Are You Ready?
Luke 12
35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet,
so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door
for him.
37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching
when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve,
will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready,
even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.
39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what
hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken
into.
40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an
hour when you do not expect him."
41. Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to
everyone?"
42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom
the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food
allowance at the proper time?
43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so
when he returns.
44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his
possessions.
45 But suppose the servant says to himself, `My master is taking a
long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and
maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not
expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces
and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready
or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.
48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment
will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much,
much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with
much, much more will be asked.
Jesus is coming back! This we know. The Bible gives us that assurance.
He said He would return. The angels said He would return. The prophets
and apostles said He would return. I believe He will return.
There are a few facts we need to see about His returning:
1. His coming could be at any moment!
There are many mysteries about the 2nd coming. There are things yet to
be fulfilled, some that have already been fulfilled, and other we just
don't understand.
But this I do know - His coming will be sudden, and it will surprise
us. No matter how much we think we know and how prepared we may be,
the Bible says He will come at a time when you least expect it. "No
man knows the day..."
And I know it will be as quick as lightning. There will be no warning
signal, no last minute wake-up call. Boom - and it will be over.
And I know that whatever remains to be fulfilled, God can perform
quickly. God has a way of bringing things together in His time.
2. His Coming will be a day of reckoning.
You'd better be dressed - that is, saved - clothed with the robes of
righteousness that you can only get from Christ.
And you'd better be filled - that is, with the Holy Spirit - serving
Him in power.
At that moment, you will put your pencils down - the test is over - its
grading time and you will be graded on what you have done up to that
point. There will be no make up tests and no extra credit.
Now, I have been a work-a-holic, and I don't recommend it. I'm not
saying we should all become compulsive and overbearing, or over
achieving. But I am saying that we'd better stop sitting on our talents
and get busy for God. Time is running out!
Don't' be a lazy servant!
Don't be an irresponsible servant!
Don't be a half-hearted servant!
Be faithful in what He gives you to do.
Be enthusiastic about His work, His will, and His coming.
Keep your eyes on the eastern sky! He is coming and He will call us
to account for our stewardship when He comes.
3. Are you ready for His coming? Are you poised and waiting?
Note carefully these verses:
37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them
watching when he comes. . .
Are you actively looking expectantly for Him to come?
38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready,
. . .
Are you really ready? If He were to come right now, would you be
prepared to meet Him? Would you welcome Him eagerly, or would you be
embarrassed and apologetic for how you've spent your time and how He
found you?
39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what
hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken
into.
40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an
hour when you do not expect him."
There will be no ten-minute warning. You must be ready at any time.
43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so
when he returns.
You must be serving Him always, not lazily hanging out, wasting time,
and hoping to get ready at the last minute. You wouldn't want your
boss to find you sleeping on the job when he drops in on you.
46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not
expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to
pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready
or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.
There will be a reckoning! There will be rewards and punishment. Be
prepared.
Imagine men at the starting gate waiting for a race to start. They
are not laying around waiting for someone to say "Ready?". No! They
are poised and ready to run. Each one wants the prize, so they are
rearing to go. Are you rearing to go?
48 . . . From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;
and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be
asked.
You are expected to use what you have been given.
Do you remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare? The rabbit was
fast and overconfident. He frivolously wasted his time because he
thought he had it in the bag.
The turtle was slow (he didn't have as much talent as the rabbit), but
he was steady. He stayed at it faithfully. And he won.
Don't be like the rabbit, thinking you can do a rush job at the end
and catch up for your napping on the job. Be like the turtle who kept
up his pace and finished.
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