Waiting. That is not a popular word in this day and age. It is not something that we humans like to do, especially in this culture. Think about it. We can take our clothes to the “Same Day Cleaners”, take our photographs to the “One Hour Processing Center”, buy our food at the “Fast Food Drive Through”, do our banking at the ATM, the drive-through window, or even over the Internet, thus avoiding any standing in line at all. If the stoplight takes too long to change, or the elevator takes too long to arrive at our floor, we give the buttons another jab or two or three.
When we were young we would hear our parents trying to teach us patience by telling us things like, “Not now. You’ll have to wait for your birthday (or Christmas or when you get older).” We may even use the same words to our own children. But somewhere along the road we have forgotten those lessons about waiting, or we have forgotten to pass the teachings along. So we have people tailgating other drivers, or worse, because they feel the person ahead of them is not going fast enough, or our kids become agitated and complain when they feel their parents are taking a little longer talking with one another after church or in the grocery store.
Yet, this morning, we hear Jesus talking about that dreaded word, waiting. Jesus not only does not speak of waiting as a bad thing, He actually tells us that waiting for His return is expected of us!
As He often does, Jesus tells us a story, a parable. In this parable, a wealthy man goes on a long trip. He doesn’t tell his servants where he is going, or how long he will be away. But the man leaves his servants in charge of his home and his property and he gives them work to do until he returns. The man then sets off on his journey and his last word to them as he leaves is that they should be ready for his return at any time.
That is exactly what Jesus has told us. Watch and be ready, for His return could take place at any time. Not only that, but Jesus has also left us work to do until He comes back. We live in the time between Jesus’ first and second comings, and He has told us to be diligent, watch, wait, and do the jobs He has left us to do.
Jesus has told us that as we do, or not do unto others, so we have done, or not done unto Jesus Himself. When we give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, food to those who need it, visit those who are sick or in prison, we are working for Jesus as we wait for His return. “I am coming back!” Jesus said. “Wait for my return.”
Jesus has told us to wait and so we wait. But there are two types of waiting. There is passive waiting and there is active waiting. For instance, say you are at the airport and people are waiting to board the planes. Next to you is a man who is bored and has decided to take a nap while he waits for his boarding call. He feels that there is plenty of time before he has to board his plane, so now he sleeps. He is passively waiting for his call to get aboard his plane.
Down the aisle, you see a little boy also waiting to board the aircraft. Unlike the other man, this young boy is excited about taking a plane ride. He can’t wait to be called to board the plane. He can’t sit still and goes all around the waiting area talking with just about everyone about his upcoming adventure aboard an airplane. He is waiting in full expectation and excitement. He anticipates his boarding call happening at any moment and he is actively waiting.
So it is that we can choose to wait for the return of our Lord passively. That doesn’t require much energy or attention. It really requires very little commitment on our part at all. Unfortunately, I know people like that. Their attitude is something like, “I mean, after all, if God wants us, He is all-knowing, so surely He knows where to find me, right? Meanwhile, I’ll just deal with my own concerns, look after my own needs for pleasure and leisure. There is no need to worry myself with things like prayer, worship, Bible study or mission work. And as for deliberately trying to live the Christian lifestyle, well, God forgives everyone anyway, so why bother?” People of that mindset may fall into the category of “being so heavenly-minded, they are of no earthly good”.
We can choose to wait that way, passively, or we can choose to wait like the little boy, with eager anticipation and excitement. This type of waiting involves being active in prayer, worship, mission, Bible study, living the Christian lifestyle and going out of our way to help those who are in need.
Jesus is coming back! Like the servant in the parable, just because Jesus is gone for a time, we must not forget the Master and what He has given us to do in His absence. We are to actively wait for His return and be prepared for His return at every, and any, moment.
Now if you do not believe that Jesus is coming back, then it really doesn’t matter what you do. However, if you in fact do believe that Jesus will keep His word and return, then you need to examine just how active you have been while waiting. Jesus has entrusted the work of His Kingdom needed here on Earth to me and to you. He expects us to be faithful servants. There is no need to fret and worry about when the Master will return. We are much better off making sure we faithfully carry out the work He has given us to do, so that at the moment of His return He will find us faithfully performing the tasks He has left for us.
Today is the beginning of the Advent Season. It would do us well, both as individuals and as a congregation, to consider how well we are actively waiting for the return of our Lord and Savior. This is a great time of year to ask ourselves:
We wait for many things (someone worked it out that the average adult spends about six months of our life waiting at traffic lights), but the most important thing of all to wait for is the return of the Master. Are we waiting like the sleeping man in the airport, unaware that his boarding call is moments away? Or are we waiting actively like the excited little boy? Either way, Jesus is coming! Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.