Ready or Not!
Commentary
Okay, perhaps Ferris Bueller is not a biblical prophet, yet the longevity of the 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off suggests at the very least that it continues to amuse, entertain, and even educate people all these years later. Certainly, its quotability means some of its best lines have become part of our common wisdom.
One of my favorites is: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
These scriptures are written in the context of swiftly moving events, as the future becomes the present. We need to take a deep breath, slow down, and take a look at what’s going on, or we might miss the significance of what’s happening here.
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Last week’s lesson from the book of Joshua took place at the beginning of his leadership. In more than one way the parting of the Jordan River mirrored the parting of the Red Sea, and the leadership of Joshua was confirmed as worthy of being the successor of Moses. This is intentional.
Now Joshua prepares to go the way of all mortal flesh (he says so in the previous chapter). In his farewell discourse, he invites the people to slow down and in his retelling of holy history to reflect on what they’ve all lived through. Otherwise they might miss the significance of what it all means. This will lead to a challenge and a commission for the people. All of this intentionally mirrors the farewell discourse of Moses in Deuteronomy.
In some ways, we can’t help but be reminded of a Greek tragedy. Greek tragedies involved the retelling of a familiar story, already well known. Initially, Greek drama consisted of the music sung by the chorus. Then Thespis inaugurated in the innovation of a single actor who would sing a part of the story. The chorus reacted or responded.
That’s what happens here. Joshua is the single actor, telling the story of what God has done for the people, and what God expects. He recounts God's first call to the patriarchs. He retells the salvation history, including the exodus from Egypt and continues through the conquest of Canaan. He concludes with this challenge -if they are unwilling to serve this living God who brought them to this moment, “choose this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Now part of Greek drama was what is known as dramatic irony. We the audience know how the story will end. The characters don’t. So, in this case, we know that God’s people will stray as individuals and as a nation, until at last some are scattered by the Assyrians and others exiled later to Babylon. We want to shout at them from our seats in the audience. This moment is rushing at them, ready or not, and while their response, that they will serve the Lord, is wonderful, we know they won’t do it. Don’t condemn yourself.
Except it’s not just about them. Hearing these words reminds us the moment for our choice is rushing right at us as well! Who will we choose to serve this day? How will we act when there is a crisis? Life comes at us pretty fast. Don’t blink. Think it through ahead of time.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
The occasion of this particular admonition is the need to clear up some confusion about the return of Christ. Would those living when Jesus returned have some advantage over those who had already died? Some know it all’s were telling other believers that those who had died would not witness the glory of Jesus appearing in glory, something which Christians turned to Daniel 7:14 for their inspiration. Paul wants to assure them that the dead in Christ will rise first, and both the living and the dead will experience these wonderful moments. He was not trying to give an outline of exactly will happen, nor did he coordinate his comments with John the revelator.
His real message was “Ready or not, it’ll come, so you’d better be ready.” The verb Paul uses to describe what happens after the dead in Christ rise is as violent — and as safe — as a roller coaster or some other thrill ride. We will be “snatched” up. This is the same verb used several times in the scriptures to describe a sudden and unexpected action. Paul was snatched from the clutches of the rioters in Jerusalem who wanted to kill him by the Roman guard (See Acts 23:10). The child in Revelation 12 is snatched up and away before the dragon can catch him. The spirit snatches Philip up and away after he meets with the Ethiopian eunuch, (Acts 8:39) and when Paul talks about his visit to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-3), he tells us he was snatched up!
The action is one so quick and thrilling as to be over even as we struggle to fully comprehend what just happened and are just beginning to feel the fear which we are relieved from almost as immediately!
We’re in the for the ride of our lives — that’s what Paul wants us to comfort ourselves with.
Matthew 25:1-13
Sometimes something is so obvious we don’t notice its presence or absence. In “Silver Blaze” Sherlock Holmes investigates the disappearance of a champion racehorse in its paddock. He directs Detective Gregory’s attention “to the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime.” Gregory protests that the dog did nothing during the night. “That,” Holmes asserts, “is the curious incident.” The dog did not bark because the individual who broke into the paddock was known to the dog!
In this passage there is something so obvious we don’t notice that it isn’t mentioned. This is a wedding story. Who is the bride? She’s important too. What sort of person is she? What does she do in response to the bridegroom’s decision to lock out the foolish virgins? Does she intervene? Does she just let it happen?
The parables of Jesus were designed to draw us in, to become a part of the action. The church is described elsewhere as the bride of Christ. If Christ is the bridegroom and we’re the bride, and we’ve been waiting for the bridegroom’s return, and now he’s here, and we’re the ones who chose the bridesmaids, because they’re our friends and relatives, and now five of them are being excluded — what are we going to do?
This whole thing is happening pretty fast. Ready or not, it’s here. Put yourself in the story. You can hear the wailing of the bridesmaids who are refused admittance. Are you going to stand for this? Are you going to stand up for them? Moses stood up to God and interceded for the people? Why weren’t you thoughtful enough to make sure the silly ones were ready, especially you know them well as your good friends? Tell your story.
(Part of this is adapted from “From the Conquest to the Kingdom,” from “A Guide for Biblical Studies” September, October, November 1994, written by Frank Ramirez, as well as the Believers Church Bible Commentary on Joshua by Gordon H. Matties, published by Herald Press.)
One of my favorites is: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
These scriptures are written in the context of swiftly moving events, as the future becomes the present. We need to take a deep breath, slow down, and take a look at what’s going on, or we might miss the significance of what’s happening here.
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Last week’s lesson from the book of Joshua took place at the beginning of his leadership. In more than one way the parting of the Jordan River mirrored the parting of the Red Sea, and the leadership of Joshua was confirmed as worthy of being the successor of Moses. This is intentional.
Now Joshua prepares to go the way of all mortal flesh (he says so in the previous chapter). In his farewell discourse, he invites the people to slow down and in his retelling of holy history to reflect on what they’ve all lived through. Otherwise they might miss the significance of what it all means. This will lead to a challenge and a commission for the people. All of this intentionally mirrors the farewell discourse of Moses in Deuteronomy.
In some ways, we can’t help but be reminded of a Greek tragedy. Greek tragedies involved the retelling of a familiar story, already well known. Initially, Greek drama consisted of the music sung by the chorus. Then Thespis inaugurated in the innovation of a single actor who would sing a part of the story. The chorus reacted or responded.
That’s what happens here. Joshua is the single actor, telling the story of what God has done for the people, and what God expects. He recounts God's first call to the patriarchs. He retells the salvation history, including the exodus from Egypt and continues through the conquest of Canaan. He concludes with this challenge -if they are unwilling to serve this living God who brought them to this moment, “choose this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Now part of Greek drama was what is known as dramatic irony. We the audience know how the story will end. The characters don’t. So, in this case, we know that God’s people will stray as individuals and as a nation, until at last some are scattered by the Assyrians and others exiled later to Babylon. We want to shout at them from our seats in the audience. This moment is rushing at them, ready or not, and while their response, that they will serve the Lord, is wonderful, we know they won’t do it. Don’t condemn yourself.
Except it’s not just about them. Hearing these words reminds us the moment for our choice is rushing right at us as well! Who will we choose to serve this day? How will we act when there is a crisis? Life comes at us pretty fast. Don’t blink. Think it through ahead of time.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
The occasion of this particular admonition is the need to clear up some confusion about the return of Christ. Would those living when Jesus returned have some advantage over those who had already died? Some know it all’s were telling other believers that those who had died would not witness the glory of Jesus appearing in glory, something which Christians turned to Daniel 7:14 for their inspiration. Paul wants to assure them that the dead in Christ will rise first, and both the living and the dead will experience these wonderful moments. He was not trying to give an outline of exactly will happen, nor did he coordinate his comments with John the revelator.
His real message was “Ready or not, it’ll come, so you’d better be ready.” The verb Paul uses to describe what happens after the dead in Christ rise is as violent — and as safe — as a roller coaster or some other thrill ride. We will be “snatched” up. This is the same verb used several times in the scriptures to describe a sudden and unexpected action. Paul was snatched from the clutches of the rioters in Jerusalem who wanted to kill him by the Roman guard (See Acts 23:10). The child in Revelation 12 is snatched up and away before the dragon can catch him. The spirit snatches Philip up and away after he meets with the Ethiopian eunuch, (Acts 8:39) and when Paul talks about his visit to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-3), he tells us he was snatched up!
The action is one so quick and thrilling as to be over even as we struggle to fully comprehend what just happened and are just beginning to feel the fear which we are relieved from almost as immediately!
We’re in the for the ride of our lives — that’s what Paul wants us to comfort ourselves with.
Matthew 25:1-13
Sometimes something is so obvious we don’t notice its presence or absence. In “Silver Blaze” Sherlock Holmes investigates the disappearance of a champion racehorse in its paddock. He directs Detective Gregory’s attention “to the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime.” Gregory protests that the dog did nothing during the night. “That,” Holmes asserts, “is the curious incident.” The dog did not bark because the individual who broke into the paddock was known to the dog!
In this passage there is something so obvious we don’t notice that it isn’t mentioned. This is a wedding story. Who is the bride? She’s important too. What sort of person is she? What does she do in response to the bridegroom’s decision to lock out the foolish virgins? Does she intervene? Does she just let it happen?
The parables of Jesus were designed to draw us in, to become a part of the action. The church is described elsewhere as the bride of Christ. If Christ is the bridegroom and we’re the bride, and we’ve been waiting for the bridegroom’s return, and now he’s here, and we’re the ones who chose the bridesmaids, because they’re our friends and relatives, and now five of them are being excluded — what are we going to do?
This whole thing is happening pretty fast. Ready or not, it’s here. Put yourself in the story. You can hear the wailing of the bridesmaids who are refused admittance. Are you going to stand for this? Are you going to stand up for them? Moses stood up to God and interceded for the people? Why weren’t you thoughtful enough to make sure the silly ones were ready, especially you know them well as your good friends? Tell your story.
(Part of this is adapted from “From the Conquest to the Kingdom,” from “A Guide for Biblical Studies” September, October, November 1994, written by Frank Ramirez, as well as the Believers Church Bible Commentary on Joshua by Gordon H. Matties, published by Herald Press.)
