THE HEROES AND HEROINES THROUGH OUT CREATION HAVE HELD UP BEFORE US, THE MEANING OF FAITH. BY FAITH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLDS WERE PREPARED BY THE WORD OF GOD, SO THAT WHAT IS SEEN WAS MADE FROM THINGS THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE. BY FAITH. ABEL OFERED TO GOD A MORE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE THAN CAIN'S. THROUGH THIS HE RECEIVED APPROVAL AS RIGHTEOUS.
WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.
BY FAITH NOAH, WARNED BY GOD ABOUT OF EVENTS UNSEEN, RESPECTED THE WARNING AND BUILT AN ARK TO SAVE HIS HOUSEHOLD, AND BY THIS HE CONDEMNED THE WORLD AND BECAME HEIR TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAITH.
ABRAHAM OBEYED WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO SET OUT FOR A PLACE THAT HE WAS TO RECEIVE AS AN INHERITANCE; SET OUT NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING. BY FAITH HE STAYED IN THE LAND HE HAD BEEN PROMISED, AS IN A FOREIGN LAND LIVING IN TENTS, AS DID ISSAC, JACOB WHO WERE HEIRS WITH HIM OF THE SAME PROMISE. FOR HE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE CITY THAT HAS FOUNDATIONS, WHOSE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER IS GOD, JERUSALEM. SO DON'T BE AFRAID, LITTLE FLOCK. FOR IT GIVES YOUR FATHER GREAT HAPPINESS TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM. SELL WHAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED. THIS WILL FATTEN YOUR PURSES IN HEAVEN! AND THE PURSES OF HEAVEN HAVE NO RIPS OR HOLES IN THEM. YOUR TREASUES THERE WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR; NO THIEF CAN STEAL THEM; NO MOTH CAN DESTROY THEM. WHERE-EVER YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE, YOUR HEART AND THOUGHTS WILL ALSO BE.
" BE PREPARED- ALL DRESSED AND READY-- FOR YOUR LORD'S RETURN FROM THE WEDDING FEAST. THEN YOU WILL BE READY TO OPEN THE DOOR AND LET HIM IN THE MOMENT HE ARRIVES AND KNOCKS. THERE WILL BE GREAT JOY FOR THOSE WHO ARE READY AND WAITING HIS RETURN. HE HIMSELF WILL SEAT THEM AND PUT ON A WAITER'S' UNIFORM AND SERVE THEM AS THEY SIT AND EAT! HE MAY COME AT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT--OR EVEN AT MIDNIGHT. BUT, WHENEVER HE COMES THERE WILL BE JOY FOR HIS SERVANTS WHO ARE READY! EVERY ONE WOULD BE READY FOR HIM IF THEY KNEW THE EXACT HOUR OF HIS RETURN--- JUST AS THEY WOULD BE READY FOR A THIEF IF THEY KNEW WHEN HE WAS COMING. SO BE READY ALL THE TIME. FOR I THE MESSIAH (SON OF MAN) WILL COME WHEN LEAST EXPECTED. PETER ASKED, " LORD ARE YOU SPEAKING JUST TO US OR TO EVERYONE. "WATCH!" THE LORD REPLIED, "I'M TALKING TO ANY FAITHFUL, SENSIBLE MAN WHOSE MASTER GIVES HIM THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FEEDING THE OTHER SERVANTS. IF HIS MASTER RETURNS AND FINDS HE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB, THERE WILL BE A REWARD---HIS MASTER WILL PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF ALL THAT THEN HE OWNS. AND HE SAID TO THE PEOPLE, WHEN YOU SEE A CLOUD RISE OUT OF THE WEST, STRAIGHT AWAY YOU SAY: THERE COMETH A SHOWER; AND SO IT IS (MATT 16:2).
THROUH OUT THE AGES CHRISTIANS HAVE ASKED JUST HOW LITERALLY THESE WORDS OF JESUS ARE TO BE UNDERSTOOD. St. FRANCIS OF ASSISI GAVE AWAY ALL HIS POSSESSIONS INCLUDING HIS CLOTHING AND LIVED A LIFE OF POVERTY. IS THIS WHAT JESUS WANTS EVERY CHRISTIAN TO DO ? WE NEED TO READ THESE WORDS OF JESUS IN THE CONTEXT OF GOD'S TOTAL REVELATION. JESUS IS SAYING SOMETHING WHICH EVERY DISCIPLE MUST HEAR AND HEAR OFTEN. JESUS SAYS IT IN A WAY WHICH IS BOLD, WHICH CATCHES OUR ATTENTION. DISCIPLES OF JESUS NEED TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE ATTITUDES OF THE WORLD WHICH GLORIFIES THIS EARTHLY LIFE AND ITS POSSESSIONS. ALWAYS THE DISCIPLES (BELIEVERS) NEEDS TO REMEMBER THAT THE END IS COMING. I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD IT FROM THE TIME OF YOUR YOUNG AGE, SO YOUR FAITH IS REALLY STRETCHING TO THE BREAKING PLACE, BUT REMEMBER, WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT. (MURPHY'S LAW), KICK'S IN).
ALWAYS THE FIRST PRIORITY IN LIFE MUST BE TO SEEK GOD'S KINGDOM.
JESUS IS SAYING WATCH!
WHEN JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED, THE SUBJECT OF CONVERSATION WAS HIS DEPARTURE OR EXODUS AT JERUSALEM. SHORTLY THEREAFTER JESUS ABSOLUTELY SET OUT FOR JERUSALEM WITH HIS DISCIPLES.; ON THE WAY HE TAUGHT THEM MANY THINGS. JESUS COMPARES THAT WITH A MASTER AWAY FROM HOME ATTENDING A WEDDING BANQUENT THE SERVANTS ARE TO BE DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE WITH LAMPS BURNING WAITING FOR THEIR MASTER'S KNOCK ON THE DOOR. THE NIV BIBLE TRANSLATION " BE DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE." INTERPRETS THE GREEK EXPRESSION " LET YOUR LOINS BE GIRDED"KJV. AT THE TIME OF THE EXODUS OUT OF EGYPT THE LORD TOLD THE ISRAELITES TO HAVE " YOUR CLOAK TUCKED INTO YOUR BELT" (EXODUS 12:11) READY FOR TRAVEL. SERVANTS ARE READY TO SERVE WHEN THEIR LONG ROBES ARE TUCKED INTO THEIR WAIST. THIS IS THE STATE OF WATCHFULNESS WHICH JESUS EXPECTS OF HIS SERVANTS. SUCH SERVANTS WILL BE REWARDED.
IN THE PARABLE TOLD BY JESUS THIS REWARD TAKES THE FORM OF SITTING AT A BANQUET AND BEING SERVED BY THE MASTER. ( ONE IS REMINDED OF HOW JESUS WASHED THE DISCIPLES FEET AT THE LAST SUPPER.)
HERE IS A ROLE REVERSAL WITH THE MASTER PUTTING ON THE APRON AND WAITING ON HIS SERVANTS.
ONE PROBLEM FOR WAITING SERVANTS IS, THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW THE HOUR OF THEIR MASTER'S RETURN. IT MIGHR BE IN THE SECOND WATCH (9-12); IT MIGHT BE IN THE THIRD WATCH (12-3AM)
TO EMPHASIZE THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE TIME OF THE MASTERS RETURN, JESUS INTRODUCES A DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATION. IT IS A DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATION. IT IS THE EXAMPLE OF THE HOMEOWNER WHO HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN A THIEF MIGHT COME TO ROB HIM. ST..PAUL USES THIS WHEN WRITING TO THESSALONIANS.
YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. IN SPEAKING OF THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN, JESUS IS REFERRING FIRST OF ALL TO HIS RETURN AT THE END OF THE WORLD. WWHEN WILL THAT BE, NO ONE KNOWS. THE MORE GIFTS THE LORD HAS BESTOWED ON A PERSON WITH DISTRIBUTION OF TALENTS: THE MORE ONE HAS BEEN GIVEN, THE MORE WILL BE EXPECTED. PETER HAD ASKED IF JESUS WAS TALKING JUST TO THE DISCIPLES OR TO EVERYONE. CERTAINLY THE WORDS OF JESUS IS MADE FOR EVERYONE. AMEN!
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