Dressed To Serve
Luke 12:32-40 [CEB]
32 “Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights in giving you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Make for yourselves wallets that don’t wear out—a treasure in heaven that never runs out. No thief comes near there, and no moth destroys. 34 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be too.
35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps lit. 36 Be like people waiting for their master to come home from a wedding celebration, who can immediately open the door for him when he arrives and knocks on the door. 37 Happy are those servants whom the master finds waiting up when he arrives. I assure you that, when he arrives, he will dress himself to serve, seat them at the table as honored guests, and wait on them. 38 Happy are those whom he finds alert, even if he comes at midnight or just before dawn.[a] 39 But know this, if the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he wouldn’t have allowed his home to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Human One[b] is coming at a time when you don’t expect him.”
GATHERING FOR SUNDAY
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This week we will be hearing and learning from Gift Mkonkha (BBA, MSc.OD, MBA), Founder & Executive Director - All for Good Ministries Malawi about the mission work he has begun in his home country. I am really excited for this Sunday! Gift and his girlfriend Ashton are newer attenders at NewDay, and have been such a joy to get to know. I am grateful for Gift being willing to share more about himself, and the organization he has founded.
On Sunday, we will be reading from Luke's text in chapter 12:32-40 about Jesus' admonition to us to be ready, be prepared, not worry or be afraid, and be expecting His return. The image of a lantern is one that is really powerful in this passage. Keep your lamps burning!
Our modern day lamps are electric lights, or flashlights, or our phones (haha).
We have lights on our homes, and porches, which we keep on at night if someone is late to come home, or we are expecting someone. It sends a message of being ready, welcoming, and the light signaling we have not gone to bed yet.
Jesus uses the analogy of a house being broken into. He told His followers who heard this first: Watch over your house (physical yes, and your house being your soul, your spirit) to be prepared and kept secured for Him. There is a lot in this statement. What does this look like for us?
Our staff meeting had an interesting conversation about who locks their doors at night, and the surprising number of people who don't lock their doors, or ones that are locked up like Fort Knox!
Jesus' point was about not being surprised, as someone who would be, if their home were broken into, at His return.
It is so important to remember: He IS coming back. Jesus is coming. back. He is coming back.
I think about His return often, and wonder, as followers of Jesus ove the past 2,000 years have wondered: When? And how much longer? And, how often I go about my days and weeks not keeping this urgent reminder in front of me, which changes how I live, how I share His love (or don't) with people who don't know Him yet, or my priorities, values. This passage challenges us, and I hope we will pause and take this in, and be more awake, alert, expectant for Jesus.
Christians have prayed, "Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus."
And, we pray this still too.
See you Sunday for the VBS time together and yummy as all NewDay pot-luck's tend to be!
In Christ,
Pastor Kari