"How To Be Ready For Our Lord's Return”

On Tuesday of the last week of our Lord’s life, as He and His disciples were leaving the temple, one of them said, “Look Teacher! What massive stones ! What magnificent buildings!” Jesus responded, “Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another, every one will be thrown down.” He took His disciples to the top of the mount of Olives, where He told them about things to come.

In so doing, He spoke to them about the coming conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, which took place in 70 A.D.; and about the events that would occur in connection with His return.

Jesus warned that prior to His return, there would be wars and rumors of war. There would be those who would come claiming to be Christ. There would be earthquakes in various places through-out the world.

There would be the persecution of believers. Jesus said that prior to His return, there would be “days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now - and never to be equaled again,” Notice in Mark 13:24-27, what Jesus said would happen that would bring those terrible days to a close (read verses).

Jesus told His disciples that when they saw these signs coming to pass, the time of His return would be near. He then concluded His teaching by giving them a word of exhortation (READ TEXT).

In verse 34, Jesus relates a parable which teaches us how we as Christians can be sure we are ready for our Lord’s return. The first thing we note is that this parable teaches us that if we are going to be ready for our Lord’s return, then . . .

1. We must strive to be faithful stewards - v. 34a

Jesus speaks in this parable about a man who goes away leaving his servants in charge of his household. They were expected to be faithful stewards of all that the master had entrusted to their care. There were two things that these servants were expected to be faithful stewards of:

A. They were to be faithful stewards of their master’s possessions -

While their master was away, the servants had the “run of the house.”

All was theirs to enjoy, but they were expected to always honor their master in their use of it.

In the same way, we have been entrusted with many wonderful things by our Lord. Besides what income and possessions are ours, there are the spiritual gifts and natural talents and abilities He has entrusted to us as well. If we are going to be ready for our Lord’s return, we must strive to be faithful stewards of all these blessings, always using them in away that will honor our Lord.

A wealthy Christian man had a large vault built in his home to keep his money and other treasures. He had letters installed on the combination dial rather than numbers. Why? To remind him who really owned it all. The combination? J-E-S-U-S.

We may not be a wealthy as far as money and material possessions are concerned, but we are wealthy as far as the blessings of God are concerned! And while we may not be able to have a vault built in our home, we can remember that the combination that opens the vault of blessings God has given us is J E S U S ! It is only by the grace of our Lord that you and I have what we do and He expects us to be faithful stewards of those things He has blessed us with, making sure that we use them only in ways that will honor Him. But not only were these servants called to be faithful stewards of their master’s possessions . . .

B. They were to be faithful stewards of their master’s business -

These servants were entrusted with the responsibility of looking after their master’s interests. ln the same way, our Lord has entrusted us with the responsibility of looking after His interests. And what is our Master’s primary interest.

“(God) does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” - 2 Peter 3:9b (NLT)

We are never out of God’s will when we tell others about Jesus.

“Too long have we been waiting for one another to begin! The time for waiting is past! The hour of God has struck! In God’s holy name let us arise and build! We will not build on the sand, but on the bedrock sayings of Christ, and the gates and minions of hell shall not prevail against us.” - C.T. Studd

“If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms around their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled with the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” - Charles Spurgeon