GOD’S MEASURE OF YOUR WATCHFULNESS
Please open your Bible to Luke 21 and Mark 13 as we continue our sermon series, with today’s message “God’s Measure of Our Watchfulness.”
In this series, I have shown you the many ways how the Lord will measure our lives. One of the special things the Lord will most certainly be looking for, is whether or not we eagerly watched for His return. The really sad truth is that the overwhelming majority of Christians in America are not looking for the soon return of Jesus Christ. If you are looking for the return of Jesus Christ, you among a very small minority.
God commands all Christians to understand the times we live in. Every Christian should have some understanding of where we are on God’s prophetic timetable. Knowing all that would unfold in our generation, Jesus gave two compelling words of wisdom of how to live in these final days; His two words of wisdom are, watch and pray. Today, I want you to see from God’s word how the Lord will measure your life by your watchfulness to watch and pray.
Luke 21:34"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. NKJV
Mark 13:35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” NKJV
WATCH AND PRAY
In the eyes of Bible prophecy, there are two groups of Christians; there are those who are watching for Christ’s return, and those who are not. There are those who understand the times we live in, and those who don’t.
But here’s the point that really needs to sink in… I have shown you in this series the many ways Jesus will measure our lives for great rewards. One of the things He will most certainly be looking for, is how faithful we were in watching for His return. The reward for those who faithfully watch for Christ’s return is so great that Paul said…
2 Timothy 4:8 there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, (The Judgment Seat of Christ) and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. NKJV
Are you watching for Christ’s return? The Bible says those who love His appearing and are watching for His return will be greatly rewarded with the crown of righteousness.
This crown of righteousness is truly one of the great rewards of heaven, and it is reserved for ALL whose love for the Lord is so great, they are constantly watching for His return.
The big question is, are you watching for Christ’s return? Paul says only those who so love Christ’s appearing that they long for Him will receive the great crown of righteousness.
I don’t know about you, but I want that crown…
This crown is so magnificent that Jesus said…
Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, (to keep watch) I also will
keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell
on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. NKJV
Capture that last phrase… that no one may take your crown… He is talking about the crown of righteousness… This eternal crown is so valuable that Jesus said to hold onto to your crown and we do that by watching and praying…
Don’t listen to those who mock and scoff at the blessed hope of Christ’s return. Regardless of what the world says, and regardless of the time that has passed in the last two thousand years, Jesus Christ will return, and we are that generation.
Three times in Revelation 22, Jesus promised, “I am coming quickly…”
The big question is… are you watching for His return?
I know some will say, why should I watch for His return? Some will say, I’ve been hearing about the return of Jesus Christ for 50 years and He hasn’t come yet, so why should I watch for His return. Where is the promise of His return? Do you know every time someone says that, they are fulfilling the prophecy from 2 Peter 3?
2 Peter 3:3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” NKJV
When He examines your life at His judgment seat, will He find that your love for Him was so great that you anxiously watched for His return. We, the body of Christ, should be watching for Christ’s return with the knowledge that today… could be the day of His return.
Jesus said His return would happen when the world least expects it. I can tell you the world is not expecting Christ’s return. He said it would happen so suddenly, that it will catch the world by surprise like a steel trap and that… is why we must watch and pray.
WHY WE SHOULD BE WATCHING…
Why should you care about watching for Christ’s appearing? Why is that so important? One big reason is because He commands us to watch, and for all who do watch, He promises an eternal crown that will last forever, and again, I want that crown. But there is also another great reason found in I John 2:28, of why we should watch and be prepared for Christ’s return.
1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when (not if) He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. NKJV
Besides the wonderful crown of righteousness, John tells us that we need live in such a way that when Jesus appears at the rapture, for His church, we will not be ashamed or embarrassed. Imagine the embarrassment and shame of not being prepared when Christ returns. If you are not watching for Christ’s return, then most likely you are not prepared for that moment, and remember, He could return at any moment. This is why we must watch and pray so we won’t be ashamed and embarrassed in that moment when we stand before our Savior, Jesus Christ.
PREPARED BY WATCHING
Another big reason why it is vital that we watch and pray, is because we are the first generation to experience all the signs Jesus listed for the end times. He said…
Matthew 24:33 when you see all these things, know that it is near--at the doors! Assuredly, I say
to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. NKJV
There is absolutely no doubt we are that generation. Jesus said watch and pray, so you won’t be caught by surprise. This is why watch and pray should be the heart cry of every believer.
Jesus said, do not be caught off guard. Do not be caught unaware. Do not be caught sleeping. Instead, watch and pray. Watch and pray… Listen again to Jesus words…
Mark 13:36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to
everyone: 'Watch!'" NIV
God’s call on your life in these final days, is to watch… and pray.
When we hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not live in fear, instead watch and pray.
When we see the rise of plagues, and famines, and earthquakes, watch and pray.
When we see immortality sweeping the world like a cancer, don’t lose heart and give up hope, but be faithful to watch and pray.
We can’t stop what’s coming. That ship has already sailed, and the train has already left the station. We can’t stop… what’s coming… But we can watch and pray…
That brings us to this twofold question.
First, what should we be watching for, and second, what should we be praying about?
There are a hundred things that go through my mind at this point, but without overloading this message, I want to give you three prophetic things that should be on your radar so that you can watch and pray and not be caught by surprise.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR…
As we watch the final days unfold, the first and the most important thing I would tell you, is to keep a watch on Israel. Why? Why is Israel so important that we should keep a watch on Israel? Because Israel is God’s timepiece of the ages.
All end time prophecies, including the return of Jesus Christ, could not happen until Israel had returned to their land. The moment Israel became a nation, and was again planted in their land, God turned over His hour glass and started His countdown for the end of the age. It is by watching Israel that we can know where we are on God’s prophetic calendar for the final days.
We watch Israel because there are several end time events that will happen in the very near future in Israel and because of Israel. These events include… The Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39; the destruction of Damascus, the building of a third temple, and the signing of the treaty with the antichrist that starts the tribulation. This is why we must watch what happens in Israel.
In 2009, I preached a sermon about Israel and Bible prophecy. In that message, I told you a day would come when Israel would be hated by all nations and how the world would seek to destroy Israel. That’s Bible prophecy and we are seeing that happen right now in real time. I also told you in that sermon that Israel would be involved in several wars on several fronts and would be fighting for their existence. Again, that’s happening now. We are living in the final days and what is happening in Israel, and to Israel, reveals just how close we truly are to the end of the age, and the rapture of the church, and most Christians are not prepared for that moment. Jesus said when you see these things happen, watch and pray.
CONVERGENCE OF SIGNS
The second great sign to watch for, is what I call a convergence of signs. There are numerous signs that just by themselves, are evidence that Christ return is very near.
However, for me personally, one of the greatest signs of our generation, besides the return of Israel as a nation, is the sign of convergence. The sign of convergence is when numerous signs all happen at once, and continue to happen so frequently they cannot be numbered. This is not a prophecy that may happen sometime in the future. This prophecy is happening right now, in this generation, in your lifetime.
The sign of convergence is happening on every level of society. Worldwide social unrest, the breakdown of the global economy, war in Israel, war in Russia, massive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions all over the world, the distress of nations, the increase of lawlessness and spiritual deception, and the push for a one world government, all point to why the church should be watching and praying and looking up for Christ’s return.
The one point that we must not overlook, is that we are the first generation to experience all of these signs at the same time. No other generation in previous history has ever seen what we are seeing today. That’s why Jesus said…
Matthew 24:33 when you see all these things, know that it (His return) is near--at the doors! NKJV
Jesus said the generation that sees these signs will not pass away until all of these signs are fulfilled. We are that generation, and amazingly, in spite of the avalanche of worldwide signs, the world and many in the church are absolutely clueless to what is coming.
Again, that’s why Jesus commands us to Watch and Pray.
WATCH FOR CERTAIN SIGNS AND EVENTS
Third, all signs are important, because all of the signs point to the return of Christ. However, there is one other sign that we should clearly watch for, and that is the sign of deception. Jesus warned that the final generation would be flooded with lies and great deception.
However, what we see today is nothing compared to what is coming. Jesus warned several times about deception, because He knew the final generation would face a level of evil deception unlike anything the world has ever known.
Sadly, one of the great deceptions of the end times is the apostasy in the church. The Bible clearly warns of an end time falling away in the church that will be marked by moral decay, and a deep spiritual darkness. That is exactly what we are seeing right now.
What is the deception and apostasy in the church? I don’t have time to give you a full list, but here are a few examples of some very destructive themes being taught in the church, that clearly rejects the
truth and teaching of God’s word.
For example, there is the teaching that there are many ways to heaven. There are churches and pastors who are teaching there are many ways to God and that you do not have to go through Jesus Christ. That’s deception…
There is a false teaching that says everyone will go to heaven, including atheists who hate God and curse Him. That’s deception…
There is the teaching that the church has replaced Israel and that God has rejected Israel. That is
absolutely not true and it is deception.
Another terrible deception in the church is that we now call what God says is sin and evil as being good, and what God calls good as being evil. That’s evil deception and it is in the church.
Again, when we see these things, we are to watch and pray and watch for Christ’s return.
IN CLOSING, PRAY…
In closing, not only are we to be watchful for the signs that point to Christ’s return, but the closer we come to His return, the more we are to pray and live a life of prayer.
Prayer in the end times is so important that Jesus said…
Luke 21:36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." NIV
Jesus said to pray that we will be able to escape all the terrible and evil things that are about to happen on the earth.
The only way we can escape all that is about to happen is only by a pre-tribulation rapture of the church, which could happen at any moment.
We are to watch for the signs of His return, and we are to pray He will return and deliver us from the evil, that is coming upon the whole world.
I constantly pray for the rapture to happen, because I am sick of this sinful, evil world.
I am watching and praying for His return.
Again… This is why we are to watch and pray!
Today, in Jesus name, I encourage you to watch for Christ’s coming…
I encourage you to pray that His return is soon and… pray that at His return, He will find you faithfully watching for Him, and reward you with the glorious crown of righteousness.
To watch and pray is God’s call for you in these final days before Christ’s return.
As you pray…
PRAY THAT YOU ARE READY TO MEET THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
PRAY THAT AT HIS RETURN, CHRIST WILL FIND YOU DOING HIS WILL
In all that you do in these final days…
WATCH AND PRAY, FOR CHRIST’S RETURN IS AS CERTAIN AS THE RISING SUN
