People Get Ready – Jesus Is Coming!

People get ready, Jesus is coming! That proclamation has been sounded for 2,000 years and it still goes out today. In fact, I’m one of the people proclaiming it. Preachers have called it out from the pulpit, evangelists have cried it out from the street corners, and individuals have told this to countless millions of their acquaintances. That message was even made into a powerful song just a few years ago.

I am currently involved in a lively discussion on Disqus concerning eschatology, which is the study of the biblical ‘last days’ and the end of this age. I never get tired of discussing this subject, simply because I believe we are living in the last days. Our subject was – you guessed it! – the Rapture of the church, and we engaged each other to work out if that was a valid teaching or not.

There have been some effective points made providing ‘proof’ both for and against the teaching of the Rapture.  Sometimes it got a bit intense! Yet, while there has been some disagreement among us, there are two common themes which both sides have agreed on. People get ready, Jesus is coming!

Why Worry About Christ’s Return?

Why is it important to get – and stay – ready for Christ’s return? That’s an important question, and it needs to be answered. The foremost reason is this – Jesus said to be ready because Jesus is coming back;

Matt 24:44

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

That response should be enough for anyone who is serious about serving the Lord, but let’s dig a little deeper and find out why we should be ready.

Jesus taught quite a bit about the ‘last days’ and what would happen on earth. The events He talked about would affect both believers and unbelievers alike, and they would be days of turmoil, death, fear and destruction. People would be tested as they have never been tested before (Mark 13:19). It would literally be ‘hell on earth!’

If it were anyone else predicting the danger of living in those days we might be a little skeptical – but this is Jesus predicting these events. Jesus was not the only one to warn us about what it would be like to live during the last days, the apostles also offered warnings about the things we would face. If it was important enough to mention so many times in Scripture, then we need to pay particular attention! We are cautioned, over and over, to be found by Christ in a state that is worthy of His name.

Those Who Are – And Aren’t  – Ready?

Jesus is coming again and was clear about what will happen when He returns for those who claim to believe in Him. It doesn’t matter what your eschatological bent is, the warning to all believers is the same, get, and stay, ready for His return! When He comes back we need to be found doing the things He has called us to do. If we are faithful to seek Him through praying and searching the Scriptures to find His will for our lives, we are assured of a miraculous event – the transformation of our bodies!

If we get drawn back into the world, distracted by the affairs of life, and give in to the fleshly desires of this age, we run the very real risk of being counted as an unbeliever! Jesus is clear about this;

Matt 24:45-51

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’  49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,  50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,  51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That is a sobering warning, and ought to inspire each and every one of us to examine our lifestyle and walk with Christ. But what does it mean to get ready? How do we know if we are ready or not? Those are, again, some great questions which deserve to be answered. Looking through God’s Word, we see that getting ready, and staying ready, has to do with your personal walk with Christ.

People get ready, Jesus is coming!

This is Part One of a multi-part series. Keep watch for the next installment!