Today is the second Sunday in Advent. Light the second candle on your wreath, circlet, tea light holder or taper candle holder:
Song: Even So Come by Passion🎵
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Readings:
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Revelation 16:15
Matthew 24:43
2 Thessalonians 5:2, 4
2 Peter 3:10
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Closing Prayer:
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“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:44)
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In honor of the Second Sunday of Adventus we shall read the following passages pertaining to Paraousia, the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
“But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.” (Matthew 24:43)
“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake and who keeps his clothes [that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return], so that he will not be naked—spiritually unprepared—and men will not see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15 AMP)
“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4)
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (2 Peter 3:10)
Behold our glorious God and Savior shall come at an hour we do mot expect, like a thief in the night! While the world sleeps in vanity, our Redeemer will come on the clouds to judge humanity. Amen.
There are some common themes between all four passages. Each passage contains the description of our Lord Jesus Christ coming like a thief in the night. This is a very unusual metaphor, to compare our Lord’s Coming to that of a thief breaking in at a time we do not expect. But it works brilliantly to caste an image in our minds, that Jesus will come suddenly and not at an “hour when we expect.” That it could happen in the night, when everyone is binge watching shows online and others are asleep, and then suddenly all will be roused to see the Lord in the sky (Revelation 1:17).
In the Matthew and Revelation passages there is a command to “stay awake.” What does this mean? There are some clues in the passages themselves. The Amplified passage says “staying spiritually ready for the Lord’s return,” (Revelation 16:15 AMP), which cross references well with Christ’s own words, “So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:16). Lukewarm meaning not being on fire for the Lord, nor spiritually ready for Him which is better illustrated in this passage, “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works (things) you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.” (Revelation 2:4-5 NLT). Another clue to what “staying awake,” means is found in Paul’s words, “And now the prize awaits me--the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8). Staying awake in my estimation has to do with staying spiritually hot and ready for Christ any minute and being excited and looking forward to His Second Coming; but ultimately I believe it boils down to keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and loving Him with all that you are, which will would produce looking forward to His coming and being spiritually ready for it.
We are reassured, lest you enter panic mode, that we shall not be caught off guard when Christ suddenly comes, “But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4). This connects to Peter’s admonition, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9). How were we drawn out of darkness? By believing in the Light of the World, “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” (John 8:12) and “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:40). Keeping our faith In Jesus shall prepare us for the hour of His Coming. Focus on Christ our Savior and develop that relationship through prayer (talking to Him), reading Scripture, and listening to His still small voice.
Finally, the Apostle Peter adds that at the coming of Christ like a thief, the heavens and earth shall pass away in flame and in fury of God’s wrath. This alludes to after the Millennial Reign of Christ and Judgement Day, Jesus will dissolve the old earth and heavens and create a new one, “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4). So often we get focused on the fire pf God’s coming wrath which is not appointed for us Christians, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:9), that we miss what the Lord is bringing us: eternal life, a new earth and heaven, the New Jerusalem, and above all Himself (Revelation 21:22). Amen.
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