Ready or Not
When I was a kid one of my favorite games was hide-n-go-seek. I use to love that game. As a matter of fact, our youth and children at our church still love playing it. You know it is one of the simplest, yet the funniest games I have ever played. Hiding behind trees, in cellars, in ditches, and literally anywhere I thought that no one would find me.
You remember what it was like hiding behind that tree and hearing the person that was it… counting down to 20 Mississippi’s. One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, three Mississippi… Then He would scream out Ready or Not… Here I come.
In these days of uncertainty how many of you all have been looking to the sky’s again. Just wondering is today the day that the Lord will call us home. With Israel in war in the West Bank and the Middle East ready for battle… could this be the beginning of Armageddon? With wars and rumors of wars, in days when the world is still confused after what happened on the 11th of September. Some are looking in the sky again waiting for the glorious appearance of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Today’s text is found in the 24th chapter of the gospel of Matthew. The words that Jesus gave us concerning the His coming. I don’t want to frighten you as to the world coming to an end but I can tell you to be ready it could happen any time. After all James 4:14 reminds us, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
If you don’t believe me talk to the families of the over 3000 that lost their life in New York and Washington. Or the families of the victims of the suicide bombings in Israel. Life is short and Jesus say to each of us today Ready or Not Here I come….
So I have one question for you… Are you ready or Not?
Only you can answer that…
You will have to bare with me today I am suffering and have been for the past week with a cold… You know I heard a story the other day about a man who went to the doctors office with a nasty cold. The doctor told him to take a couple of aspirins and drink plenty of fluid and it should be gone in a couple of days. The man came back a couple of days latter still coughing and sneezing. He told the doctor that he did just what he told him to do but it didn’t help. The doc. Then told the man to take a hot shower and then throw open the window and let the cold winter’s breeze hit him in the face. The man said wait a minute doc. If I do that I will catch pneumonia.
The doctor told him well I can cure pneumonia.
The doctor couldn’t cure the common cold any more then you or I can set a date when Jesus will come back. Many throughout history have tried.
One of the early Christians wrote, “the last days are upon us. Weigh carefully the times. Look for Him who is about all time, eternal and invisible. Written only a couple of decades after John wrote Revelation. About 110 AD
Another Christian writer wrote in 375 AD There is no doubt that the Antichrist has already been born. Firmly established in his early years and in a few years will achieve supreme power.
Hippolytus wrote that Christ would come back in the year 500.
The year surrounding the year 1000 were filled with predictions of the coming of Christ… It was so well received that the people didn’t even plant their crops, buildings lay decaying, and people left starving.
In the 1500’s Martin Luther wrote, “We have reached the time of the white horse of the Apocalypse. This world won’t last any longer… then another 100 years.
A little know fact was that Christopher Columbus was a student of biblical prophecy. He wrote a volume called “The Book of Prophecies,” in, which he predicted that the world would end in 1556. He even wrote, “there is no doubt that the world must end in one hundred fifty five years.
The year 1666 saw an explosion in end times speculation. One pastor wrote in his journal, “every time a storm has hit this year the church was full of people waiting for Jesus.”
In 1800 William Miller predicted the return of Christ in 1844 they waited but nothing happened, then in 1992 Harold Camping predicted the end, again nothing happened and he changed his date to 1993 and then 1994. Today you can walk into any Christian book store and there are literally dozens of books telling us that the end is near.
The bible tells us that no one know the hour nor the day nor the season… Yet I must tell you folks… I do believe that the end in near and we should be ready. So lets on the streets, get out our soap boxes and take a few with us when He comes….
If your still listening say “I AM”
I don’t know when he is coming… I cant give you a date…
But one thing is for sure Ready or Not He’s going to come
Lets Dig into God’s Word
Matthew 24:36-51
Let me tell you about a couple by the name of Jeff and Janell Youngbluth’s and their first date.
Jenell was expecting Jeff to show up. She was dressed and ready for the date. She waited patiently for an hour for him to show up and finally gave up. She figured that he stood her up… So she went to the bathroom took off her makeup, and slipped into her pajama’s. Grabed a pint of ice cream and Sat down in front of the TV. After 2 hours had passed guess who showed up at he front door.
Right Jeff… He took one look at her and said “I’m two hours late and your still not ready!
That is how we are at Christians. We get excited and expectant, then we settle back into our easy chair. When Christ doesn’t come when we expect him, we stop looking in the sky, even though we know that he said He will come like a their in the night.
Jesus says don’t let me sneak up on you… Be ready at all times
If your still listening say “I AM”
Who would have thought that going to just going to work at a Brokerage Office that your life would be taken in the largest terrorist attach in our history right in the Hart of the United States. I’m sure that none of them thought it could ever happen… It just happened and their life was taken like jewelry stolen by a thief as you sleep in the night.
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 – For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people says ‘All is well; everything is peaceful and secure, then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman’s birth pains begin when her child is about to be born. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
Are you ready? Have you ask others for forgiveness and have you forgiven those that have wronged you? If Christ were to come right now are you ready?
Are you sure? Are you putting off today what you hope you can do tomorrow?
Are you sure there will be a tomorrow?
When I was in school I use to love to watch MASH before I went to bed. I remember one episode where Hawkeye was called out to the front lines because they were short of doctors there.
When He arrives, there are bombs and bullets flying all around. He suddenly realizes that his very life is on the line. So when the bombs quit for a moment moments he takes out a piece of paper and begins writing his last will and testament.
Eventually another doctor comes and Hawkeye is able to go back to the 4077 MASH. He arrives back at the office, sits down at the desk and works on the conclusion of his will.
About this time klinger comes in and see him writing and asks “what are you doing?
Hawkeye tells him and Klinger’s responds, “No paper work is so important that it can’t wait until tomorrow.
Hawkeye looks at him thoughtfully and says, “I use to think that way to, but not anymore.”
You see it was not until Hawkeye had experienced his close encounter with death there on the front lines. Did he realize the great importance of being prepared for death.
Are you prepared to Meet God?
September 11th a woman got a call on her phone but she was engrossed in the conversation she was having with her sister that she didn’t click over. It was her husband trying to call home … he was on the 110th floor of the World’s Trade Center. It was the last chance she will ever have to talk to her husband… and she didn’t click over to see who was calling…
Are you so engrossed with your life that you can’t hear Jesus calling?
Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, “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…
If your still listening say “I AM”
Brothers and Sisters Your Current Choices Reflect Your Present Faith
The Bible says that, “You will know them by their works and their Love for one another”
Works won’t get you into Heaven but they will show others what you truly believe about Jesus…
Hebrews 3:7 and following states “Today you must listen to His voice. Don’t harden your heart against Him as Israel did when they rebelled’ But never forget the warning:
Today you must listen to His voice. Don’t Harden you heart against him.
Years ago, when 20th Century Fox advertised in the New York papers to fill a vacancy in its sales force, one applicant replied:
“I am presently selling furniture at the address below. You may judge my ability as a salesmen if you will stop in to see me anytime, pretending that you are interested in buying furniture. When you come in, you can identify me by my red hair. And I will have no way of identifying you. Such salesmanship as I exhibit during your visit. This shall be no more than my usual workday approach and not special effort to impress a perspective employer. From among the 1500 applicants that they receive, that guy got the job.
I will admit to you that I don’t like to do sermons like this one. I like to teach and preach about grace and family. I like the parables that teach us to come anytime and Jesus will accept you just the way you are… But there is an end to the window of opportunity, and it comes at death or the second coming, which ever comes first for you. And then there is no second chances then.
Hebrews 9:27 says, And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgement.”
Are you ready?
When He comes are you ready? Is your life in order?
If He were to come right now are you prepared to meet God?
If you have never placed you faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, that would be the place to start. When you become a Christian you receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit. He gives you a new nature that others will be able to tell. And you will begin to draw from that well that never runs dry and that will never leave you in thirst or doubt.
If you have already placed your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then have you been daily seeking to freshen and deepen that relationship – are you growing in your faith if your not your declining there is no neutral ground. You are either going forward or backward. How is your prayer life? Are you daily getting refreshed by prayer, studying Gods word, and fellowshipping with other Christians? How is you walk with the Lord? Are you daily growing deeper and more in Love with the Father?
If you knew that tomorrow was your last day on earth, how would you live differently?
You need to ask your self that question.
I would like for each one of you to bow your heads… I am going to ask a series of questions… I want you to reflect on them and then I will give an alter call. It will be your chance to receive the gift he has for you.
If you know that today is your last day on earth, How would you respond to this invitation?
If you knew that today is your last day on earth, Would you confess hidden sins that you thought you got away with?
If you know that today is you last day on earth, Would you still hold a grudge against your brother or sister, or neighbor, or church member?
If you know that today is you last day on earth, Would you finally follow through in committing your life 100% to God’s and quit being a part time Christian?
If you knew that today is your last day on earth, Would you not follow through with the commandment to be a baptized member in this body of Christ through believers Baptism?
If you knew that today is your last day on earth, Would you not heal a relationship with someone you are angry with or someone you hurt?
If you knew that today is your last day on earth, Would you not spend a little more time talking with your children and your grandchildren about Jesus?
If you knew that today is your last day on earth, Would you not spend a little more time talking with God in prayer?
If you knew that today is your last day on earth, Would you not tell your neighbor or your co-worker or a friend about the saving grace of Jesus Christ?
If you knew that right now would be your last chance to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Would you do it or take you chances that there will be another chance?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then the alter call is for you today? Because right now today this very moment may be your last moment or your last day.
Revelation 16:15 Take note: I will come unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for Me, who keep their robes ready so they will not need to walk naked and ashamed.”
Do you anticipate His return or are you ready? The Lord has finished his count…
Ready or not … Here I come
And the Jesus is standing by the base with outstretched arms saying all you all come in free…
Please don’t turn Him away… If you knew that today is your last day on this earth what would you do with this alter call?…. Lets Pray