Today, may the Lord have mercy on us and enlighten us to reflect on “watchfulness and preparation” through His own words.
Matthew 24:36–51
36 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;
39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
After saying “about that day or hour no one knows,” the Lord mentions the days of Noah — describing people being swept away by the flood. Then the Lord uses a parable: one person is taken by the Lord, another is left behind.
Immediately, the Lord reminds us: Therefore keep watch.
Why keep watch? Because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
(The original text contains a verse not fully rendered in some translations: “But know this…”)
Key Points on Watchfulness:
- The reason to keep watch: you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
- The prerequisite for watchfulness: “if the owner of the house had known what hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch.”
From the early church until today is nearly two thousand years — even people of that era needed to keep watch. Christians in every age must be watchful because we do not know when the Lord will come. Christians in the last days of the last days are no different — we must also keep watch!
However, Christians living at the end of the last days have one advantage: we are closer to the Lord’s return than those before us. Just as John the Baptist — called the greatest in the Old Testament era — held that distinction precisely because his time allowed him to be the one who prepared the way for the Lord and could point to Jesus saying: “Look, the Lamb of God.”
Today, if we know at which watch of the night the Lord will come, we will certainly keep watch!
“Now, brothers and sisters, you are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4)
Praise the Lord!
But watchfulness alone is not enough — the Lord also says:
“Therefore you also must be ready.”
When the Lord expands on the matter of readiness, He uses the parable of a servant.
Matthew 24:43–51
43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, “My master is staying away a long time,”
49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This parable is often understood as describing two servants: one faithful and wise, the other wicked.
Yet from the text, we can see that it does not describe two different people, but rather the same servant:
- If watchful and prepared — he is the faithful and wise servant.
- If not watchful and unprepared — he becomes the wicked servant.
May the Lord have mercy on us, that we may truly love Him, and be watchful and prepared — becoming the faithful and wise servants waiting for His return.