“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! [Mark 13.32-33]
Stay alert. Those are rather easy words to understand. Be ready. Be on guard. Watch!
The return of Jesus Christ to the earth will be a surprise to all but those who are intently looking for Him.
Is being surprised by Jesus' return a bad thing? According to what I understand from the scriptures, yes. Being surprised means the one who is surprised is not ready. Not ready can't be good!
I get the idea that a person, on the other hand, who is busy about the Father's work, carried out in the likeness of Christ, will not be so surprised when Jesus returns. If that person is ready, alert, watching and waiting, there is little chance of being surprised. Jesus described this elsewhere as a person on guard at night watching for a thief.
There is a great need among "believers" today to be ready. The world has so infiltrated the Church that the Church can hardly hope to expectantly witness Christ's return. Instead, the Church is just as "busy" with worldly things as is the world itself.
The world's "busyness" is enemy #1 to being prepared for Jesus' return. Even well-meaning believers "intend" to do the work of ministry sometime... but sadly, that time never seems to come. They will be surprised when Jesus returns.
It is no wonder Jesus said:
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]
If the way to heaven is narrow and difficult, what makes us think we will "get around to it" eventually?
Jesus was pretty clear about service to Him:
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. [Luke 9.23]
The fact is, if one is following Christ, there is no practical way he could be surprised by Christ's return. He will indeed witness it, but not with surprise because his eyes are on Jesus the whole time.
Father, help us to understand the necessity of keeping our eyes on Jesus and the works He does through us today so that we are not surprised by His return like the world will be.
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