We Must Not be Found Sleeping

Mark 13:33–37
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When it comes to being on the alert and ready at any moment to do the job it’s hard to beat the Pony Express. This historically famous mail service between St. Joseph, Missouri, and California depended on constant movement and readiness. Relay stations were established every ten … More

Watchfulness

The keyword in this passage is “Watch” (v. 37). Jesus compares His going away as to a man who takes a long journey and leaves his servants to watch over things while he is gone (vv. 33-34). Jesus has left the earth to go to His Father and left His disciples with the responsibility of guarding the house and to be ready to open the door when He returns. These disciples could well represent the full-time active Christian worker such as a pastor, Bible teacher or missionary. We must not be found sleeping when He comes. We just need to live so that it does not matter when He comes.

Jesus says that he does not know the day or the hour when he will come again (vv. 35-36). There were things which even He left, without questioning, in the hand of God. There can be no greater warning and rebuke to those who work out dates and timetables as to when He will come again. Surely it is nothing less than blasphemy for us to enquire into that of which our Lord testified to not even knowing Himself. Jesus draws a practical conclusion. We are like men who know that their master will come, but who do not know when. We live in the shadow of eternity. That is no reason for fearful and hysterical expectation. But it means that day by day our work must be completed. It means that we must live so that it does not matter when He comes. It gives us the task of making every day a time of being ready to meet him face to face.

Application

Months of planning go into a wedding, the birth of a baby, a career change, etc. I need to place the same importance on preparing for Christ’s return which will be the most important event in my life. The way to prepare is to study God’s Word and live by its instructions each day.

Mark 13:33-37 (English Standard Version)

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