Are You Ready for the End? Part 4

Pray with me. Would you please, Father, we thank you for today and we are grateful that you have called us to be here. None of us are here by accident. We're all here by divine appointment, knowing that you are the sovereign God who rules over all. In our prayer that as we study your word today, you would open the hearts and minds of all of us, that we might understand the truth of your word, that we might understand the character and nature of the God we serve. That we might better be used of you until you come again, as you most certainly will.

We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. The topic we're discussing is: Are you ready? Are you ready for Jesus to come again? Are you ready if He doesn't come and you die to stand before Him in His presence? and to be honored before him. Are you ready for the coming of the king? Unfortunately, most people are not. A lot of people think they're ready. But they are not. And so we are going through some principles that will help you understand whether or not you are ready to face, to stand before the Son of Man.

That's how Jesus concluded in Luke's Gospel. The all of that discourse that you might be ready to stand before the Son of Man. The Jews, they believed they were ready. But the Bible tells us they were not. In Romans chapter 10, verse number 4, it tells us that they had a zeal for God, they had a passion for God. They had a sense of urgency for God, but not according to knowledge. That's what Paul says. In other words, they did not really truly know God. That's why in John chapter 15. Jesus said these words in verse number 21, they do not know me, nor the one who has sent me.

In other words, he says that the Jewish people don't know who I am. If they don't know me, they cannot know the one who sent me. And then in John chapter 16, he would say these words: They don't know the Father, nor do they know me. Christ made it very clear that the Jewish nation had no understanding of the true God of Israel, even though the Jews had a zealousness for their God. It was not according to biblical knowledge. They did not truly understand the tr and li God. Unfortunately, a lot of people fall in that category.

They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Mother Teresa was one of those people. She died in 1997 at the age of 8. She was that Albanian nun who had given her life. To the poor, the sick, and the dying in India. She is heralded in the Catholic Church as a woman of great virtue. And yet, in 2007, Time magazine came out with an article, an article that was really based off of a book, a biography about her. Concerning the letters that she wrote over a 50-year period that would go to the church superiors to explain the darkness in her life.

The depression in her life, the distress in her life, her uneasiness about where God was. To the point where she even denied the ex of God. And these letters, they're called the dark letters. Make up this book, and they describe what's going on in the soul of this woman that is heralded in the church as a woman of great virtue. But she had no idea where she was going when she died. She wasn't ready. She wasn't ready. And there are so many people today that fall in that category. Now, she says in her letters that all this began.

At the inception of her work in India. That means she spent her whole life. Serving the sick, the poor, and the dying, giving everything she possibly could to them without ever really knowing or believing in not only the existence of God. But the fact that she knew where she was going when she died, think about that. Those were her own words. And so, when you think about the people in the church today, where are they? Are there people that have a zeal for God but not truly according to knowledge?

How do you know if you're ready? Well, we try to tell you. Number one, you've repented of your sin. You've turned from your sin. You've turned to the true and living God. And not only have you repented of your sin, repentance is a part of your life on a daily basis. Because you live with a consciousness of your sin that's ever before you, and you want to turn from your sin so you repent of your sins. Have you repented of your sins? Has there been a turning from your sin to follow the true and living God?

Number two, not only have I repented of my sins, but have you, number two, embraced Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?

Have you embraced Him for who He is? You cannot go to heaven without believing in who Jesus Christ is. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by a word about the Christ, the Messiah of Israel. Okay, and so you must believe in the identity of who Jesus says he is.

He who believes in me, or he who Has faith, believes in who I am, Christ said. And so you must understand who he is. That's why he asked that great question: who do men say that I am? But better yet, who do you, Peter? Who do you, James, John? Who do you say that I am? Because your understand of me determines your eternal destiny. You must embrace Jesus. Christ as Savior and Lord. You must embrace Him for who He is. How do I know I've repented of my sins? I've embraced Christ as my Lord and Savior.

I follow Him. I understand that He is the King of the universe. How do I know I've embraced Him as my Lord and Savior? Point number three, I acknowledge Scripture as my authority in all that I say and do.

In other words, Christ said in Luke chapter 6, why call you me Lord Lord and not do the things that I say? You cannot call Christ your Lord and live in disobedience to Him. Okay, so He says, Why do you call me something that you don't obey me? So if you embrace Christ as Savior and Lord, Scripture now becomes your final authority. It becomes how you live your life. It governs every decision that you make, every place that you go. Because God has spoken, you want to hear what He has to say. You've submitted yourself to the divine authority.

You follow under His word. You want to know His marching orders. And so you long to read His Word, to study His Word, to hear His Word. God's word is a treasure to you. And so you've embraced Him and you've acknowledged Scripture as your authority in life. And number four, we introduced it last week. You denounce Satan and this world's system. You denounce Satan and this world's system. We know that 1 John 5:1 says that this whole world lies in the lap of the evil one. We understand that. We know we're not to love the world, neither the things that are in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, because they're not of the Father, but they're of the world.

And when you come to Christ, you denounce Sat and his world system. That 's why these words are spoken in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse number. 25 and 26. That the Lord's bonds, we'll start verse 24. The Lord 's bonds must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness of correcting those who are in opposition. If perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape. from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

In other words, when you're an unbeliever, you are held captive to Satan. And the only will you can do is not your own will, but Satan's will, because you're held captive by him to do his will. But if God grants you the gift of repentance, then you're able to turn from your sin and follow Christ to do His will. That's so important to understand that. That's why Colossians 1. 13 says that we are delivered from the domain of darkness and we are transferred into the kingdom of God's dear Son. So, when I become a Christian, then I denounce Satan and his worldly system.

I denounce everything that he has his hands on. I want to turn away from that. I want to follow Christ my Lord. I don't want to be like the world. I want to be like Christ. I want to follow Him. That's why, when Christ gave the gospel invitation, it was always follow me. Follow me. Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. If you follow me, I will make you into something. If you follow Christ, he is making you. Into his image. He is refining you. He is going to make you the kind of individual that is going to bring glory and honor to his name.

To do that, you would have had to have denounced Satan and his worldly system. That's why Paul says, Come out from among them and be ye separate. Separation is crucial. Separation from the world is crucial. Remember, we talked about the life of Samson, right? And Samson had taken a Nazarite vow. Maybe you weren with us for those 11 weeks. If you weren't, you should have been there. If not, you can always get the C D's. What does it mean to take a Nazarite vow? It's a vow of a consecration, it's a vow of separation.

How is that separation defined? It's defined by this: self-denial when it comes to life's pleasures and submission. When it comes to the Lord's precepts, that's what separation is. That's how the Nazarite vow was described in the Old Testament, and that's how we are to live our lives as Christians. We are aliens and strangers. In a foreign land. You know, I think it would be good if none of us ever had a closet, but every one of us lived out of our suitcases. Think about that. Live out of a suitcase.

Why? Because this world is not your home. You're only passing through. But we have these closets and we have all this storage because we really think we're going to be here for a long time. But maybe it'd be better if we just lived out of suitcases because we just never know when Jesus is going to come again. Not that we're going to take anything with us, but it just accentuates. Accentuates how temporary things are around us and how temporary we are here on this pl. J Ry. He was a great bishop in England.

He was a contemporary of Charles H. Spurgeon, written a lot of books. And Spurgeon said that. J. C. Ryle was the greatest preacher in all of England. And J. C. Ryle. Wrote several books. One of them was a book called Holiness, great book. Another one called Practical Religion, which was a companion of the book Holiness. And then he talks about world and our separation from the world. Listen to what he says. He says these words. The subject is one which demands the best attention of all who profess and call themselves Christians.

In every age of the church, separation from the world has always been one of the grand evidences of a work of grace in the heart. Stop right there. What he says is that, how do you know there's been a work of grace in your heart? A work of grace in your heart? What does the book of Titus tell us? That the grace of God teaches us to deny world l. and to deny worldly pleasures. Okay? So he is saying that one of the ways you know you've had a work of grace in your heart is that you are denying those things that the world has to offer.

He says this: He that has been really born of the Spirit and made a new creature in Christ Jesus has always endeavored to come out from the world and live a separate life. They who have only had the name of Christian without the reality have always refused to come out and be separate from the world. The subject, perhaps, is never more important than it is at the present day. Oh, by the way, this is in the late 1800s. He says these words: There is a widely spread desire to make things pleasant in religion, to solve the corners and edges of the cross, and to avoid, as far as possible, self-denial.

On every side, we hear professing Christians declaring loudly that we must not be narrow and exclusive. And that there is no harm in many things which the holiest saints of old thought bad for their souls, that we may go anywhere. And do anything, and spend our time in anything, and read anything, and keep any company, and plunge into anything, and all the while may be very good Christians. This This is the maxim of thousands. In a day like this, I think it's good to raise a warning voice. And invite intention to the teaching of God's word, for it is written in that word, Come out from among them and be ye separate.

He says this in the late 1800s. I wonder what he would say today to the church. He knew how the world was creeping into people's lives. He understood that. That's why the Bible says over in Galatians chapter.

One, verse number four, Christ gave Himself for us that He might deliver us from this present evil world. Over in Ephesians chapter 2, verse number 2, in times past you walked according to this world. That's the way you used to walk, but because of God's grace, but because of the gift of faith, everything has been turned around. How do you know you're ready? You've denounced Satan and his world system. In this book by J. C. Ryle, he goes on and talks about how you know you're separate from the world, and he gives some characteristics.

Among them, he says, First, you must steadily and habitually refuse to be guided by the world standard of right and wrong.

You must refuse to be guided by the world's standard of right and wrong habitually, steadily. And then, this is the second reason he gives to how you know you've been separate from the world.

You've come out from the world. Listen to what he says. He says. You must be very careful how you spend your le time. Now, listen to what he says. This is so convicting. You might want to leave now.

He said, This is a point which at first sight appears to be of little importance. But the longer I live, the more I am persuaded that it deserves most serious attention. Honorable occupation and lawful business are at a safeguard, a great safeguard to the soul, and the time that is spent upon them is comparatively the time of our least danger. The devil finds it hard To get a hearing from a busy man. But when the day's work is over and the time of leisure arrives, then comes the h of temptation. I do not hesitate to warn every man who wants to live a Christian life to be very careful how he spends his evenings.

Evening is a time when we are naturally disposed to unbend after the labors of the day. And evening is a time when the Christian is too often tempted to lay aside his armor and consequently brings trouble on his soul. Then cometh the devil, and with the devil, the world. Evening is a time when the poor man is tempted to go to the public house and fall into sin. Evening is a time when the tradesman, too, often goes to the inn parlor and sits for hours hearing and seeing things which do him no good.

Evening is a time which the higher classes choose for all kinds of world activities and the like, and consequently never get to bed till late at night, if we love our souls. It would not become worldly. Let us mind how we spend our evenings. Tell me how a man spends his evenings, and I can generally tell you what his character is. The true Christian would do well to make it a settled rule never to waste his evenings. Whatever others may do, let him resolve always to make time for quiet, calm thought, for Bible reading and prayer.

The rule will prove a hard one to keep. It may bring on him the charge of being unso and over str. Let him not mind this. Anything of this kind is better than habitual late hours in company Of things, I'm sorry, in company of hurried prayers, sovereignly Bible reading, and bad conscience. Even if he stands alone in his parish or town, let him not depart from this rule. He will find himself in a minority, and be thought of as peculiar. But this is genuine scriptural sep. Think about that. How do you spend your evenings?

What do you do when the work is over? He says that's when the devil comes to tempt you the most. Mr. Ryle says, Tell me how you spend your evening, and I can tell you about your character. What the true man is really like. Have you come out from among the world? Have you denounced the world's system? Have you denounced Satan's rule over your life? That you might live for the glory and honor of God? Remember what we told you in our study of Samson? It was probably about four or five weeks ago now.

We talked to you about the world. And the cares of the world. What happens when it takes a man down? He begins to be caught up in the cares of the world. Jesus would mention that. In the Serm on the Mount, in his last sermon or last part of the Serm in Luke chapter 21, verse number 34, when he says, Be on guard. That your hearts may not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, the cares of this life. The ca of the world. Christ ends with a warning that you be not cons with the cares of the world.

The same phrase is used in Matthew chapter 13. To describe the thorny soil, the thorny soil that jumps on the Jesus bandwagon. But because of the cares of this world and because of the deceitfulness of riches, when temptation comes, That person falls by the wayside. You got to be careful about the cares of the world. Because if you're not, then you will become companioned with the world. James chapter 4, verse number 4, it says, And whoever is a friend of the world is an enemy of God. Listen, the cares of the world.

and everything about the world will lead you to be companioned with the people of the world and if you become companioned with the people of the world you will become Contaminated by the things of the world. That's what James 1:2 says. Pure religion and undefiled before the Father is this. That you visit the widows and orphans in their affliction, and that you keep yourself unstained, unspotted, unblem from the things of the world. Listen, if you are consumed with the cares of the world, You will be companioned with the people of the world.

If you are companioned with the people of the world, you will be contaminated. By the sin of the world. If you are contaminated by the sin of the world, you will be conformed to the ways of the world. That's why Paul says in Romans 12, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. You've got to be careful that you're not shaped into the mold of the world so much so that you look like the people of the world. So if you are consumed with the cares of the world, then you will be companioned with the people of the world.

If you're companioned with the people of the world, you will be contaminated By the sin of the world. If you're contaminated by the sin of the world, you will be conformed to the ways of the world. If you are conformed to the ways of the world, you then will be controlled by the world. That was Demas in James chapter, I'm sorry, 2 Timothy 4, verse number 10. Demas has forsaken me because he has loved this present world. And if you are controlled. By the world, you must examine yourself so that you are not condemned along with the world.

1 Corinthians chapter 11. Verse number 32, Paul says that during the communion time, you examine yourself so that if you judge yourself, then you won't be condemned with those people along with the world because you have dealt with your sin, those who want. To deal with their sin evidence the fact they are truly born again. Those who do not want to deal with their sin evidence the fact that they don't care about the consequences of their sin. That's why Christ said in Matthew 18, you need to be converted from the world.

Unless you become like a little child and be converted, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Folks, this is crucial. So crucial because people like to play on the edge of the world. Maybe you have children in your family. Maybe you know someone in your family who loves to live on the edge. You got to be very, very careful. And you've got to ask yourself, do you love the things of the world more than you love the things of God? Do the things of the world just keep pulling you that way? That you just want to keep going that direction?

That you just get sucked up by the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this world? Be careful. Be careful. Have you denounced Sat and his world's system? So crucial. Are you ready? If you've repented of your sins, how do you know you've repented of your sins? You've embraced Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. How do you know you've embraced Christ as Lord and Savior? You are willing to do everything He says. You have acknowledged Scripture as your authority for life and godliness. Whatever Jesus, the Lord the King, says, I will do.

And what he says, he says, come out from among them and be ye separate. So you denounce the world system. You've taken up your cross, you've denied yourself. You have followed Christ and want to honor Him above all else because that is your preeminent purpose in life: to glorify the name of Christ. Are you ready? If you are, then the last letter. You will yearn for the coming of the king. Amen. I think this one probably is the most important one. Are you yearning for the soon return of the King of Kings?

I think this is the clearest indicator of whether or not you are truly born again or not. You want Jesus to come today. More than anything in the world, you want the bridegroom to take the bride home. You want. If you are unaffected by this, if this makes no difference to you, I would truly sincerely doubt the genuineness of your conversion. I really would. I don't think you can be saved and not have a yearning for the soon return of the king. That's why Christ said, when you pray, you pray this way, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come!

You pray for the kingdom to come because you want the king to arrive. That should be the essence of our prayer time. We want the king to come. We want him to come. We look for his appearing. How do you know you're yearning? Let me give you four points.

Number one, you are conscious of his return. You are conscious of his return. Remember what it says over in Colossians chapter 3: if then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated. at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ and God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in gl. How do you know you're yearning?

You are conscious of his return. You are conscious that he could come at any moment. You live in the light of his coming again. That's why you're yearning for him to come. You're conscious of the fact that he could come at any moment. You set your affection on things above. Listen, the reason, very simply, the reason, and I told you this, I don't know, Bobby. Ten times before, maybe a hundred times. The reason we can't function horizontally is because we're not focused vertically. The reason we can't function horizontally is because we are not focused vertically.

We're not setting our affection on things above. Our affections are down bel. Are you conscious of his return? If you're conscious of his return, you will be confident in his return. That's why 1 Corinthians 16 says, Maranatha, our Lord come. My father used to sign every letter he wrote, Maranatha. Because he was conscious of the coming of the king. He was confident that the king could come at any moment. He lived in the light of that confidence, and that confidence gave him stability. That confidence gave him a ministry.

That confidence gave him joy in that ministry because he knew Jesus could come at any moment. He was conscious of his return. He was confident in his return. And you are comforted by his return. That's why Christ comforted his men in John 14 in the upper room the night before his crucifixion. Let not your heart be troubled. If you believe in God, believe also in me. For in my Father's house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. And I go, and I'm going to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and I will receive you into myself, that where I am, there you may be also. That was the comfort he gave to his men amidst all the turmoil they would face amidst his crucifixion and their persecution. You are comforted by his return. That's why Paul would close in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 to 18, that dissertation about the coming of Christ when he translates the church into heaven. Comfort one another with these words. These are the words that bring comfort to the distressed and the depressed soul that Jesus is coming again.

Are you yearning for his return? If you are, you're conscious of his return. You're confident in his return. You are comforted by his return, and number four, you are compelled because of his return. You are compelled to do two things: to preach the gospel. And to purify your soul. 2 Timothy 4, verses 1 and 2, Paul says, I charge you, I solemnly charge you. In the presence of Christ, and at His appearing, preach the word. There's a compelling aspect to my life. That moves me to tell other people about Jesus because He's coming again.

I got to tell him, He could come in any moment. They got to be ready. Are you ready? On top of that, there is a compelling aspect that causes me to live a life of purity before my God. That is 1 John chapter 3, verse number 3. Whoever has this hope in him purifies himself even as he him is pure. Are you ready? Are you yearning for the coming of the king? Do you want him to be here before the service is over? Do you want him to be here before the marriage? before the baby is born, before the next pay raise, before the next opportunity?

Do you want him before everything else on this planet? Or is there something here you want to see happen more than Jesus coming? Again. Years ago, a man wrote this. He sent it to me. It's called, tw the night before Jesus came. It goes like this. T the night before Jesus came, and all through the house, Not a creature was praying, not one in the house. Their Bibles were laying on the shelf without care, In hopes that Jesus would not come there. The children were dressing to crawl into bed, not once ever kneeling or bowing ahead.

And mom in her rocker, with baby on her lap, was watching the late show while I took a nap. When out of the east there arose such a clatter, I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter. Away to the window I f. Flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. When what to my wondering eyes shall appear, but angels proclaiming that Jesus was here. With the light like the sun sending forth a bright day, I knew in a moment this must be the day. The light of his face made me cover my head It was Jesus returning just like he said.

And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth, I cried when I saw him in spite of myself. In the book of life, which he held in his hand, was written the name of every saved man. He spoke not a word as he searched for my name. When he said, It's not here, my head hung in shame. The people whose names had been written with love He gathered to take to his father above, With those who were ready, he rose without a sound. While all the rest were left standing around, I fell on my knees, but it was too late I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.

I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight, Oh, if only I had been ready tonight. In the words of this poem, the meaning is clear: The coming of Jesus is drawing near. It's only when life and when comes the last call we'll find that the Bible was true after all. Amen. The Bible is true. Jesus is coming. Are you ready? Let's pray. Father, we thank you, Lord, for today. A chance to be in your word once again. And truly, Lord, we ask this question: are we ready? And pray that your Spirit would convict those who are not, that they might come to a place of saving grace.

Pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our soon coming King. Amen.