Sunday November 21, 2010 Matthew 24:36-44

Welcome, I would like to thank all who commented on last week’s blog. I was fun to hear from you and your thoughts on the topic. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. On Sunday I was too busy to watch the Vikings spiral out of control and loose. What a sad change of a team from last year. This week we will gather, weather willing, with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. I hope each of you have a good time and good food. Our new lectionary year is starting with this Sunday, the first Sunday in Advent. We will spend this next year in the Gospel of Mathew. Even though it is Advent the text for Sunday comes from later in the Gospel of Matthew and isn’t yet the story of the birth of Jesus. In Sunday’s text Jesus and his disciples have been in the Temple while Jesus was teaching. This is taking place during the last week of Jesus’ life. He is leaving the Temple for the last time and will be crucified by Friday of that week. He and his disciples had crossed over the Kidron Valley and were sitting on the Mount of Olives looking back at the Temple. His disciples had commented on how beautiful the Temple building was. And it was truly beautiful. Just one of the massive building stones was 42ft by 13ft by 3ft. All the blocks were cut at the quarry and hauled to the Temple site. There was no mortar used in the building. It is all held together by gravity. During the building of the Temple, the site was to remain quiet, no construction noise. As they were leaving and commenting on the Temple Jesus told them that it would all be destroyed. (And it was by the Romans in 70AD). In our text for Sunday they are questioning Jesus as to when this will happen.

V36 In these verses Jesus is both talking about the destruction of the Temple and about His own reappearing at the end of time. He is interweaving both events. He cannot tell them the exact time as His Father hasn’t revealed it to Him. Even thought Jesus and God are one, God had not revealed all to Jesus as far as exact timing of events.

V37 Jesus then uses the example of Noah. Noah had told the people about God’s coming flood and they didn’t believe him. Noah spent years building the ark, more than enough time for the people to notice and take heed. Instead the people ridiculed Noah and didn’t interrupt their lives. They carried on with day to day life eating, drinking, and marriage and missed the huge sign at the edge of town – the ark. Even when Noah entered the ark they took no notice.

V38 They paid no attention to Noah until the flood came and swept them away. Jesus tells the disciples the same thing will happen again to the present time. People will ignore the signs of the coming destruction of the Temple and they will ignore the signs of His return.

V40-41 Two people will be working in a field one will be taken and one will be left. (Men worked in the fields). Two women will be grinding meal one will be taken and one left. (Women will be affected too). These verses have been used by authors to promote a rapture [where the righteous people will be taken up into the clouds to be with Jesus while those “left behind” (wink), the unrighteous, will be in torment]. Jesus is not describing the rapture here. Jesus never talked about a rapture. That idea came much later in history. Jesus is referring back to Noah where a few people, Noah’s family, was saved due to their belief in what God told them about a flood, saw the signs God was providing and acted on the information by building an ark. Just as a remnant, Noah’s family, was saved so too will a remnant be saved now by their careful observance of the coming signs.

V42 Jesus tells the disciples to keep awake, be watchful, and pay attention to what is happening. In other words notice when people are revolting against Rome and soldiers are starting to gather, trouble is brewing. Keep awake too for Jesus’ return. Watch for the signs, pay attention.

V43 If a homeowner knew at what time the thief was going to break into his house he would stay awake waiting. If the thief was kind enough to send an email to notify the homeowner he could plan for the event and be ready. But guess what, thieves don’t do that. They use the element of surprise so we must protect our homes at all times.

V44 Jesus compares a homeowner who is vigilant against thieves to his disciples, and us, who must be on the watch and aware at all times for his return. We are not to be complacent assuming we have time to prepare, but rather prepare now! As we protect our homes from an unknown thief, so we are to be ready for His return. He is coming at an unexpected hour.

I think that we as Christians play the procrastination game just like everyone else. We have time to do that “Christian” thing later. After all Jesus hasn’t returned for 2000 years, we’ve got some time. We can’t imagine we will see it in our life time. But, what if we do? What if we aren’t ready? It’s too late to ask for more time when He is here. He is giving us a “heads up”. Be ready! Don’t concern yourselves with figuring out when it will happen, don’t pour over the book of Revelation looking for clues but live like it could happen any minute. Don’t waste time looking for clues in world events, empires will come and empires will go, do God’s work in the world. Believe what God has revealed to us, Jesus was His Son and took our punishment for our sin. He came to show us how to live and restore our relationship to God. Just like a thief who breaks into our house unexpectedly, Jesus will return without notice.