(Transcribed from the Words of Life Radio Program.)
Thank you for listening to these Words of Life radio broadcasts as we share the Word of God which is inspired in the scriptures. We are thankful for that truth. The title for the lesson is: Be Ready. And our text is taken from the New Testament the gospel of Matthew chapter 24 verse 42 through 44. Please listen to the Word of God. “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” The words of the Lord Jesus.
Yes, we are living in troublesome times. Wherever you are located you are living in troublesome times. However, this is not new, the scale is regarding knocking out potentially nuclear weapons sites, yet Jesus Christ Himself stated “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” Matthew chapter 24 and verse 6)
Yes, the direct military involvement, for example, of Israel against its many enemies in the Middle East, is particularly troublesome in the world, and in particular Iran, is significant. Plus, all the political/economic turmoil in the world. Yet, growing anxiety about the future should not be the Christian’s overwhelming mindset.
Bible-believing Christians should focus instead on what Jesus Christ Himself emphasized for believers in the future. For example, He stated: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew chapter 24 verse 42) The phrase “keep watch”, the words “keep watch” indicates a call for believers to be in a continual expectancy for the return, bodily, of Jesus Christ. This should be the Christian’s overwhelming mindset: Alertness for the second coming of Christ to bring His own to Himself, not having excessive anxiety of the troubling national and world events.
Christ predicted in advance, for example, “Nations will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” (Matthew chapter 24 verse 7) Jesus Christ also predicted: “Because of the increase of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew chapter 24 verses 12 through 13) This refers to love of God because standing firm in saving faith to the end will be saved. This refers to the grace of God.
The apostle Paul wrote, inspired of the Holy Spirit in Second Timothy chapter 3 and verse 1 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.” Now Scripture predicts all of this in advance. Jesus stated in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 25 “See, I have told you ahead of time.”
Therefore, we today should not be surprised by our troubling times. True believers in Christ Jesus are secure in their salvation as believers persevering in Christ Jesus. Our main mindset regardless of good or bad times is to remain on the alert for Jesus Christ’s return for his own, for the saved, for the church.
The early Christians prayed, “Maranatha” (which is an Aramaic language expression) meaning “Lord, Come.” (as found in First Corinthians chapter 16 verse 22). We Christians today should also likewise equally and eagerly praying for the Lord’s coming.
Christians are not waiting for the final Antichrist; whatever one’s interpretation of the Antichrist is. Christians are not waiting for the “Great Tribulation” (or NIV version “great distress” (Matthew chapter 24 verse 21) Christians are not waiting for a ‘final battle’ (Armageddon); whatever one’s interpretation of this is. Christians are waiting for Jesus’ return for us.
Jesus continued in our study text with His words: “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not have let his house be broken into.” (Matthew chapter 24 and verse 43)
Here Jesus is illustrating the necessity of ongoing watchfulness, remaining vigilant. No sane thief would announce his intention of robbing a house, moreover, no sane owner of a house who knew in advance the time of the night a thief was coming would fail to keep watch in order to prevent his house from being broken into.
Jesus’ stressing point is ongoing vigilance, ongoing as in remaining on the alert because as Jesus stated, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew chapter 24 and verse 36) It should go without saying that Jesus Christ was not comparing Himself in character to a thief but instead stressing His unknown day, and unexpectedness like a thief’s coming; Jesus therefore is stressing watchfulness. Biblically minded Christians should refrain from, as some, calculating and re-calculating as to when Christ is returning. Instead, the admonition from Jesus Christ Himself is to be always ready, in a saving, secure relationship through faithfulness in Him.
In Christ, believers should have no ultimate worries regarding the future. God through scripture affirms this: In Christ we have eternal security by abiding, persevering faith. Listen to the words of Jesus Christ Himself regarding true believers in Him, in persevering faith. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (John chapter 10 verses 28 through 29) The apostle Paul wrote, inspired of the Holy Spirit. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans chapter 8 verses 38 through 39)
The apostle Paul also wrote: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession to the praise of his glory.” In the meantime, “While we wait. And when I quoted the preceding passage from Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 and 14. In the meantime while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory. of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” (Which I quoted from Titus chapter 2 and verse 13). Let us take the words of Jesus, toward His own, to our hearts and minds. Christ stated “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so; would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John chapter 14 verses 1 through 3)
Instead of “troubled hearts” at the seemingly constant “terrible times” that we are living through we Christians should also be doing the things He commands us to do. Christ emphasized that during His absence, bodily with us, we should work for Him and to the furtherance of His kingdom. This phase of the kingdom being the church age. Especially sharing the gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, to people who do not yet believe. Jesus stated: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” (Matthew chapter 24 and verse 14) So, are we doing our part in this or not?
Our “world,” manifestly is our own extended family, and circle of friendships – plus anyone else that the Holy Spirit may prompt us about who are seekers of God’s truth; and thereby to witness Jesus Christ to them. As personal Savior and Lord.
As bible-believing Christians we should share emphasizing gospel truths that are central and clearest in, especially the New Testament. The Good News in the New Testament. The prophecy that Jesus Christ will return also is central, that He is bodily returning for His own, for the saved, for the church. The need to be ready in Christ is central. The prophecy that there will be a day of judgment also is central truth.
Actually, Christ warns the most that are not so much overwhelmed by “terrible times” but just the opposite regarding His coming again. Listen to the words of Jesus: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it well be at the coming of the Son of Man, For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew chapter 24 verses 37 through 39) The title that Jesus used the most in referring to Himself was “Son of Man.”
Jesus used the flood in Noah’s day to illustrate that the attitude of indifference that prevailed “before the flood” will also characterize most people living just before His return. They will not be expecting nor caring about it if they have heard about it at all, that is His second coming. Unaware they will be just living out their everyday lives, eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, etc.
All the more reason for us, as Christ’s ambassadors (as detailed in Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 20) “as though God were making His appeal through us”, to those not in Christ to receive Christ in repentant, obedient faith before it is everlastingly too late. Jesus affirmed to believers in His day emphasizing readiness in Christ, in saving faith in Christ. He stated these words, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew chapter 24 verse 44)
A Bible commentator writes” Both the Old Testament and New Testament are filled with promises of the second coming of Christ. There are 1845 references to it in the Old Testament; and 17 Old Testament books give it central prominence, that is the second coming of Christ. Of the 260 total chapters in the New Testament, there are 318 references to the second coming, that being 1 out of every 30 verses. Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event, the second coming of Christ. Therefore, for every prophecy of the first coming of Christ, there are eight on the second coming of Christ.” Sounds obvious that God has gone to great lengths to inform humankind that His Son is coming back, bodily; so, readiness in Christ Jesus is of most importance. So, dear listener are you ready, are you in Christ?
David Johnson is minister of the Sellersburg Church of Christ in Sellersburg, IN.