READ: Luke 12:35-48
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
How do you put yourself in ready mode? The kind that Jesus is referencing here?
I watched the Super Bowl – except halftime. (I watched Dr. Pohl reruns.) Before kickoff, and despite all the pregame antics, cameras panned for sideline-close ups of the players. The players looked really ready. But what got them there? Being Ready?
Here are some notions –
1. And you knew this was coming – personal conditioning. All their lives. And all year. Toward the Objective – winning the Super Bowl.
2. And you knew this was coming, too – team conditioning. All of them. All their lives. And all year.
3. Engaging in the work (games) and despite wins, losses – all their lives and all year. The losses, we assume, have helped them build endurance, become even more affective, as they continued moving toward the Objective. The wins? Kept them motivated.
4. They didn’t quit. Ever.
5. They worked through frustrations with themselves, regarding their personal performance, as well as with those of their teammates – all their lives. And all year.
Well, what do you think? Are we missing anything? How can a man in Jesus ready himself for Christ’s return?
Sean Allen, Equipping Pastor for Men’s and Recovery Ministries