A0341_Watchfulness is Always Profitable
Date: 14th October 2007 (Sunday AM) Ref: A0341
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: Watchfulness is Always Profitable
Text: & Matthew 24:42-44
Illust: C.H. Spurgeon, known as the Prince of Preachers, made a statement I want to use as a launching pad this morning:
“An unwatchful church will soon become an unholy church... The main cure of a church comes by strengthening its inner life. When we drink from the fountain-head of eternal truth and purity, when we become personally true and pure, then our watchfulness is, under God, our safeguard, and heresy, false doctrine, and unclean profession are kept far away. Sleeping guards invite the enemy. He who leaves the door unlocked asks the thief to enter. Watchfulness is always profitable, and slothfulness is always dangerous.”
I. Jesus is Coming Back
A. Certainty
i. Chapters 24 & 25 of Matthew and the parallel accounts in Mark 13 & Luke 21 start with the disciples asking Jesus, when are you coming back. They don’t fully understand it but they know He is the Messiah & they know that He has not set up His reign on earth as they expected.
Isaiah 9:6-7 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (NKJV)
ii. The religious Jews of that day & even through to today recognise that the Messiah, the anointed one of God, the Son of David is to be established as King over all the earth with an everlasting dominion. – The Bible makes this very clear. What Psalm 2 is all about. This is why the disciples were so confused.
iii. & Matt 25:31 – Jesus is making it clear to the Disciples that there is a time that He is coming back to earth in His glory.
iv. This AM, you need to fix this in your heads and more importantly your hearts, Jesus is coming back.
B. Nearness of the Hour
i. For nearly 2000 years, the Christian church has waited for the Return of Christ, this was something that even the church at the time of Paul was expecting. Paul even had to write a letter to the Thessalonians to let them know that they hadn’t missed it. There was an expectancy in the early church that Jesus could come back at any moment. – But that was 2000 years ago.
ii. Various cults, various prophecy “experts” have predicted or given date ranges for the Return of Christ. Wiser authors & scholars stake Jesus words seriously & Matt 24:36
iii. What are to look for are the signs. Jesus uses the parable of a fig tree, that when you see certain signs you are to know that His return is near. & Matt 24:32-34
iv. In 1980 Hal Lindsey wrote a book “The 1980’s countdown to Armageddon” – In that book he outlines many of the events that were currently occurring & how they matched the signs foretold in the early part of Matthew 24 and elsewhere in the Bible. Today many of those signs / indicators are still valid & more prevalent, more pronounced. – It like the Lord is giving us all plenty of warning. – His return is near
II. Watch Therefore
A. Be Awake
i. What are we called to do? – Sell everything & sit on a mountain top singing Kumbya Ah? – NO. Jesus said in our text & vs. 42 – The call is to watch.
ii. The picture is of the watchmen on the walls of the city guarding from enemy assault. Or in a tower looking out over the vineyards. The watchman can’t sleep. Penalty was usually death in most early armies if the sentry, the watchman fell asleep at his post. If he is derelict there is possibility of great loss.
iii. This is the picture of & vs. 43. ~ If you are alert & watching you cannot be taken unawares and be robbed
B. What, You Can’t
i. Powerful lesson from the Garden of Gethsemane - & Matt 26:36-45 –
ii. Jesus gave His disciples some very clear instructions – there is a sense of urgency about Him at this point, a clear expression of sorrow & anguish. This is a pivotal moment in the history of the world. – Now is not the time to fall asleep. – Jesus asks Peter James & John to pray with Him
iii. Scary is that when Jesus comes back to them the 1st time & finds them sleeping He addresses Peter who only moments before had gave out the confident declaration. ~
& Matt 26:35 – Now Jesus ask & Matt 26:40
III. Dangerous Ground
A. Deceived
i. Jesus stated that a major factor of the last days would be a major deception of the world towards false Christs, false prophets even within the church – ‘Wolves in sheep’s clothing’ - You are on dangerous ground if you think that you are alert, that you can face the deception of the last days yet you are living a carnal life.
ii. This was Peters problem, here he is gets a special overview of the last days, Jesus tells multiple parables & illustrations about the need for watchfulness and obedience in Matt 25, all parables that we have – Wise & Foolish virgins, talents, sheep and goats – Shortly after he is ‘I will die with you’ yet he can’t even stay awake to pray – and when the assault does come – he runs like all the rest. & Matt 26:56.
iii. Much of the church world is so intoxicated with the things of this world, in acquiring houses & cars & lands. Watching there TV’s going to movies, partaking of the cup of this worlds pleasures – focussed on having a good time, enjoying life unaware that they are spiritually fast asleep. - Tragedy is that many will be deceived.
B. Time to Wake Up
i. Jesus said & Matt 26:41 – Call is for you & I to lay aside all carnality, the desires for the things of this world and to be a people who are spiritually alert. – Call to pray. To read the Word of God. To starve the flesh (not physically) – to feed to inner man the spiritual you.
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (NKJV)
ii. If you don’t then you are living a delusion if you think that you are more capable than Peter who walked with Jesus, heard Him speak, saw with his own eyes the miracles yet in a moment of carnality of spiritual drowsiness – When the pressure was applied he forsook Jesus – What he did!
iii. You & I must watch & pray, we must crucify the flesh, we must wake up