READINESS Matt.24:42-51.
'BE ALSO READY' . The Command of Christ concerning His Coming.
There is great delusion in the Church of Christ. Many believers think that when Christ appears again to Rapture His Church, they will automatically be taken to Heaven.
The command in these verses above leaves us with no doubt that this is NOT so. We are told plainly to be READY. The Greek word in the Text implies Preparation. We have to consider Two statements in Christ's command.
1. God does not need to get Ready.
2. The believers need to get Ready for His coming.
What does it mean to be Ready?
It means to be in a state of preparedness for the greatest event in the history of mankind so that when Christ comes He will find us fit for Heaven.
What does this Readiness involve?
Keeping a constant watch so that when Christ appears we shall be snatched out of this world of evil and taken to Heaven. Those whose lives are tied up with this world and love the world will find it difficult to disengage from the world and its affection. Remember Lot's wife?
People often say, when you confront them with the question about not loving the world, 'I do not love the world' but they do not admit that they desire the things of the world and what the world offers. Where does our allegiance lie? What are our priorities in our Christian lives? Will the pull of this world with its involvement be too heavy on us to suddenly pull off its yoke at that moment when Christ appears?
In Luke 21:34, the Lord gave a solemn warning. There are three conditions we need to watch closely:
1. Carousing/Surfeiting.
2. Drunkenness.
3. Cares of this Life.
'Take Care', Christ warned, that your hearts are not overcharged by any or all of these three states.
CAROUSING: Heavily involved in the affairs of this world.
DRUNKENNESS: Taking an intoxicating substance that will control my life and actions. Abundant involvement in the things of this world can do the same as an overdose of alcohol does in my life. I lose control of my actions.
CARES OF THIS LIFE: Everybody has some kind of Care, some small, some big, old or young, important or unimportant. We cannot afford to let cares overtake our lives, however good they may be. They act as poison in our systems. Remember the words of Christ in Matt.6:25-34? Cares can kill our spiritual life by distracting us from the more important issues of life, if we do not watch.
Following His warning in the verses above (Matt.24) the Lord goes on to deliver more serious warnings about the neglect of Readiness in the Church.
The servant who mistakes His Lord's delayed return resorts to misbehaviour and neglect of duties. We are accountable to God for our conduct in the Church. Paul, the Apostle, in 2 Cor.5:10 warns about our responsibilities in our Christian lives, a subject we are often uncomfortable with.
Peter, the Apostle, also warns about the same subject in 1 Pet.4:17.
Finally, we cannot avoid the message of the Parable in Matt.25:1-13 the five unwise virgins whose foolish way of Christian living cost them a place in Eternity. We cannot afford to live our Christian lives carelessly. The coming of Christ is a far more important event than the pleasures of this life. Don't miss it!
We read of Moses that he 'Esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt....' Heb.11:26.
WATCH AND BE READY.
'BE ALSO READY' . The Command of Christ concerning His Coming.
There is great delusion in the Church of Christ. Many believers think that when Christ appears again to Rapture His Church, they will automatically be taken to Heaven.
The command in these verses above leaves us with no doubt that this is NOT so. We are told plainly to be READY. The Greek word in the Text implies Preparation. We have to consider Two statements in Christ's command.
1. God does not need to get Ready.
2. The believers need to get Ready for His coming.
What does it mean to be Ready?
It means to be in a state of preparedness for the greatest event in the history of mankind so that when Christ comes He will find us fit for Heaven.
What does this Readiness involve?
Keeping a constant watch so that when Christ appears we shall be snatched out of this world of evil and taken to Heaven. Those whose lives are tied up with this world and love the world will find it difficult to disengage from the world and its affection. Remember Lot's wife?
People often say, when you confront them with the question about not loving the world, 'I do not love the world' but they do not admit that they desire the things of the world and what the world offers. Where does our allegiance lie? What are our priorities in our Christian lives? Will the pull of this world with its involvement be too heavy on us to suddenly pull off its yoke at that moment when Christ appears?
In Luke 21:34, the Lord gave a solemn warning. There are three conditions we need to watch closely:
1. Carousing/Surfeiting.
2. Drunkenness.
3. Cares of this Life.
'Take Care', Christ warned, that your hearts are not overcharged by any or all of these three states.
CAROUSING: Heavily involved in the affairs of this world.
DRUNKENNESS: Taking an intoxicating substance that will control my life and actions. Abundant involvement in the things of this world can do the same as an overdose of alcohol does in my life. I lose control of my actions.
CARES OF THIS LIFE: Everybody has some kind of Care, some small, some big, old or young, important or unimportant. We cannot afford to let cares overtake our lives, however good they may be. They act as poison in our systems. Remember the words of Christ in Matt.6:25-34? Cares can kill our spiritual life by distracting us from the more important issues of life, if we do not watch.
Following His warning in the verses above (Matt.24) the Lord goes on to deliver more serious warnings about the neglect of Readiness in the Church.
The servant who mistakes His Lord's delayed return resorts to misbehaviour and neglect of duties. We are accountable to God for our conduct in the Church. Paul, the Apostle, in 2 Cor.5:10 warns about our responsibilities in our Christian lives, a subject we are often uncomfortable with.
Peter, the Apostle, also warns about the same subject in 1 Pet.4:17.
Finally, we cannot avoid the message of the Parable in Matt.25:1-13 the five unwise virgins whose foolish way of Christian living cost them a place in Eternity. We cannot afford to live our Christian lives carelessly. The coming of Christ is a far more important event than the pleasures of this life. Don't miss it!
We read of Moses that he 'Esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt....' Heb.11:26.
WATCH AND BE READY.
No comments:
Post a Comment