Prepared - Watching

I. Introduction

A. New Series on being prepared. Are we prepared for the coming of Christ? Jesus could come back in 2025.

B. Scripture Reading - Luke 12:35-40 What does that passage bring up in you, excitement or a bit of anxiety?

C. Is Jesus coming back soon! We don’t know when but we must be prepared.

Matthew 24:36 (NIV)“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Why only the Father?

Matthew 26:29 (NIV) “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

This is wedding language. At the engagement dinner the groom would hand the bride a cup of wine, if she drank it she accepted his proposal. He then say these words that Jesus said and would leave with his Father to prepare their home.

John 14:3 (NIV)  “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Only when the Father approved could the man go get his Bride. He usually came around midnight because she had to have her bags packed. Pictures of second coming revolve around this; Jesus is coming to get his bride, the church.

D. Premise of series: If we are prepared for the 2nd coming of Christ, we are prepared for anything. What’s coming? Could be a new move of God or a time of persecution from the enemy. Are we ready for what’s coming?

II. Watching

A. “Watching” - stay alert and awake. There is a connection with a watchman on the wall. This word is used most in the Matthew. Matthew wrote to Jews who just missed Jesus.

Matthew 24:42 (NIV) “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

Are we spiritually alert? Are we spiritually aware?

The watchman on the wall is looking for both friend or foe. We are alert of the enemy by our of knowledge of Christ.

1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. “ Who else in the Bible is described as a lion?

Just to be clear we are not watching for evil, we are watching for Jesus. Yet when evil shows up we can spot it and we aren’t deceived, blinded.

Law enforcement - Cooper colors of awareness. White - relaxed and unaware / Yellow - relaxed but aware of who and what is around / Orange - identified something of interest , a potential target / Red - identified something as threat and you move from a potential threat to a potential target.

In my estimation too many question are walking around with a white level of awareness instead of Yellow or better yet orange. Not just to see potential threats but potential spiritual breakthroughs.

Law enforcement are trained in this awareness but so are we. Every time you read the Bible, prayer, and seek God you increase your spiritual awareness and become more alert.

Are we spiritually awake? Are we spiritually asleep, eyes and ears open.

Asleep in the dark - sin

1 Thessalonians 5:5–6 (NIV) - “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.”

Repeated sin puts you in the dark and you fall asleep spiritually. Your awake to the passions of this world and not the kingdom.

2. Asleep in the busyness - religion

The unrested get tired and fall asleep. When we don’t know how to rest our eyes and ears will eventually close spiritually.

Matthew 11:29 - (MSG )“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”

Revelation 16:15 (NIV) “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

B. Watching with expectation - the passage talks about Jesus coming when we don’t expect Him, yet the whole passage is an invitation for expectation.

We won’t watch without expectation (hunting, cowboys). Why is it we have more expectation with our hobbies, because we have more interest.

We won’t be prepared without expectation - talk about his more in the coming weeks, but in the hunting picture you have the gun handy with one in the chamber.

C. Watching with evangelism

Only biblical motive for delaying the coming in our own hearts is the lost, because that is His heart.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Is there someone in your life who needs to repent before the 2nd coming of Christ? If your heart is really wanting to wait until they repent are you engaging them with the love and truth of Christ?

We don’t know the times and we are not in charge of when Jesus comes back. Yet we make a way for the coming, one repentant disciple at a time.

III. Conclusion

A. Jesus can come back today. My spiritual ears are always listening for a trumpet. My spiritual eyes are always watching for my Lord. If I am watching I am ready not only for the second coming, but for a present coming, or even the enemy’s attack. Are we alert and awake on the wall? Are we watching with expectation and evangelism?