed punt, decided the outcome of that game. One moment of oblivious unawareness determined the difference between winning and losing. And it is one game-changing decision or lack thereof that will decide the outcome of every person’s eternal destiny.
It is the oblivious unawareness of the man who is left and it is the oblivious unawareness of the woman who is left when Christ comes that is that person’s game-changer.
This game-changing tension is the tug between being aware of or oblivious to eternal things.
The last verses of our text speak to the how uncertainty can seduce us into a state of laxity and negligence.
IV. Waiting in a world of negligence
“You must keep watch? If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he must keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.” Matthew 24:42-44
National Geographic initiated an “End of the World as We Know It” Survey to see what Americans’ think about a potential doomsday scenario.
• 62% of Americans believe there will be a major catastrophe in the next 20 years.
• 71% believe that catastrophe will be an “act of God.”
• 85% said they are not ready for such an event.
In the National Geographic survey, when asked what they would do the night before they thought the world might end nearly everyone said they would stock up on resources.
(Meghan Gleason, National Geographic TV Blogs, “The Results Are In,” PreachingToday.com)
Our biblical example cites a homeowner who must be vigilant day and night. You do not need to take extraordinary measures to protect your home but there are some common sense things a prepared person does like lock your doors and windows… maybe get a watch-pet.
How many of you have a watch-cat? You feel safe when you leave your home knowing you have locked the door as you go out to run some errands because your cat is keeping watch. That’s what cats do… they watch. And when someone breaks into your back door the cat watches from under the sofa as they relieve you of your stuff. If you want added protection against an intruder you get a watch dog. You don’t want a yippy little ankle nipping dog. If no one is home there is no one to hear the yipping and ankle nipping will not deter a criminal intent on robbing you. You need a real watch dog that not only watches and barks big but can do something about a thief.
When I was a kid delivering the Des Moines Register I walked up onto a porch early in the morning to deliver the paper. Just as I was about to open the storm door and drop the paper a Boxer came through the door, hit me in the chest knocking me flat on my back and then stood astraddle of me snarling. That was a dog that could not only keep watch but was prepared to do something about an unexpected intruder.
The point is in the face of living in anticipation of a potential arrival of a burglar you have to do something. A negligent person does nothing to be prepared for the unexpected and unannounced thief. The prepared person is always ready.
Jesus was not talking about us all going out and getting a junk yard dog to watch for his coming. He was suggesting that if we are wise we will always be prepared and by prepared this is what he meant:
“We are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that day when Christ will be revealed.” Titus 2:12-13
This parable is the first in a series of five parables extending through Matthew 25:
1. The Parable of the Thief in the Night, Matthew 24:42-44: We must be Prepared!
2. The Parable of the Servant, Matthew 24:45-51: We must be Responsible!
3. The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, Matthew 25:1-13: We must be Ready!
4. The Parable of the Three Servants (Talents), 25:14-30: We must be Productive!
5. The Final Judgment, Matthew 25:31-46: We will be held Accountable!
There is nothing passive about waiting for the return of Christ. Waiting for the Coming of Christ is about being actively engaged in life and living life for the good of others and the glory of God. It is being actively prepared, behaving responsibly, being ready, and being accountable by living spiritually productive lives so we will be counted worthy when we stand before God.
The spiritual tug we need to be aware of in this passage is between maintaining diligence in anticipation of Christ’s return and lapsing into laxity.
Conclusion
There is a developing culture in our country of people who are diligently preparing for an apocalypse. They are building bunkers. They are amassing food and water. They are arming themselves. They are building bug-out vehicles. They are digging in and hunkering down because when the end comes they plan on surviving the apocalypse. They plan to emerge from their bunkers and start a new life right here.
My guess is few if any are prepping for the Second Advent of Jesus Christ because when that happens:
Our hope is not to be left behind to rebuild…
Our hope is to be taken away to be with the Lord forever.
Our readiness is not about staying, it is about going.
I began this morning comparing a hypersomniac who can sleep all the time with an insomniac who cannot sleep at all. I don’t want you to be so anxious about end time things that you cannot sleep… I want you to be so prepared for the end-times and the coming of Christ that you can sleep like a baby.
Remember that childhood bed-time prayer?
Now I lay be down to sleep;
I pray the Lord, my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake;
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
