Stay Awake! Mark

[@terrytaerum7087]

I enjoy listening to 'Craft of Preaching' in preparation for listening to our own minister. I find your discussions to be helpful and I'm surprised pastors don't make comments. "be on guard; keep awake" is passive? really? Judges 5: "Awake, Awake", Deborah!, "Awake, Awake". Isaiah 51: "Awake Awake", Stand up O Jerusalem. When we look at OT roots, it doesn't sound passive at all. Furthermore, it's impossible to "keep awake" and we know that Jesus isn't against sleep, since he slept in a boat during a storm. So I think you guys nailed it when you asked "what is our job?" "are we being on guard as" doorkeepers? watchmen? like indentured servants, owing our Master everything, Jesus calls us to be his "doorkeepers", always on guard. always 'at ready'. thank you for the insights

[@RevM]

I actually mentioned in my sermon last week (that this is basically a continuation of ... skipping a paragraph or two) that AC 23 has the statement to the emperor that "Your majesty will graciously take into account the fact that, in these last times of which the Scriptures prophesy, the world is growing worse and men are becoming weaker and more infirm."

[@miriamcampos1476]

I liked the comparison of our personal death and Jesus’ return. Every person has a personal “appointed time” when we will leave our bodies here. It would be interesting to expand on “keep watching”. Jesus teaches about keeping watch in various parables, and it could be interesting to explore what His command looks like. In this passage, keeping watch looks like being a servant who continues to do his job without supervision, as if the master was coming soon. Being a doorkeeper sounds like a very boring job if no one is coming and going! Maybe when the master is away is when it’s most important to make sure only those who are working for the master are coming and going!