Stay Awake | Matthew 24:36-44

Scripture

• Matthew 24:36–44

About this sermon

Introduction: One of the sad pieces of evidence of the shallowness of much of modern Christianity has been the belief that we must labor to make the Bible seem relevant to our generation. When you hear that, just know what you are hearing — YOU ARE HEARING UNBELIEF. You are hearing unbelief from someone who claims to be a believer. IT IS THE VERY SAME SPIRIT THAT WOULD CAUSE A PROFESSING BELIEVER TO LOOK TO YOUTUBE FOR LIFE ADVICE WHEN THEY HAVE THE HOLY WORD OF GOD LAYING WITHIN ARM’S LENGTH. The only thing necessary for the Bible to be the most relevant thing you will ever be exposed to, is for it to be true. If the Bible is true, then you have the very words of God — your creator and sustainer — in your hands. If the Bible is true, then you have God’s very words about your origins and about your end and about everything that matters in-between. If the Bible is true, then you have the message of salvation and judgment — where things started, how they went wrong, the remedy that God has supplied, and the responsibility of all humanity for sin and for what we will do with God’s free offer of reconciliation. If the Bible is true, then we have Christ’s very words about His second coming to this world, AND HIS CALL that all believers should remain AWAKE AND WATCHFUL for that day. You don’t make the Bible relevant. If you believe it, you simply RECOGNIZE that it is the greatest material treasure you will ever possess. If you believe it, I could more easily take anything out of your possession than I could take your Bible out of your hands. I mention this today because of the profound subject matter that is before us. JESUS IS CALLING FOR HIS PEOPLE TO STAY AWAKE FOR HIS RETURN. We said it last time. The abiding principle in all this instruction, for all of God’s people, for all of time, is that we are to live our lives in this world ALERT to what God has told us and READY TO OBEY HIS COMMANDS. • THE MYSTERY REGARDING CHRIST’S RETURN (vs.36) Jesus has given the signs of His return. He has made plain that men and women should be able to recognize the SEASON for His return — once they recognize THE SIGNS the season is recognizable. But that doesn’t remove the need for PREPARING ONESELF TO PERSEVERE. What is clear from our Lord’s teaching is that even during that season the people of God could be tempted to unbelief — could be tempted TO LOSE HEART. Even during that season there is a need FOR PERSEVERANCE. ESV Matthew 24:13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. BUT AN EAGER EXPECTATION OF CHRIST’S RETURN IS NECESSARY FOR ALL GOD’S PEOPLE AND FOR ALL TIME. ESV 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That endurance requires HOLDING ON TO WHAT JESUS HAS PROMISED. IT REQUIRES SEEING WHAT GOD HAS TOLD US IS REAL AND TRUE WITH THE EYES OF FAITH. This has always been the way that God’s people persevere. We persevere by God’s words. ESV Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. ESV Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. This is why Jesus gives the promise regarding the GENERAL TIME of His return in the most solemn manner. “Truly I say to you” (vs.34). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (vs.35). “WHEN THE TIME COMES THAT IT SEEMS YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SUSTAIN YOU, ALLOW MY WORDS TO SUSTAIN YOU.” Once the SEASON arrives, why will this ALERTNESS be necessary? It will be necessary because the day and the hour HAS NOT BEEN REVEALED. And there is a great mystery in that. There is something in those words that we marvel at, and that testifies to Christ’s love for us. The mystery is that we have the Son of God telling us about the course of this world, giving us an outline of world events, the certainty of His own return to this earth, and yet not ABLE to give specifics beyond the season. He says that He doesn’t know the day or the hour. How can this be? The answer, of course, has to do with another mystery, and that is the mystery of the incarnation. HERE WE MEET WITH THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS. HERE WE MEET WITH THE HUMILITY THAT WAS NECESSARY FOR OUR RESCUE.