Hey, Cobblestone,
The year known as 2023 was
many things to many people. Here’s what it was not: It was not the year Jesus
returned to consummate his kingdom on earth. Now that last year is last year,
we can say for certain the second coming of Christ didn’t happen. How about this
year?
From the Cobblestone Statement
of Faith, Article 8: “We believe in the personal, visible, and imminent
return of our Lord Jesus Christ to this earth, and the consummation of His
Kingdom…”
The year we’re rolling into
has as much potential to be The Year as any year since Christ ascended. The
years don’t diminish in potential; indeed, 2023 brought us 365 days closer to the
Day (Hebrews 10:25). Whatever your favorite end-times theories are, this is
an unassailable fact. What are we to do with it? Let’s see what Jesus had to
say.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten
virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish,
and five were wise. For when the foolish took
their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the
wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the
bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come
out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose
and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said
to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us
and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those
who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door
was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also,
saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he
answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:1-13).
On first review, Jesus could be telling us that
we really want to be numbered among the wise rather than the foolish. Sure, no
argument there. What else? Another look shows the need for preparing and
watching. Again, a good observation. Anything more?
On behalf of the bridegroom – he is Jesus, of
course – let me ask a question: If the Lord returns during this year, how glad
will you be to see him?
In the broader context of Matthew 24 and 25,
another question hangs in the air. In this private conversation with Jesus, his
disciples are asking, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be
the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (24:3). To
paraphrase: “How much time do we have?!” It seems, on one hand, that they’re
eager to see messed-up situations made right – the occupying Romans kicked out
of Israel, for instance. But on the other hand, I sense an anxiety, a
reluctance to let go of what they know or anticipate yet in life. They were all
fairly young. Best we can tell, only one was married. You get the picture, I
think.
To help answer the question I asked earlier, I’ll
go out on a limb and make a statement: The quality of our preparation is
directly proportional to our eagerness to see the bridegroom. The wise virgins
had already decided that even if the bridegroom tarried, they would wait for
him, and so they took extra oil for their lamps. They had every reason to
believe he was coming, but didn’t know when, exactly. Their wisdom was rooted
in their gladness at the prospect of going out to meet him
One of the most delightful theological
conversations I’ve ever had was with a 12-year-old several years ago. Her
parents and older siblings had come to a membership class I was teaching, and
she was hanging out with us (and learning at least as much as anyone else in
the room). Part of the class is a short study of our Statement of Faith,
and she had pertinent questions on several points. Article 8 bothered her,
especially the “imminent” aspect of Jesus’ return. Not too soon, she
hoped.
I get it. This life is all we know for sure, and
it’s good (mostly). And there’s always the hope that what isn’t good can still
be made good, and whatever we haven’t experienced yet will be good when we do. Sometimes
I think of the Lord’s returning the same way I would the prospect of people
visiting my home for the first time: I want to get the grass cut and the
driveway swept – maybe they’ll think I keep the place looking like that all the
time. “Just a little longer, Jesus, so I can knock out a few more items on this
punch list.”
There’s nothing wrong with getting some solid
kingdom work done in advance of the consummation thereof. Let’s work as hard as
we’re able, holding onto the basic idea in the Parable of the Ten Virgins: We
must not let anything override our eagerness to meet the bridegroom, whether he
comes soon or late. Eagerness fuels preparation, and the preparation, in and of
itself, accomplishes kingdom work. And so I ask again: If the Lord returns
during this year, how glad will you be to see him?
Let’s take up the topic in our next letter.
Meanwhile…
Grace and Peace (and eagerness all-over-ya),
John
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