Psalm89.19-22,24 │2 Samuel 23.1-4│Acts20.28-35│Matthew 24.42-46
Keep Alert! But don’t waste time
speculating…….
This passage warns against two unbalanced views
in relation to the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ.
(1) (verses 36-41) Overexpectancy – There are
those for whom speculation about the timing and details of the Second Coming
can become an obsession to the detriment of the rest of Christian theology and
the routine of daily living. In the early church there were even those who were
so convinced that the Second Coming of Christ was just around the corner that
they had given up bothering to work. St Paul rebuked them sternly (1 Thess
3:10).
(2) (verses 42-46) Complacency - on the other
hand there were those who felt that the Second Coming was likely to be so far
distant that they could safely leave reforming their lives until later. A
famous preacher was addressing a group of Bible College students on the Second
Coming of Christ. At the end of his lecture he went along the front row of
students asking each in turn ‘Do you think the Lord is going to come back
tonight?’ All of them without exception answered ‘No’. Whereupon the preacher
returned to his lectern and solemnly re-stated verse 44 of our reading ‘Therefore
be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh’.
Ce passage met en garde
contre deux points de vue déséquilibrés par rapport à la doctrine de la seconde
venue du Christ (1) (versets 36-41) Surexpectative - Il y a ceux pour qui la
spéculation sur le moment et les détails de la seconde venue peut devenir une
obsession au détriment du reste de la théologie chrétienne et de la routine de
la vie quotidienne. Dans l'église primitive, il y avait même ceux qui étaient
si convaincus que la seconde venue du Christ était juste au coin de la rue
qu'ils avaient renoncé à travailler. St Paul les réprimanda sévèrement (1 Th 3,
10). (2) (versets 42-46) Complaisance - d'un autre côté, il y avait ceux qui
pensaient que la Seconde Venue était susceptible d'être si éloignée qu'ils
pourraient en toute sécurité rapporter en réformant leur vie jusqu'à plus tard.
Un prédicateur célèbre s'adressait à un groupe d'étudiants du Collège biblique
sur la seconde venue du Christ. À la fin de sa conférence, il est allé le long
de la première rangée d'étudiants en demandant à chacun à son tour :
«Pensez-vous que le Seigneur va revenir ce soir?» Tous, sans exception, ont
répondu « Non». Sur quoi le prédicateur retourna à son pupitre et répéta
solennellement le verset 44 de notre lecture : «Soyez donc également prêts, car
en une heure où vous ne pensez pas le Fils de l’homme vient».
David Fieldsend
Editor’s
note: According to
tradition, St. David was the
son of King Sant of South Wales and St.
Non. He was ordained a priest and studied
under St. Paulinus. He was involved in missionary work and founded a number of
monasteries. The monastery at Menevia in
Southwestern Wales was noted
for extreme asceticism. David and his monks drank neither wine nor beer. Around
the year 550, David was elected as primate of the
Cambrian Church. David died at his monastery in Menevia around the
year 589. He is revered as the patron of Wales. His is a fine example for
modern Christians seeking order and form in
their prayer life. (From
Catholic Online).
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