Be Ready - Keep Watch.
This morning I want you to think about something for 30 seconds before
I go on.
PRETEND today is September 11, 2000. God has revealed to you that in
one year, believers of Islam will destroy buildings in New York City and DC.
He also revealed 2 other prior events that will be proof to others of
the prophesy. Now, think! What would you do about the prophecies; who
would you tell; what would you want done? Would we be prepared and
watching? (pause)
I think many people would either try to stop the men before they got on
the planes, or shoot them down. Or at-least advise some course of action.
But, as a child of God, would that really be the right thing to do? Don't
feel so sure!
Now to shift this a bit. What if God gave you the three events, BUT
did not give you any timeframe? Would you change things?
Fallen human nature is such that we tend to respond to things only
after we feel they personally affect us. We also tend to get careless or
lax if we think we have lots of time beforehand.
Thruout the course of human events, God sent prophets to warn of future
destruction: lives, property, kingdoms, even the world. He wanted them to
repent. Noah gave warning: no one listened. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, &
Ezekiel all spoke God's warnings of events to come: few believed and lived
in faith beforehand.
After the events, what then? Most of the prophets were MORE
persecuted; and many were even killed.
YOU know of a greater event looming ahead of us - far beyond 9-11, or a
man on the moon, or anything! God will end the world, as 2 Peter says, and
the elements will melt in the heat. "The heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a rag, and people will die like flies." (Is
51).
God hasn't given just two predictions of the future and been right; He
has given hundreds - and none have been wrong.
The main idea God is trying to get across to us is NOT the event.
Rather, Christ wants you and me to be ready for His certain Return and to
keep watch.
Christ, the Lord of the house calls each one of you to be on duty in
the house of faith, because we do not know when He will Return.
Every Christian has very specific talents, gifts, and abilities; every
person has been placed in a place for a reason. And the reason is to work
in Christ's Kingdom, so more people are saved.
In each generation, some have believed Jesus would Return in their
lifetime - and He will Return! He is the Owner of the House, and the world.
He promises to Return, though, at a very unexpected time.
In a sense, today IS like September 11, 2000 for you. More than a few
buildings will be destroyed. AND not by cowardly fools following a Tom
Clancy novel (Red Storm Rising); rather by the LORD of Hosts removing the
decaying slums to put in a new heavens and a new earth (Is 65:17). God has
a wonderful plan for us!
Fallen human nature asks WHEN will all this happen? Doesn't Jesus
know?
According to His human nature, no - since Jesus was 100% Man. He did
not know when. Only God the Father knows. (Ylvisaker)
The important thing to realize is that God says it will be at HIS RIGHT
time, not at our convenience.
Christ says we need to STAY ready. He could Return today; or next
week; or wait another 2,000 years.
Jesus uses the illustration of a servant or a solider on duty, keeping
watch. Do you grasp what happens to a watchman who falls asleep on duty?
Or do you realize what happens if He Returns and the rest of His household
is not ready? YOU are that household.
How then do you and I be ready and keep watch?
Not by worrying, since salvation is a completed fact because of Christ's
cross. Forgiveness of sins and everlasting life are ours in Him. Even what
time itself should not concern us, since time is also in God's hands.
God's Word tells us HOW to keep watch: many times. One such passage is
today's Epistle from Jude.
Build yourself up in your most holy faith. You can do that by hearing
God's Word daily in devotions & weekly in His house. Staying away from
false teachers: , their half-truths, and outright lies.
Pray in the Holy Spirit. Personal and group prayer based in God's
Word.
It is vital to note the order in the next phrase. It isn't "you keep
loving God" but "keep IN God's love". (Luke 11:28) Don't neglect His love
in your life of faith
Keeping watch means to show God's love to other believers. When their
faith is weak, be compassionate and build them up. When their trust in
Christ wavers, reach out to steady them.
Jude even says to snatch others from the fires of hell when they have
left the Christian faith. Like some sort of cosmic firefighter you can be a
hero who saves a life, an eternal life, by your kind actions and words, as
you confront a person who has left Christian faith.
Keeping watch means to reach out to the world dying around us and going
to hell without Jesus. Alone or in a group (LWML, church) to help
missionaries, support mission projects with prayers & money, you go on a
mission trip or maybe help someone else to go tell about the Cross of
Christ.
Making the most of our time in these dark days (Eph 5:16), building up
the treasure of faith in these jars of clay (2 Cor 4:10) by filling
ourselves and others with God's Word; living as God's loving workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for works of caring faith which God has scheduled
for us.
Imagine a surprise party: working on decorations & food, inviting
guests; & the guest of honor sneaks in 2 hours early! How would you feel?
Or 5 if the guest is hours late? Would you be ready? Would you still be
watching?
In truth, we do NOT know when Christ will Come. Until He does, let us
each prepare: building ourselves and others up in faith. Let us also
eagerly keep watch for Christ the King, and the Fulfillment of history - in
the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Preached in 2006 at St. Peter. The majority of my sermons are preached from
manuscript, and copies are handed out before church. They allow me to be a
little more precise in speaking, they allow for those who can't hear well to
read along, they are given to others in the community and on the net, they
allow me to more easily point out Law and Gospel to the youth in catechism,
and they prevent me from preaching the same thing every three years or using
the same illustrations. They also give a few Pharisaic critics something to
get regularly upset about. :) Lastly, when reading these sermons and
devotions from me, remember the "implied consent for redistribution
_with_attribution_" line and use all you believe will be edifying for the
Kingdom of Grace.
Pastor Michael Harman,
St. Peter LCMS - Newell, IA
vacancies at ...
Immanuel, Pomeroy
First Evangelical, Fonda
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