Tuesday - LIVING READY WHILE WAITING
by Allen Taliaferro
Executive Pastor
On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem and the crowd hailed Him, “Messiah.”
On Monday, Jesus cleansed the Temple and, following that dramatic display, He stayed on Temple Mount, speaking to the crowd, teaching in parables, and chastising the religious leaders. Jesus pronounced oracles of woe over the scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites. Then He issued a lament over the entire city of Jerusalem.
Today’s devotion attends to the moment Jesus sat with his disciples outside the city on the Mount of Olives. His disciples approached Him privately about the things Jesus said the day before: “when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” [Matthew 24:3]
The disciples thought Jesus would banish the Roman occupiers and restore the kingdom of Israel, ruling as the rightful heir of David. They, understandably, wanted to know how and when this would happen. Jesus’ response, found in Matthew 24 answers the questions in reverse order, dealing with the signs of His return first and then moving on to the question of timing.
In the first half of the chapter, Jesus describes signs of the end, concluding that, “they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” [Matt 24:30-31]
Then Jesus turns to the matter of timing — the disciples' opening question. His answer is both direct and unsettling. “36 Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son —except the Father alone. 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 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.”
I keep thinking about this analogy in v.43. If we knew when Jesus was returning, we would prepare when it was convenient. We would anticipate His arrival around our other priorities. Our concern for His commands would change as the date and time approached. This is why, “you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Much of Holy Week points to the cross and then to the empty tomb. Our focus for today however, is oriented towards the unknowable timing of a future event: Jesus’ return and the fulfillment of His kingdom. Reflect on these questions: When the King arrives, accompanied by the heavenly host, what will He find you doing? What will He hear you saying? What will you be thinking about when you hear the trumpet sound?
How will you live differently in light of your answers?