Last Sunday of the Church Year Jesse Jacobsen Printed Time-stamp: "Sat Nov 24 16:33:56 2007"

Watch Means Keep Ready

A good movie has an element of suspense to it.

You have some vague foreshadowing of what will happen, but you don't know exactly what.

Just as important, you don't know exactly when.

The movie Jurassic Park was ground-breaking.

It seemed that real dinosaurs were on the big screen,

and these vicious creatures were after the people.

I remember one vivid scene in the rain,

where the characters were gathered

outside the safety of their vehicle.

Then a faint, deep rumble filled the air

as tiny waves danced in the larger rain puddles.

It faded quickly, then came again.

They were footsteps of something very big, very near. It was a sign that a T-Rex was stalking the people,

and might strike at any moment.

It would be foolish for those characters to ignore the signs,

and to go on, unprepared for whatever may be coming.

But things like that happen in real life:

not with dinosaurs, but in a matter even more terrible.

With the Day of Judgment that may begin at any moment.

You wouldn't want to be caught by a T-Rex with your pants down.

But you really wouldn't want to be surprised

on the Day of Judgment.

It's not easy to stay alert, but we must.

At stake is eternal life on the one hand,

and hell on the other hand.

When Jesus says, “Watch,” He means keep ready.

Because the long wait might lessen our urgency. Because the Master will surely come soon.

Mark 13:33–37

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

Because the long wait might lessen our urgency.

When Jesus says, “Watch,” He means keep ready.

Because the long wait might lessen our urgency.

When you can sense that danger is imminent,

adrenaline helps to keep you alert.

But when the danger doesn't strike for a while,

the first awareness wears off.

Like watchmen late into the lonely, dark night,

we become drowsy, supposing that all will be well.

Our Lord has left this world, to return on the Last Day.

He told His Church that nobody knows when that will happen.

In our text, Jesus compares us to servants

waiting for our master's return.

It's almost not even a parable, because that's what we are!

Our Master gave authority to his servants, and to each his work.

God has called you to the honorable vocations you hold:

He made you a father or mother, a son or daughter, an employer or employee, homemaker or student, and so forth.

This is the work that our Master wants us to do

until He returns.

Many years have passed since Jesus said these things.

Christians in some places — like Thessalonica

were concerned that the Lord might return too soon.

Their faith was commendable,

even though it didn't happen as soon as they thought.

But now, are we as prepared? Are you?

If He returns at any moment,

will you be found watching for Him while you do your assigned work?

Every night we close our eyes might be the last time. Every day we arrive at work or school might be the last day.

Really, it could be.

But, do you believe it?

Our lives could be interrupted by Jesus' return,

or by death.

But either way, Jesus' warning applies: Watch!

Keep ready!

It's hard to keep watching as time passes.

We begin to love some parts of life here on earth.

It may be children or grandchildren. It may be some project near to your heart. It may be that we grow comfortable with what we know,

and fear the unknown threshold.

Part of our problem may be that we forget what's really at stake.

Life on earth has its flaws and dangers,

but sometimes those flaws are not so apparent.

This must be one of the reasons that Satan leaves some people alone:

he wants them to enjoy life — on earth, forget what's coming, and what's at stake, so that they will not receive life in heaven.

We have to learn from God's Word

the true nature of the world we live in, and the true nature of our relation to God.

Learn the lesson of Genesis chapter 3:

paradise was truly lost in its beginning, and it has not been found again on earth.

Open your eyes to the suffering and wickedness on earth:

continued evidence that paradise was lost.

Observe the mistake that so many make: trusting God's law,

thinking that they will be able to recover

by becoming better people.

But God's Word condemns all human righteousness:

You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

It's not just a matter of making a few fine-tuning adjustments.

Sin has become a like flaw in our very nature. Death alone can remove it.

What's really at stake is a matter of geography:

Where will you be for eternity after you die:

In heaven with God, or in hell with the sinners?

It seems that our bodies are the only real part of us.

That's not true. We have a soul or spirit, which will live on after death.

Where it lives depends upon how we receive

the things that Jesus teaches us today.

So watch. Keep ready.

Learn the Word of God, and keep it. Urgently continue to do the things Jesus has given you,

but be ready at a moment's notice to leave it all behind.

Because the Master will surely come soon.

“Watch” means keep ready,

because the Master will surely come soon.

For some people, the return of our Master

will be worse than a T-Rex in Jurassic Park.

It's not because He wants it to be worse,

but because they refuse to be prepared for that Day.

Jesus has told us everything we need to know,

but not the exact day and time He will return.

God's Word gives us the knowledge of sin,

so that we shouldn't place any trust in our own goodness:

not even a spark!

but rather, we should accept that

we are all charged under sin by the Law of God, and there is none who is truly righteous,

none who can claim the right of eternal life.

Yet many people do not accept this,

stubbornly trusting in our own righteousness

to deliver us from the fire on the Day of Judgment.

How sad, and how foolish!

We all think that way, because it comes naturally.

Those who stand upon their own merit — even you and I —

may think they will come out fine in the End, but the Day will come as a thief in the night,

and all of the merit in which they trusted will be seen for the sin it really is.

The consequence of being unprepared is terrible indeed: everlasting punishment.

But some will be prepared when that Day comes,

not because of anything good on their part,

but by God's grace alone.

This is a comfort for us,

because we need to be certain and sure of our salvation.

This is only possible when God has done it all.

God has done it all:

we are redeemed from our sin through Jesus' death, we are given a new life by the Holy Spirit in our Baptism, we are sanctified by the Gospel to live

as servants of God, instead of servants of sin.

we are fed and strengthened in our new life

through the body and blood of our Lord.

God has done it all,

and now He bids us to watch.

Those who trust in the work of God rather than their own work

on the day Jesus returns,

will be ready.

For them, that Day will be the best they will ever see on earth.

We want to be in that number.

God knows how hard it is for us to watch faithfully,

trusting His Word and performing our assigned duties.

He knows how easy it is for us to become distracted,

to begin loving something here,

more than we love our Redeemer.

Here is our comfort:

Revelation 3:11, Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

Here is our encouragement:

Revelation 22:7, Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.

You have the promise of God's Son.

You have His forgiveness, and His gift of righteousness. You have His everlasting inheritance as your own.

Revelation 22:20, He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Soli Deo Gloria!