Expectations

Expectations

A group of us, Wendi and I and another couple, were our way to visit some friends in another town when we decided to pop in on some other friends unexpectedly along the way. We spoke to the wife via cell phone to let her know we were coming, but we didn’t tell her that we were actually in their driveway. We approached the house to find the front door open. Without knocking, we entered the house and watched our friend frantically vacuuming the living room for several minutes before she saw us standing there. Her red-faced befuddlement made it obvious that she was nowhere near being ready for us to drop in and that we had probably done a dumb thing.

Except for the most extreme (perhaps neurotic) over-achievers, few families keep their homes in guest-ready condition twenty-four-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. The vast majority of us would have some (perhaps much) tidying to do if we were expecting guests. When company arrives, normal life gets disrupted. But, if we are expecting visitors, we can prepare, thus saving ourselves some red-faced befuddlement of our own.

Well, it’s time to tidy up; a Visitor is on His way. In fact, for all we know, He’s just outside, about to make a surprise entrance. However, He called ahead a long time ago, through the pages of the Bible, to let us know He is coming. We just don’t know exactly what day or hour. So, how much clean-up might you need before He comes?

This Sunday we will look at Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ question about “when the kingdom of God would come” (Luke 17:20). He doesn’t point it out on the calendar, but the conditions He describes as being present just prior to His arrival need our careful attention. Are the necessary conditions in place for His return today, or tomorrow? Well, here’s what to look for based on Luke 17…

• A general indifference to God and the things of God.
• A society that does not take seriously the moral depravity of its time and even accommodates sin.
• Immorality saturating the culture.
• People more focused on prospering than pleasing God.
• Rampant self-centeredness and personal—rather than divine—kingdom building.

Sound familiar? Of course these apply to our American society, but obviously Jesus wasn’t only talking about America. We see these conditions all over the world and in many cases they are far worse than what we have here. Add to these things like the worship of false Gods, false Christs, and increases in earthquakes, strange weather patterns, wars and rumors of war, etc., and you can almost hear the footsteps of Jesus coming up the path for a final visit! Are you living in expectation of that visit?

Christians’ lives should be characterized by expectation. Let’s face it, when you expect company, you prepare for their arrival. When you expect Jesus, you prepare for His arrival. What does that mean to you? What kind of tidying up would you like to do before you see Him?

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” —Matthew 24:44 NKJV