Be On The Alert

Be On the Alert

October 12, 2008 Evening Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: Be ready; no one knows when Jesus is coming back.

Focus Passage: Matthew 24:36-51

Supplemental Passage: Rev 22:7 "And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." Rev 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Introduction: There are still people that continue in their vain attempt to be modern day prophets. Edgar Whisenant sold 4.3 million copies of his book detailing why Christ would come in 1988. December 31, 1988 came and went and no Messiah. The next year he sold 30,000 copies of a book he wrote detailing why Christ would come in 1989. December 31, 1989 came and went and no Messiah. If you don’t get it the first time, try and try again, right? After missing it twice, the retired NASA engineer who lived in a one-room shack outside of Little Rock, Arkansas said he could, “Stand in front of the Lord and say I gave it my best shot.” It would have been far better for Whisenant to shoot for reading the bible first before making a nitwit of himself.

1. I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.

2. I will obey my special orders and perform all of my duties in a military manner.

3. I will report violations of my special orders, emergencies, and anything not covered in my instructions to the commander of the relief.

I. Nobody knows when (v 36)

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II. Better be ready (v 42)

a.

III. He’s coming back when we think He’s not (v 44)

a.

b.

Invitation: If you knew that tomorrow was your last day on earth, how would you live differently?