Be prepared, Be ready and excited for the Return of the Lord
Opening Prayer
We come before you with a heart of gratitude. Thank you for the gift of this new day and the opportunities it brings. Grant us the wisdom to make good choices, the strength to face challenges and a heart that overflows with love and kindness. We pray for your guidance and presence throughout this service. Amen
Could we be living in the end times and not realizing it.
God is warning us to make to be prepared, ready and excited before He returns to us. How would we live knowing that Jesus would be coming tomorrow?
I want to share a story about mother and us. When we where young, my mother would tells us that our dad would be coming home soon. Automatically, we would stop acting up. Warning us to be prepared and ready for our Dad’s arrival.
Everything we do takes preparation.
The common signs of the end times include wars, famine, disease, and moral decay. We are witnessing some of these now.
Wars and rumors of war
Famines, pestilences, and earthquakes
Persecution of Christians
Lawlessness
Religious deception
False prophets
Mark 13:5
Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organization of emerging economies that aims to increase their influence in global politics and economics. Brazil, Russia, India, Iran, China, South Africa. Potential threat against US and other countries.
Preparing our mind
Preparing involves calling upon the Lord, coming to God in relationship, praying, seeking the Lord with all our hearts, sharing God’s word, and by removing any obstacles to receive His presence. It signifies a call to repentance and spiritual preparation to welcome God into one life.
Spiritual preparation is a process of developing a connection to a higher power and becoming aware of one’s value, beliefs, purpose and integrity. It can involves prayer and meditation.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Ready -
Luke 12: 35-40
3.5Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
2 Peter 3:3-4 ( The belief of unbelievers)
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” The timeframe for this was AD 62-64. Written during the reign of Roman Emperor Nero when persecution of Christians was increasing. Today, some people are still doubting that Jesus is coming back.
Excited for the Day of the Lord:
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
John 14:1-4
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Revelation 1:7
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[a]
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”[b]
So shall it be! Amen.
Believers will be spared and protected: Justice will prevail.
Revelation 16:15-21
Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
What does it mean to remain clothed? Delight and rejoice in the Lord clothed with garments of salvation because it is nearer now then when we first believed, righteousness. Put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of God. Behave decently as in the daytime. Clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. It is done is similar to when Jesus was in the cross and stated the last words, “ It is finished”.
Rejecting God brings His judgment, but receiving Jesus’s salvation brings renewed life and escape from the coming judgement.
Jesus will return to earth. Judgment represents accountability to God. This is the purifying hope of every believer. Will you ask God to remind you that His Son is coming back? How will this expectation change our thinking and our choices? Are we prepared, ready and excited?
Bless the congregation:
Numbers 6:24-26
24“‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
Michelle – play the song, And the Angels cried Holy. Theme song
Alter call: if you need to make it right, now is the time to come. Jesus will be coming soon.
We come before you with a heart of gratitude. Thank you for the gift of this new day and the opportunities it brings. Grant us the wisdom to make good choices, the strength to face challenges and a heart that overflows with love and kindness. We pray for your guidance and presence throughout this service. Amen
Could we be living in the end times and not realizing it.
God is warning us to make to be prepared, ready and excited before He returns to us. How would we live knowing that Jesus would be coming tomorrow?
I want to share a story about mother and us. When we where young, my mother would tells us that our dad would be coming home soon. Automatically, we would stop acting up. Warning us to be prepared and ready for our Dad’s arrival.
Everything we do takes preparation.
The common signs of the end times include wars, famine, disease, and moral decay. We are witnessing some of these now.
Wars and rumors of war
Famines, pestilences, and earthquakes
Persecution of Christians
Lawlessness
Religious deception
False prophets
Mark 13:5
Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organization of emerging economies that aims to increase their influence in global politics and economics. Brazil, Russia, India, Iran, China, South Africa. Potential threat against US and other countries.
Preparing our mind
Preparing involves calling upon the Lord, coming to God in relationship, praying, seeking the Lord with all our hearts, sharing God’s word, and by removing any obstacles to receive His presence. It signifies a call to repentance and spiritual preparation to welcome God into one life.
Spiritual preparation is a process of developing a connection to a higher power and becoming aware of one’s value, beliefs, purpose and integrity. It can involves prayer and meditation.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Ready -
Luke 12: 35-40
3.5Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
2 Peter 3:3-4 ( The belief of unbelievers)
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” The timeframe for this was AD 62-64. Written during the reign of Roman Emperor Nero when persecution of Christians was increasing. Today, some people are still doubting that Jesus is coming back.
Excited for the Day of the Lord:
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
John 14:1-4
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Revelation 1:7
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[a]
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”[b]
So shall it be! Amen.
Believers will be spared and protected: Justice will prevail.
Revelation 16:15-21
Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
What does it mean to remain clothed? Delight and rejoice in the Lord clothed with garments of salvation because it is nearer now then when we first believed, righteousness. Put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of God. Behave decently as in the daytime. Clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. It is done is similar to when Jesus was in the cross and stated the last words, “ It is finished”.
Rejecting God brings His judgment, but receiving Jesus’s salvation brings renewed life and escape from the coming judgement.
Jesus will return to earth. Judgment represents accountability to God. This is the purifying hope of every believer. Will you ask God to remind you that His Son is coming back? How will this expectation change our thinking and our choices? Are we prepared, ready and excited?
Bless the congregation:
Numbers 6:24-26
24“‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
Michelle – play the song, And the Angels cried Holy. Theme song
Alter call: if you need to make it right, now is the time to come. Jesus will be coming soon.
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