““But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”” (Luke 12:39–40, NRSV)
In the TV series, “Undercover Boss”, there are many surprised employees, managers, and customers featured in undercover surprise visits by top-level leadership. Each episode of the series features a high-ranking person in the company, often an owner or top-level manager, going “undercover” as a new employee for a few weeks. While doing so, hidden cameras and documentary filming are done of the interactions. By doing so, the undercover boss often discovers much about what is happening in the company or business at the customer level. Sometimes, the undercover boss encounters big surprises, like an untrustworthy cashier, poor leadership, unrecognized exemplary performance, or issues in management.
On one episode, the undercover boss came in as a new employee. Another employee, who had been with the company for a decade, mentored the undercover boss. In day-to-day dealings at the place of business, the undercover boss discovered that his mentor was a better manager than the inept micromanaging manager who had been with the company for a good while. In another episode, a good employee dealt with the death of a family member. While doing so, he was criticized for poor performance and not given any time off to deal with his grief. The undercover boss was so shocked at the heartless actions of the management that several were fired or demoted in the aftermath of revealing the undercover boss.
Shows like “Undercover Boss” expose the day-to-day performances and failures of business dealings. When the shows are aired, what is often found is that the employees and management of those businesses weren’t ready for a surprise visit by the company leadership. They weren’t prepared to deal with the boss without knowing the time of his or her arrival and the extent of his or her attention.
In the same way that a surprise visit by an undercover boss can reveal which employees are good and which are not worth keeping, a surprise visit by Jesus will expose who is faithful and who is not. In the past, the Heavenly Father has sent angels or prophets or even the Son of God to expose who is righteous and who is unjust. God came to speak with Jacob one night in a vision (Genesis 28). In doing so, God was able to discover what Jacob thought about godliness and future generations. In 1 Kings 19, God made a surprise visit to Elijah. In a cave, God whispered to Elijah, “What are you doing here?” God was discovering why Elijah was depressed and preparing him for future works and miracles. In Acts 5, an angel made a surprised visit to the apostles who were thrown into prison. They were freed to go preach about the resurrection of Jesus. It was not uncommon throughout the Bible for God or angels to spend time with the faithful. Each visit exposed the actions of the faithful and the unfaithful alike.
As Jesus was teaching in parables long ago, he spoke the words from Luke 12 that form our meditation for today. Jesus taught about a thief who comes in the night to break into a house and steal from the owner of the house (Luke 12:39). Jesus explained that if the owner of the house had known what time the thief was coming, the owner would have been prepared for the surprise visit. The owner would have been ready to defend his home and property. But just as thieves can arrive when the owner of a house isn’t prepared, the Son of Man (Jesus) may also come and visit the faithful when they aren’t prepared for His arrival. Jesus mentioned that the apocalyptic return of the “Son of Man” will come at an “unexpected hour” (Luke 12:40). His return will expose who is ready and who is not, separating who is faithful from who is not.
Someday, Jesus will be coming for you. It may be today. It may be in months or years. You may not know the time and place when Jesus will visit, but that day is coming. It may be at the end of your life that you see His appearance. It may be on Judgment Day. It may be that He sends an angel to speak to you in a dream. It may be that He sends an angel unaware to you (see Hebrews 13:2). I believe every person gets a surprise visit by God or Jesus or angels. A few are ready for that visit. Many are not. Some don’t even know that angels are watching them. Some will not know until Judgment Day when God paid a visit. No matter how or when it occurs, one thing is ultimately important to your future: will you be ready for that visit?
I wonder if Jesus will see faith or holiness in you on the day of your visit?
As a man lay dying in the ICU at a North Carolina hospital, his wife sat in the waiting area. As she waited for her time to visit her dying husband, she prayed. I was to stop by two hours later to see them. As she looked out the windows of the waiting room, half-praying and half-wondering what was going to happen in the next twenty-four hours, a woman sat next to the grieving wife. The woman offered words of comfort to the wife. They prayed together. Upon finishing the prayer, the wife reached for a tissue to dry her tearful eyes. When her eyes returned to the woman who had prayed with her, the wife noticed that there was no sign of her. When the wife questioned the nursing staff about the woman, she was told that there were no chaplains or visitors to the area other than her.
When I arrived at the hospital, I was shocked to see that the husband was doing so well that he was being moved to a normal room. His life was no longer in danger. The wife, with more tears in her eyes, told me of the unexpected visit of the woman and their prayer. Then, she whispered to me, “Pastor Dave, I’m sure the woman was an angel. There is no other explanation. I know it. I felt it in my heart. I felt God there when we prayed. I felt the power of that prayer. And now, my husband is healed miraculously.”
Ever since that day, the wife assures me that an angel stopped by the hospital to visit her. Her son, who questioned his faith, often questioned his mother’s belief in the angel’s visit. She was adamant about the angel, the visit, the miracle healing, and more. She could describe the woman and their conversation to the finest detail. Nobody has since been able to get her to question her assertion that an angel visited her that day in the hospital.
I wonder how many times you have been visited by Jesus, by an angel, or whispered to by God. I wonder how many times the Holy Spirit spoke to your soul, changed your direction, or helped you cope. You and I may never know until God reveals it to us. What I do know is that you will be surprised at times by God’s visits to your life. You may be surprised at the end of your life to see Jesus offering His hand to take you to Heaven.
Jesus gave the words in our scripture for today to prepare you for the coming visits of the Lord God and His angels. Take heed. Remember Jesus’ words. Prepare yourself. That time is coming. For some of you, it will be a first visit. For some, it will be another visit…. But rest assured, the Son of Man is returning…. for you….
On one episode, the undercover boss came in as a new employee. Another employee, who had been with the company for a decade, mentored the undercover boss. In day-to-day dealings at the place of business, the undercover boss discovered that his mentor was a better manager than the inept micromanaging manager who had been with the company for a good while. In another episode, a good employee dealt with the death of a family member. While doing so, he was criticized for poor performance and not given any time off to deal with his grief. The undercover boss was so shocked at the heartless actions of the management that several were fired or demoted in the aftermath of revealing the undercover boss.
Shows like “Undercover Boss” expose the day-to-day performances and failures of business dealings. When the shows are aired, what is often found is that the employees and management of those businesses weren’t ready for a surprise visit by the company leadership. They weren’t prepared to deal with the boss without knowing the time of his or her arrival and the extent of his or her attention.
In the same way that a surprise visit by an undercover boss can reveal which employees are good and which are not worth keeping, a surprise visit by Jesus will expose who is faithful and who is not. In the past, the Heavenly Father has sent angels or prophets or even the Son of God to expose who is righteous and who is unjust. God came to speak with Jacob one night in a vision (Genesis 28). In doing so, God was able to discover what Jacob thought about godliness and future generations. In 1 Kings 19, God made a surprise visit to Elijah. In a cave, God whispered to Elijah, “What are you doing here?” God was discovering why Elijah was depressed and preparing him for future works and miracles. In Acts 5, an angel made a surprised visit to the apostles who were thrown into prison. They were freed to go preach about the resurrection of Jesus. It was not uncommon throughout the Bible for God or angels to spend time with the faithful. Each visit exposed the actions of the faithful and the unfaithful alike.
As Jesus was teaching in parables long ago, he spoke the words from Luke 12 that form our meditation for today. Jesus taught about a thief who comes in the night to break into a house and steal from the owner of the house (Luke 12:39). Jesus explained that if the owner of the house had known what time the thief was coming, the owner would have been prepared for the surprise visit. The owner would have been ready to defend his home and property. But just as thieves can arrive when the owner of a house isn’t prepared, the Son of Man (Jesus) may also come and visit the faithful when they aren’t prepared for His arrival. Jesus mentioned that the apocalyptic return of the “Son of Man” will come at an “unexpected hour” (Luke 12:40). His return will expose who is ready and who is not, separating who is faithful from who is not.
Someday, Jesus will be coming for you. It may be today. It may be in months or years. You may not know the time and place when Jesus will visit, but that day is coming. It may be at the end of your life that you see His appearance. It may be on Judgment Day. It may be that He sends an angel to speak to you in a dream. It may be that He sends an angel unaware to you (see Hebrews 13:2). I believe every person gets a surprise visit by God or Jesus or angels. A few are ready for that visit. Many are not. Some don’t even know that angels are watching them. Some will not know until Judgment Day when God paid a visit. No matter how or when it occurs, one thing is ultimately important to your future: will you be ready for that visit?
I wonder if Jesus will see faith or holiness in you on the day of your visit?
As a man lay dying in the ICU at a North Carolina hospital, his wife sat in the waiting area. As she waited for her time to visit her dying husband, she prayed. I was to stop by two hours later to see them. As she looked out the windows of the waiting room, half-praying and half-wondering what was going to happen in the next twenty-four hours, a woman sat next to the grieving wife. The woman offered words of comfort to the wife. They prayed together. Upon finishing the prayer, the wife reached for a tissue to dry her tearful eyes. When her eyes returned to the woman who had prayed with her, the wife noticed that there was no sign of her. When the wife questioned the nursing staff about the woman, she was told that there were no chaplains or visitors to the area other than her.
When I arrived at the hospital, I was shocked to see that the husband was doing so well that he was being moved to a normal room. His life was no longer in danger. The wife, with more tears in her eyes, told me of the unexpected visit of the woman and their prayer. Then, she whispered to me, “Pastor Dave, I’m sure the woman was an angel. There is no other explanation. I know it. I felt it in my heart. I felt God there when we prayed. I felt the power of that prayer. And now, my husband is healed miraculously.”
Ever since that day, the wife assures me that an angel stopped by the hospital to visit her. Her son, who questioned his faith, often questioned his mother’s belief in the angel’s visit. She was adamant about the angel, the visit, the miracle healing, and more. She could describe the woman and their conversation to the finest detail. Nobody has since been able to get her to question her assertion that an angel visited her that day in the hospital.
I wonder how many times you have been visited by Jesus, by an angel, or whispered to by God. I wonder how many times the Holy Spirit spoke to your soul, changed your direction, or helped you cope. You and I may never know until God reveals it to us. What I do know is that you will be surprised at times by God’s visits to your life. You may be surprised at the end of your life to see Jesus offering His hand to take you to Heaven.
Jesus gave the words in our scripture for today to prepare you for the coming visits of the Lord God and His angels. Take heed. Remember Jesus’ words. Prepare yourself. That time is coming. For some of you, it will be a first visit. For some, it will be another visit…. But rest assured, the Son of Man is returning…. for you….
The video for today contains the words of a woman who sensed an angel was present....