READY AND WAITING

Luke 12.35–38

Dr. Gordon Dabbs

Sometimes, the best things in life are meant to surprise us.

What we do know is enough:

When He comes, the sky itself will open.

The King will appear.

And every eye will see Him.

The thousand-year reign of Jesus: three major camps:

• Premillennialism

• Postmillennialism

• Amillennialism

What is the Rapture? The idea comes from a couple of verses in Luke 17:

Luke 17.30-31, 34-35 (NLT) Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home. . . That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

Over the arc of Christian history, believers have agreed on one big truth: Whatever the timeline, Jesus is coming back.

Rapture? No rapture? Pre? Post? A-Millennialism? Look, there’s no need to argue and divide over these questions because if you know Christ, you’re on the right side of His story — no matter what your chart looks like.

“We can be certain Jesus will return, but the order of events and happenings are less firm. I trust Jesus to work out all the details.” ~ Mary Wiley

When it comes to Scripture, here’s a good rule: Hold tightly to what’s clear.

Hold loosely to what’s not.

What IS clear from Scripture about the return of Jesus: 4 things...

1. It Will Be Personal

Acts 1.11 (ESV) Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.

2. It Will Be Sudden

3. It Will Be High Visibility

4. It Will Be Glorious

Mark 8.38 (ESV) . . . The Son of Man . . . comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Until then, we are ready and waiting.

Luke 12.35–38 (NLT) Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!

Waiting — because faith means trusting the Chef, the Conductor, the Pilot, and the Planner.

We don’t know every detail of the recipe. But we know the One preparing the feast. And that’s enough.

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