Be Prepared

Matthew 24:43-44

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If you knew your house was going to be broken into, what would you do? If you knew where they were going to break in, maybe you would reinforce that area. Make sure the door is extra strong or the window barred. If you couldn’t make your house secure, I daresay you would at least be waiting up for the person. Maybe you would even call the police so that the police could be there waiting to arrest the burglar. All of those things though, mean that you would be prepared. If you knew that your house was going to be broken into, you would make preparations. You would be ready.

Jesus used that illustration in Matthew, 24, verse 43 and following, he said,

But understand this: If the master of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. You also need to be ready for this reason: The Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:43-44)

We’ll often speak of death being that unknown end to our life. But that’s not the only unexpected end to life here on Earth. The Bible is very clear that Jesus is going to come again, and when he comes again, it won’t be to save the world. No, he did that in his first coming. At his first coming he humbly came to bear man’s sins, to live a perfect life, and die on the cross in their place so that God, through his life and death, could forgive the sins of all mankind. Jesus successfully completed his first mission. God raised him from the dead, as proof that he had won the forgiveness of everyone’s sins.

And now Jesus has ascended into heaven and is ruling all things for the good of his church of those who believe in him. The time is coming, though, when Jesus will return to this Earth. When he comes again, it won’t be in humility. It will be in glory. It won’t be to rescue. It will be to judge. Jesus has told us that this is going to happen. So that we can be ready. In the same way that you would prepare if you knew your house was going to be broken into, Jesus says, get ready, be prepared, because I’m coming back. And when I come back. I’m going to judge all of mankind.

Now, that may be a little terrifying for you thinking of Jesus returning to judge. Can you know today how that judgment would go for you? The answer is yes. For all who believe in Jesus, the forgiveness that Jesus won with his first coming, is theirs. Jesus has already revealed the verdict for those who believe in him: not guilty. So you can look forward by faith to the day that Jesus returns with great joy. Because you know that your sins are forgiven. You can know that when he comes again, he’s going to take you to be with him forever in heaven.

So that day, it’s a day of joy. But the reality is that if you do not believe that Jesus is your Savior, you forfeit the benefit of his first coming. And then that second coming is going to be a terrifying experience because he will judge you according to your sins. And punish you accordingly. Today, today is the time to prepare. Today is the day to learn of Jesus the Savior. And see what he has done for you in his first coming. To believe that your sins are forgiven through his life, death and resurrection. May God grant you his Spirit so that you believe in Jesus the Savior, and then you can wait with joy for him to come again. Peace be with you. Amen.