Being Ready

Being Ready, be prepared is necessary for many things in life.

Last year hardly anyone had heard of Casey Stoner. This year he is the world champion of Moto GP.

In only his second year of Moto GP he is the best motor cycle rider in the world.

On the surface it looked like it was a fast ride to the top for Casey.

However his story reveals that his adventure has been a life time in the making.

He began riding motorcycles when he was 4 years old.

And for most of his life he has been guided and prepared by his parents,

by other motorcycle riders and teams

and by coaches to be best motorcycle rider in the world.

There were times he had to wait until an opportunity arose.

And when it did he was ready to for the opportunity because he was prepared for the opportunity.

Today’s readings call us to be ready for the opportunity of Jesus coming again, an opportunity that is far superior to being the best motor cycle rider in the world.

Are you ready for this opportunity of Jesus coming again?

We have the opportunity for a lifetime with Jesus.

Eventually Casey Stoner will no longer ride motorcycles.

However we have the promise of eternal life with God.

In John 14 verses 2 and 3 Jesus says to you and me

My Father’s house has plenty of room; 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.

Are you looking forward to that time?

Are you ready for Jesus return?

In all three readings we heard today we are reminded to be always ready for the return of Jesus.

And we should expect Jesus to return at anytime.

Listen again to Matthew 24 verse 36 and 44

“But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven – except the Father alone.

Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Jesus is guaranteed to return, and it could be anytime.

Jesus asks us if you new a thief was going to break into your home tomorrow.

Would you be ready for him?

Would you go out of your way to make sure he was caught?

I couldnt imagine too many of us to neglect being at home if we knew the thief was to come.

Like wise if you knew Jesus was to return tomorrow,

are you ready for him,

is there anything you would need to do?

Have you been putting off anything?

And we know Jesus’ second coming is getting closer.

Logic tells us that each day, is one day closer to Jesus returning.

And so do the scriptures.

From Romans 13 verse 11 we heard

And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.

So are you ready for Jesus return?

Being ready is not about earning our place in heaven.

Contrary to popular belief there are not ten steps to getting your way into heaven.

It is about recognising God’s ways,

It’s about seeing God’s approach to life,

and to understand God’s ways of life.

And to do this we need to first be listening to God.

As I read again from the words of Isaiah, chapter 2 verses 3 to 5.

I encourage you to listen to what is happening.

This time I am reading from a bible translation called New International Readers Version.

People from many nations will go there.

They will say, "Come. Let us go up to the Lord’s mountain.

Let’s go to the house of Jacob’s God.

He will teach us how we should live.

Then we will live the way he wants us to."

The law of the Lord will be taught at Zion.

His message will go out from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations.

He’ll settle problems among many of them.

They will hammer their swords into plows.

They’ll hammer their spears into pruning tools.

Nations will not go to war against one another.

They won’t even train to fight anymore.

People of Jacob, come. Let us live the way the Lord has taught us to.

Did you pick up the rhythm?

People come and listen.

God teaches how to live.

His message doesn’t just stay in the place but goes from the place.

He judges all nations but in a way that settles problems, in ways that bring peace.