Preparation for Eternity

Since moving to Australia, my daily life has changed in many ways.  My family and I have adapted well to living in New South Wales despite not being born and raised here.  There is one thing, however, I am particularly hopeless at:  remembering to carry an umbrella in the car when rain is in the forecast.  Growing up in southern California, I never needed to plan for rain.  As an adult I have never owned an umbrella!  Perhaps this is one reasonable explanation why I do not think to bring a household umbrella with me, and when I do I am apt to leave it behind and lose it.  Living in Australia I still do not plan for rain--and thus am usually unprepared when the rain falls.

Jesus called out the hypocrisy of people who were observant of the weather and took appropriate action yet were negligent of present spiritual preparation for the future.  They were like people who never were caught in a downpour without an umbrella, waterproof jacket and shoes.  Though they could predict weather patterns with the accuracy of Doppler radar and plan accordingly, they did not recognise the signs of the times.  The scriptures had spoken clearly concerning the signs of the promised Messiah and Jesus fulfilled prophecies like being conceived by a virgin, being born in Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah, called out of Egypt and raised in Nazareth.  Wise men came from the east seeking to worship the King of the Jews because His star was seen in the heavens, and the Jews affirmed Bethlehem was the place confirmed in scripture--and ironically did not care to go themselves.  People who thought to bring a covering on a cold day were hypocrites to ignore their need of spiritual preparation when they would someday be judged by the righteous Messiah Who personally addressed them.

Jesus said in Luke 12:57-59, "Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? ⁵⁸ When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite."  If a person knows they are guilty of offending an adversary, it makes sense to do everything possible to settle out of court before a date is set.  On the way to the magistrate it would be wise to plead for mercy and make things right rather than having to appear before a judge in court who has power and authority to impose serious punishment.  An adversary will show no mercy, and a righteous judge will throw the book at someone so careless.  If we care about temporal things like fines, felonies and jail time we want to avoid, it follows we ought to be more careful about being in good standing with God because this has eternal consequences.

A point Jesus previously made in this chapter is a wise servant will be faithful even when his master has been away for a long time, because he knows his master will return and require a reckoning.  Knowing the master could return at any time prompts the servant to be responsible and be on the lookout for him.  In the same way, servants of Jesus Christ ought to be ready in these last days for His return.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, our hearts, minds and lives are to be exercised in godliness.  1 John 3:2-3 says, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."  Knowing God is pure and has washed us in the blood of the New Covenant, we are purified and sanctify ourselves in preparation for the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Because Jesus has forgiven us, we forgive others; since He has been gracious and merciful to us, we freely extend these to others as well.  Since heaven is our eternal home in the presence of the righteous God and Judge, we are to do righteously today.