Waiting for Jesus' coming, long or short

DA Carson recently preached a sermon series on "How to wait for Jesus" from a number of passages about what will happen in the last days. One of the interesting points he made from the parable of the virgins with oil lamps, is that we need to be as ready for a long wait for Jesus' return, as we need to be ready for him to come at any time. Those who are prepared for the groom are allowed in to the feast. Jesus refused the unwise waiters, saying essentially 'my friends are those who are prepared, you did not prepare for a long wait.' They did not think it important enough to be ready for any contingency and their actions did not mark the event with the priority that would demonstrate the sincerity of their relationship to Christ.

Waiting is difficult, especially when we don't know how long we need to wait. Jesus has told us what our job is in the meantime: to be salt and light, building his church and representing him among the nations. Paul writes in 1 Cor 3 that in preparation for Jesus' coming, we will be evaluated based on what kind of materials we build with. Self motivated short term perspective works (Straw and wood) will burned up, while self-less eternal thinking acts (gold and precious stones) will be rewarded. We have to build things that will last, courses of stone that others can add to long after we're gone.

I think it's safe to say that most churches have a very short term perspective when it comes to being salt and light among Muslims. A pastor recently hollered in his church in the context of Muslims in America: 'Muslims are just trying to take over... If you don't like it that America is a Christian nation, then go back where you came from!' A whole generation of congregants in his church are now primed to avoid 1.3 billion unreached souls. How many missionaries is his church going to send out to Islamic lands? How many are going to be intentional about befriending their Muslim neighbors, or teaching their children that God loves the nations? These inferior self centered materials of comfort, isolation and protection are bred by a short term perspective and impatient waiting. No one will be able to build upon straw and hay, that church will have to start over. We need to wait as those that expect an urgent return of Christ, and those who are prepared to hand off the lamps of waiting, full of oil, to the next generation, should Jesus take a bit longer. We need to heed the warning 'take care of how you build', so that those after us can add to the strong foundation.