Please pray with me – Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. In the strong name of Jesus we pray – Amen. 

In today’s reading from Luke’s Gospel, the overriding call is: to be prepared for the return of Christ to earth. Over the next three Sundays, I would like us to explore and encounter the three readings from Luke as a series. First – ARE WE PREPARED? Next week, stay tuned for WHY DID JESUS COME? And to wrap up on week three IS THERE A BAD TIME TO BE HEALED?

I must first admit to you that as I was preparing the homily for today, some trepidation gripped me. Haven’t we all heard this story before, perhaps countless times throughout our church life? What is there new under the sun anyway? I have no idea how often I have read this particular passage. This is one of many of the teachings of our Lord Jesus, which are a bit tough to swallow; it hits us where we may not want it to at all.

“Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”. Yes, his little flock was perhaps indeed his immediate listeners, his disciples. They were small in number. And so are we who seek first God’s kingdom and truly follow Christ. Only a few really seek the kingdom first. 

Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14 tell us – “Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it”.

It is pretty easy to live in our world with no reference to God whatsoever. Try and find His name in magazines or newspapers. Check for Him on a TV talk show where the mention of the Almighty does not come accompanied by nervous laughter. Or one of the endless self-help infomercials where the word God is used just enough to lend an air of authenticity to the sales-worthiness of the product in question. Even the government is not immune from the wide road. Who, after all, is the chief custodian of the lottery process? 

But, thank God the care of God is sure. 

John 10: 14 to 16 – “I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. There are other sheep, which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”

His true followers are the sheep of his pasture. But what are his instructions to his sheep?

“Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don’t wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy them. For your heart will always be where your riches are”.

Whenever Bonnie and I travel we almost always pack twice as much stuff as we need. Three or four bags instead of one or two. We often return from the excursion with many unused articles, putting aside any purchases we made along the way. Jesus is calling us to be realistic about our needs. Anything over and above that is either wasted or stored up. This teaching applies equally to all stations in life, rich, poor and those in between. The needs of others are met out of our abundance, both financially and in the giving of our time and talents. The more we have and have been given, the more we can give to those who have little or nothing, save hope itself. 

Romans 12 verse 13 – “Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers”.

Matthew 5 verse 42 – “When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him”.

The only treasures of worth are those of God’s approval. Yes, it’s okay for us to have stuff. Take God shopping with you. Ask Him what to buy or not to buy. It is an amazing experience. The best treasure of all, stored up for us in eternity is all those souls whom we have won for Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 2 verse 19 – “After all, it is you-you, no less than others! -who are our hope, joy, and our reason for boasting of our victory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes.”

The hawkers say – ‘Guaranteed not to fade, wear, tear or bag at the knees!’ Guess what. There is nothing on this earth that will not wear out, or age, or fail, or be corrupted, or be stolen. Once our immediate needs are filled, can we then fill our billfolds with money and treasure that shall never age, fail, corrupt or be stolen away?

“For your heart will always be where your treasure is”. This is really a tough one, isn’t it? It is not that we have any problem with knowing where our interests are the keenest. We all know what we most love to do, or the favourite spot we enjoy more than any other. You know, this too is okay. Life is to be enjoyed to the fullest measure possible. The question is, do these things, these pastimes or possessions override our obedience to God? Will our treasures so cherished in our earthly life last forever? 

We are constantly confronted with the word ‘change’ and all its myriad ramifications. I can fondly recall, back a few years ago when I worked in an office in Sudbury, there were only very brief periods when I could actually say – “hey, this is how it should always be…” a time when my personal co-workers and surroundings were about as pleasant and right as they could reasonably have been. The only perfect, changeless experience is as we place our total lives in God’s hands. 

1 John 2 verses 15 to 17 – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world – the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches – comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.”
 

Let’s conclude today’s session with a look at the first part of the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant. There is great emphasis in the New Testament on being ready, on being fully prepared. What an honour for me and Bonnie to be here today. This church was in readiness for all of us. Due preparations for this service had become a reality, through all the various official and unofficial duties, as carried out by dedicated and faithful members of the congregation.  This is a first-rate example of the fulfillment of preparation, for the return of Jesus Christ among us. The question again is – are our own personal lives in readiness for his triumphal arrival? 

“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit”. In the time of Christ, as now in the Middle East, many wear long flowing robes. The attire demands a belt be tied tightly about the waist so as not to impede work and movement. That’s why most car mechanics wear coveralls. Same idea. How ready are we to move about unimpaired by any distraction, which serves to divert our focus from Jesus? 

How comforting it is to return home at night to find the porch light already on. Someone had kindly snapped it on, as a courtesy perhaps, to show the way up the path, to demonstrate service to those returning home. Our Lord seeks all that will burn brightly for him in preparation for his return home. The big difference here is that the light we shine for Jesus must glow until his return to his flock. He is the head of the house, whether present or absent. 

Luke 21 verse 27 – “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

How unimaginably wonderful it would be if all the lights were on, with somebody home, when Jesus returns. You know it is never too late to respond to that gentle nudge in your heart. There is a wonderful work of art, which adorns many churches. There is a large version in St. Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church on Mackenzie Street in Sudbury. It depicts the text of Revelation 3, verse 20, which reads – “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you and you with me.”

When Jesus returns, he has promised to not only be with us, but to serve us, conforming us to his image, and equipping us with our eternal duty assignments. 

So when is he coming? Indeed, the question of the ages. A question which has been hotly and coldly bandied about for 2000 years. A question which has caused the rise and downfall of entire religious groups. Perhaps they neglected to read Matthew 24 verse 36 – “But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” All we know for sure is that the return of our Lord is now about 1 hour closer now than it was when we sang the first hymn this morning. I pray that we keep our belts tightly fastened, carry a torch for Christ, and like any good scout – be prepared.

Next week, stay tuned for a little talk on verses 49 to 56: ‘Why did Jesus come’. I wish you all a wonderful week. May God bless us all. Amen.