“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mat 24:36-51)

The End of the World is Near!

Apocalypse!

AND YET,

“Revelation”

What is being revealed is something good -  the full in-breaking of God’s kingdom when Christ the King of kings returns. 

First Sunday of Advent

First and second Advent (coming!)

The first guarantees the second

Not stargazers, but yet to live in the light of its reality

Not for predictions but for focus

We don't know when - but we do know!

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. V37 

For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, v38 

The days of Noah!

We are to live in light of the hope and wonder and imminence of His return.

Watching when you have to wait is hard!

“Therefore, keep watch” v42. 

And here is where Advent is so helpful.

So what does watching look like?

Who are faithful and wise servants? Who are the ones the master will put in charge of giving the other servants their food supplies at the proper time? Servants are fortunate if their master comes and finds them doing their job. You may be sure that a servant who is always faithful will be put in charge of everything the master owns. (Mat 24:45-47)

Watching means living in light of his coming - doing what Jesus calls us to do, living in the way Jesus calls us to live!

CONCLUSION

How will "watching in hope" help you live the way Jesus wants this week?

This is what it means to be ready!