Luke 12 v 35. “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.”
Jesus now reminds us of another great event that should occupy our minds far more often than it does and that is the second coming of the Lord. A proper consideration of this event will put material possessions into their proper perspective for a disciple.
We should never allow our attitude to life or to our material goods to be so intense that we are rendered unprepared for our Lord’s coming. Rather, our ‘lamps should always be burning’, that is, we should always be in such a mode of expectancy that we are awaiting his return at every moment.
The strange words of v 37 simply mean that if we are faithful in our attitude towards life and possessions, when the Master returns He will lavish his love and attention upon us and we will thus be rewarded and blessed.
But notice the point made by Jesus, namely that we do not know the time of Christ’s second coming, but whenever it might be we should be prepared and ready to serve Him. One danger is that we may be so pre-occupied with our material goods and our busy lives that we will not be ready when “he comes and knocks” on our door (v 36).
The same principle applies, says Jesus, if I change the story to that of a home-owner whose house was robbed. If he knew what hour the thief was coming he would have prevented the burglary. But how in the world is any home-owner to know in advance when a thief may make his appearance? Exactly! That’s the point. The home-owner cannot know, and never can you know when the Lord will return. All we can do is be ready (v 40).
If we have spent our lives living entirely for ourselves how can we expect to be welcomed into the heavenly realms, when Jesus returns. “If we endure, we shall also reign with him” said the apostle Paul (2 Timothy 2 v 12). But there will be no such joy or privilege for those who are not watching.