I
F
J E S U S C A M E
T
O
V
I
S
I
T
Let’s suppose, hypothetically, for a moment that the Lord returned. But instead of taking the saints to glory and the world burning up with flaming fire (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8), let’s instead suppose that He just decided to pay a visit to a random Christian.
Now we know that God sees, and knows all. I wonder, though, if His bodily presence would motivate some to alter their lifestyles.
Consider then, three possible destinations for our Lord as he ‘stops by’ to check on us: our home, our work, and our congregations.
IF JESUS CAME…TO MY HOME
I wonder if we would watch the same things on television that we watch when Jesus “isn’t there.” Yes there’s a lot of quality material to be found on television, but there’s a lot of bile as well. The question is: When Jesus is sitting on my coach, am I watching my regularly scheduled program, or do I make a last minute change?
I wonder how our relationship with our young children would be altered. Would Jesus see the attention we give them to be genuine, or would it seem unnatural? Would the children wonder why daddy is suddenly “so nice” and mommy “so happy,” or would everything seem totally normal?
Would He notice the young ones being disrespectful or undisciplined? A young child is probably not going to understand that a Guest has arrived and therefore he must be on his “best behavior.” A child is going to act the way he always acts; if he is undisciplined before the Lord arrives, he’s not going to spontaneously whip into shape when He knocks on the door.
Maybe He’d d hear a teenage girl trotting down the stairs, telling her parents (as she bolts out the door) she’s going out with friends. He might notice the blushed reaction on her parents as their barely-dressed teenager leaves without so much as a “Goodbye,” or an “I love you.”
And just when it couldn’t get any worse…the doorbell rings again, and wouldn’tcha know it: it’s a couple of dad’s buddies with beers in their hands. They’re here for poker night, and they don’t understand why they are being rushed out before they get two feet in the door. After all, this happens every Tuesday night.
Some people live their lives as if Jesus can’t see them. That’s a dangerous, as well as ignorant, way to live. God sees all. And whether He is in your living room bodily or not, you can rest assured He will be there spiritually. Let’s make sure that the lives we live at home are conducted just as if Jesus were right there in front of us…because He is.
IF JESUS CAME…TO MY WORK
Perhaps it’s not my house, but my work where He makes his unscheduled visit. What actions would be different if He were physically looking over our shoulder while we worked from 9-to-5?
I wonder if we would arrive at work on time. How embarrassing would it be to arrive at work later than you are supposed to, only to find Jesus there waiting for you! How embarrassing to have to be chewed out by your boss, and given a “last warning” all the while Jesus is standing next to you. You can bet that if we knew Jesus was going to be at our workplace at 8:45, we’d get there at 8:30.
I wonder if we would hang around the same people on our lunch breaks, if Jesus were at work with us. Would we want Jesus to know that we enjoy the company of people who use profanity, or talk about the assorted things they did during their weekend? Would Jesus want to listen to that?
How embarrassing would it be, with Jesus right beside you, to have a coworker tell you the latest dirty joke? To your coworker, its nothing out of the ordinary, but you don’t want Jesus to know that. You might be able to run off your coworker before he finishes the joke, but it might be more difficult to hide your blushing face after that “close call.”
It might seem like a person can get away with things at work, when mother, father, husband or wife are not around. And again, Jesus is not going to bodily pay you a visit at your workplace. He is, however, omnipresent (meaning ever-present), and ever-aware of what goes on when you punch-in. If we keep that in mind, we will find our work day to be closer to what God expects it to be, and less what Satan revels in it being.
IF JESUS CAME…TO MY CHURCH
What hypothetical “stop by” of the Lord would be complete without a visit to our local congregation? Imagine Jesus sitting in on one of our Sunday morning worship services; I wonder what His reaction would be when the final “Amen” was spoken.
I wonder if Jesus would have the same critiques that so many people have related to their church family. Do you think you would overhear Jesus commenting on certain people who were not “dressed the best?” Would He be upset that a person came to the assembly and was not wearing a tie? He would probably look at an individual dressed “to the nines” and take note of the striking contrast between His attire and that man’s. After all, how can a simple robe compare to a three piece suit!?
Maybe He would notice a young lady walking by and hear the faint sounds of “flip” and “flop” as she passed Him.
Do you think the Lord would be upset that she would wear such “casual” shoes at the assembly? He’d probably look down at his own pair of sandals and think that He and that young lady have more in common than the one wearing shining black leather shoes.
He might chuckle at a brother throwing a fit because the song leader led “two” songs before the Lord’s Supper, and not the standard “one.” And what would Jesus think upon hearing some good sister chewing out a new-young-Christian who might have said a prayer “wrong?”
Very likely He would shake his head sadly when a brief argument ensued because one brother sat in another brother’s “assigned” seat. As the people poured out of the assembly, He might frown at the sight of someone yelling at a small child for doing what small children do: playing.
People sometimes get so upset over the littlest things. Often that attitude spills over into the worship. Just remember, even though Jesus isn’t bodily there, He is there, and He knows our attitudes (Revelation ch2-3).
Whether at home, work, or worship we sometimes forget that the all-seeing Eye is watching us. For those doing good, that’s a confident reminder that the Shepherd of our Souls is looking after us.
For those who might do wrong, it should be a warning: God sees all, and we will give an account in the final day (Romans 14:12).
Leave A Comment