FIRST MONDAY IN ADVENT
November 29, 2010
Matthew 24:37, 40-41-44 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man… 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.
“One will be taken and one will be left.” Some have understood Jesus to be speaking of the rapture – when they say true believers will just disappear or be taken up into the air to meet the descending Christ. Jesus does say that one will be taken. But the Greek word for “taken” does not mean “to go up” or to disappear”. Rather it means “to go along with.” It is the same word that Jesus uses when he “took with him” Peter, James, and John up the Mount of Transfiguration to pray. It is much like the fishermen or tax collector answering Jesus’ call, “Follow me. Come along with me. Walk with me.”
The disciples were at work when Jesus called. Peter, James and John continued to be fishermen but they took time from their work to walk with Jesus. My guess is that the man working in the field and the woman grinding meal were left because they were too busy to recognize Jesus when he came.
I recall the day Jesus came to church. It was early Sunday morning. I was sitting in my office going over my sermon for one last time when someone knocked at my door. It was too early for church people. Who could it be and how dare he interrupt me as I was preparing for worship? I was perturbed as I opened the door to a frumpy, dumpy looking man who no doubt wanted a handout. But I didn’t have time to hear him out. “You’ll just have to wait.” I told him rather curtly. “I don’t have time right now to talk with you.”
So he waited through the 8:30 worship, through the Sunday School hour, through the 11:00 worship. Finally after nearly everyone had gone, I had time for him. I turned to where he had been sitting all morning and he was gone! At that moment Jesus’ words from Matthew 25 flashed before me. “In as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did not do it to me.” Jesus came to church that day and like the man and woman Jesus speaks of in the reading for today, I was too busy to recognize him, to hear him, to minister to him, to walk with him. I was indeed too busy.
So what opportunities have you missed or taken advantage of to minister to and to walk with our Lord?
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Open our eyes and our ears to your coming to us this day and the days to come. AMEN
OH, OUR YHWH, EVAN!!! HOW WONDERFULLY PROFOUND TO UNVEIL THE MEANING OF THE GREEK HERE AND ELSEWHERE!! THANK YOU MESSIAH JESUS!!! THIS IS MIGHTILY HELPFUL!
ReplyDeleteIN PERSONAL TERMS, I AM ONE AMONG A MULTITUDE WHO HAS "BEEN RAPTURED." HOW DO I KNOW? JESUS TOLD ME ONE DAY WHILE I WAS PAINTING IN MY STUDIO! HE SAID TO ME, SO SOFTLY AND TENDERLY: "YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN RAPTURED."
THAT WAS A MIGHTY POWERFUL VISITATION OF MESSIAH JESUS' COMING THROUGH A MIGHTY NEW REVELATION for me. I KNEW I HAD BE CAPTURED OR CAUGHT UP WITH YESHUA. I WASN'T AWARE THAT I HAD "BEEN RAPTURED." I HAD TO SIT DOWN AND LISTEN EVEN MORE CLEARLY!! ADD TO THAT, YESHUA WENT ON TO TELL ME MORE!
I COULDN'T WAIT TO TELL MANY ABOUT ALL THAT WAS REVEALED TO ME BY JESUS THAT DAY!!! SIMULTANEOUSLY, I LEARNED THE HARD WAY OFTEN---[LIKE JOSEPH WITH HIS BROTHERS] THAT IT'S NOT ALWAYS WISE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE FOR WHOM ONE CARES---WHAT JESUS REVEALS TO ME. I LAND IN THE PIT!
THE REVELATION THROUGH THE GREEK IS A MORE ERUDITE AND GOVERNED WAY.
NOW I HAVE BEEN RAPTURED LONG ENOUGH THAT I DON'T TELL PEOPLE WHAT JESUS SAYS TO ME---THAT IS---UNLESS YESHUA WANTS ME TO. BLESSED YOU ARE, EVAN!
Thank you. I will try to keep my eyes/ears open today so as not to miss opportunities to forgo some of my busyness in order to walk with Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great reminder to be walking with the Lord daily! It is the nature of the human heart to be independent and self-sufficient. What a lonely way to spend my existence when instead I can be still before the Lord, wait on Him, and seek to know his will for me in both small and significant daily interactions with other brothers and sisters and with those in the world. Gracious Lord, through the redeeming work of your Holy Spirit, remind me to turn to you this day and each day to know your will for me in more circumstances than I sought to know yesterday and days before. DL
ReplyDeleteOh Lord Jesus, let us not miss our opportunities to visit You when You are sick or in prison or in need. DavidW
ReplyDeletePsalm 6:9 The LORD hath heard my cry for help, The LORD my prayer receiveth.
I know that I am very selfish. Sometimes I know that there are opportunities to do something, but I put me first. I will try to do better.
ReplyDelete