[Jesus shared with His disciples,] "Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready."
2,000 years before Arnold coined "I'll be back" (sorry, couldn't help myself), Jesus declared His return.
As we meet Jesus: Returner, let's look at the good news for us.
First, even after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, He never left His people. He shared this promise in Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT), "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. AND BE SURE OF THIS: I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE [my caps]."
Second, He promised that when He went away, He would send the Holy Spirit to be with us. (John 16:7).
Third, He offered these words of encouragement, hope and love to His followers, "Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am." (John 14:1-3 NLT)
With this good news come questions for our lives.
What does it mean to...
- be dressed for service?
- be ready?
- carry out His instructions?
- be prepared?
- be entrusted with what we've been given?
And considering Jesus' return...
- Where is there the urgency to introduce people to Jesus--the one who saves those who believe in Him from sin and death?
- How does this impact your call from Jesus to "go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you"?
Take time to ponder these questions. Discuss them with your small group.
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