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 NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST 

SCRIPTURE: LUKE 12:35-46

 Jesus teaches his audience to be ready for day of the Lord.

REFLECTION 

‘Church expectant’ is the theme for our reflection. An expectant person is one who is looking forward to something, therefore church expectant refers to believers who await or look forward to the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Today’s scripture reading identifies two categories of expectant Christians in the Church. 

The first category is the general membership of the church, who are also known as the pews. Jesus’ admonishment to the expectant general membership is self-explanatory and does not need any further articulation. “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!” (Luke 12:35-38) 

In connection to the general membership of the church, it is important to note that all believers are considered masters of their own homes and are responsible for their family’s spiritual growth and preparation for the day of Lord. This is why it is important for all Christians to observe daily prayers and Bible study to keep them prepared. Paul’s encouragement to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12-17 perfectly tells us how Christian families should continually prepare even as they remain expectant for the day of the Lord. Paul says “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:12-17) Christian parents must endeavour to facilitate their own spiritual growth and that of their household through constant prayer and Bible study to enable their household develop a deeper faith and relationship with the Lord leading to their individual and collective salvation. 

The second expectant category of people in the Church refers to Christian leaders. This is important because after Jesus had taught about being ready for the day of the Lord, Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” (Luke 12:41) Peter might have thought or reasoned that being a disciple of Jesus, there was no need to be ready for the day of the Lord, it was a done deal or an automatic selection. What Peter lost sight of is that he was appointed by Jesus to become an Apostle and leader of the church together with other disciples therefore much will be required from him and the other disciples as leaders and managers of the church.  Indeed, Peter and the other disciples would become managers and servant-leaders of the early church responsible for preparing the general membership of the Church through teaching of the Gospel for the believers to remain expectant for the day of the Lord. Church leaders are not exempted from being ready, vigilant and expectant for the day of the Lord. That is why Jesus answered Peter in Luke 12:41-48 saying “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of 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 servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 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 unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” Church leaders must also know that to whom much is given much is expected, therefore “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). James 3:1 warns Church leaders that “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” In sum both the pulpit and pew must be ready, vigilant and expectant for the day of the Lord without any excuse. Shalom

 PRAYER 

 “GRACIOUS LORD, IGNITE IN US THE SPIRIT OF VIGILANCE EVEN AS WE REMAIN EXPECTANT FOR YOUR SECOND COMING,  MAY WE BE FOUND DISCHARGING OUR STEWARDSHIP DUTIES AS WORTHY SERVANTS DESERVING OF THE KINGDOM. AMEN.

Written by Jean-Paul Agidi(Rev)

Edited by Mrs.Vera Viva Nkrow.