|
Return to 'Recent Sermons' | |
The thief in the night!
Today takes us into the unknown. The difference is we walk with the God
who knows. Governments are spending millions preparing for a maybe future
disaster. We are scientifically more aware of our vulnerability. We could
destroy ourselves in a nuclear war, triggered by a rogue state like North
Korea, we could be annihilated by an
mega volcanic eruption as was portrayed in ‘Supervolcano’ or we could be
destroyed by a meteorite colliding with us. We know the world is unlikely to
last long, we do not know how long.
The words of Jesus on the subject of the second coming come from an age
when the earth was considered indestructible, and yet the creator of the
universe tells us quite clearly that without warning he will return like a thief
in the night to take his people to be with him and the earth will be destroyed.
The ‘like a thief in the night’ seems an odd metaphor but it is
persistent in the New Testament. So we
are not looking at one passage but 7 today, Jesus’ words, Paul, Peter and John
all use it about the second coming of Jesus.
Here are the passages. Let me give
you a flavour of all of them before we look in more detail.
Matthew 24:43
But understand this: If the owner of the house had
known at what time of night the thief
was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken
into.
Luke 12:39
But understand this: If the owner of the house had
known at what hour the thief was
coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
1 Thessalonians
5:2
for you know very well that the day of the Lord
will come like a thief in the
night.
1 Thessalonians
5:4
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness
so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
but the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with
a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything
done in it will be laid bare.
Revelation 3:3
Remember, therefore, what you have received and
heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what
time I will come to you.
Revelation 16:15
“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so
as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
So first take careful note that the second coming is not just a side-line to the New Testament, but is deeply embedded in it. Our Gospel is about eternal life. A gospel for this life only will inevitably have an end stop. The secular society is doomed because life on earth is doomed. It has no hope beyond the grave and no hope beyond the end of the world. But Jesus is Good news , he is hope because he takes us out of time and into eternity. The question you have to answer for yourself today, is are you ready for Jesus?
So let’s first meet the thief. Why is ‘the thief in the night’ a metaphor for the second coming?
As Neighbourhood Watch Co-coordinator for Crest Gardens, I am constantly passing on information about theft in our community. The key elements are simple. The thief comes when you are not expecting him, he will not give you warning, he or she rarely looks like a thief. Jesus will come without warning, his second coming will be unexpected.
So Neighbourhood watch tries to get you to prepare for his coming with multiple locks, keeping the keys hidden from sight, knowledge about how he or she works, warnings never to believe someone who knocks on your door appearing to be an official or ‘doing a job next door’. These days you are as likely to be robbed in daylight by someone who you thought was an official as the thief in the night. You can prepare for Jesus’ coming. You can be ready.
Thirdly you are encouraged to be alert, looking for signs, the white van man parked up in your road, the door-to door man asking about your security alarm, the lack paperwork and so on that should be suspicious to you. That is when you take precautions and alert the police or a neighbour and so on. We have to be alert. Jesus calls us to be alert about our lives so that the surprise of his coming does not catch us in n embarrassing situation.
There are around 1 break-in per 1000 houses each month in Hillingdon, so be ready, be alert, the thief is coming!
Enough Neighbourhood Watch stuff, lets get back to scripture!
Lets read Matthew 24: 35-51
Before we read it glance back to see the context. In verses 1-34 Jesus is speaking about the fall of Jerusalem. In AD70 Titus responded to a Zealot rebellion by besieging Jerusalem, capturing it and destroying it. We have graphic eye-witness evidence because Josephus a historian was with Titus’ negotiator in a bid to reduce bloodshed. Jesus was warning about a specific event which actually happened, as he said in the lifetime of his hearers. Then with the link in verse 35
35 Heaven
and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Underlining the certainty of his words, he
moves to his second coming. Prophecy telescopes time so it is not quite clear
which event verse 36 refers to but by verse 42 it is clear that Jesus is
referring to his second coming.
Lets read it
READ
Matthew 24:35-51
So these words are as certain as the verses
1-34 which we know came to pass. Do not be fooled that 2000 years have passed
and they have not yet been fulfilled. Jesus says:
35 Heaven
and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
You can bank on it happening, that is if you could know when, but you can’t because it will come ‘like a thief in the night.’ The two prophecies stuck together emphasis to us the historical certainty that it will happen as Jesus says.
The question is what will happen.
1. It
is unpredictable.
2. Normal life, with all its misery and complications will carry on to that day. Noah’s preaching, as is the case of telling the good news today, fell on deaf ears and was ignored.
3. It is divisive. Our good news is that God has sent a Saviour. But he will not rescue those who do not want to be saved. In dramatic form, Jesus points to the fact that his return separates those who have believed in him from those who have not. Jesus is not a universalist, believing that anyone will be saved. He clearly teaches that there is a clear division. Listen to him in John 3:
16 For God so loved the
world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever
believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned
already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the
world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were
evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates
the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be
exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the
truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have
done has been done in the sight of God.
4. Keep
watch! First it is vital for your
salvation that you have put your faith and trust in Jesus NOW. Tomorrow maybe
too late! Second, we live in the
presence of God. Even though 2000 years have elapsed since these words were
spoken, they are still a razor-sharp reality to challenge our spiritual life.
Are you ready for heaven? Are you looking forward to being free from sin? Does
being with Jesus make you feel safe because of his grace or uncomfortable
because of your sin?
So what does God’s word add to this in the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians?
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 page 1188
1 Now, brothers, about
times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2for you know
very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While
people are saying, "Peace and safety", destruction will come on them
suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But
you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a
thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons
of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6 So
then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and
self-controlled. 7 For
those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let
us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope
of salvation as a helmet. 9 For
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He
died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with
him.
11 Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
First we must dismiss the endless predictions of the end of the world. A quick Google of ‘the end of the world’ gives you at least one a year, except 2010! The implication of this verse is that when people are thinking the world is safe the end will come!
Second, we need to stand in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We who have put our faith in Jesus are sons and daughters of light. And God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. Live in the light of Jesus! Know your Saviour, know your destiny, we have here in God’s word, clear indications that this world is no eternal home, we seek a city that is to come. Heaven is out home, earth a temporary address! So live like it. Invest in heaven, seek lasting treasures of faith, love, joy, peace, hope and godliness. That is not to say we are particularly other worldly, we are called to love our neighbour, to care for the widow and the fatherless, the immigrant and the downtrodden, we are called to go and make disciples of all, baptising them on the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, knowing that Jesus has promised to be with us always to the end of the age. And he delivers on his promise by sending us his Holy Spirit. Get the point of verse 10?
Dead or alive you are alive with Jesus!
This passage teaches us that we must see the end of the world with anticipation, not fear. Jesus is coming and he has paid the penalty for our sin, there is no longer any prospect of punishment. What joy, What Peace, what hope we have in Jesus! This makes our watching and being ready, like getting ready to go on holiday, without the fear of missing connections, etc! Like preparing for a wedding or special event. Jesus coming is the best party, the most exciting looked for event. So not knowing when exactly is no problem beyond our feebleness in sustaining the expectation. That is a work of the Holy Spirit because it is a work of eternity in our hearts rather than the human time frames.
Which brings us to
Revelation 16:15 page
1245
“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so
as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
This verse is in
the middle of the description of the battle of Armageddon. The Bible clearly
states that the end of the world has terrible things happening. But the
children of the light are heading for glory. So the call is to stay awake and
remain clothed. Not to be unseated by
the horrors and decadence of the world around us but to put on the armour of God
the faith and love and joy and peace, fight the good fight of faith, look
forward to eternal life.
In 2 Peter 3: 3-13 we
read
3
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come,
scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say,
“Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything
goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they
deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and
the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters
also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same
word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the
day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But
do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a
thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is
not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance.
10 But
the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a
roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done
in it will be laid bare.
11
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you
to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward
to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the
destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a
new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 So
then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to
be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind
that our Lord’s patience means salvation,
These words of God underline the
fact that the creation is for a limited time. The very word that created all
that we see and marvel at, will one day, destroy it and the ungodly with it.
So we have a reason for the
waiting. That is that God wants heaven to be fully populated and is holding
back on judgement so that more people can put their faith and trust in him and
be saved. So the delay is good news to the unconverted, that there is still
time to turn to Jesus.
For us it is a call to holy and
godly lives. To look forward to these events with hope and not fear. Maranatha,
Come quickly , Lord Jesus!