Are You Ready?
January 11, 2009
This morning in Sunday School Mike Ferris led a discussion regarding the Second Coming of Christ from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. He pointed out that our focus ought to be on the fact of Christ’s return, not on the timing because no one knows when he will come back. The lesson dovetailed nicely with the sermon on the same topic, the high point of which came when the pastor said, “The world has not yet heard the last from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Christians have long debated the various details surrounding the coming of the Lord. Mike noted that we are none of us are on the Schedule Committee, but all of us are on the Preparation Committee for the Second Coming.
Looking back at my own journey, I haven’t changed my convictions about the Second Coming since I first formed them almost 40 years ago. What has changed is my emphasis. I’m looking for the coming of the Lord. Everything else is just details. Sometimes I remind myself that “he’s coming when he’s coming and he’ll be here when he gets here.” And he’s not going to call me ahead of time and say, “I’m planning on coming back next Tuesday. Will that fit into your prophetic framework?” It just occurred to me that if I did get a call like that from Jesus, I would simply say, “Come back as soon as you can. We’ve been waiting a long time."
While cleaning out my desk two days ago I came across a pin that I thought I had lost. My friend Gary Olson often greeted people by saying, “Jesus is coming. Are you ready?” That pin reminded me of Gary, and thinking of him reminded me that there is nothing more important than being ready for the coming of the Lord.
So let me put it to you very directly. Jesus is coming. Are you ready?