Luke 21: 34-38 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
“How many chances left?”
When we hear God’s word, He speaks to us about our need of Him, and we start to see that we need forgiveness.
We don’t do anything about it.
We sit and listen again and again, and we don’t come to God.
God gives us many chances..
Maybe we think…
- When I’m older and I’ve enjoyed myself…
- When I understand more about the Bible
- When I have had my life, then I’ll give the rest to God
God waits and waits for us..! The King of everything waits for us!!
God waits and gives us chances after chances to come to Him and seek forgiveness.
How many do you have left?
We know that some day we will die, and that will be the end of our chances to be forgiven. It will be too late for us after death comes.
Maybe we think that day is far away, and we can wait until we want to come, but we might not want to come. We might not want to hear God’s message any more… That would be a very serious state to be in.
That’s why God says come now…
But there is something else that is going to happen..
No one know when it will be, but the Bible tells us about signs that we can see that tell us when this massive event will happen….
JESUS IS COMING BACK to judge the word and to take those who love Him with all their hearts, to heaven forever.
Time will be over. Everything will be destroyed and there will be no more chance for anyone…
In the Bible it says that this event will be like a “thief in the night..” No one knows when a robber will come. The robber comes at night so that it will be a total surprise.. No one will know when he is coming and he will take everything when he comes.
When Jesus comes no one will expect it, and he will put an end to all evil, sin and take all his people away.
How will we know? What are the signs?
There will be frightening events in the sky- with the moon, the stars and planets. It will make people afraid because they will not understand it. God tells us in the Bible, so that we will know and be warned about it.
People will also be frightened about what is going on in the world.
- The weather will be disturbed.
- Wars and conflict will be everywhere.
- There will be great wickedness in society.
- People’s hearts will fail becuase they are so frightened.
At that unknown moment, Jesus will return. The clouds will split in two, and Jesus himself will come back to the earth He left.
When these things take place, there will be two kinds of responses by people.
- There will be people who will be very afraid, because they will know who He is and they will know that all their chances are over. Its too late now. They will know its too late to be forgiven.
- Other people will be so glad to see their Lord and Saviour. All their sufferings will be over and they will know that now they are going home to heaven to be with Jesus forever. It will be the best day of their lives..!
For the others it will be the worst day…
If you are trusting in Jesus, when this day happens, you will be able to stand up, lift up your heads, and know that you are His child and he will take you safely home.
All your troubles ended and only joy and glory agead of you.
Jesus said, “heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will not pass away.”
Some day the heavens and the earth will really pass away, but the promises of the Lord Jesus will never pass away.
Those who trust in Him, are safe, becuase He promises to keep them safe and take them to be with Him.
What should we be doing?
Jesus says, we should not be weighed down by the anxieties of life. We don’t need to worry if we are trusting him to keep us.
We might say to ourselves.. “Well Jesus will keep me safe…” We need to make sure we have actually come to Him and confessed our sins and asked Him to forgive us and make us new.
Its not just a hoping it is true, but we must actually out our trust in Him.
It not about saying a particular prayer of doing any deed or action, but simply putting all our hope in Jesus and no one else and living our lives in faith in Him.
Often people fill their lives up with getting things, giving all our time to activities we like, maybe going out and getting drunk, doing things we know are sinful, and these things cover up what we really need….
The enemy can use these things to keep you away from Jesus. He will tell you is all fake and its just about people trying to spoil you fun..
Jesus says, this day will close on people lives like a trap- suddenly and painfully and there will be no escape.
Its a terrible gamble to make with your soul..!
This event will affect everyone- living and dead, and there will be no exceptions.
Jesus tells us to watch for the signs and pray, so that when that great day comes, we will be able to stand…
Make sure you have put your faith in Jesus.
He is the only way to avoid the destruction at the end.
Lettsom Inn 