The Bible has 300 references to the return of Christ. In Matthew 24-25, Christ emphasizes the importance of being ready for His return because we don’t know the day or hour. The wise servant watches and waits.
In my experience, pastors preach on the death of Christ the most, the resurrection of Christ less, and the return of Christ the least. We take the Lord’s Supper in our home to constantly remind ourselves that He could come today.
Lisa’s grandmother attended my daughter’s talent show. But she said, “I don’t know if I should be here now. Would I be doing what Jesus wanted me to do if He returns at this moment?” Of course she wanted to see her granddaughter. But she was focused, living her life intensely.
I don’t predict His return, but I look at our society and think, “Will we ever recover, or have we set ourselves on a course that we will never return?” We must have sincere minds and open hearts.
Remember the passage that states, “You who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing on his wings.” Scoffers will come. People will mock-has that mocking affected you? When is the last time you warned someone about the return of Christ?
Remember Jesus said, “If you confess me before men, I’ll confess you before my Father in heaven. But if you do not confess me before men, I will not confess you before my Father in heaven.”
The secular view says religion restricts you. Thomas Huxley, the philosopher that invented the term “agnostic” argued that morality restricts our sexual freedom. He also said that since the beginning of time nothing has changed. That doesn’t hold water. Do I fail to believe in death simply because I’ve never died before?
2 Peter 3:7 says that 1,000 years, from God’s perspective is a day and a day is as 1,000 years. To God, time is relative. It happens to us as well. The older we become, the faster time goes. Time is short. Jesus is returning. We had better be ready.
Taken from “Living for That Moment” sermon by Francis Chan.