Being Ready for the Lord's Return
Luke Parables • Sermon • Submitted
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Opening Illustration: Do you remember as a child the excitement of when you parents were away for a trip and they were coming back home and the excitement you had for their return. Now, you know as well as I do that excitement was because of something that they had gotten you on the trip.
Opening Illustration: Do you remember as a child the excitement of when you parents were away for a trip and they were coming back home and the excitement you had for their return. Now, you know as well as I do that excitement was because of something that they had gotten you on the trip.
I remember one time, was for me was the excitement of my grandparents coming. Grandpa had went to the auction and got me a prize and that most of the time meant something good. Man, we would look out the kitchen window of the house that looked down the road and just watch and waited to see that Brown Chrysler coming down the road. Grandpa bought me a remote control car wired. It looked like the back to the future car. The front lights opened. It was nice.
But I almost remember times that I did want to see my momma or my daddy come home. One time, I did something to one of my sister. I believe we were at Food Lion and I slipped up and said a bad word in front of my sister we were fighting over the toy and candy machines and the front door. She said you just wait til we get home I am going to tell momma and Daddy. I remember I went home. Went into my room and shut the door and got in the closet. Because I knew that there was that judgment was coming. I remember it was either that time or another. Mom told me to go to my room and wait for Daddy to get home. And I remember, hearing his foot steps coming down that hall on those parkay hard wood floors. And I felt that my heart sank with every step.
Attention: Listen to me this morning, The King is Coming and there are some that have been living their whole lives in anticipation of His coming and what joy will fill their heart when Jesus splits those clouds and comes to get his children.
Betsy Black oh how great it will be if Jesus would come back today
Or Rick Manning saying I am in the storm. But I am going to keep my eyes on Jesus. Pretty soon I am going to see lift me up out of the storm.
But there are those, who have been living disobedience lives right now and there is dread and fear at his coming. This morning, as we look at the Return of the King I want you to examine your readiness.
Opening Illustration: There is no doubt that there are many things that bring stress into our lives. But there is common thing that seems to bring anxiety in our life. That can make our life very stressful and anxious and that is the anxious stress that comes with being prepared for a job, a meal, a project for school.
Tell a story of some sort involving a stress situation you got in by not being prepared.
Talk about our Wedding and all the stress of getting everything just right.
But you know when everything was done. It was all worth while when those doors opened and my beautiful bride came down that aisle.
Attention: You know we have all gotten ourselves in situation like this but you know when we are prepare for the event, the project, or the meal. We are relaxed. We enjoy the process and we feel comfortable about the circumstances that we are about to face because we are prepared.
Historical Background:Today, we are going to examine a text which Jesus teaches his disciples on the importance on being ready or being prepared for his return.
Two Components of the King’s Return
Two Components of the King’s Return
Salvation - save the righteous
Salvation - save the righteous
Judgment for the ungodly
Judgment for the ungodly
Before we approach our text for this morning. Let read a passage where Jesus himself describes his return.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Can you take just a moment to think about the scene that Jesus is describing.
There will be years of tribulations.
The sun, moon, and stars will not shine and then Jesus will come in the clouds.
Notice here that in the midst of the wonderful description it says that the tribes will mourn. Why? Why would they mourn they have just been through great years of tribulation why would not be relived that Jesus has come. One reason because they are not ready for his return and know the judgement that they are about to face.
Attention: Of all the things that we have prepared for in our life. From school work, to preparing for marriage, preparing for parenthood, to preparing for death. There is no greater than the preparation that we are to make in anticipation for his coming.
My prayer is the day that he comes I don’t mourn in fear of his judgement but when I see Him coming but I rejoice that he is coming for me and that I am ready!
In Matthew’s account after giving such a description of his return he goes on to describe for his disciples the importance of preparing for His return.
In is the parallel account so let’s read this morning and see Jesus instructions for how His disciples and you and I are to ready for his return!
READ
LUKE 12:35-48
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
explanation: There is some much here in this text hopefully I can swiftly cover all that Jesus is instructing and informing.
Notice his instructions they are to:
1) Be dressed in readiness (outwardly ready)
1) Be dressed in readiness (outwardly ready)
explanation: Explain the robes that people wore at this time.
They were long flowing robes. they had three holes. One for the head and two for the arms.
As you can imagine that this is something that was cumbersome when called into action.
So what they would do is they would take the ends of their robe and tuck or pull it through their belt.
This was common in scripture.
In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.
God was delivering Israel from the hands of the Egyptians and the death angel of the Lord was coming.
And God instructions was eat with you loins girded and your sandals on and eat quickly.
Judgment is coming you better be ready to move
This is the same sense that we have here. Jesus is coming for his final judgment and you better be ready to move.
Notice, he does not instruct here that we are to are to wait until we see Jesus. He says we are to be ready before he comes.
illustration: Talk about the first trip to Tanzania. I was a little worried. I went through great extremes to make sure everything here was ok before I left. I made sure that all the bills were paid, I made sure that Brandi knew were the passwords were saved, where the copy of the life insurance policy was.
if you knew today was your last day. Would you be ready? What things need to be fixed or done before Jesus returns in your life?
if you knew today was your last day
Application: Jesus is instructing here that we are to gather up the lose ends of our life and be ready to go upon his return.
a) There will be no time to witness to our lost love one.
a) There will be no time to witness to our lost love one.
b) There will be no time to seek forgiveness from someone we have wrong.
b) There will be no time to seek forgiveness from someone we have wrong.
c) There will be no time to make things right with the Lord.
c) There will be no time to make things right with the Lord.
if you knew today was your last day
2) keep your lamps lit. (Inwardly, the light of Christ shining through us.)
2) keep your lamps lit. (Inwardly, the light of Christ shining through us.)
explanation: Not only are they to be ready that they have the lose ends of their life tied up. But they are to have there lamps lit.
He instructions seems somewhat confusing. He says to keep your lamps lit.
Jesus spoke frequently that we do not know the day nor the hour so I understand that at night you would want to have your lamps ready but during the day wouldn’t it be logical to save your oil.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.” But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”
Exodus 10:21-
Listen Scripture says in verse 24 that they could not see one another but there was light for all of Israel!
Go back with me to
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
So when He returns in an instant the whole world will be dark and it will be obvious to the world who are those that are ready because their lights will be shining.
Quickly, go with me to
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Application: May we always keep the light of the Lord burning bright in our life. No matter how dark our life may get. May His light shine bright.
How bad would it be for the Lord return and we had hidden our light because things got to dark in our life.
3) Be ready to open the door when he knocks. (We are looking for his returning. Anticipating Him to come at anytime)
3) Be ready to open the door when he knocks. (We are looking for his returning. Anticipating Him to come at anytime)
explanation: explain about a wedding
you did not know the time
nor how long the wedding celebration would last.
The master would entrust his servant with his home until he returned.
So we have the imagery of this is what has happened the master return and his servant is waiting at the door for his master.
Christ is giving us the imagery that He has left and he is making preparation for his return and he has left us here on this earth to do His work. How will he find us?
Notice, that master response he will reward him by serving him for his faithfulness.
Illustration: Tell about watching and waiting to the last minute to follow moms instructions.
Application: That is the image here we should not be wasting the time that God has alloted for us here. May when he returns may we be faithfully be serving him and ready for him to return.
One last image, the thief
Read
But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
explanation: Strangely, among this Jesus put this image of a thief.
The image is of a man who home as been broken into.
During this time, thieves would dig through a wall of the home because the homes where made out of mud and steal a person belongings.
So here is a man who house has been destroyed and items had been taken. And Jesus says if the homeowner would have know the time that the thief was coming he would have made sure that they thief could not big about this disaster.
You know a thief’s chief skill is his ability to come when he is not expected. No thief is successful that comes when he is expected.
This is the image that Jesus is giving that He is going to come at a time that we least expect it and we must be ready!