The Coming and Reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Watching

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
Another Scripture in Luke 12:35-37 brings before us in a most precious way the attitude and conduct that should characterize those who are looking for their Lord.
“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he cometh, and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 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 to serve them.”
And again the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath” (Luke 12:42-44).
In contrast with this – the Lord’s exhortation to His servants during His absence, and the sweet and precious promises of what He will do for those who are obedient to His Word, and in loving subjection are found doing these things at His return – we have, on the other hand, a solemn warning to all who take the place of the Lord’s servants, but whose hearts are far from Him.
“But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; and shall begin to beat the men servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes” (Luke 12:45-47).
And then another class is spoken of, not mentioned under the term “servant.” “But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes” (Luke 12:48).
How very solemn to hear, as is often the case, professing Christians saying, “The Lord will not come yet; He will not come in our day,” and to find them feasting themselves with the world in forgetfulness of Him, with such searching words before us from His own lips! “My lord delayeth his coming;” the servant professedly owning His authority, but putting off His return; living for his own selfish ends, following his own will, and having no heart for Christ. Judgment with the unbelievers must be the awful portion of all such. Another, knowing his lord’s will, but doing his own, and not preparing for his Lord’s return.
How many of this class surround us on all sides! Open Bibles in every house, the will of the Lord distinctly expressed therein, but thousands disobedient and unprepared. Reader, how is it with you? Many stripes shall be their portion. Others throughout this vast globe who know not the Master’s will, but live in their sins, few stripes shall be theirs, saith the Lord. They have never had the privileges of the one who knew his lord’s will, and thus a lesser punishment will be awarded by a just Judge. Every one of us shall give account of himself to God (Rom. 14:12).
Thus far as to the glorious fact that our Lord will come again, and what should characterize those who look for His return. Now let us turn to the epistles of Paul, and trace the revelation that God has given us as to the manner of its accomplishment; for in his writings alone do we find it. In 1 Thessalonians 1:9 we read of the effect of the preaching of the gospel to the idolaters at Thessalonica. They “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus,” etc. They turned to God from idols (not from idols to God), henceforth to serve Him, and wait, not for death (this is never in Scripture presented to the Christian), but for God’s Son from heaven, to wait for His coming again. Also in 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Paul says to them, “What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?”
(To be continued.)