113019 – Matthew 24. 36-44
They say that Americans are “obsessed with the future”…more so, than the rest of the world.
There is “a mindset here.”
People want to be “a part of…”
They do not want to be “left out…”
They want to be “in the know…”
People actually follow “WHAT IS TRENDING…”
When it comes to electronic development and devices, I get it, some people just “HAVE-TO-HAVE” … the newest, the latest, the most updated…
No one wants to be stuck with an old-slow-outdated-dinosaur…
There is that whole “ridicule and being laughed at thing”…and IT IS a “thing.”
Does anyone here still USE (not have) but “USE” a 256K or a 512K computer?
I know there are a whole lot of folks who keep their eyes on the stock market and even on individual stocks…on their 401 K’s, and on the futures market…
“They say” even when it comes to things like TERRORISM, Americans seem to obsess over it…compared to the rest of the world.
We do, (it seems,) live in a culture of PROGRESS orientation. We WANT to be in the KNOW…we want to be UP on things…We want to KNOW what is coming…
It was NOT so for Jesus and his contemporaries. They lived more IN THE MOMENT.
Seldom did they think about the future. They viewed the world “in which they lived” as being “unchanging.” AND, they LIKED IT that way…they knew just WHAT to expect.
Change was usually regarded with GREAT “suspicion.” Change was never a good thing. They liked things…the way they had ALWAYS BEEN. You could COUNT ON things being the SAME.
So when it came to something like “the COMING DAYOF THE LORD” faithful Jews saw IT as being a drastic-tragic-startling-change-kind-of-day for the PAGANS…but as a blessing for all Jews.
The Great and Horrible – Horrendous day of the Lord would be “a real eye opener for the world.”
It was OTHERS who would be surprised and AWAKENED. The JEWS thought that they would be IN CONTROL of the situation with God’s blessings…They were “his chosen people” AFTER ALL…
Any change, was meant for OTHERS…and NOT FOR THEM.
Imagine then, the sheer shock when Jesus TAUGHT about the “UNKNOWN” and “SURPRISING” nature of the Lord’s COMING.
“Why that was UNHEARD of…” Was it even possible?
According to Jesus, ONLY GOD would be in control; and the faithful would have to simply TRUST and have FAITH in the benevolent WILL of GOD.
So this was a shocking-startling-kind of unnerving message for a great many.
Events CAN and DO overtake us. There are many times when we ARE NOT IN CONTROL. We can feel HELPLESS and even HOPELESS. And we do not like it. Therefore, we want to be in the know…in the loop…WE want to be prepared. But NOT SO for Jesus’ audience, they had no desire to be prepared.
The day of the Lord’s coming was going to be “a blessing” for them “a cake walk” and a curse for everybody else.
Jesus’ message would have been hard to listen to…and even harder to hear…
Everyone knew about NOAH, he was chosen, he was saved, he was brought through the GREAT ORDEAL…but those “unbelievers”…those “unrighteous ones”…they all got washed away.
And as for the thief, well that was just absurd! Don’t open your doors. Don’t let him in! No thief was going to get in…
As night approached, you took in your animals, you took in anything of value and you bolted your doors until daylight. How would a thief, possibly break in?
No one even considered a thief breaking in during daylight hours…
Jesus’ message was simple. “PREPARE for the unexpected through FAITH. Expect the UNEXPECTED. TRUST in the LORD DAILY and when disaster strikes, you will have the “where-with-all” to survive.
Don’t fall asleep. Don’t be apathetic. Don’t be complacent. Do not become lethargic. The Lord is going to come.
And when he comes, it is going to be a real shocker…a real surprise…he is going to come when it is least expected.
He is going to come stealthily…does anybody really want to be found – astonished, startled, dumbfounded, dazed and shaken?
You are NOT in control. Nor will you be. The opening words of Advent are be ready and be found faithful.
Amen.