Prepare for Christ's Return

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Big Ben is a British icon, the four faced clock in London is one of the most prominent symbols of the United Kingdom, but did you know that it is the actual bell in the clock tower that is called Big Ben, the clock tower is officially known as Elizabeth Tower, but most refer the clock as Big Ben.

Everyday Londoners have been used to hearing Big Ben ring every hour to the note of E, accompanied by four quarter bells that chime every 15 minutes.

However that changed in August 2017 when for four years Big Ben will be silenced, due to a restoration project. Time wont ring out, the old familiar bell will be silenced.

When I think of time, I am reminded that it is not one our side and that one day for all of us it will stop.

World events and indeed the condition of the world evermore bring us closer to the return of our Lord.

Illustration - China - more power - Russia - more power - both end-times players - of course we have the prophetic super sign that Israel has been regathered as a nation.

With all that said, three thoughts from this passage in relation to the Lords return and the fact that time is short, I want to share with you this morning

First

1. Be Regarding

Matthew 24:42 KJV 1900

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

We need to watch, we need to think that the Lord come back at anytime, and we should live our lives like that.

We all think we have another day but we may not, the Lord may come back today, or he may come back tomorrow. Maybe we might not see tomorrow because of our mortality.

The psalmist tells us to number our days

Psalm 90:12 KJV 1900

12 So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

We have to realise that our time on this earth is short

Illustration - The olympic games comes around every four years and athletes train and put there all into preparing for their big race at the the olympics Thats a long time for a little time When we compare life now to eternity to come its a hairs breadth We only have a little time to prepare for a long time

So we should be Regarding of the immanency of the Lords return, then secondly we should

2. Be Responsible

Matthew 24:43 KJV 1900

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

We have a duty as those who know the hour is at hand, we know the judgement of God will land on those outside of Christ, and we have a responsibility to share the truth

We should be faithful in our witnessing and in our service to the Lord

Illustration - truck heading towards loved one

James 4:17 KJV 1900

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

We have a responsibility to share the Gospel and the urgency of the hour should compel us to do so.

Then finally we should

3. Be Ready

Matthew 24:44 KJV 1900

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

James tells us we don't know what will happen tomorrow, and that life is like a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away..

Yet time is something we take for granted, I will do that tomorrow, or that can wait to another time, next week, next month, next year, but for some that tomorrow might not come

Don't procrastinate, be ready to go, don't leave any regrets behind witness to all you can. No chance to witness in heaven to late to warn loved ones!

When Christ comes back we should be ready. We should be thrilled upon his return.

I wonder were many Christians will be when Jesus does return, will they be thrilled or will they be embarrassed because of were Christ found them. Will they be full of regrets for what they didn't do, the person they didn't reach with the Gospel, or will they be content knowing they did what they could?

Conclusion

Folks time is short and in light of the immanency of Christ’s return we should be regarding, we should be responsible and we should be ready for we are running out of time

The Bible tells us to redeem that time, we are to make the most of it, to be effective with the time we have. Time is not on our side, and just like the chimes of Big Ben stopped, so will the clock on your life one day