Bright Wings

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with Ah! Bright Wings.

February 23, 2010

Biblical Readiness

Curtis Mayfield summed up the heart of New Testament eschatology best when he crooned, “People get ready, there’s a train a coming.”  But, of course, Jesus said it first: “You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40)

What does readiness look like? Is it holing up in a cabin in the woods? Is it trembling by the fire with a tattered copy of Left Behind? Should you sell all your goods and move to a commune in Montana? Stand on the corner with an apocalyptic sandwich board? Maybe. I know it is an affront to our collective postmodern disposition, but I’d welcome the sight of a few sandwich boards here and there these days.

Look, eschatology can be confusing stuff. But I believe we try to make it rocket science so as to keep ourselves clear of the basic obedience that Jesus calls us to.  We are to be ready- and our readiness is measured in how we steward our lives. I’d like to challenge you as a steward in four areas of readiness. The first area- and the subject of this post- is what I call ‘biblical readiness’.

Biblical readiness is exemplified for us in the lives of the Bereans of Acts 17:11, “Now these Jews [Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were true.”

The Bereans were ready for the gospel because they were the sort who examined the Scriptures daily. They received the word with all eagerness. The knew the Law and the Prophets. They had their finger on the scroll and their concordance on their bedside.

What was Paul’s word to young Pastor Timothy? What was to be the commitment of believers as they wait for the return of Christ? They were to devote themselves to the ‘public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.’ (1 Timothy 4:13).  Paul equipped his charge with this instruction because “the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1) Ready pastors and ready leaders will be those who “preach the word, ready in season and out, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). Why? “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching. But having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Tim 4:3-4) 

Jesus asks his disciples, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)  What will this faith look like? It will be characterized by biblical readiness. A belief and hope in the truth of God’s Word and a courage to entrust oneself to it in the face of trial, persecution, and worldly loss.

We all know Hebrews 4:12 well, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” But rarely do we set this great verse in its wonderful context. Verse 11 tells us that we are to “strive to enter that rest [the coming ‘rest’ of God’s people at his glorious return] so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience”.  Verse 13 reminds us that one day we will give an account to God.

The steward who believes the Lord is returning, who believes that his heart will be laid bare before his Master on that Day, will begin the work of exposure and examination today with the surgical work of God’s Spirit through His Word.

 

posted by Erik Braun