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Sun. 26/1/2014

LESSON 9                            26/1/2014

PRE-RAPTURE PREPARATION: IT’S TIME TO PREPARE

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 21, 183

Devotional Reading: MATT. 25:1-13

Topic For Adults

ARE YOU THINKING OF HEAVEN?

Topic For Youths

LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT

Scripture Lesson

LUKE 12:35-40

Memory Verse:    Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect (Lk. 12:40) NKJV

 

DAILY BIBLE READING

Therefore, You Also Be Ready

Lk. 12:35-40

Jesus taught that the disciples should be ready because the Son of Man will come at a time when they would not be expecting Him. The parable described a scene in which several servants were waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet. The point was that they had to remain constantly vigilant so that the master would be able to come into the house whenever he arrives home. If they were watching their master would have served them. Jesus, therefore, addresses all believers to be ready because we do not know the hour when our Master, Jesus Christ will return. If the house owner will not allow thieves to destroy his house, let us, therefore, be wise for our souls and take necessary precautions to prepare for Jesus’ second coming.

Point of Emphasis:          To be ready, believers must serve God actively and unbelievers must make peace with God before it is too late.

Prayer Point:                                     Lord, give me the grace to be ready and prepared for You anytime You will come to take the elects home.

BACKGROUND

            When the multitude of people gathered around Jesus, He was taught
them the core values of the kingdom of God. These are things that Christians should do if actually they want to live in the kingdom of God. At a point, Jesus had to tell the disciples about the need to be prepared and ready for the kingdom of God. This week’s lesson centres on preparation of Christians towards the second coming of Jesus.

NOTES ON THE TEXT

(A)  WAITING AND WATCHING FOR THE MASTER’S RETURN – LK. 12:35-36

As Jesus was discussing the issues of the kingdom with the disciples and the crowd (verses 1-34), He hinted on the need to get prepared for His second coming. He instructed them about the attitude and disposition that those who wanted to reign with God in His kingdom should put on. First, they must gird their loins (verse 35). When the Jews laboured or walked or ran, it was necessary to gird or tie their loins up by a sash to girdle about the body, that it might not impede their movement. Hence, to gird up the loins means to be ready, to be active, to be diligent and to be determined. Let all hinderances be removed out of the way. Second, their lights must be burning (verse 35). This expressed the same meaning with the girdle of the loins above. It means they should be ready at all times to leave the world and enter into rest when the Lord will call them. It means every earthly care be removed.

Third, they should be waiting and watching for their Master. Servants were expected to be ready for the coming of their Lord, whether day or night. If it is in the night, they were expected to keep their lights trimmed and burning. When their master was away to attend a wedding as they knew not the hour when he would return, they were to be continually ready. The same way for Christians. As we know not the hour when our Master, Jesus Christ, would return or call us home, we should be always ready, waiting and watching for Him.

(B)  REWARD FOR A READY SERVANT – LK. 12:37-38.

Faithful servants who are found waiting and watching, and who did not allow the master to knock before they open the door and welcome the Master back home will be adequately rewarded. In Jesus’ words, the Master shall gird himself, that is, take the place of the servant himself, and shall make those servants to sit down and serve and minister to their needs. This shows the exceeding kindness and condescension of our Lord. For us, poor and guilty sinners, He denied himself, took the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7), and ministered to our needs.

In our nature, Jesus has wrought our salvation, and He has done it in one for the humblest conditions of the children of men. We should be grateful to Him and be willing to serve one another just as he had served us. Let us also know that among the people of the world, such a reversal of roles (the master serving the faithful servants) may not happen, but in God’s kingdom such a welcome await those who are ready for their Master’s return.

(C) ADMONITION TO BE READY FOR JESUS’ RETURN – LK. 12:39-40

Jesus, in His discourse with the disciples, related what He had been saying concerning His second coming, which He did not know the day or the hour. He, therefore, admonishes, the disciples and all His followers to be ready at all time. He told them that when a house owner knows the time when thief would come, he would be prepared and be watchful so that his house will not be broken into and his property carted away. He will do everything possible to forestall his life and property being destroyed.

In verse 40, He said, therefore you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  God’s people should, therefore, be ready and waiting for His return. How prepared are you?

CONCLUSION

It is certain that Jesus is coming back again to take the saints home to be where He is. But Jesus is coming for ready and prepared saints, those who are waiting and watching for His return. Though the day and hour is not known, but believers have got hint of how they should comport themselves in waiting for Him. Are you waiting and watching for His coming? You better start preparing before it is too late.

QUESTIONS

(1)   What does it mean for one’s waist to be girded and lamps be burning?

(2)   How can one wait and watch for the master’s return?

(3)   What is the reward for those faithful servants who are doing their master’s bid?

(4)   What is the importance of Jesus’ parable about the house owners and the coming of the thief?

(5)   How should Christians prepare for the second coming of Jesus?

 

French

DIMANCHE 26/01/2014

VOUS AUSSI, TENEZ-VOUS PRETS

LUC.12:35-40

Jésus enseigna à ses disciples qu’ils devaient être prêts car le fils de l’homme viendra à une heure à laquelle ils n’y s’attendraient pas. La parabole dépeint une scène dans laquelle plusieurs serviteurs attendaient  que leur maître revienne des noces. La remarque ici est qu’ils devaient restés continuellement vigilants afin que le maître puisse entrer dans la maison dès son arrivée. S’ils étaient veillant, leur maître les aurait servis. Jésus s’adresse donc à tous les croyants (en lui) d’être prêts car nous ne savons pas l’heure à laquelle notre Maître, Jésus-Christ lui-même reviendra. Si le propriétaire (maître) de la maison ne désire pas que les voleurs détruisent sa maison et qu’il maintient ainsi une surveillance renforcée, soyons donc sages pour ce qui est de nos âmes et prenons les précautions nécessaires à nous préparer pour le second avènement de Jésus.

Point essentiel : Pour s’apprêter, les croyants doivent servir activement Dieu et les incroyants doivent faire la paix avec Dieu avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

 

Axe de prière : Seigneur, accorde-moi la grâce de m’apprêter et de me préparer pour toi à n’importe quel moment où tu viendras chercher les élus pour ta demeure.