When Jesus came the first time, the whole world was looking for Him but was not ready for what happened. They were looking for a King with royal robes, but He was humble, meek and mild. He was from Nazareth and the son of a carpenter. He did not have a palace or throne and He owned no property or even a place to lay His head. He lived among the most common of people and was called the friend of sinners and tax collectors. He was despised by religious leaders and government officials. Although He perfectly did what the prophets foretold, He was rejected by the very people He came to help. He did many wonderful works and spoke unspeakable mysteries, but was spit upon and crucified.
We want to be prepared for the coming of the Lord!
All of my life I have heard that Jesus is coming again. This message has been declared with great fervor and passion. People have expected the Lord’s return any moment. Our songs and worship services focused on the Lord’s return. Those messages encouraged believers to keep on keeping on and keep their faith strong. We knew we would reap a great reward if we did not lose heart. Since the day the Lord ascended back to the Father through clouds of glory, believers have been looking for His coming. This is the hope of the church.
Are you prepared for the Lord’s return?
Matthew 16:27 NKJV For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Prepared for the Coming of the Lord!
While instructing His disciples, Jesus spoke with absolute certainty of His returning.
Matthew 24:3 NKJV Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
His disciples wanted to be prepared for the end and for Christ’s returning in power and great glory. Jesus was not hesitant to describe for them what was going to happen. Throughout Mathew 24 and 25, He spoke about the end of the age and His second coming. The Lord wanted those who follow Him to be prepared for what is to come.
The Apostles took up this message to prepare believers for His returning.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 NKJV Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
How can we be prepared for the coming of the Lord?
In the Olivet discourse before the Jews plotted to kill Jesus, the disciples asked Him “What will be the sign of Your coming, and the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3) Jesus spoke of things that would be signs of the end. In Matthew 24:4-26, He spoke of religious deception, political and social turmoil, natural disasters and afflictions, unfaithfulness, and persecution.
Jesus certified the certainty of these things happening by saying: Matthew 24:35 NKJV Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
His words are sobering and insightful for everyone. Jesus’ warnings were not just to be prepared for troubled times, but to be prepared for His coming in power and great glory.
Matthew 24:44 NLT You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
The Lord’s return is certainly going to happen. In the next illustration, Jesus said some will begin saying the master is delaying his coming.
Peter took up this message in 2 Peter 2:3-4. Peter said, “Some will be saying where is the promise of His coming?”
We have heard about this from our fathers and nothing has happened. Then Peter certified the promise.
2 Peter 3:9 NIV84 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
How can you be prepared for the coming of the Lord?
Since the Lord will come in an hour when we do not expect Him, we must be prepared all the time.
In Matthew 24:46, Jesus said, “Blessed is the person, when the master come, he will find so doing.”
Jesus is talking about faithfulness and being genuinely responsible servants of God. He warned that some would go back to living like the world. This warning encourages us to not give up in our efforts to live right before God. We must live in the light of the fact that we are to stand in the presence of God. What an awesome day that will be when we stand before God. It will be a wonderful day when we receive a crown of rejoicing. Whether we are saved or lost, we will stand before God and give account.
How can you be prepared for the coming of the Lord?
To be prepared, Jesus spoke about ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom.
Matthew 25:2-4 NIV84 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
I have found it interesting that those who were not really prepared were also watching and waiting. They had lamps but they did not have oil. They wanted to participate in the celebration, but they neglected their responsibility to come prepared.
We are not told what the oil is in this text. Oil often represents the cleansing, sanctifying and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. We must live full of the Holy Spirit. We must have that fire of God burning on the inside.
How can you be prepared for the coming of the Lord?
Continuing this theme, Jesus spoke of living responsibly with the things we have been given.
Matthew 25:21 NKJV His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
The Lord expects us to live responsibly and faithfully. If we are going to enter into the joys of the Lord, we must faithfully discharge the blessings and responsibilities we have been given.
This is an encouraging word for each of us. You will not be responsible for someone else’s blessings or responsibilities. If you are faithful with what God has given you to do, you will be rewarded. The Lord wants us to be faithful and do right.
How can we be prepared for the coming of the Lord?
Earlier in Matthew 22 when Jesus was talking about the kingdom of heaven, He spoke of a marriage feast.
The king sent out his servants to invite people to come to the feast. Those who were invited were not willing to come. The king said everything has been prepared and all things are ready. You should know that the Father in heaven has made great preparations.
John 14:2-3 NKJV In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus said all kinds of excuses were made for not coming. Ultimately the invitation was for whosoever will come. This is the message of salvation that has been presented to everyone in the world. God has extended an open invitation for everyone to come and take of the waters of life freely. Although anyone may come, God has some expectation.
Matthew 22:11-14 NKJV “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
What is this wedding garment?
Only those who have a wedding garment on are able to come in and enjoy the joys of the Lord. Revelation 7 gives us some clarity about this.
Revelation 7:13-14 NKJV Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Do you understand what He is saying?
When we are washed and made clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are able to come into the joys of heaven. My soul cries out, “Clothe me Lord with your righteousness and goodness.” You do not have to fear being cast out if you are covered and clean by the blood of Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:7 NKJV But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:9 NKJV If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hebrews 10:19-22 tells us, Through the cleansing of the blood of Jesus we can have boldness to enter into the holiest and draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.
I want to be made clean by the blood of Jesus. To assist us in preparation for His coming, the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. The resurrected and glorious Lord appeared to the apostle Paul and gave these instructions for believers. He said, “I received from the Lord that which I delivered to you.”
1 Corinthians 11:26 AMP For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are representing and signifying and proclaiming the fact of the Lord’s death until He comes [again].
1 Corinthians 10:16 ESV The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
When Jesus shared His last passover meal with His disciples, He was telling them that He was going to shed His blood for the cleansing of their sins. Jesus knew that the only way they would be prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven was through His shed blood. Whenever we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and ask Him for forgiveness and cleansing, His blood is sufficient to make us clean. By instituting this meal and celebration, Jesus draws all believers’ attention to realize their dependence on His body, sacrifice and cleansing blood.
1 Corinthians 11:23 NKJV For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
1 Corinthians 11:24 NKJV and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
1 Corinthians 11:25 NKJV In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
