Be Ready, Jesus is Coming – Part 1
Jesus promised that he would come a second time: “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 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. John 14:1-3
“You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” Luke 12:40
Skeptics say that Jesus spoke these words 2000 years ago and it still hasn’t happened. They say each generation since Christ was here the first time has expected him to return but he hasn’t, so get used to it, “He is not going to return”.
The apostle Peter refers to these skeptics in 2nd Peter 3:4 who say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
Such foolish skeptics fail to realize that God spoke the universe into existence by His powerful word and that He has given us a historical lesson of His terror and power of His judgment in Noah’s flood. The present heavens and earth are being reserved, not for a judgment of water, but of fire. Also, with the Lord, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are as a day. His view of time and ours are vastly different! The only reason He has delayed judgment is His great patience as He waits for more people to come to repent and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
In order to “be ready” we must be wearing a robe of righteousness
How do we get ready for Jesus return? We must be dressed properly. Jesus told a story in Matthew 22 about a man who was invited to a wedding feast held by a king. He tried to get in without the proper wedding clothes and he was not allowed to participate. Jesus is using this story to show us that if we want to go to heaven we must be dressed in the right clothes. Jesus is not talking about an expensive dress or suit. He is talking about a spiritual robe of righteousness which is described in Isaiah 61:10. Because of our sin we are naked before God. Trying to do good things to cover our sins is not an acceptable garment to God. “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment”. Isaiah 64:6. Doing good things does not make us righteous. The filthy sins are still there even though they are mixed with good deeds.
God has a robe of righteousness that he is willing to give us when we repent of our sins. The prodigal son in Luke 15 received a robe when he repented of his sins and came back to his father. The father said, “Bring the best robe and put it on him”. The robe of righteousness that God will give us was paid for when Jesus went to the cross to bear our sins. When a person receives Jesus as his Savior he is dressed in this robe and declared righteous by God. “He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Corinthians 5:21 There is no substitute for this robe. Only God can provide it. “For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness”. Isaiah 61:10. If you are not dressed in this robe you are not ready for his return. It is a gift that God will give you when you receive His Son, Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior
Author - John Spence