ARE YOU READY FOR JESUS?
LUKE 12:40
1. INTRODUCTION. ISN’T IT AMAZING HOW MUCH TIME WE SPEND GETTING READY FOR VARIOUS AFFAIRS, BUT SPEND SO LITTLE TIME GETTING READY FOR JESUS? PEOPLE WILL SPEND WHAT SEEMS LIKE COUNTLESS HOURS PREPARING FOR DATES, VACATIONS, HOLIDAYS, AND EVEN WORK. AND IF THESE WERE WEIGHED ON THE SCALE, THE SCALE WOULD TILT FAVORABLY IN THE WORLDLY DIRECTION. PEOPLE WILL SPEND TIME PURCHASING TRAVELERS CHECKS, GETTING THEIR HAIR AND NAILS DONE, MAKING SURE THAT THEIR CLOTHING IS JUST RIGHT; WITH NO THOUGHT OF GETTING READY FOR JESUS. BUT I COME TO REMIND US TODAY THAT EVERY ONE OF US HAS AN APPOINTMENT TO MEET HIM FACE TO FAE, SO THE QUESTION IS ARE YOU READY FOR JESUS?
2. THE TEXT. JESUS HAS BEEN TEACHING HIS DISCIPLES A NUMBER OF EYE OPENING TRUTHS WHEN HE STATES IN VERSE 40 TO BE READY FOR HIS RETURN.
a) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ONE THING IS CERTAIN AND THAT’S JESUS IS GOING TO RETURN.
b) WE SHOULD ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION, IF HE RETURNED RIGHT NOW, WOULD I BE READY TO MEET HIM.
c) WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS GOING TO RETURN WHETHER WE ARE READY OR NOT.
d) AS CHRISTIANS, WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT WE ARE MAKING PREPARATIONS TO MEET JESUS.
e) IT’S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO BE SAVED, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN ASSIGNMENT, AND WE SHOULD NOT LET THE MASTER CATCH US WITH OUR WORK UNDONE.
f) ROLL BACK THE TAPE REEL OF YOUR MIND AND REMEMBER WHEN OUR PARENTS WOULD GIVE US CHORES, TELLING US TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE DONE BEFORE THEY COME HOME. HOW MANY TIMES DID WE NEGLECT TO FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS, ONLY TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ANGER?
3. WHAT HAS JESUS ASSIGNED US TO DO? JESUS HAS ASSIGNED US TO LOVE EACH OTHER.
a) HE HAS ASSIGNED US TO EVANGELIZE THE LOST.
b) HE HAS ASSIGNED US TO VISIT THE SICK, TO FEED THE HUNGRY, TO CLOTHE THE NAKED, TO VISIT THOSE IN PRISON, TO STUDY HIS WORD, TO SPEN TIME IN PRAYER, TO ATTEND WORSHIP, TO LIVE PEACABLY WITH ALL MEN, HE HAS ASSIGNED US TO BE FORGIVING OF OTHERS.
c) WOE UNTO US IF WE ARE NOT WATCHFUL FOR THE MASTER’S RETURN, AND WOE UNTO US IF HE CATCHES US WITH OUR WORK UNDONE.
d) WE NEED TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY BECAUSE ETERNITY IS SERIOUS.
4. WHEN WE STAND BEFORE HIM. ALL OF US WHO ARE SAVED WILL ONE DAY STAND AT THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF JESUS TO RECEIVE THE REWARDS FOR THE DEEDS DONE IN THIS BODY.
a) STANDING BEFORE JESUS IS UNAVOIDABLE.
b) IT IS HERE THAT WE WILL BE REWARDED FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR HIM.
c) JESUS SAYS IN REVELATION 22:12, “AND, BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY; AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE EVERY MAN ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL BE.”
d) 1 COR. 3:15 TEACHES, “THAT IF ANY MAN’S WORK BE BURN,HE SHALL SUFFER LOSS; BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE.
e) THIS MEANS THAT WHEN THE BOOKS ARE OPENED AND A SAVED PERSONS WORK ARE BURNED, THEY SHALL GO TO HEAVEN, BUT THEY WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY REWARDS.
f) AND Y BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WITH JUST BEING SAVED.
g) TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH COMING TO CHURCH, AND THAT’S ALL THAT THEY DO.
h) BUT I COME TO TELL YOU THAT JESUS EXPECTS MORE FROM US THAN JUST COMING TO CHURCH.
i) BE ADVISED MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IT’S TIME TO TAKE INVENTORY OF OUR LIVES, AND IT’S TIME TO GET BUSY FOR CHRIST.
j) WE ALREADY KNOW THE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO DIE WITHOUT CHRIST, BUT JUST IN CASE SOMEONE DOES NOT KNOW, THE PERSON THAT DIES WITHOUT JESUS WILL SPEND ALL ETERNITY IN A BURNING HELL.
5. CONCLUSION/THREE POINTS.
a) ONE, WE MUST BE EVER MINDFUL ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
b) TWO, WE MUST DISCHARGE OUR DUTIES AND BE DILIGENT IN OUR ASSIGNMENT.
c) THREE, EVERYONE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT THEY DO AND DON’T DO.
d) SO, MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, IT’S TIME TO GET…
• SERIOUS ABOUT THE WORK OF THE LORD
• SERIOUS ABOUT OUR SALVATION
• SERIOUS AND SEEK THE SALVATION OF THE LOST
• SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS
• SERIOUS ABOUT LIFTING UP THE DOWN TRODDENED
• ON MARCH 17, 1980, JERMAINE JACKSON CAME OUT WITH A SONG ENTITLED LETS GET SERIOUS.
• SO LETS GET SERIOUS ABOUT SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
• BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER MEETING
• LETS GET SERIOUS ABOUT LOVING THOSE THAT DON’T LOVE US
• LETS GET SERIOUS ABOUT SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS.
