OceanSide church of Christ

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THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND JUDGMENT

Separating Fact from Fiction

 

Preparation Needed!!!

Lesson 10

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will come to pass.

1.     Acts 1:11b

 

…This same Jesus which it taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

 

2.     II Peter 3:10a

 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…

 

B.    When He returns, judgment will take place (Matt. 25:31-33).

 

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  and before him shall be gathered all nations:  and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

 

C.    All men need to prepare for this event because all will definitely experience it.

1.     He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).

2.     Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God (Rom. 14:12).

3.     For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (II Cor. 5:10).

4.     He will judge the quick and the dead at his appearing (II Tim. 4:1).

5.     The dead small and great shall stand before God (Rev. 20:11-12).

 

I.               EXHORTATIONS TO PREPARE

 

A.    Prepare

1.     Definition

a.     The word is from Latin origin.  It comes from two words:  pre:  before and parare:  to set, get ready

b.     To make ready beforehand

c.     To put in proper condition or readiness

2.     Not once in the New Testament is the word “prepare” used in reference to the Second Coming and Judgment in the KJV.

 

B.    Other words that exhort us to be ready.

1.     Watch (Matt. 24:42; 25:13; Luke 12:37; Mark 13:35, 37; Rev. 3:3

 

And what I say unto you, I say unto you all, Watch.

 

 

a.     Strong (1127):  to keep awake                       :- be vigilant

b.     Thayer:  to watch, metaphorically give strict attention to, be cautious, active, take heed lest through remission or indolence some destructive calamity overtakes one

2.     Ready (Matt. 24:44; 25:10; Luke 12:40)

 

Be ye therefore ready also:  for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

 

a.     Strong (2092):  adjusted, that is, ready                      :- prepared (See Luke 12:37)

 

And that servant, which knew not his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

 

b.     Thayer:  prepare, ready

3.     Look (Tit 2:13; Heb. 9:28; II Pet. 3:14)

 

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 

a.     Strong (553):  to expect fully

b.     Thayer:  assiduously (constantly, unremittingly) and patiently wait for

 

II.            HOW TO GET READY

 

A.    Put on the proper garments

1.     Two verses

a.     Revelation 16:15

 

Behold, I come as a thief.  Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

 

b.     Luke 12:35-36a

 

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights be burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord…

 

2.     Things we must be wearing:

a.     Christ Jesus (Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27)

b.     The armour of light (Rom. 13:12; Eph. 6:11; I Thess. 5:8)

c.     Fine linen, that is, the righteousness of the saints (Rev. 19:8)

d.     Humility (I Pet. 5:5)

e.     Colossians 3:12-14

 

B.    Be sober (I Thess. 5:8a)

 

But let us, who are of the day, be sober…

 

1.     Strong (3525):  to abstain from wine (be sober), that is, figuratively, be discreet

2.     Thayer:  to be sober, calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect

 

C.    Light should be shining (Luke 12:35-36a)

 

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord…

 

D.    Prayer (Mark 13:33)

 

Take ye heed, watch and pray:  for ye know not when the time is come.

 

E.    Keep yourselves in the love of God (Jude 21)

 

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

 

1.     Paul taught that nothing external to ourselves can remove one from the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39).

2.     However, it is up to each individual to keep himself in the love of God by obeying the commands of God (John 14:21).

 

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:  and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.

 

F.     Be doing (Matt. 24:46; Luke 12:43)

 

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

 

G.    Have sufficient oil

1.     The parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:3-4)

 

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

 

2.     Some things we need to have in sufficiency:

a.     Knowledge (Hos. 4:12; II Pet. 3:18; Luke 12:47-48)

b.     Fruit (John 15:2, 8)

c.     Growth (I Cor. 3:1-4; Heb. 5:12-14; II Pet. 3:18)

 

H.    Living lives of righteousness and holiness

1.     II Peter 3:11, 14; Heb. 12:14

 

Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?...Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, with spot, and blameless.

 

 

 

2.     Luke 12:45-46

 

But and if that servant says in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and be drunken; the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him asunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

 

I.      A forgiving spirit (Matt. 18:28-35, esp. vs. 33, 35)

 

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

 

III.          ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON PREPARATION

 

A.    A little preparation is not enough (Matt. 25:3).

 

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them.

 

B.    Preparedness is not transferable (Matt. 25:8-9).

 

And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you:  but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

 

C.    When preparing, big and little things matter.

1.     Example:  A trip to a gospel meeting

a.     Big things:  my sermons

b.     Little things:  my ties

2.     Matthew 23:23

 

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:  these ye ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

 

D.    Don’t take things you don’t need, or things that will slow you down, or things that will hinder your journey in any way (Heb. 12:1).

 

Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Amos 4:12

 

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel:  and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

 

B.    Sadly, some people are more foolish than the weak little ants among us (Prov. 30:25).

 

The ants are a people not strong, ye they prepare their meat in the summer.

 

C.    Question:  Where are you in the preparation process?

1.     Not packed at all, thinking there is plenty of time

2.     Insufficiently paced for the place you are wanting to go

3.     Fully packed and ready to go!