One Taken and One Left Matthew 24:36-44

Are you ready for Jesus to Come?

The disciples were interested in His return.

Why are people concerned with the return of the Lord?

When I would leave home as a younger man it was not uncommon for my children to ask “Dad when are you coming home?”

They want to be ready

They do not want to be left

They look forward to His arrival

They are afraid

As the days of Noah.

The world was filled with sin and violence.

Genesis 6:5-8 “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

Genesis 6:11 “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.”

Genesis 6:12 “God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.”

How is the world looking today?

Abortion

Child Abuse and exploitation

Evil Imaginations

Just watch TV

The believers were scarce

1. If you are a Christian you may be part of a “cult”

2. Kids at Northeastern didn’t know who Jesus was.

3. Sunday’s more people out of church than in.

The Believers Were Mocked

1. It had never rained before.

2. Noah was on the “religious right”

3. The must have thought Noah was intolerant.

4. It was God’s message – not his own.

Modern media portrays Christians as bigoted & hateful

They laugh at the idea of the second coming.

The Warning

It seemed unbelievable.

There is an open invitation to all

John 1:9 “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”

“Not for our sins only but for the sins of the world

John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

2 Peter 3:8-10 “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”

In the Days of Noah

Judgment was coming They had been warned The responsibility was theirs

Today

Judgment IS coming You HAVE been warned The responsibility is YOURS

While your judgment may not be immediate - your Judgment will be certain

Judgment delayed is not judgment deferred

(100 years to build gen 5:32/ 7:6)

Imagine the reactions of the people as it began to rain.

The invitation was for all

Day after day the door lay open for decades

but one day the door was closed to unbelievers as God, Himself shuts the door

they would not step into safety

God would not force them into the ark.

When the door was shut no one else could enter.

II Thessalonians 2:9-12 “that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”

God was giving ample opportunity.

Judgment was swift when it occurred.

In a moment in the twinkling of an eye

1 Cor. 15:52 “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

Surely I come quickly

Rev 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Conclusion:

Noah was saved by Grace

Gen. 6:8 “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

You can be saved by Grace

Tit 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,”

Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

The saved were never to be judged for sin again.

The rainbow.

Eternal security.

John 10:28-30 “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.””

Will you step into the ark this morning?

Will you be taken or will you be left

The one taken and the one left had much in common.

Two were….. doing the same thing. One Taken one Left

What separated them?

A relationship with Jesus the Christ

There are people just like you who will be taken and people just like you who will be left.

They wear the same clothes, work the same jobs, part their hair the same way, use the same toothpaste.

One Taken one Left

Which will you be?