“Ready or Not Here “I” Come”
Luke 12:32-40
Introduction
An adult Sunday School class was studying sayings about “the end time” in the Gospels. Some were troubled and confused by Jesus’ use of symbols to describe the coming judgement: lamps lit, loins girded, wise and foolish maidens, a thief in the night, and so on.
In an attempt to modernize the language, the pastor asked if they had seen or experienced something that made them think the end was near. One woman recounted her fear during the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960’s. Another described feelings of horror when her ancestral home in Hiroshima was destroyed in a nuclear attack. Still others noted destruction of the environment or threat of collision with a comet. Everyone present agreed that helplessness and dread compounded their fears.
Are there any of us hear today who have not wrestled with the end? I know I have. The good part is that Jesus has given us some instruction that should at the very least focus our fear on the right things and at the very best, put our fears to rest.
Our passage for today may on the surface show Jesus giving conflicting instructions to his followers.
On the one hand, in vv. 32-34 he tells us not to be fearful, to trust their loving Father, and to free themselves of possessions in order to help the poor.
On the other hand, Jesus tells us to be watchful and on guard lest we be found unprepared when the Son of Man comes again.
How can we be on guard and have no fear at the same time? The answer is obscure if we look at this passage in isolation; however, when examined in light of other end time sayings of Jesus, the seeming contradiction is resolved.
Three consistent threads run through the New Testament sayings about the end. Lets take a look at those today and see if we can learn how to watch without fear.
I. Jesus will come again!
A. In this passage we are looking at today, deliberate mention of the Son of Man does not come until verse 40. There are many titles and metaphors used in the NT to describe Christ’s return. Things like the bridegroom, the householder, Alpha and Omega all refer to the second coming of Jesus. Although the language varies, the message is consistent; Jesus Christ will come again! (amen)
B. The ultimate victory and power are God’s and yet we fear. I read a story about a man who visited his son’s school as a classroom observer one day. What he remembers most is a teacher’s use of an obstacle course as an object lesson. She randomly placed chairs in an open area of the classroom. She then selected a volunteer to help make her point. The student was given time to walk through the course to memorize each obstacle; he then was blindfolded. Immediately, the teacher put her finger to her lips to quiet the class and quietly removed all the obstacles.
The boy began to search around the room, zigging and zagging with his arms outstretched. Slowly, he made his way through obstacles which now only existed in his mind.
C. Truly, most of what we try to avoid in this life is not real at all, it’s merely an image printed on our minds. God has already removed all of the obstacles that could prevent us from being the people he wants us to be. Yet, the reality is that our progress is much life the progress of the student: ignorant, fearful, erratic, and slow. (Pause)
D. The promise of victory and power was a great comfort to early Christians suffering persecution, and it should be an encouragement to us today in whatever fear or threat we find ourselves. Ask yourself what fear or threat do I face or does my Church face. How do we deal with this crisis?
E. We have got to focus! Evil will not have the last word. God in Christ will return and reign forever! (Amen) We need to focus!
F. A store owner in Dallas Texas has built his business selling nothing but water. Now building a business on sale of something most people can get for almost nothing is quite an achievement. This store is successful because it focuses on one product. You can buy distilled, purified, spring, artesian, filtered, extra filtered, carbonated, mineral, flavored, unflavored, imported or local water.
G. The problem with our church is not so much a lack of resources or even the commitment of them. The problem is that we lack focus. You don’t give to the Van fund because you don’t see the Van being used. Trust me that is about to change. You don’t pay your tithe the way you should because you don’t think you can afford it, trust me you can’t imagine what your missing out on by not paying what God requires. You don’t think the Church needs any more money with all that money we have in the bank. Trust me, Lord willing by this time next year not only will we need that money for a new building but we will need what you haven’t been giving.
H. There is one factor that is truly missing from this picture that you need to be aware of. All of these things are dependent on one thing. We have got to regain our focus on bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost world because Jesus will come again.
II. We don’t know when Jesus will come.
A. Verse 40 says the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. Yet we live like it won’t be today. Ever since the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, believers have tried to figure out when he will return. They refer to “signs of the times” noted in the Bible, as though God’s Word were a timetable, but even when Jesus indicated signs of the end, he cautioned that no one could predict the date when it would happen.
B. The point is this, standing guard for the Lord’s return has nothing to do with concerning ourselves with when it will happen, but everything to do with being ready and getting others ready for when it does.
C. Our society is infected with the “it won’t happen to me” virus. That virus has found its way into our churches to the point that we have lost our concern for the lost in our world in light of the thought that we will always have tomorrow to tell them about Jesus. The fact is we don’t have that promise anywhere in the Bible and therefore can not afford to take tomorrow for granted. Ready or not Jesus is coming soon, are you ready?
III. We’re called to be ready for Jesus’ coming.
A. In the film, Forest Gump Forrest’s bitter, disabled Vietnam veteran friend, Lieutenant Dan, was watching a church choir sing on television. In a sarcastic tone Dan asked Forrest, “Gump, have you found Jesus yet?”
Forrest’s innocent reply was, “I didn’t know I was supposed to be looking for him.”
B. Many people think like Forrest Gump. They do not know that they need to find Jesus or that he is waiting just outside the door of their lives. It is our responsibility as Christians to show people the love of Christ and tell them of the matchless grace of our Lord.
C. The impending catastrophe of being found not ready for Jesus’ return is totally different than the catastrophe of being hit by a comet or experiencing some other disaster in that we can prepare ourselves for Jesus’ return and in so doing avoid the catastrophe all together.
D. The Bible tells us how to do this. We must repent of our sins, believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that by our faith in him God will save us by his grace.
Conclusion
What more motivation do you need to focus your heart on God’s will for our Church than the lost soul of your neighbor, friend, family member or maybe yourself? I need each of you to focus with me if Second Baptist is to see a glimmer of its former influence in this community. I need your focus and your dedication if we are going to be all God want’s us to be.
I have to be honest with you today. Some of you hear are in the game and you know what God is telling you through me. Others however, just haven’t gotten it yet. That is why I continue to preach these type sermons. I hope and pray that as the weeks go by more and more of you begin to grasp the vision.
