A Sunday service was held online in a Guangdong church where a pastor shared a sermon on Advent.
Before his sermon titled “A Different Advent” based on Luke 12: 35-48, Rev. Chen Suisheng said that the church had entered Advent on November 27. Advent is not only to celebrate the birth of Jesus but also to prepare for the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Following a prayer, Pastor Chen preached that it had been two thousand years since the apostles, Peter, Paul, James and John told Christians that the Lord would come again. Believers, who prepare for the celebration of the birth of the Lord every Advent nowadays, were reminded also to prepare for the second coming of the Lord Jesus.
For preparation, Pastor Chen reminded believers to be like loyal servants with the attitude of being ready to serve at all times, citing Luke 12:35-40. This kind of servant was ready to serve with all his heart, expecting patiently the host to come back at any time, whether the master was here or not.
The Bible says, “Because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Christians should stay awake to wait for the Lord to come again. Based on Luke 12:42 to 48, Chen explained how to stay awake and prepare through two different examples of the attitudes of servants. A faithful and wise servant who was put in charge of servants gave them their food at the proper time, while another servant who did not please his master knew his master’s mind but did not follow the mind of his master who later returned to punish him.
Pastor Chen said if church members did not believe the Lord would come again, they would choose to be lazy, eat, drink, get drunk, or deprive each other. But if they believed, they might be faithful to the things He has entrusted to them until the day of His return. The pastor also reminded churchgoers that staying awake was not to sit there to wait without sleeping but to make full preparations.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
