“Look, I am coming like a thief. The one who is alert and remains clothed so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame is blessed.”
This is not the first time we have been told that Jesus’ return will “be like a thief in the night.”
Paul mentioned it in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 and Peter mentioned it in 2 Peter 3:10.
If you knew when and where exactly the thief was coming, you would prepare and plan and then be ready at the moment and place he was to attempt his heist. But thieves do not announce their arrival plans.
Jesus’ second coming will be like a thief in the night. It will happen suddenly and unexpectedly.
Stay alert: Do not neglect the daily discipline of dying to yourself and training yourself in righteousness. Do not get lazy and assumptive. Jesus has not left us without orders or without warning that we must stay alert.
Remain clothed: Do not take off the white robes you received by grace through faith in Christ. Do not put on anything else. Stay clothed in Christ alone. His righteousness is the only garment that will not leave you naked and ashamed.
There is blessing in being awake and ready for the wedding feast.
For example:
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables:2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.3He sent out his slaves to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come.4Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: Look, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business.6And the others seized his slaves, treated them outrageously and killed them.7The king was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city.
8 “Then he told his slaves, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.9Therefore go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’10So those slaves went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests.11But when the king came in to view the guests,he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.12So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
No comments:
Post a Comment