ARE YOU READY FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST?
Are you fulfilling your responsibility as you wait for the return of Jesus Christ? Do you remember the commitment you made at baptism? Baptism is a contract or vow much the same as a marriage commitment.
Over two hundred years ago, 56 men were preparing a document. There were no illusions about what the consequences of their actions would be. It would either be signing a historic document, or it would be their death warrant. John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress, boldly took a pen and signed the “Declaration of Independence.” This was followed by the remaining 55 brave men who shared a dream.
In the 1960's Martin Luther King Jr. also had a dream. His dream was for the quality of life for his people. The men of the Continental Congress also had a dream. They dreamed of a free nation without an oppressive government.
This was the beginning of what became the most powerful nation the world has ever known-the United States of America. Incidentally, the Fourth of July is the only national holiday that is held on the proper date. The remainder of the holidays are postponed to a Monday for the
convenience of longer weekends. Because of this, the true meaning of these days are lost.
These men, as far as the British government was concerned, had committed an act of treason against the Crown. The die was cast and there was no turning back. Had the revolution failed, their punishment would have been death. They made a commitment. It made no difference how long or how hard the course, there was no turning back.
Israel made a similar commitment to God when they crossed the Red Sea. They crossed on dry ground; and when the waters of the Red sea closed behind them, [which was a type of baptism] there was no God approved way of return. Yes, they could have physically returned by going all the way around the upper end of the sea, but there was not a God approved way of return to Egypt since Egypt represented sin.
In all of this, there is a lesson for us who have declared our independence from this world, a world that is now ruled by Satan. We must turn our backs on Satan and his way, and pledge our allegiance to a new ruler, God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son. We are now seeking a new government and a new nation-the Kingdom of God.
When we were baptized, we promised to obey Him, [that is God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son] to serve Him, work for Him, and to make His goals our goals. We promised to do this until His Kingdom comes.
Christ promised He would return. God's people have been waiting for nearly 20 centuries, but the final crisis at the close of this age has not yet happened. Unfortunately, as we're told, some have fallen away: “But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:22). Others have fallen asleep waiting for the resurrection. Understandably, God's people sometimes get weary. Sometimes we get frustrated when we see things that happen in society and even get a little discouraged while waiting for the fulfilling of the promised Kingdom. Jesus foresaw that this could or would happen. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).
Jesus is not playing games with us to see how long we can wait, nor is He procrastinating about His return. The feeling is that He is eager to return, to set up the Kingdom of God, and begin to straighten out this mess man has made. Jesus knows the suffering that continues on this earth. Jesus, like the rest of us, is under the authority of, the Father, and as Jesus said, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32). In other words, the question is not if Jesus is returning, but when: and we are being told no one but the Father knows when! People who are predicting the time of the return of Christ are going against what the Bible is teaching. It is when that the Father has not chosen to reveal. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt. 24:35-36). Yet there are self-proclaimed prophets who say they know as much as the Father. They try to predict the time of the return of Christ.
The delay in the return of Christ is not to tease us, or is not necessarily to try us, or to see how much pressure we can stand. It's just that He is waiting on the Father to tell Him that the time is at hand.
Once that happens there will be no delay, and He will expect His people who are alive at His coming to be ready and waiting. “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over His household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing.
Verily I say unto you, That He shall make him ruler over all His goods” (Matt. 24:44-47). If we are to be faithful servants, we must use this time of waiting to prepare ourselves for service in the Kingdom Of God. We do this by diligently fulfilling what is expected of us today.
There are some that are tired of waiting, “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth His coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards [that is, to let down his standards and abuse his responsibilities, and authority], the master of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 24:48-51).
Jesus warned that no matter how long the wait we must always be ready. Christ caution His people about false alarms and about Satan who would send men posing as ministers of God to try to deceive the very elect. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect, Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matt. 24 :24-27). The apostles, in like manner, told about those who would try to deceive the church into losing interest, and/or giving up, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9). “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not” (2 Peter 2:3).
There is another danger to avoid in our Christian way of life - lethargy. Lethargy is not actually quitting, but it is the temptation to relax spiritually. When we think there is plenty of time, we can be caught unaware much like the foolish virgins of Matthew 25.
The Bible states that Christ's return will occur in a time like that just before the flood, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matt. 24:37-39). In verse 42, we are alerted to watch because we know not the hour of His return!
Considering all of the warnings from the apostles and what Jesus has said about His return, we shouldn't think about how soon or how long it is going to be since that is God's responsibility. It will happen when He is good and ready and not before.
Have you ever watched a whirlpool in a river or tossed a stick into its outer edge? The water rotates as it draws the stick closer to the center. The stick is swirling faster and faster until it is finally sucked under by the stronger current in the center. Events leading to God's intervention in man's affairs are like a giant whirlpool. We can feel the tugs of the current as this society pulls us toward the end. The closer we are to the end - the faster events happen. These events swirl and draw us ever closer to the last desperate plunge when God will rescue humanity from this whirlpool called society. Will we be aware of the strong center current? Or will we be sucked under and swept away?
Once we are truly committed to the establishment of the Kingdom of God, it is our responsibility to prepare ourselves and be ready at all times. There is no good alternative. Remember the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. They put their lives on the line? We must also put our lives on the line, and place our lives into God's hands.
Recall some of the events of those years that became legends: Paul Revere's ride, Washington crossing the Delaware and the decisive battle at Yorktown. Thousands of individuals make up the story of the American Revolution with many individual acts of sacrifice. The colonist put their farms, their fortunes and their lives at stake for their new nation. It must have seemed that independence would never come. Washington's army was exhausted at Valley Forge. I am sure some thought the cause was lost, but there was no turning back. The battles were over, and many did not live to see the victory. They gave their lives for their country. The men that signed the Declaration of Independence became the founding fathers of the greatest nation in history. Their patience and perseverance was rewarded!
Will our patience be rewarded, if we stay the course. We must get ready and stay ready, for we know not the hour that Christ will return! "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they That keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:13).