Christ, the Burglar

Devotional Reflection, Monday, December 9, 2024

Monday of the second week in Advent

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

5:1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. . . . 6 So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7for those who sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.

You will find the full text of today’s Epistle reading at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 936)

AM Psalm 25; PM Psalm 9, 15

Isa. 5:8-12,18-23; 1 Thess. 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28

David's Reflections

What a terrific Advent text!!  The previous paragraph describes Christ's return to raise the dead and deliver believers into our eternal existence.  The language is full of apocalyptic images of the sort you might expect to find in the Revelation.  Now, Paul cautions these new believers in Thessalonica that the events of God's final act of salvation are unpredictable.  Evidently, some of the Thessalonians had become fascinated with speculations about the tine of the end and had begun speculating about how and when God would unfold the future.

Paul makes recourse to two images. First, he compares Christ’s coming to a burglar, the thief in the night. Jesus used that same image of himself as a burglar breaking into Satan’s domain to deliver those in bondage (Mark 3:27). A burglar comes at the darkest hour of the night, at the hour when people are deep in sleep.  If those folks have had a party and drunk too much, the burglar's coming will be even more of a surprise because the revelers will be sleeping one off and less likely to awaken.  The other image is of a pregnant woman near the moment of birth.  She cannot predict when labor pains will come.  All she can do is to be prepared to deliver her child when the moment arrives.

Paul’s intent here is to encourage, not to frighten.  The concept of God's final coming in Jesus Christ does not evoke fear for a believer.  As Paul says in verse 9, God has not destined us for wrath but for eternal salvation.  God's intent is not our destruction but our transformation and deliverance.

Paul references his well-known triumvirate, faith, hope, and love in this context (see the end of 1 Corinthians 13 for the best-known instance).  We are to wear faith and love like a breastplate and hope as a helmet to protect us in the spiritual warfare that the Christian life involves.  These military images remind us of the ongoing conflict with the powers of evil that remain active within us and within the darkness around us.

Those around us who do not live in a relationship with Christ operate with different core beliefs and values.  To the extent that their values and beliefs influence and shape our behavior, to that extent, we are like someone groggy or hung over from last night's party.  We can lose our spiritual sensitivity, our edge.  We can become blissfully unaware of God's activity in our lives and in the lives of those around us.  As Prayer C in the Book of Common Prayer intones, “Open our eyes to see  your hand at work in the world about us.” God’s Spirit offers an antidote to blindness.

Our key concern must not be to fret about the time and manner of God's final coming in Jesus.  Rather, our chief concern must be to stand firm in our faith, to exercise Christian love, and to maintain our hope that God's salvation will come not only in Jesus' final appearing but in the next moment of our lives.  Hence, Paul's famous triumvirate of virtues--faith, hope, and love.

Do not misunderstand, I affirm what the creed says, "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead."  Remembering that God will bring this age of the world to an end motivates us to avoid having our core values and commitment drowned in the tidal wave of cultural influence.  But, if we have become so spiritually insensitive that we've stopped watching for God's next moment of appearing, then fretting about the final moment will be all that much more futile.

If Christ comes as burglar, we always need to be awake for God’s next advent in our lives.  If God's coming is sudden like labor pains, we always need to be prepared for the next birthing of God's newness in our experience.

Collect of the Day, The Second Sunday of Advent

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:  Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (BCP, 211)

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 99)

Of the Holy Trinity

Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace to continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (BCP, 251)

A Prayer for Light

Almighty God, we give you thanks for surrounding us, as daylight fades, with the brightness of the vesper light; and we implore you of your great mercy that, as you enfold us with the radiance of this light, so you would shine into our hearts the brightness of your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 110)

A Collect for Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100, 257)

Daily Office Epistle, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

5:1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3When they say, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief;  5for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.

6 So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7for those who sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.

11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer