Are You Ready?
Notes
Transcript
Text: Matthew 24:36-51
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’
and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,
and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Title:
Introduction:
PRESENT THE PROBLEM
Background/Context
Transition:
I. Are You Looking for Christ’s Return?
I. Are You Looking for Christ’s Return?
Explain: Concerning His return Jesus established this very important fact.
Look at verse 36
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
He included Himself in this fact. Although Christ was God in human flesh. He voluntarily limited and submitted Himself to the will of the Father. He expressed that He does not know and no other person knows neither do the angels know, only the God the Father knows.
Then Jesus provided some insight not into the conditions of life when He will arrive. Look at verse 37
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
The people saw the days as regular. Jesus said earlier in verse 5 and verse 23 that false christs and false prophets in verse 11 will come and deceive many. This world will continue to have false prophets and people claiming to be the Messiah until our LORD returns. He also expressed in verses 6-7 that wars and rumors of wars will continue to happen.
Famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places will continue to the point that these events will not phase people who are not followers of God. Just like in the days of Noah people will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. They did not know that the flood was coming until it took them away. Yet in the return of Christ verse 40 says
Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Do you see the point? Both men and women are working and living but one is surprised and the other is not. IN THAT DAY AND EVEN TODAY THERE ARE ONLY BE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE SAVED AND UNSAVED
SINNER AND SAINT
Children of the Devil AND Children of God
Children of disobedience AND Children of righteousness
Children of this world AND Children of Heaven
Children of wrath AND Children of God’s grace
IN LIGHT OF THIS TRUTH JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT WERE SITTING WITH HIM AND HE IS ALSO TELLING US TODAY! LOOK AT VERSE 42
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE LOOKING FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST.
LISTEN TO CHRIST’S ILLUSTRATION. WE CAN ALL IDENTIFY WITH THIS
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
IF YOU KNEW THE THIEF IS COMING TONIGHT YOU WILL BE READY.
ARE YOU ANTICIPATING CHRIST’S RETURN?
ARE YOU EXPECTING CHRIST’S RETURN?
ARE YOU WATCHING FOR CHRIST’S RETURN?
LISTNE TO PAUL’S EXHORTATION TO THE THESSALONIAN SAINTS IN CHAPTER 5:4-8
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT IN DARKNESS BUT ARE SONS OF LIGHT AND OF THE DAY
DON’T SLEEP LIKE OTHERS DO BUT WATCH AND BE SOBER.
PAUL TOLD TITUS 2:13 THAT WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY
looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Apply: ARE YOU LOOKING FOR CHRIST TO RETURN? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ONE DAY CHRIST IS GOING TO CRACK THE SKY?
ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRIST FIXING THE FLAWS OF THIS WORLD
ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRIST RIGHTING THE WRONGS OF THIS WORLD
ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING CHANGED IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE?
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR CHRIST’S RETURN?
II. Are You Laboring because of Christ’s Return?
II. Are You Laboring because of Christ’s Return?
Explain: IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST LOOK FOR HIS RETURN BUT YOU NEED TO BE LABORING BECAUSE HE IS RETURNING.
CHRIST GAVE TWO SCENARIOS ABOUT A SERVANT. LOOK STARTING WITH VERSE 45
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’
and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,
and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
DON’T MISS THIS IMPORTANT POINT. CHRIST IS ASKING WILL YOU CONTINUE LABORING OR WILL YOU GET LACKS?
THE SERVANT STOPPED LOVING THE OTHER SERVANTS BUT BEAT THEM
THE SERVANT STOPPED BEING SOBER BUT BECAME A GLUTTONOUS AND A DRUNKARD
THE SERVANT STOPPED LOOKING FOR AND LABORING FOR THE MASTER BUT STARTED LIVING FOR HIMSELF
WILL YOU LABOR OR WILL YOU GET LACKS? WILL YOU STOP
PRAYING, REJOICING, EVANGELIZING, STUDYING, SERVING, INSTRUCTING, NURTURING, AND GIVING?
IT IS TEMPTING TO SAY TO YOURSELF THAT “I HAVE TIME”
IT IS TEMPTING TO CONSIDER THAT THE LORD IS SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE OF COMING
DON’T DO IT PETER PROCLAIMED
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
THE APOSTLE JOHN TOLD HIS READERS IN 1 JOHN 3:1-3
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
PURIFYING YOURSELF IS LABOR
PETER TELLS EVERY BELIEVER HOW TO LABOR
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
HOW LONG SHOULD I LABOR?
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
EVEN WHEN THE WORLD HATES YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR LABOR
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
YOU LABORING UNTIL THE END CONFIRMS WHO YOU ARE?
but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
CHRIST TOLD THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA IN REVELATION 2:10
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
LABOR UNTIL HE COMES OR UNTIL YOU DIE SO YOU CAN SAY LIKE PAUL 2 TIMOTHY 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
LABOR BECAUSE YOU LOVE CHRIST’S APPEARING
Conclusion: IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR JESUS’ RETURN AND LABORING BECAUSE OF HIS RETURN, THEN MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. YOU ARE READY!
DON’T LIE TO YOURSELF OR FOOL YOURSELF AND OTHERS TODAY
BECAUSE JESUS SAID
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
IF YOU ARE NOT LOOKING FOR AND LABORING FOR CHRIST, THEN TODAY IS A DAY OF REPENTANCE?
TODAY IS A DAY TO TURN FROM DISREGARDING TO LOOKING
FROM IGNORING HIS RETURN TO WATCHING FOR HIS RETURN
FROM DISMISSING HIS RETURN TO EXPECTING HIS RETURN
BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT READY