Will You Be Caught Off Guard Jesus is coming back again. He is returning at anytime now. With every single passing day it becomes more evident that Jesus is coming back. The signs are there. Jesus said that when we see these signs we will know that he is returning. Firstly if we hear of wars and the rumours of wars we will know that Jesus is coming back. We have heard of wars at an alarming increasing rate. Wars now are not waged on a geographical national basis. It is between ethnic groups. The terrorists have also brought the whole war into a new type of world war. Secondly if we see earthquakes we will know that Jesus is coming back. Earthquakes have been increasing at a higher frequency than ever before. Thirdly when we see famines. Many nations of the world are struck by famines. Fourthly when we see the increase of pestilence. All sorts of sicknesses and diseases are now striking at mankind. Friends, the signs are indeed there. There to tell us that Jesus is coming back again. God wants us as Christians to be prepared for the return of Jesus. For the second coming of Jesus. Today we will see what are the reasons why. We will come to understand why it is important for us to be prepared. We will also see what we must do. How we should prepare for the return of our Lord, MT 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. MT 24:42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 1. No One Knows When Jesus Is Returning We are told that no one knows when Jesus will come back. There have been many false preachers, teachers, and prophets who try to predict when Jesus is coming again. I am not sure why they dare to say what they say. But Scripture is clear. Even Jesus does not know when He is returning. So, if Jesus does not know when He is coming, you think we know. What do we do when we don't know when Jesus is coming again? If we know when - let us say - let us say - I don't know when - I am just giving an example here - let us say, midnight 31 December 2007 - just before we cross into 1 January 2008 - you know what I will do. Enjoy myself right now. Do all the things that I am tempted to do - eat all I want to eat - drink all that I want to drink etc. Christmas eve - just go and have a good time with my friends. Then after Christmas day, begin to confess to God all my sins, ring up everyone in church and find out how they are - pray every day for everyone - go to the hospitals in the morning every morning - go the prisons every afternoon - advertise in the newspapers and invite those who need a room to stay to come to my place to stay - get myself right with God. Then at about 1130 on new year eve pray like I have never prayed before. But that is not the way it is going to be. None of us know when Jesus is returning. Not the angels. They don't know. Not Jesus - He does not know. Only God the Father knows and He is not about to tell us. So, what do we do when we don't know. Today, we will look at this issue. What do we do when we don't know when Jesus is coming back again. What do we do so that we will not be caught off guard? What should we do so that we will be ready for the coming of Jesus? What do we do when we don't know. We cover all angles. we become more vigilant. It was the 1970 World Cup soccer tournament. In one of the games, England was playing Brazil. Playing at pace, Brazil was putting England under enormous pressure and an attack was begun by captain Carlos Alberto who sent a fizzing low ball down the right flank for the speedy Jairzinho to latch on to. The Brazilian winger sped past left back Terry Cooper and reached the byline. Stretching slightly, he managed to get his toes underneath the fast ball and deliver a high but dipping cross towards the far post. Banks, like all goalkeepers reliant on positional sensibility, had been at the near post and suddenly had to turn on his heels and follow the ball to its back post destination. Waiting for the ball was Pelé, who had arrived at speed and with perfect timing. He leapt hard at the ball above England right back Tommy Wright and thundered a harsh, pacy downward header towards Banks' near post corner. The striker, one of the world's greatest, shouted "Goal!" as he connected with the ball. Banks was still making his way across the line from Jairzinho's cross and in the split-second of assessment the incident allowed, it seemed impossible for him to get to the ball. He also had to dive slightly backwards and down at the same time which is almost physically impossible. Yet he hurled himself downwards and backwards and got the base of his thumb to the ball, with the momentum sending him cascading to the ground. It was only when he heard the applause and praise of captain Bobby Moore and then looked up and saw the ball trundling towards the advertising hoardings at the far corner, that he realized he'd managed to divert the ball over the bar - he'd known he got a touch but still assumed the ball had gone in. England were not being well received by the locals after cutting comments made about Mexico prior to the tournament by Ramsey, but spontaneous applause rang around the Guadalajara, Jalisco stadium as Banks got back into position to defend the resulting corner. Pelé, who'd begun to celebrate a goal when he headed the ball, would later describe the save as the greatest he'd ever seen. It was one of the greatest save ever recorded - today, after 37 years have passed by, soccer fans know about this save - you go to You Tube, you can watch this magnificent save. What made it possible was that Gordon Banks, though he knew that Brazil was attacking, he did not know exactly when and in what position the ball was going to be delivered towards his goal. Being a great goalkeeper he was not going to allow any ball to get passed him. So, he had every single possible angle covered all the time. Friends, we know that Jesus is coming back but we do not know when. However, have you got all your angles covered. Have you got them covered all the time? Many nations of the world know that the terrorists are not at rest. They are planning to attack several nations of the world. But we don't know when. We don't know where. Nations of the world are however not asleep - just going on with life unconcerned. Many nations stand ready - they have all the possible entry into their countries covered. They are on guard all the time. They are not going to be caught napping. When I come back from Malaysia, I note that it takes me longer nowadays to get through the Singapore checkpoints than the JB side - I do not complain for I know that our government is alert and does not want to be caught off-guard. We know that Jesus is coming. But we don't know when. Have you got your guards up? 2. Not All Will Make It Into Heaven in the last three weeks we had covered three parables concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ. The first parable about the 10 virgins asked the question "Are You Hot?' The second -- the parable of the talents - asked how we may perfect our serve. The third - about the sheep and goat - concern taking care of others within the community of God. Are these three parables isolated? - just teaching a truth each about the second coming of Jesus. Or are they tied in together to convey a spiritual truth. We know that Matthew is a very meticulous writer who takes care to arrange his facts. So, it is unlikely that these are three isolated parables. When we take a good overall view of the three parables then, we will note that it may contain this truth. When we are spiritually hot, we will serve to the best of our ability promoting love and care within the community of God - we will use whatever God has given to us for the furtherance of His Kingdom. We will not be inward looking. Rather, we will be outward focus. Using our talents to build the community of God is of vital importance to Him. We know that Jesus is coming again. Many however think that Jesus is coming back for them and them alone. Jesus is however not coming back for an individual. He is coming back for His bride. The groom, Jesus, is returning to bring His bride home with Him. The bride, the church, however, comprises every single one of us. We make up the Bride of Christ. Without each of us, the Bride may not be complete. Though Jesus may be coming back for us, He is not coming back for us alone. How will the Bride be like when Jesus returns. How ready will the Bride be? That depends on each of us - how we have contributed to make the Bride ready for her groom. This is why the three parables rings with an earnest seriousness. Each tells about people who be left out in the cold - cut off from entering into heaven. God is counting on every single one of us to prepare the bride and make her ready for the second coming of Jesus. If we are spiritually cold, unconcerned to serve, locked in to our own selfishness, then we have not contributed to the return of our Lord. We will indeed hear these words from Jesus "go away, I do not know you." The three parables were told after Jesus told this concerning His second coming. Perhaps, right now, you may be saying "yes, I need to be on guard, but how do I do so?" 3. How To Be Prepared First of all really determine whether you want to grow spiritually. Everything has a cost. To be a disciple of Jesus will cost you everything. It means denying yourself. It means picking up your cross and dying to self - to all your self ambitions - to your self desires - and to live the life that God directs you to. Are you willing to pay such a price to be a disciple of Jesus. Are you prepared for that? Are you willing to say - whatever Lord - whatever you say, Lord, I am willing to go for it? Many people set goals for themselves but they never achieve these goals because they are not willing to pay the price that goes along with it. So, you must determine for yourself whether you want to be a disciple of Jesus - no one can make the decision for you. I came to the Lord at the age of 36 - it was at the tail end of the Charismatic revival - I was excited about Jesus - I thought to myself the number of years I had wasted without Jesus - there was so much to learn about Him - there is much that I wanted. There was a deep spiritual hunger within me - a deep spiritual thirst that needed to be quenched. I therefore attended most of the activities in church - that was not enough - I attended a Saturday evening in a home close to my house - I was involved with the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship - I attended their conferences - I was involved with my CG - I started a fellowship in SIA - soon I was deeply involved with ministries - sitting on the Board and other committees. Was I that free - having a full time job with SIA - having two growing children - they were just about 2 and 5. Was I that free? I don't think so. But I found myself so excited about Jesus that I was willing to make the sacrifice and be His disciple. I think if you are passionate about something, you will make time for it. I think if you are passionate about Jesus you will hunger after any programme - any activity - any teaching about Him. Oh Pastor - 7 Stages of Spiritual Growth - that is so boring. Can't stand the presenter - Bruce Wilkerson - but I thought he is ranked as one of the world's master teachers? Jonathan Edwards - who is he? He is one of the world's dullest preacher. He will come to the pulpit with his thick glasses. With his notes. Then he will just read from his notes. Totally monotonous. However, when he preached - people cry - people repent - people are convicted - in one of his sermons - sinners in the hands of an angry God - people even felt the heat of hell - people smelt the sulphur of hell. Why? Because people were caught in a time of a great revival - they were hungry - they were hot for Jesus. So, friends, ultimately whether there is going to be a revival or not depends also on us. Whether we will be excited about Jesus depends on us. If we are hungry for Jesus, anything about Him - presented by any of His servants would be exciting. If not, it will be totally dry. Are you hot for Jesus today? Are you excited about Him? Do you hunger more for Him? Or will you be left out in the cold when He returns? Will you be caught off guard? How do we get hot for Jesus? First ask yourself the question - what do you desire more in life - Jesus or your career? Jesus or you family? Jesus or your money? Is it Jesus or something else in life? You have to come to a point of saying "Jesus only" , "Jesus Always" "Jesus or else I die". Secondly, be prepared to make the sacrifice - be bold to get off work early once a week for CG or Word Night - your company will not collapse because you decide to get off early once a week - work can wait until tomorrow. You think your boss expects you to stay in late to do your work - but then he has a family - he may think that all of you are expecting him to stay in late - but no one dares to make the first move. Maybe as a Christian allow God to help all of you. Start and end each day quietly with God -read a portion of Scripture and pray - start the day by dedicating it to God - end the day by thanking Him for all that happened during the day. Get close to a spiritual buddy. Contact each other and spur each other on. Friends, brothers and sisters, I hope that by this time this year, all of us will be so hot for Jesus that we can say "even so, Jesus, come quickly." We will never be caught off guard then. We will be ready for Jesus to return at anytime.

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