Are You Ready? Series

ARE YOU READY?

Matthew 24:36-51

INTRODUCTION: Hank Williams Jr. sings a song “Are you ready for some football?” I like that song, because when I hear it on the television, I know I’m usually in for an entertaining game. Unfortunately, I rarely make it past the first quarter, because I’m so tired. So am I ready? I want to be, but the demands of living in the day to day world overcome my enjoyment of the game. Today I want to talk about a different kind of “ready”. The kind where if you let the demands of this world overcome your preparedness, you don’t just miss some enjoyment, you miss out on eternity. Are you ready to meet Jesus?

I. No one knows… - Not the angels, not the Son…

A. There are many Scriptural references to angels and Jesus being in the very presence of God. If they cannot know the day or hour, how can we?

1. This applies not just to the coming of Jesus, but to our own inevitable death

2. Denying any truth – our death, the sovereignty of God, etc does not change the truth.

B. We won’t expect it –

1. (v. 38) Eating, drinking, marrying. Normal life activities, oblivious to the truth of the warnings they were given.

II. Sound advice… (From the Savior)

A. Keep watch…

1. Over your life first. If you aren’t right with God, you won’t be much help to others.

2. Over the lives of others. We are called to share the truth with the world.

B. Be ready… Plan of Salvation

1. Sin separates us from God

2. We cannot atone for it ourselves (nothing we can do is worthy)

3. God sent Jesus to atone for our sins

4. His death/resurrection = our death to sin and resurrection to eternal life

5. We must confess Jesus as our Savior and live for Him

6. We must seek forgiveness for our sins

7. It is God’s mercy and grace that saves us

8. It isn’t fair because we don’t deserve it, but it is God’s plan!

III. A promise for those who aren’t ready…

A. Gnashing of teeth

B. Rev 21:8 – But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

C. You cannot afford to ignore this warning!

CONCLUSION: Story of WTC visit… A fable is told about 3 apprentice devils who were talking with Satan about their plans to destroy all of humanity. The first apprentice suggested that they would succeed, if they told people that there was no God. Satan rejected that suggestion, because he realized that most people know that there is a God and would not be convinced otherwise. The second apprentice suggested they could succeed by telling people that there is no hell. But Satan rejected that idea because he knew that too many people know that there is a hell. Then the third apprentice devil spoke up: “Let’s destroy all humanity be telling them that there is no hurry!” The fable concludes that Satan loved that suggestion because he knew that people would procrastinate in their spiritual lives, and would be destroyed by the millions.