“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:40).
TEXT — Luke 12:32-48
Message
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) usually warns Americans of looming volcanic events. One of such was in 2009 during the “Redoubt Eruption” in Alaska. All businesses and people were encouraged to display warning and preparedness signs that indicate that a volcano may erupt anytime soon. Communities and the people were warned of the risk ahead and to be ready for any emergency. Due to these series of warnings and enlightenment, safety and mitigation strategies were put in place to reduce the impact of the volcano.
In our text, the Lord reveals the important elements of believers’ readiness for the kingdom of God at the end of time. Part of the preparation is constant watching, being occupied with His business, faithfulness in service and complete obedience to His will. He also cautions against complacency, unpreparedness and dereliction of duty. Finally, the Lord reminds the disciples that there is severe punishment for the unprepared (Luke 12:47,48).
Believers who fail to prepare for Christ’s return, despite all these warnings, will be caught unaware. Those who choose to remain in sin, hypocrisy and backsliding and fail to appropriate the sacrifice of Christ to escape eternal damnation will have no excuse before God. Like the foolish virgins, they knew that the Lord’s coming was imminent but chose not to provide enough oil for their lamps.
As believers, we should be wise enough to prepare and meet our Lord and Saviour either in rapture or in death and eventually reign with Him. To do this, we are to be awakened to righteousness, conscientiously serving the Lord and bringing sinners to Christ.
Thought for the day
Knowledge of Christ’s coming is useless if it does not make you prepared.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
