Illustration: Imagine knowing about October 7th, the Indian Ocean Tsunami, 9-11, Pearl Harbor, or the Titanic on the day before they happened! Consider the importance of knowing what was coming and the chance to heed the warning.
Knowing about these events the day before would have changed the way you lived and the actions you took. Examples: Sept 11th: Don’t go in the buildings. Tsunami: Go to high ground. Titanic: Don’t get on the ship!
Jesus gave us a series of warnings beginning in Matthew 24, telling us to watch and be alert. For what? His return! Read Matt. 24:3-13 Disciples: Tell us.
Notice He didn’t give an exact date. v.36 He says, “No one knows” I Know! Not:)
He gave a list of signs called Beginning of Sorrows- Birth pains, which we had just read.
Why did He give these? He wants us to be ready!
Going back to those pivotal days, we’d have changed drastically if we'd known!
Right now, the words that come to mind are: Peace & safety. Thinking about the
“Unsinkable Titanic,” Indian Ocean, and the WTC & Pentagon…..
No one on the day before could imagine what was about to happen.
This is precisely how it is going to be right before Jesus returns. Read Matthew 24:36-39
Jesus repeatedly tells us to be ready! Look at Matthew 24:42, 24:44, 24:46, 24:50, 25:13. Do you think He’s trying to get the point across?! Verily-verily!
Application: If we knew Jesus was coming back tomorrow, most of us would radically change our lives! Examples:
Cut all non-essential activities out of our schedule.
We wouldn’t waste another minute. Endless scrolling on phones or computers.
Obsession with entertainment, the Super Bowl, and Taylor Swift are all worthless in light of eternity.
Trying to get rich, pursuing dreams, and selfish ambitions.
Sins: Adultery, porn, addictions, fights, theft, murder….you will probably say, "I haven’t done those!"
Have you wanted to check out mentally on illicit drugs, alcohol, gossiped, hated, or stolen someone's reputation?
Have you lusted after someone in your heart? Jesus said if we’ve done this in our hearts, we’ve already done them.
We tend to rationalize sins, saying or thinking things like, "He knows my heart, or it's all under the blood." Paul warns us against presuming God's kindness and patience because they are meant to bring you to repentance, not self-righteousness.
Why are you telling us this???? To give you a loving warning to be ready.
Paul said we don’t preach as people pleasers or tickle someone’s ears.
I’m talking to two groups of people here:
If you are a Christian, here's a question: If you saw someone in a house or car fire, drowning in a rip current, choking….wouldn’t you do everything possible to save them?!
Of course, you would! Why? Because the situation was urgent. Well, it is urgent!
Countless souls are going into eternity every day.
I understand we all have things to do and lives to live. But to live (is) Christ.
He’s not someone we put on and take off like clothing! Romans 13:14, Put Him on!
So Christian: Live like Jesus could return tomorrow, with a sense of urgency!
Jude 1:20-23 In faith, praying, full of Spirit, loving, save and snatch from fire!
If you are here and don’t know Jesus, I want to warn you: Jesus is coming.
You don’t have to take my word for it; Jesus said He was ‘coming soon’ (Rev. 22) three times!
Why is this a big deal? Because He’s coming back as Savior or Judge.
What you do with Jesus (today) will affect you for countless billions of years.
Remember before when we talked about sins? The Bible says, no one is righteous…we’ve all sinned, and the judgment of God will fall on all those who (practice) such things. (Romans 2&3).
We have to get to the point when we come to the end of ourselves! God is a Holy God; unless you come to repentance and faith in Jesus, you are in eternal danger. Just like those disasters that came, He is sending judgment, and I’m simply the guy giving you the warning before it comes. If you aren’t sure, don’t rely on: I have a Mom who prayed, I know a pastor, I think I have a Bible, I might have said a prayer, Maybe I signed a card, I was baptized. That isn’t being born again!
Think about what we discussed a few minutes ago: Imagine receiving a warning about those terrible events and how you would have responded the day before they happened. This is the same situation we are in right now, in light of Jesus' soon return. He is warning us to be ready, and He demands a response. Ignoring His warning will be eternally tragic for anyone who doesn't respond.
If you confess your sins, repent, and come to faith in Jesus…you will be saved. Romans 10:9 and 10 say, "If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you will be saved!" You can go from being an enemy of God to becoming an adopted son or daughter!
Every blessing in Jesus, dear friends.
