Notes on Matthew 24.36-44 Advent Sunday 1 December 2013
One of the themes of Advent is the return of Christ. In the New Testament this is linked with the great Day of the Lord that the Old Testament looked forward to. This Day will be a day of judgement and a day of salvation.
But when will it happen? That has been a big question for long time. Jesus gives a very clear answer to the question. He says no one knows when it will be.
In this passage he tells us three important things:
1. No one knows when the great Judgement Day will be (24.36). So this means we should not try to calculate when it will be. And we should be very careful about listening to anyone who tells us that they know. Or anyone who tells us that they have worked out how to tell if it is getting near.
2. The Day will come as a surprise (24.36-41). People will not be ready for it. People will not be able to predict when it will happen. Jesus will come when we do not expect him (24.44).
3. Therefore we must be ready (24.42-44). We must keep watch. Be alert. Be ready. What does this mean? Jesus explains it in the next two passages. We should be doing what we are meant to be doing. We should be serving the Lord in the way he has called us to serve him. We should not be lazy or spending our time doing something else (24.45-51). We should remember the warning of Matthew 7.21-23. We should be praying and looking for him to come. The story of the ten girls warns us to be ready (25.1-13).