“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning—waiting for Jesus to return. It’ll be good for those who Jesus finds waiting and watching for him. Wondrously, Jesus will dress himself to serve them. He will have his bride recline at the table and will come and wait on them.” (Paraphrase of Luke 12:35–37)
Dear Jesus, my earliest teaching about your second coming generated more fear than faith, more speculation than hope, more self-concern than adoration of you. But this passage throws all that into the smelly dumpster of bad theology.
I’ve never been less anxious and more ready for your return. Because of the Gospel we’re already wearing the right clothes—the wedding garment of your perfect righteousness. The oil in our lamps will never run dry, Jesus, for you sealed us as your own and have sent the Spirit to dwell in our hearts forever. Hallelujah!
Because the Gospel is true, we are ready for service—foremost the service you reference in this passage. As shocking as it seems, when you return, you will have us “recline at the table” as a part of the greatest, most joyful celebration ever—the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. And you will come and wait on us—Bridegroom to beloved bride.
What wondrous love is this, indeed! All you have ever done is serve us, Jesus—in creation, incarnation, by your perfect life lived for us and your death as our sin bearer, through your resurrection and ascension, by your current reign and constant care. No one loves us like you do. How do we respond to this hope, this gift, this glorious forever? We the loved will love you. We the served want to serve you, Jesus—all the way Home and forever. So Very Amen.
