and laid Him in a manger,
because there was no room
for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7
Advent Devotions …
The image of the innkeeper continues to captivate the generations.
We can all envision being busy, harried, and caught being inattentive, focusing on earthly things. And we can all envision failing in a key moment of life. Earthly priorities say, “The inn is full. Go elsewhere.” And we do this all the time. “I’m busy.” “Not today.” How much do we miss? Would I have sent a very pregnant Mary away?
A prominent theme of Advent is being watchful and ready. Jesus says, “watch out,” “beware,” “stay alert,” “keep awake.” The innkeeper clearly missed his moment at the first coming of Christ, his birth. Advent prompts us to consider if we’re ready for the second coming of Christ.
For the last few days, we’ve been tracing Jesus’ final teachings on earth. According to the Gospel of Matthew, they were mainly prophecies. Some were fulfilled in a matter of days (like God’s people killing God’s Son, his heir), and we’ve said that the fulfillment of the more immediate of Jesus’ prophecies should persuade us to take very, very serious his end-times prophecies.
As we continued our journey through the latter parts of Matthew, let’s start where we ended yesterday …
· Matthew 24:29-31 begins telling what it will look like when Christ calls “the elect” home – complete with a “loud trumpet call” and his “coming on the clouds.”
· Then, he concludes, “from the fig tree, learn its lesson.” He’s saying, just as you know the signs of spring and summer and of the coming of ripe figs, pay attention to the signs of the coming of Christ.
· Next – and here’s where we begin new today – Jesus prophetically urges us to be watchful. Indeed, he likens his own sudden, surprising return to the sudden surprise that once washed over those who weren’t prepared in the days of Noah.
· Then Jesus tells a story (24:36-44) about “two [people working] in the field.” With the sudden “coming of the Son of Man … one will be taken and one will be left. [Similarly] two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.”
Let’s take a look at that last passage. Many, of course, call this the Rapture. Before the pain of the End Times unfolds, many believe – based on this and other related passages – that Jesus will call believers “home”; while unbelievers (according to a famous book title) will be Left Behind.
Now, if you’re curious, this event – the Rapture – either does or doesn’t occur in the Book of Revelation. And that – and virtually all end times interpretation – is largely dependent on one’s theology. (And there’s lots of theological interpretations of the end times!) Nevertheless, as a matter of clear revelation, the Book of Revelation never shows the Rapture. But … it also never shows the church or believers experiencing any of the events of the Tribulation. (So what happened to the church … if it didn’t disappear before all of those frightening end times events?)
Anyway – and thus – the evidence of the Rapture in Revelation is an argument from absence.
In the first three chapters of Revelation, the church is the very most important theme. (John, for example, is charged with recording seven messages for seven churches, and these fill the entirety of Revelation 2 and 3). But curiously, starting with chapter 4, the church or believers are never mentioned again – unless these believers are already in heaven. For example, do you remember the white robed saints standing before God in heaven while the Tribulation unfolds below on earth?
So … is there a Rapture in Revelation? Well, before the seals on the Scroll begin to be opened in Revelation 5 and chapter after chapter of trials and tribulations begin to fall upon earth, Revelation 4 starts cryptically – not definitively – with words like “trumpet,” “at once [I was] in the spirit,” and there was suddenly the call to “come up here.”
And then chapter 4 continues with one of Scripture’s most majestic glimpses of God in heaven. We see a throne … and angels … and elders … and crowns … and indescribable colors … and flashes of lightning … and the “four living creatures” … and constant worship with the cries of “Holy, Holy, Holy.”
So … the Rapture is not in Revelation
… or is it?
In Christ’s Love
a guy who doesn’t know
exactly what will happen
when Christ comes again,
but a guy who is curious
enough to keep seeking
… because he absolutely
will come again
(that is absolutely clear
in Scripture)
Children’s Message …
The image of the innkeeper continues to captivate the generations.
We can all envision being busy, harried, and caught being inattentive, focusing on earthly things. And we can all envision failing in a key moment of life. Earthly priorities say, “The inn is full. Go elsewhere.” And we do this all the time. We say, “I’m busy” and “Not today.” And how much do we miss because we’re focused on the things we want to do?
The innkeeper sent Mary away. He didn’t know that she was the earthly mother of the Son of God. He just knew that his inn was full and she was another nuisance. Do you ever get busy with the things of the world? Do you think you would have sent a very pregnant Mary away?
A prominent theme of Advent is being watchful and ready. Jesus says, “watch out,” “beware,” “stay alert,” “keep awake.” The innkeeper clearly missed his moment at the first coming of Christ, his birth.
Advent prompts us to consider if we’re ready for the second coming of Christ.
In Matthew 24:26-44, Jesus tells a story about “two [people working] in the field.” And then something startling happens: “[the second] coming of the Son of Man.” No one ever thinks that this could be the day. People with busy with what they thought they needed to do. But what will happen when Jesus comes. Jesus says it will be like this: “one will be taken [up to heaven] and one will be left [here on earth]. [Similarly] two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken [up to heaven] and one will be left [here on earth].”
Many people call this the Rapture. Before the pain of the End Times unfolds, many believe – based on this and other related passages – that Jesus will call believers “home”; while unbelievers (according to a famous book title) will be Left Behind.
If you believe in Jesus, our Lord tells us that you will – at the end of your days – be taken by Jesus to be in heaven. And it will be quick, painless, and gentle. It will be like being scooped up in your Father’s (or Mother’s) strong. One moment, you’re on the ground. Suddenly, you’re laughing and giggling as they joyfully scoop you into the air.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why wasn’t the innkeeper ready to do what was proper when Mary and Joseph knocked on his door?
2. Do you ever get like the innkeeper? Why? And what could you do to fix that?
3. Are you ready to be scooped up into Jesus’ arms and “meet him in the air”? Why or why not?
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