WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE: ENTERTAINING GUESTS IN OUR HOME. HOWEVER, THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING THEY ARE COMING AND WHEN THEY ARE JUST DROPPING BY FOR A VISIT.
IT IS ALWAYS AN ADVANTAGE TO KNOW THEY ARE COMING TO PREPARE, CLEAN, GET GROCERIES AND BE FULLY CAPABLE OF PROVIDING MEALS, LODGING AND FELLOWSHIP.
BUT, IT IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY WHEN WE ARE STARTLED BY THE DOORBELL AND SOON DISCOVER AFTER PEAKING OUT THE WINDOW, THERE ARE UNEXPECTED GUESTS STANDING RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR FRONT DOOR.
WHATEVER IT MAY BE….BOSS CALLS ON YOUR DAY OFF TO SEE IF YOU CAN COME IN TO COVER A SHIFT….TEACHER CALLS ON YOU TO ANSWER A QUESTION….THE PASTOR ASKS YOU TO PRAY….IT IS RATHER STRESSFUL TO GET CAUGHT OFF-GUARD. WE LIKE TO BE READY. PREPARED. CAPABLE OF GIVING A PROPER RESPONSE.
PREPARATION IS ONE OF THE SUPPORTING LESSONS IN THE BIBLE FOR BELIEVERS. GENESIS 1:1 TO REVELATION 21:22, HIDES NOTHING FROM US IN WHAT GOD IS DOING AND HAS PLANNED IN REGARD TO HIS COMING KINGDOM. GOD’S MESSAGE REVEALED IN THE BIBLE IS EXTENSIVE, YET CLEAR IF ONE IS WILLING TO READ, STUDY, LEARN, OBEY AND LIVE IT COMPLETELY.
DO WE HONESTLY HAVE ANY EXCUSE AS TO WHY WE CANNOT BE FULLY PREPARED AND READY FOR THE RETURN OF JESUS? WE MUST BE LIVING WITH MORE THAN JUST A MENTAL AWARENESS THAT “ONE DAY” IT WILL HAPPEN. WE ARE LIVING SPIRITUALLY ALERT AND MORALLY PREPARED ALL THE TIME. WE LIVE IN EXPECTATION THAT IT CAN HAPPEN NOW RATHER THAN LATER.
OUR LESSON FROM 1 THESSALONIANS IS NOT THAT WE GO BACK TO MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS OR GO BACK TO WHAT WE WERE DOING IN LIFE. THE LESSON IS THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF WORK TO BE DONE. MATTHEW 9:37-38, “[JESUS] SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, “THE HARVEST IS GREAT, BUT THE WORKERS ARE FEW. SO PRAY TO THE LORD WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE HARVEST; ASK HIM TO SEND MORE WORKERS INTO HIS FIELDS.”
IT IS GOOD THAT WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN JESUS WILL RETURN FOR US. IF WE KNEW THE PRECISE DATE, WE WOULD MOST LIKELY BECOME NEGLECTFUL, DISTRACTED, AND EVEN TEMPTED TO BE LAZY OR INDIFFERENT TOWARDS OUR WORK FOR JESUS.
WORSE YET, DUE TO OUR FALLEN NATURE, WE MIGHT KEEP ON SINNING AND WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT TO TURN TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION. ONE SHOULD NEVER GAMBLE WITH THE STATE OF THEIR EARTHLY LIFE OR ETERNAL SOUL.
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT OUR WORK IS NOT COMPLETE ONCE WE BECOME BORN-AGAIN. HEAVEN IS NOT OUR ONLY GOAL. OUR SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS AT STAKE AS WELL AS THE CRUCIAL TASK OF TELLING OTHERS ABOUT JESUS.
I LIKE WHAT OUR FREE METHODIST CHURCH SAYS ABOUT THE RETURN OF JESUS: WE AFFIRM THAT CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN, BUT WE DON’T KNOW WHEN. IN EVERY AGE THERE ARE “ANTI-CHRISTS” AND “SIGNS” SIMILAR TO THOSE DESCRIBED BY SCRIPTURE. THUS, WE CALL EVERYONE TO BE ABOUT THE FATHER’S BUSINESS OF BRINGING THE MESSAGE TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. IF WE ARE FAITHFUL TO THE GREAT COMMISSION, THE MUCH DEBATED DETAILS OF THE ACTUAL RETURN OF CHRIST WILL UNFOLD IN WAYS SUCH THAT WE WILL NOT BE EMBARRASSED. WE MAY WELL HEAR, “WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.”
I BELIEVE THE LESSON TODAY IS ONE OF ENCOURAGEMENT. PAUL IS EMPHASING THAT THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED SALVATION THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAVE MANY BLESSINGS: WE HAVE THE JOY OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST. WE HAVE THE HOPE OF EXPECTATION THAT ONE DAY WE WILL LIVE FOREVER WITH HIM IN GOD’S KINGDOM. WE ARE AN EXPECTANT PEOPLE! AFTER ALL, WE HAVE A LOT IN WHICH TO LOOK FORWARD!
THAT IS WHY THIS MESSAGE IS ENTITLED, “PAROUSIA!” (PAIR-ROO-SEE-UH). THIS IS A GREEK “NOUN” AS IT REFERS TO A “PERSON” WHO IS JESUS CHRIST. THE WORD MEANS “COMING,” “ARRIVAL” “PRESENCE,” AND “ADVENT.”
THE TERM IS USED IN REGARD TO PREPARATIONS FOR THE ROYAL VISIT OF A KING WITH FULL HONORS. THE EARLY CHURCH USED THE WORD TO NOT ONLY MEAN “THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST,” BUT THE RETURN OF CHRIST IN POWER AND GLORY.
THE RETURN OF CHRIST IS WHAT PAUL WOULD WRITE LATER IN THIS LETTER IN 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16-17, “FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN WITH A COMMANDING SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET CALL OF GOD. FIRST, THE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE DIED WILL RISE FROM THEIR GRAVES. THEN, TOGETHER WITH THEM, WE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE AND REMAIN ON THE EARTH WILL BE CAUGHT UP IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. THEN WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER.”
THE LESSON FOR US IS MORE THAN THE RETURN ITSELF. THE LESSON FROM PAUL, TO US, IN 1 THESSALONIANS 5:1-11, MAKES A SINGLE POINT: THE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTEDNESS OF THE END REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE AND APPROPRIATE MORAL LIFE NOW!
THE FIRST LESSON OF “PAROUSIA” IN THE RETURN OF JESUS, IS ITS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED OCCURRENCE. PAUL DESCRIBES IT IN VERSES 2-3 AS “A THIEF IN THE NIGHT” AND “LABOR PAINS ON A PREGNANT WOMAN.”
PAUL SAYS, JESUS “WILL COME” AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. THE GREEK VERB TRANSLATED “WILL COME” IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE WHICH LITERALLY MEANS “IS COMING” TO INDICATE THE RETURN OF CHRIST IS ALREADY ON THE WAY. THE EVENTS LEADING TO HIS RETURN ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS. WE NEED TO BE READY!
JESUS IS COMING WHICH IS DESCRIBED “AS A THIEF.” THIS ACTION OF JESUS AS A THEIF INDICATES JUST HOW SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED HIS RETURN WILL BE. USING THE WORD “THIEF” INDICATES HOW PROFOUND THE LOSS WILL BE FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT PREPARED. THE FACT THAT THE THEIF’S ARRIVAL IS NOTED AS “AT NIGHT” EMPHASIZES HOW DEVESTATING THE SURPRISE RETURN WILL BE FOR MOST PEOPLE WHO NOW FACE A HORRIBLE DARKNESS FOR ALL ETERNITY.
WE MUST BE VIGILANT. WE MUST BE READY. REVELATION 3:3, GO BACK TO WHAT YOU HEARD AND BELIEVED AT FIRST; HOLD TO IT FIRMLY. REPENT AND TURN TO ME AGAIN. IF YOU DON’T WAKE UP, I WILL COME TO YOU SUDDENLY, AS UNEXPECTED AS A THIEF.”
THEN WE HAVE THE DESCRIPTION AS “LABOR PAINS,” AS PAUL STRESSES THAT THE RETURN OF JESUS IS CERTAINLY INEVITABLE, AS WELL AS UNPREDICTABLE AND UNAVOIDABLE.
THEOLOGIAN, F.F. BRUCE HAS WRITTEN, “THE POINT OF COMPARISON IS THE SUDDEN ONSET OF LABOR PAINS WITH THEIR INESCAPABLE OUTCOME. IF THE THEIF-IN-THE-NIGHT PICTURE EMPHASIZES THE UNEXPECTEDNESS, THE WOMAN-IN-CHILDBIRTH ANALOGY UNDERLINES THE CERTAINTY; THE PROCESS IS IN MOTION AND THERE IS NO ESCAPING IT.”
THE BOTTOM LINE IS NOT TELLING OTHERS “JESUS IS COMING BACK SOME DAY!” THE TRUTH TO LIVE BY IS ACTUALLY, “GET READY, JESUS IS COMING!” THE FIRST LESSON OF “PAROUSIA” IN THE RETURN OF JESUS, IS ITS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED OCCURRENCE.
THE SECOND LESSON OF “PAROUSIA” IN THE RETURN OF JESUS, IS TO BE LIVING AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT WHO ARE ALERT AND AWAKE. SELF-CONTROL IS OUR CALL TO READINESS. WE STAND AS GUARDIANS OF OUR FAITH AND GOD’S TRUTH. WE REMAIN DRESSED FOR BATTLE AS SOLDIERS OF HOLINESS.
1 JOHN 1:5-6, “THIS IS THE MESSAGE WE HEARD FROM JESUS AND NOW DECLARE TO YOU: GOD IS LIGHT, AND THERE IS NO DARKNESS IN HIM AT ALL. SO WE ARE LYING IF WE SAY WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD BUT GO ON LIVING IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS; WE ARE NOT PRACTICING THE TRUTH.”
PAUL GIVES CONTRASTING LESSONS BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE IN DARKNESS AND THOSE IN LIGHT. HE FURTHER EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE ASLEEP AND DRUNK AS OPPOSED TO AWAKE AND SOBER.
THE BOTTOM-LINE PAUL IS STRESSING IS THAT CHRISTIANS BELONG TO A REALM MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF THE WORLD. WE MAY LIVE IN THIS WORLD, BUT WE DON’T LIVE IN ITS DARKNESS. WE DO NOT MARCH TO ITS DRUM-BEAT NOR DO WE DIGRESS TO ITS STANDARDS OF ETHICS, MORALITY, OR TRUTH.
LIGHT HAS ALWAYS REPRESENTED WHAT IS GOOD, PURE, TRUE, HOLY AND RELIABLE. DARKNESS HAS ALWAYS REFERRED TO THOSE THINGS SINFUL, EVIL AND UNHOLY. STAY ILLUMINED!
AS IT HAS BEEN SAID, “IN THE DARK, GOOD AND EVIL LOOK ALIKE; IN THE LIGHT, THEY CAN BE CLEARLY DISTINGUISHED. JUST AS DARKNESS CANNOT EXIST IN THE PRESENCE OF LIGHT, SIN CANNOT EXIST IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LIGHT OF A HOLY GOD.”
EPHESIANS 5:8-14, “FOR ONCE YOU WERE FULL OF DARKNESS, BUT NOW YOU HAVE LIGHT FROM THE LORD. SO LIVE AS PEOPLE OF LIGHT! FOR THIS LIGHT WITHIN YOU PRODUCES ONLY WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT AND TRUE. CAREFULLY DETERMINE WHAT PLEASES THE LORD. TAKE NO PART IN THE WORTHLESS DEEDS OF EVIL AND DARKNESS; INSTEAD, EXPOSE THEM. IT IS SHAMEFUL EVEN TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT UNGODLY PEOPLE DO IN SECRET.BUT THEIR EVIL INTENTIONS WILL BE EXPOSED WHEN THE LIGHT SHINES ON THEM, FOR THE LIGHT MAKES EVERYTHING VISIBLE. THIS IS WHY IT IS SAID, ‘AWAKE, O SLEEPER, RISE UP FROM THE DEAD, AND CHRIST WILL GIVE YOU LIGHT.’”
FINALLY, THE ATTRIBUTE OF REMAINING AWAKE AND SOBER. HONESTLY, THERE IS NOTHING MORE DISAPPOINTING THAN A CHRISTIAN WHO IS EITHER ASLEEP OR DRUNK….OR BOTH.
PAUL IS USING A METAPHOR TO DESCRIBE ONE WHO IS MORALLY, ETHICALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY INDIFFERENT TO THINGS OF GOD, HIS HOLINESS, AND THE PENDING RETURN OF JESUS. I FIND IT HARD TO FATHOM A CHRISTIAN WHO SIMPLY COULD CARE LESS. UNREAL THAT NOTHING IN THE REALM OF GOD AND HIS HOLINESS COULD HOLDS ANY PARTICULAR INTEREST OR CONCERN TO SOMEONE. I PRAY THAT WE ARE NOT ASLEEP OR INTOXICATED!
WE MUST WALK CLOSE TO GOD IN FELLOWSHIP. WE BECOME ADVENT PEOPLE, KEENLY AWARE OF CHRIST’S SECOND COMING. WE ARE ALERT NOT DISTRACTED. WE ARE DISCIPLINED, AND SELF-CONTROLLED. WE WASTE NO TIME DABBLING IN THE WORLD EXPOSING OUR FLANKS TO THE LURES OF TEMPTATION.
I THINK WHAT PAUL IS GETTING AT IS EMPHASING OUR NEED TO LIVE A LIFE OF TEMPERANCE THAT AVOIDS EXCESS. OUR FREE METHODIST CHURCH SAYS, IN THEIR “DISTINCTIVE PRINCIPLES” THAT WE “ARE COMMITTED TO THE NEW TESTAMENT IDEALS OF SIMPLICITY AND MODESTY AS A STYLE OF LIFE. THEY WISH TO CALL ATTENTION, NOT TO THEMSELVES, BUT TO THEIR LORD.”
THINK OF YOUR LIFE AS A COMMERCIAL: WHAT HAVE I SOLD MYSELF OUT TO? WHAT AM I SELLING? WHAT AM I ADVERTISING? WHAT WE TRULY BELIEVE IS WHAT WE WILL LIVE OUT.
WE ILLUMINE THE WORLD. WE REFLECT THE LIGHT OF CHRIST. WE LIVE ABOVE THE WORLD’S STANDARDS. WE ARE AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND US AND RESPOND IN GOD’S LOVE.
WE ARE GROWING, LEARNING, HEALING, SERVING, LOVING, AND DISCIPLE-MAKING PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HIGHEST STATE OF VIGILENCE AND CERTAINTY THAT JESUS IS NOT ONLY COMING BACK, BUT ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF RETURNING.
1 JOHN 2:28-29, “AND NOW, DEAR CHILDREN, REMAIN IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST SO THAT WHEN HE RETURNS, YOU WILL BE FULL OF COURAGE AND NOT SHRINK BACK FROM HIM IN SHAME. SINCE WE KNOW THAT CHRIST IS RIGHTEOUS, WE ALSO KNOW THAT ALL WHO DO WHAT IS RIGHT ARE GOD’S CHILDREN.”
“PAROUSIA!” (PAIR-ROO-SEE-UH). THE SECOND ADVENT OF JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AND HE WILL ARRIVE AND MAKE HIS PRESENCE KNOWN…UNANNOUNCED. SUDDENDLY. QUICKLY. ARE WE LIVING AS EXPECTANT PEOPLE WHO ARE READY NOW? AMEN.
