Mark 14:51-52 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

Sherlock Holmes is investigating the kidnapping of a righteous man. He asks of a witness, “Tell me everything, leave no detail out. The tiniest thing which might seem unimportant to you may be the clue I need.”

Here in the middle of the witness of the taking of Jesus in the garden and before He is taken to the high priest is this telling of events that night. Who is this naked man clothed in linen? Why is he following those who are taking Jesus away? Why is he so afraid that he would rather flee naked than be taken? Who were the young men who grabbed him?

I am no Sherlock Holmes. I have absolutely no idea what the answer is to any of those questions. Why was it written into the bible? Because it happened and no detail noted was left out of the telling. But what good is it then if I cannot relate to it? Who said it was meant for me?

Here is an opportunity to touch someone who can identify with this man clothed only in linen. That someone knows the answer to these questions because he is caught in the middle of something that he fears and only he knows why.

What words have you found in scripture that scream at you, “He’s talking about me!” It might be something no one else knows about but you. Those words fall on deaf ears all around you but exposes you just as this young man was exposed.

Psalm 44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

Seasonals means something different to a store manager than it does to a florist. Their approach to seasonal change is based off two different sets of criteria. Both have to prepare for the change in seasons, they just have to take different approaches.

Preparing for the winter in Minnesota is much different than in Key West Florida. Obviously they have different concerns. I suppose we all have different concerns. The times and seasons Paul was writing about were related to the second coming of Christ and more importantly to the preceding events leading up to that day.

If you knew for sure that Christ was coming tomorrow, what would you do? Ponder that for a moment while I take a moment to relate what Paul told the Thessalonians almost two thousand years ago.

¹⁶ Rejoice evermore.

¹⁷ Pray without ceasing.

¹⁸ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

¹⁹ Quench not the Spirit.

²⁰ Despise not prophesyings.

²¹ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

²² Abstain from all appearance of evil.

I do not see anything extraordinary here. Isn’t this what Paul has been telling them all along, even before talking of the second coming? So I ask you if Christ were to come tomorrow, what would you do? Anything different, anything special, anything that you have left undone until now?

Today is the day you put off yesterday. Don’t let it be tomorrow.