“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn,or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” (Mark 13:32-37)
Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:4-41)
Will you be waiting, watching and praying or will you be sleeping on the job? When Jesus comes back…or better yet, when the Father looks down and is ready to bring home the elect so that he may bring judgment upon the Earth, will our job be complete?
Or, will we be found sleeping…sitting on our hands, not “pressing towards the mark”….not carrying out the Missio Dei to which we have been called…not saving souls, not going out and inviting the sick and the lost to the wedding feast of the Lamb!? (Luke 12; Rev. 19)
Has his wife made herself ready yet!?!?!?!? Brothers and sisters are we READY!? (Rev. 19:7) Truly, the Bible informs us that he is coming back for a [bride] without spot or blemish….are we that beautiful bride? Do you feel worthy? I know I don’t…I know I never will-not until we reach glory.
We have, though, been redeemed and made righteous in His sight- justified by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and through Him, we truly are worthy, even now! That is not just good news but great news. I think about the loving grace that our Abba Father has bestowed upon us and my spirit rejoices.
Therefore, we have a job to do and have been equipped with His Spirit. We have been given the proper armament to carry out the mission and need not grieve or quench Him. Stay on task. Keep the mission uppermost in your mind. Keep the main thing the main thing: saving souls.
One Up, One Down-Keep Watch Together
As sojourners in this world together, fellow Christian soldiers, we should be able to lean and depend on one another. In the military, we stressed unit cohesion. When we had a security detail, so to stay vigilant, we would often go “one up, one down” meaning one rests while the other keeps watch. Galatians 3:28 says [that no matter who you are, Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Methodist, Baptist, Church of Christ, or Christian Church], “we are all one in Christ Jesus.” Lord, how long will it take us to at least come closer to the unity of the faith? We know that you are the “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [us] all” (Eph. 4:6), yet why can’t we seem to work together? Our own egotism has caused us to allow Satan’s divisive attacks to govern how we live out our faith and how we perform our duties as part of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. We are snoozing!
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:1-5).
Therefore be…ready… Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up (Matthew 24:44).
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (I Th. 5:5-6).
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them
(Luke 12:37).
I know the flesh is weak-but is your Spirit willing? Church, this is your wake up call.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.