Semper Fi

I don't use a lot of sports illustrations, but I came across this one that leads right into the message today. The clock said 13:19 in the third quarter, and the Houston oilers were so far ahead of the Buffalo bills (35-3) that the fans begin streaming out of the stadium. It was January 3rd, 1993, in Buffalo, New York, so why stick around and watch your team get demolished, especially when the weather was chilly and rainy?

But the game wasn’t over . Had those Bills fans stuck it out, they would have seen something quite amazing. In less than 7 minutes, the Bills had scored 27 points, coming within 4 points of the Oilers. But the game was still not over. A tie put them in overtime, and the Buffalo Bills ended the game winning 41-38.

It was Yogi Berra that said, “It ain't over till it's over.” On that cold day in January, a lot of Bills fans had given up on their team, but had they remained faithful and stuck it out, they would have seen one of the greatest comebacks in football.

Semper Fi is a phrase that has been adopted by the United States Marine Corps. Semper Fi means “always faithful”, or “always loyal.” For followers of Christ, “it ain't over till it's over” applies to the return of Christ. We are called to serve Him and continue serving Him until He calls us home. Semper Fi, fellow Christians. Always be faithful to the end. Prayer

Jesus wants us to know that he will one day return for us. In Matthew 24:42, we find the central turning point in Jesus's teaching. People living prior to Christ's return must be ready for His coming. He says, “Be alert!” From the original Greek, the word for be alert means to continually be alert. It's a call for the ongoing expectancy of Jesus's return.

Matthew 24:42 – “Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”

Jesus has already told us in verse 36 to be alert. We have to remember what we learned last week that as we wait and watch, we shouldn't be stricken with fear and nervousness. Our alert watching should be a joyous expectation for the coming of the One that we love and serve.

Jesus referred to Himself as your Lord. That should draw attention to the fact that we don't belong to ourselves. Jesus is our master and creator. When we follow Him, we are acknowledging that Jesus is Lord. We are His. He is in charge. He is our boss 24/7.

Why should we continually be alert? Because Jesus said you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Jesus repeats the truth again of the uncertain timing of the Lord's coming.

Last week we looked at two of the three parables that Jesus used to explain His coming. Today we look at the third parable. Jesus compared His return to a thief in the night. Think about it. A thief doesn't send a letter saying when he is stopping by to rob a house. His principal weapon is surprise. So, a homeowner who has valuables in his house has to maintain a constant vigil.

Jesus was referring to that surprise element when He compared His return to a thief's arrival. Just like the burglar, Jesus won't advertise the time of His arrival. Of course, that would be the extent of Christ's similarity to a thief. A thief steals what is not his. Jesus will return to claim that which is His own.

Matthew 24:43-44 – “But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

This is a way of saying that not only will Christ return at a time that is concealed from us, but it will also be at a time that seems least likely. It's like the old adage, “when you least expect it, expect it.”

Christmas is only 12 weeks away from today. The kids sing the Christmas song “Santa Claus is coming to town.” You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to Town. Santa Claus doesn't have anything on Jesus. Jesus not only sees what we say and do, he knows what we think. And one day Jesus is coming to town.

Have you ever been robbed? Many of us have. Didn't your whole attitude change after the robbery? If you've had your vehicle broken into, now you make sure everything is locked and secure and no valuables are left in it. Our whole attitude changes because of what happened.