“Jesus is Coming—Look Busy” 7-9-23

Overview

Jesus Is Coming—Look Busy?

You've probably seen the bumper sticker: "Jesus is coming—look busy." Half of it is absolutely true. Jesus tells us plainly in Matthew 24:36-44 that no one knows the day or hour of His return, and so we must keep awake and be ready, for "the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." Christ is indeed returning to judge the living and the dead. That part is not in question.

The trouble is the second half. "Look busy" treats Christ's coming the way a child treats a parent pulling into the driveway—a moment of panic to scramble and appear productive. It assumes that if we hustle hard enough, pile up enough good works, and squeeze in one more righteous act, we can make ourselves ready for judgment. But there is no such thing as justification by busyness. We cannot out-work, out-climb, or out-do our sin. Even our best righteous deeds are polluted by it, and the ladder we try to climb has no top.

Paul makes this beautifully clear in Titus 3:4-5: "When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." Notice the when—at exactly the right time, the Father sent the Son, who is the embodiment of God's goodness and kindness. And as Romans 2:4 reminds us, that kindness is meant to lead us to repentance—not to function as a cattle prod driving us to work harder. Christ swapped His righteousness for your sin. The sacrifice has been accepted. The debt has been paid.

This is why baptism is such good news. The "washing of regeneration" is a restoration to the pristine state for which we were made. Verse 3 describes who we were—foolish, disobedient, enslaved, full of malice and envy. But in the waters of baptism, all of that is drowned, and we are renewed by the Holy Spirit. Baptism saves not because of anything you bring, but because it is bound to God's promise of forgiveness and eternal life. So when the devil accuses you—over what you've done, what you've left undone, even what you're thinking—stand tall and answer, "I am a baptized child of the Lord." No power in heaven or earth can snatch that promise away.

Your baptism has swallowed up your busyness. You are no longer bound to scramble for the Lord; He has freed you, poured His Spirit into you, and now works His good works through you. So when someone asks, "What did you do today?" you can answer with joy: "I lived as a redeemed and baptized child of the Lord"—and invite them into the same grace. If you have that bumper sticker, consider crossing out two words. Let it simply read: Jesus is coming. Hallelujah!

Transcript

If you would please open your vivals to Paul Bledert at Titus, it's on page 190 in the New Testament. 3s

If you're using the Pew edition of the Bible, we'll be in Titus chapter 3. 11s

Our bumper sticker today. 18s

I know. 20s

I know you've seen it somewhere. 21s

Jesus is coming. 24s

Look busy. 27s

Jesus is coming. 28s

Look busy. 31s

And when you really think about this bumper sticker, there are so many different directions to go. 32s

And so many thoughts flood the mind that it's just confusing to try to figure out which 38s

bad direction this is taking us in. 47s

So many directions. 51s

This reminds me of being a kid. 52s

And when our parents would tell us, I have two sisters. 56s

When our parents would tell us to get some chores done or get our homework done and they 59s

would leave the house. 63s

And of course, we would play or run around and not do what we were supposed to do or 64s

just sit there watching TV like bumps on a log. 70s

And then we would hear the car pulling in. 75s

And it was the, oh, mums coming. 78s

Look busy. 81s

Get an action. 81s

Spring to action. 83s

Make yourself look like you're doing something. 84s

So that that fear that is struck in the heart of Oh, no. 88s

The person in charge is coming back. 95s

And we're going to get in trouble. 98s

So we need to make it look like we've done at least some of what we need to do. 99s

Then there's also that question that gets asked almost almost on a daily basis, whether 106s

we ask it to our spouse or friend or child or it is asked of us, it's that question of, 114s

what did you do today? 123s

What did you do today? 126s

And what is the so common response? 128s

I don't know, but I was busy. 131s

I was busy because I don't this laziness, not being busyness. 133s

Those are not qualities that we admire. 142s

We tend to hold up and lift up the qualities of being active, making things happen. 146s

And it doesn't matter. 154s

It doesn't matter necessarily what's happening. 155s

But as long as someone looks busy, we think, or we know that something's happening, right? 158s

It's like the person who is organizing and they take items from one side of the room and 166s

place them on shelves in the other side of the room. 173s

And then take those items from the shelves and bring them over back to that original 176s

starting point. 181s

They're busy. 182s

They're busy. 183s

They're doing a lot. 184s

But are they moving forward? 186s

Are they actually getting stuff done? 189s

When I was researching for this sermon, I looked up being busy or look busy. 194s

You don't know how many articles popped up with lists of how to look busy at work 204s

while not really working. 210s

Being busy is something that we hold as very, very important. 215s

Jesus is coming. 224s

Look busy. 227s

Part of that bumper sticker is absolutely accurate. 230s

If we go to Matthew 24th chapter, it says about that day and hour, no one knows neither 234s

the angels of heaven nor the sun, but only the father. 241s

This is when Jesus is going to come again. 245s

And he continued, keep awake therefore. 248s

For you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 250s

But understand this, if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night that 254s

thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 258s

Therefore, you also must be ready for the son of man is coming at an unexpected hour. 264s

There is no question that Jesus is coming again. 270s

Jesus will come and that's not the issue with the bumper sticker. 276s

That's not the problem with the bumper sticker. 282s

But think about this. 287s

Jesus is coming. 289s

Look busy. 292s

What motivating factor is there in that? 295s

That's a terrible motivating factor. 299s

Jesus is coming. 302s

It strikes fear into our very heart. 304s

And then it follows up this striking of fear with a command to look busy. 309s

Look busy doing what? 317s

Exactly. 322s

Look busy. 324s

Why? 326s

Exactly. 328s

Look busy. 330s

Jesus is coming to judge the living and the dead. 332s

Judgment is absolutely coming and we need to make sure that we are secure for that 337s

judgment. 346s

And we think that if we are busy enough working hard enough at it that we can make 347s

ourselves ready. 358s

If I do enough, I can be accepted in two heaven. 361s

If I'm busy enough, God will take me. 368s

But what is enough? 375s

What is enough? 381s

What is the justification or the justified demarcation? 384s

At what point do we reach the enough of our busyness? 390s

At what point? 397s

At what point can we stop looking over our shoulder? 399s

Trying to squeeze in one more busy action that will get us closer to the Lord. 403s

I am exhausted, exhausted, physically and mentally trying to climb that ladder of righteousness 415s

because the truth is that it will never be enough. 425s

We will never reach the top because we can't out climb out due or out busy our sin. 431s

We cannot do anything in our outward actions to make ourselves right or justified before the 449s

Lord. 460s

We cannot account for the justification that is necessary to be in heaven. 462s

Jesus is coming but there is no such thing as justification by busyness. 473s

Please look at Titus chapter 3. 485s

We are going to look at verse 4. 487s

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God are Savior appeared, He saved us. 491s

Not because of any works of righteousness that we had done. 498s

This word when is so important when at the exact perfect and right time God the father sent 504s

His Son Jesus the Christ Jesus who was the embodiment of God's own goodness and kindness 513s

and through His goodness and kindness He saved us. 523s

And He saved us not according to any of the busyness that we can or do bring into our lives. 529s

In our own sinfulness we think that we can be busy enough, busy enough to please the Lord. 537s

But God's kindness isn't poured out because of our busyness. 548s

Romans chapter 2 says that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. 552s

Knowing that God entered into humanity, knowing that He is so kind to enter in that leads us to repentance. 560s

His kindness is not a cattle prod. 572s

It's not a cattle prod to lead us to work harder, to work better, to work busier, to justify yourself before the Lord. 574s

And it's really hard for us to grasp this concept because we want to earn. 586s

We want to work hard, we want to busy ourselves, we want to feel like we have a part in that forward momentum toward heaven. 595s

And so we get busy and we get busy. 609s

And if we think that we've been idle, that we haven't done enough good works, that we haven't said enough nice things, that we haven't prayed enough times, then we get busier. 613s

And we get busier and we get busier. 628s

And part of that busyness, I fear, is just to drown out the noise of our own sin to drown out the reality of who we are, by our very human nature. 632s

Because even even the best of our righteous deeds, the best that we can lay before the Lord, even that is polluted by sin. 646s

And so we try to look busy, we try to earn our keep. 660s

But he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done. 671s

And it's not because of any works of righteousness that we will do. 683s

He saved you. It has been done. Your sins have been attuned for. 689s

Your sins have been accounted for. 696s

They are no longer yours to carry. 700s

They are no longer yours to cling to, to work past, to work over, to work through, to work beyond, because you can't. 704s

But Christ, in His mercy, He entered into humanity. 718s

He lived perfectly. 724s

And it wasn't because He was so busy. It was because He was absolutely pure and perfect and righteous. 727s

And you are saved because He took His righteousness and swapped it out for your sin, so that you now have His righteousness that has been poured out upon you. 737s

And He has taken the burden of your sin. The sacrifice for sin has already been accepted. 754s

The punishment has been exacted and the sin debt has absolutely been paid. 764s

Let's look at Titus verse 5 again. 771s

He saved us not because of any works of righteousness that we have done. 773s

But according to His mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 778s

He saved us according not to what you have done, but what He has already done according to His mercy, 789s

His mercy that is given to you and to me through the waters of baptism. 798s

The water of rebirth, that word, rebirth there in the English standard version, the ESV, the word is regeneration. 804s

Regeneration. What is that, but a restoration to a pristine state? 814s

Through the waters of baptism, we are brought back into the pristine state that was intended for us before time began. 822s

Restored to who we are supposed to be in Christ. 836s

In verse 3 of Titus 3, we read about who we were foolish, disobedient, let us stray slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, 843s

despicable, hating one another. 855s

But when we were brought through the waters of baptism, all of that is drowned, all of that has been drowned. 858s

And we're brought into the restored state, the new life for which we were intended, and we are renewed by the Holy Spirit. 866s

And the beauty of baptism is that it saves baptism absolutely saves, and it doesn't save according to what you are doing. 879s

It doesn't save according to anything that you bring to the table, but it saves because of what God has done. 892s

Your baptism, this rebirth, this regeneration is valid because it is bound to the promise within God's Word. 904s

It is bound to the promise that your sins are forgiven. 915s

It is bound to the promise that you have salvation. 920s

It is bound to the promise that you have life eternal in Christ. 924s

So when the devil stands accusing you, over what you have done, over what you have not done, over what you are thinking, 932s

when he stands accusing you, and you are falling under the accusation, under the pressure, under the weight, stand tall. 942s

Stand tall and proclaim, I am a baptized child of the Lord, because nothing, no power, here or beyond can snatch that promise away from you. 956s

And being such, being a saved and baptized child of God, you are free from the burden of your sin. 982s

You are free to walk in repentance. 992s

You are free to walk in repentance knowing that your sins are forgiven. 996s

Your baptism is yours. It never fades away. It is never worn out. 1003s

It is always accessible to you because it is always through God's Word and promise for you. 1011s

Your baptism has swallowed up your busyness. 1021s

You are no longer bound to be busy for the Lord, because he has freed you from the busyness, and he has poured his own Holy Spirit into you, so that it is no longer your righteous deeds that you are trying to do. 1027s

But it is the Lord's good work that he does through you, and you have the opportunity to serve him through his own Holy Spirit. 1045s

When you are asked, what did you do today? 1062s

You can proudly respond, I lived my day as a redeemed and baptized child of the Lord. What have you done? 1069s

And it gives you the opportunity to share with those who don't already know the goodness of the Lord who don't already know his kindness. 1082s

It gives you the opportunity to share his goodness, to share his word of grace and forgiveness when that with them, so that they may too live as a redeemed and baptized child of the Lord. 1091s

If you have the bumper sticker, Jesus is coming, look busy, if you have that, can I encourage you to change it? 1109s

Just change it slightly. 1118s

Instead of look busy, cross out that command, so that instead it reads, Jesus is coming, Hallelujah! 1121s

Thank you. 1140s