Pay attention! Be alert! Don’t let your guard down! These are warnings that we often hear. We heard them from our parents and teachers when we were younger. We’re given that warning when we might have to venture into an unsafe neighborhood. In addition, no one wants to be unprepared when someone unexpectedly comes around, whether that person is our boss, the city inspector, or our in-laws. In our Scripture today, the Lord Jesus gives this warning, along with some teachings on what holds our hearts, to His disciples. Let’s see what He was referring to.
As our Scripture passage opens, Jesus was talking to His followers, and He spoke to them with a term of endearment in verse 32 that I have always liked to read. Jesus called His followers here “little flock”. Several times in the Gospels Jesus is referred to as the Good Shepherd, and His followers as His sheep. True, genuine believers may not be many in any given location, and we often don’t feel strong when the opposition comes against us, just like a helpless sheep. However, we are Jesus’ little flock, and as the Good Shepherd, He watches over and cares for us, and it is His desire to give us the kingdom. He doesn’t want us to live in fear. Rather, Jesus wants us to live in the safety and security of knowing that He loves us and is for us.
Jesus then told His followers to carefully consider where and what our treasure is (vs. 33-34). Whatever has our heart, our desires, our love, is where we will focus our time, energy, and our money. What are we thinking about the most? Is our heart, interests, and money focused on things in this world? Or does the Lord, who redeemed us from sin and death, have our heart and mind? What we invest our time and money in, what we talk about (Matthew 12:34), and what we keep returning to in our mind reveals what’s really on our heart. God needs to be first place in everything.
Those who amass earthly possessions falsely think their security lies in material resources. Instead, Jesus teaches us to lay up treasures in heaven. Treasures here on earth will fail because of thieves and corruption. Treasures in heaven will never be stolen or damaged. Jesus wants us to use all of our material assets in a way that will glorify God, not to just accumulate here on earth for ourselves.
Jesus continued on with instructions for His disciples and followers to be ready and in expectation of His return (vs. 35-40). We need to be ready and eager for the Lord to return for us. Be ready for His coming at all times. How many times have we heard about a worker being caught off guard by their boss when the boss returned unexpectedly and caught that worker slacking off. We remember as children, when our parents gave us a task to do, and then later came back and found that we were goofing off and not hard at work. There were penalties to pay from our parents, and also from the boss at work.
We are then given the example of the homeowner and the thief (vs. 39). If the homeowner was alert and paying attention, he would have been prepared for when the thief came. It is when one is not paying attention, and letting their guard down, that the thief has the advantage, and will run off with the valuables. The thief is Satan. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). We should not be ignorant of his tactics (II Corinthians 2:11). Also, we should never leave the door of sin open in our life. To do so allows Satan an open entrance (Ephesians 4:27). Often he will come as a wolf in sheep's clothing, so we need to be alert and strong in the Word of God (Matthew 7:15). If we are prepared, working and waiting for Jesus’ return, we will also be on guard against any of Satan’s tactics.
In closing, we need to ask ourselves two things regarding the two teachings Jesus gave in this passage. First, where are our priorities? Where have we stored our treasure? That will determine where our heart is, with the Lord or here on earth. The second is, are we ready and waiting for the Lord’s return? It would be sad for any believer to be caught unprepared, and not alert, ready and waiting for their Savior to come back.
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