Stay Awake

Mark 13:35-37

35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—

36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

Jesus gave His disciples stern warnings about the last days. When you are given a warning from our Savior you should heed that warning. Here He is telling us that we do not know when He, the Master of the house will return, but when He does he better not find you sleeping. Then He reiterates what He said at the start of verse 35, “Watch”. It does not matter what you or I think about what we need to do to be prepared for the Lord’s return as one who is born again, what matters is what He said about it.

What does it mean to be found sleeping when He comes? Vines complete expository dictionary tells us this word in Mark’s gospel means: a condition of insensibility to divine things involving conformity to the world. Sound familiar? Another definition would also be lukewarm. In Revelation 3:16 Jesus warned the church at Laodicea if they were lukewarm when He returned He would spew them out of His mouth.

Romans 12:1-2 tells us believers, not sinners, to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God and to be not conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, proving what is the good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The word Jesus used telling us to “watch” means to stay awake. Jesus is warning believers not to be living a life conformed to the world when He returns to catch us away.

This is not working for your salvation but working out the salvation He has given to us (Phil. 2:12). The renewal of the mind includes being a doer of the Word. If as a believer my life looks no different then a sinner, I would have fallen asleep becoming conformed to the world. Time to stay awake living a life of following in the footsteps of our Savior. In doing so we shine our light to bring others out of the darkness. Stay awake for His return draws ever closer each day.

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