Sermon Tone Analysis

“Ready…Or Not”?

.

Getting ready, and being ready, is a part of our lives.

I say to Tess, are you ready?

How long before you are ready?

How long is it going to take you to get ready?

Are you ever going to be ready?

Then I say, I am ready anytime you are dear.

These verse tell us to get ready because Jesus is coming!

We know that Jesus is coming again because on the day he ascended to heaven, two angels told his disciples.

-“This Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven”.

The apostles repeated this promise to the church.

-“The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God…

Jesus himself promised us in:

-“Behold, I’m coming soon, and will have my reward with me...

Jesus told His disciples many times that they would see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of glory.

In the upper room Jesus promised, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you and myself…

Paul told the Philippian believers, our citizenship is in heaven, where we eagerly await the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, who would change our vile bodies to be like his glorious body.

Peter called this a “living hope”

Paul called it “the blessed hope” and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

There are 260 chapters in the New Testament, and Christ’s return is mentioned no less than 318 times in those chapters.

One out of every 25 verses mentions the return of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus will come again to receive his church to himself, to right every wrong, defeat Satan and cast him into hell, and received the honor and glory he deserves!

The question is not, IS Jesus coming; the question is are you ready?

V:40-Read.

In these verses Jesus challenges us to be ready for his return.

Jesus gives us three pictures that teach us how to live in order to be ready when he comes.

The first picture teaches us to:

1. Live like an Eager Servant.

V:35-38.

The first picture is that of an eager servant, who is waiting for the return of his master.

Take a look at the servant in, V:35, he is dressed for service, his robe is tucked into his belt, he has the lights in the house burning, he is eagerly anticipating the return of his master.

The servant is in a constant state of readiness; ready to act, serve, and welcome his master.

The master has gone to a wedding feast, celebration, in those days the feasts could last for hours, or up to a week.

The servant had no idea when the master would return.

Maybe he would come back that night around midnight, or maybe at 3 o’clock in the morning, or maybe the next day.

Whenever the master returned, his servants would be ready!

All night long they would stay dress for service.

That means they would have their sleeves rolled up, their boots laced up, and ready to spring to the door, and to go into action.

The lamps were kept lit, so when the master returned, he would see the lights burning through the window.

That is how Jesus’ followers are to wait for His return.

It is not to be a passive, lethargic wait, but one filled with active service, continual preparation, and joyous anticipation.

Get the Picture in your mind; Warm light streamed from the windows, smiling, eager servants bearing shining lamps gathered at the door, and no doubt there was a snack on the table (coconut pie, or oatmeal raisin cookies and milk).

“Welcome home, master!

We’re all so glad you’re back.

Here, give us your robe.

Sit down.

Let us wash your feet.

You must be so tired.”

This is the kind of service that we are to be giving to our master, the Lord Jesus!

We are to be serving Jesus eagerly, and we are to be ready for his return at any moment.

When Jesus comes, He should find us doing what these servants were doing.

We are to be serving, expecting; looking for Jesus to come again.

Are you spiritually dressed in the robes of Christ’s righteousness, with your waist girded for service?

Are you keeping your life filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit, so the gospel is shining bright through your life?

We need to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit, and shining the light of the gospel.

The Lord Jesus may return at any moment!

Here the parable takes a surprising turn, because Jesus imagines that when the master returns; the master becoming a servant to his servants:

V:37-Read.

The master is so overjoyed with the faithfulness of his servants that he tucks his robe into his belt, invites his servants to sit around his table, and begins to serve them a meal.

What an amazing turn of events, the master is setting dishes before his servants, refilling the cups, laughing and celebrating at this late-night feast.

While this is a beautiful picture to us, the people listening to Jesus tell this story, could not imagine this happening.

What master would ever wear a servants clothes, or invite his slaves to sit down and him serve them?

What master would ever make himself nothing by taking the form of a servant?

A master like Jesus, that’s who!

Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many.

Jesus Christ, the master of the universe, the Lord of all creation, the King of glory, took off his royal robes, dressed himself in human flesh.

-“Jesus took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”.

The Lord Jesus took on human flesh served us by dying on the cross for our sins, and raising from the dead!

Now he invites us to sit down at the table of salvation, and eat the bread of life, and be filled and satisfied with eternal life.

Now, we are to be ready, serving, waiting for the day when Jesus will come again, and carry us to heaven, and girt himself and serve us again at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

V:38-Read.

Jesus tells us again that we are to be servants, who are waiting and watching for his return.

The Jews divided time into three watches:

Second watch-10pm-2am.

Third watch-2am-6am.

Jesus is telling us to be ready, even at the most difficult time.

What are some times that correspond to the second and third watch in our lives, or the life of our church?

When you leave your driveway to take a long trip, you are wide-awake, happy, thrilled about taking the trip.

You have coffee in your thermos, your sunglasses are own, the radio is playing “on the road again by Willie Nelson”.

Then as you reach your destination, you are excited about arriving, it’s going to be great!

What is the most difficult part of a long trip?

It is when you are between the start and the finish of your trip.

In the middle of the night, when everyone else has gone to sleep, and you are behind the wheel grinding it out.

It is then that you are put to the test, and your endurance is called for.

When you step out to follow Jesus, the sun is shining bright, you feel enthused and energized, your heart is filled with joy and every step is easy and blessed.

When we reached heaven and the saints of God are shouting, and we are welcomed home, our hearts will be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory!

But between that day when Jesus saved you, and when you get to heaven; you have to live and serve Jesus in the second, and third watch of the dark night of this world.

The life of Judas, broke down in the second watch; when he discovered that his dream of being powerful and rich, was not the plan of Jesus Christ.

The life of John Mark, who went on a mission trip with Paul and Barnabas, he turned back at the second watch when difficulty, and hardship came.

The test of our loyalty to Jesus, and the church, is not when the sun is shining bright, and the wind is blowing softly, and everybody is happy and energized.

The true test of loyalty happens at the second and third watch.

When everything seems common, ordinary, unromantic, nobody is cheering, or shouting.

Will we serve, eagerly, joyfully through the dark hours of life’s second watch?

Maybe you find yourself in the second watch of life, marriage, parenting, as a church member; the question is will you be eager, joyful, waiting and watching for Jesus to return?

You can be if you keep your heart and mind fixed on the one who is returning!

This first picture teaches us that we are not to be sitting around on the church pew, dressed in white robes, we to be dressed in work clothes, with our testimony shining bright, serving Jesus until he comes!

The second picture teaches us to:

2. Live like an Alert Homeowner.

V:39-40.

Again Jesus urges us to be ready, alert, watching for his coming.