Preparation for the Coming of the Lord 1 – Be Ready, Watch

[00:00:00] The 17th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke. [00:00:16] The 17th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, from verse 22. [00:00:30] And Jesus said unto the disciples, the days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man, and ye shall not see it. [00:00:44] And they shall say to you, lo, there, lo, here. Go not away, nor follow after them. For as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven, so shall the sun of man be in his day. [00:01:03] But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this generation. [00:01:10] And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the son of man. They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. [00:01:29] Likewise, even as it came to pass in the days of lot, they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But in the day that lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. [00:01:48] After the same manner shall it be in the day that the son of man is revealed. In that day, he that shall be on the housetop and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away, and let him that is in the field likewise not return back. [00:02:07] Remember lot's wife, whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. [00:02:22] I say unto you, in that night there shall be two men on one bed. The one shall be taken and the other shall be left. There shall be two women grinding together. The one shall be taken and the other shall be left. And they answering, say unto him, where, Lord? And he said unto them, where the body is thither. Will the eagles also be gathered together. [00:02:57] I am entitling this evening's study and any others that might develop out of it. Preparation for the coming of the Lord, or what the word of God says about being prepared and ready for the end times and Christ's second coming. [00:03:27] Now, I will not be saying anything about the signs of his coming, hardly anything about whether we shall go before the tribulation, during the tribulation, or at the end of the tribulation, whether there will be a millennium or no millennium, or whether we shall all be taken or only those who are ready. The rest being left to go through, or whether we shall all go through. Those are matters that I am not going to deal with this evening. [00:04:02] It has been a burden to me that in this matter of the second coming of the Lord, there is so much said about these many details. And yet the main thrust of what our Lord said in the light of his coming again is often missed. [00:04:21] And I felt, rightly or wrongly, that it would be good for us as a company to look at some of those things that our Lord specifically, specifically told us to do and to be in the light of his coming. [00:04:38] And whether it is in the year that comes or in the next decade, or whether it is within this generation that lies ahead of us, what we will say this evening may well stand us in good stead. If the Lord will only write it upon our hearts, if we can only receive it and be obedient to it, then I believe the Lord could do much for us. Now I'd like to also ask for your cooperation. It's been a great blessing to me thus far to consider a number of things that our Lord and the apostles have said about being ready for his coming. [00:05:23] I will only be able this evening to take four, if that we may well only take two. And there are a whole number of others, some things utterly specific. [00:05:39] I would like to ask your help and cooperation. There may be, as you look into the word of God over this matter and read the various passages to do with the coming again of the law, both in the old and testament and the new, you may find things that you feel are a practical command from God in the light of the coming again of our Lord. I would be very glad if you would put it down on a piece of paper and let me have it. [00:06:10] Because our aim is not to try to just produce something of our own making, but to really look at the word of God in this matter and to cover, as far as we possibly can, all those aspects of readiness for his coming again. Now, that's all I want to say in the matter of introduction to this tremendous subject. The first matter I want to look at this night is, I believe that we should be ready. [00:06:46] Matthew and chapter 24 and verse 44. Matthew 24 44. Therefore be ye also ready, for in an hour that ye think not the son of man cometh. [00:07:09] Please remember that this 24th and 25th chapter of Matthew was given to four disciples. [00:07:21] It is not to the world, it is to disciples. [00:07:26] And it was in answer to their question, when will these things come to pass? [00:07:34] And what will be the sign of the end of the age and of your coming? [00:07:44] Therefore be ye also ready, for in an hour that ye think not, the son of man comes, that is, to believers when you and I as believers perhaps think not, that's when the son of man comes. [00:08:05] Look also at Matthew chapter 25, verse ten. [00:08:11] And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came. And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut, they that were ready went in with him. Luke, chapter twelve. [00:08:32] Luke, chapter twelve, verse 35 and 36. Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning, and be ye yourselves like unto men, looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him. [00:08:59] And verse 440 be ye also ready, for in an hour that ye think not, the son of man cometh. [00:09:15] And in that same chapter, verse 47 and that servant who knew his lords will and made not ready, nor did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. [00:09:34] But he that knew not and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required. And to whom they commit, much of him, they will ask the more. [00:09:53] Be ready, be prepared. The word is really just that, be prepared, be ready. [00:10:01] Will you note, looking back in Matthew and chapter 25 and those 1st 13 verses of Matthew 25, we have the story of the ten Virgins. The story of the ten Virgins. We also have a story. Either it is the same but Luke's version, or it is a story very much like it in the same context in Luke chapter twelve from verse 35 to 40. Now I want you to notice one or two things about this chapter. Generally speaking, it is interpreted to be a message to unsaved people. [00:10:49] But you will notice that our Lord is speaking to disciples. [00:10:54] And he says in verse 13, verse twelve and 13. But he answered, verily I said, I know you not. Watch, therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. [00:11:09] This was a warning to disciples. [00:11:13] Now I have no doubt that many very good gospel messages can be preached from this story of the ten Virgins. But it seems to me a very simplistic interpretation to believe that this is to do with five who were saved and five who were lost. We have problems, I grant you, if we think they're all saved. But there are certain things which I think we should underline. First of all, will you notice all of them are virgins, not prostitutes. [00:11:53] A world. All. The Lord always speaks of the world as a prostitute, something unclean. All these are virgins. That's the first thing. Secondly, will you notice all are responsible participants in the wedding? [00:12:10] It was a very real and essential element in the jewish wedding to have these virgins who attended to the bridegroom and the bride. They were quite responsible people. [00:12:26] That's the second thing. Will you thirdly know that all had lamps? [00:12:34] All this is in verse one. [00:12:37] Will you also notice they all heard the midnight cry? Verse six, and even more remarkable, verse seven. They all trimmed their lamps. [00:12:51] It is entirely wrong to say that five had no oil, because they say our lamps. This is not in the authorized, but more correctly, literally in the revised version and the later versions. Our lamps are going out. [00:13:09] They wouldn't have trimmed a lamp that had no oil in it. They trimmed their lamps because their lamps were alight and were going out. They all had lamps, they all had oil. [00:13:23] They all trimmed. The wicked having all heard the midnight cry. [00:13:31] But five had no reserves of oil and the other five had. And if you read the story, the five who had no reserves of oil turned to the people who had and said, give us of your oil. In other words, give us of your reserves. [00:13:48] And they said, no, lest our lamps also go out, also go out. Theirs with a light, but go down and buy yourself a reserve. Now I find this far more solemnizing and sobering when you realize that it is all to do with reserves. [00:14:12] Being ready is therefore not merely a matter of being saved. Essential as that is obviously to be saved is the first fundamental in being ready. If a person isn't even born of God, they are totally unprepared for the coming of the Lord. [00:14:36] But it being ready is not just a matter of being saved. We have enough warnings in these passages to make us sit up. Even if we've been truly born of God and are even walking with the Lord, is not only that they must be saved, nor is it to have some understanding, nor is it even to be involved in the interests of God, nor is it even to be filled with the spirit. [00:15:07] Or if you like to put it another way, to have had an experience of the spirit, we must have reserves. [00:15:15] Now it is again and again this matter of reserves that finds us out in the day of crisis. A person may have had a tremendous experience of the Lord Jesus ten years ago, but suddenly a bereavement comes to them and they lose completely their nerve. They go to pieces. [00:15:33] Sometimes you find someone who's walked seemingly marvelously with the Lord, had a real understanding of the way of God, understands the doctrine clearly, understands the purpose of the Lord clearly, and then into their life, into their family life, into their home life, into their personal life, business life, comes an inexplicable problem. And in that moment, they break up. [00:15:55] Now, we all know this. It's no good saying we don't know. We all know it. [00:15:59] I could give you a list as long as my arm of people I know like this who have known the Lord. I wish with all my heart that everybody here was as clear as some of them in their understanding of the objective of the Lord and the way the law wants to get there. But into their lives has come some real problem, and that has brought them to the place of total collapse. They had no reserves. [00:16:23] They were saved, born of God, involved in the interests of God, had an experience of the Holy Spirit. But when it came to the crisis, they had no reserve to fall back upon. [00:16:44] Now we only have to hear what has happened in Russia and Eastern Europe or in behind the bamboo curtain to realize, I am quite sure that our Lord was issuing a very, very solemn warning to us all. Be ready. [00:17:00] Don't just pin your hopes on your conversion, or even on your being involved in the work of God, or even your understanding of the word of God and the purpose of God. Nor even in an experience you have had tremendous, as it may have been, unnecessary of the Holy Spirit. [00:17:25] You must have reserves. You must have spiritual reserves of fullness if you are to go through in the day of crisis. Now, it seems to me that this matter of sufficient reserves is tremendously important. [00:17:47] I want to say something more on this matter, and it is this, that such readiness is not some quick, slipshod, momentarily produced preparation. [00:18:04] There are many believers who seem to think that they can just live in a certain way carelessly, just because they're saved, just because they're involved in the work of God, just because they gather with the people of God, just because they've had an experience of the spirit of God, they feel, well, that's okay. That's okay. [00:18:25] When finally things begin to happen in the heavens, then in that moment, I'll make myself worry. I'll settle the issues that have divided my heart. I'll get those sins dealt with and put right out, confess into the open. I'll do it. But you cannot, dear child of God. [00:18:48] Such reserves means that there has been a certain amount of forethought and foresight. [00:18:58] Now, do I have to say much to us on the matter of forethought and foresight? Don't you think that all human beings are divided into two groups? Those who have forethought and foresight and those who haven't. [00:19:11] So many of us are opportunists. We just drift along, taking whatever happens as it comes. We don't have foresight to see the way that things are going. We do not exercise forethought, and when the real crisis comes, it catches us altogether unprepared. [00:19:37] You must have reserves. [00:19:40] Now our Lord put this in another way, which, in the light of his coming, may have very much to say to us. Indeed, in Luke's gospel, chapter six, verse 46, again, this is so often applied to unsaved people. And why call ye me lord, lord, and do not the things which I say? Every one that cometh unto me, and heareth my words and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who digged and went deep, forethought and foresight, and laid a foundation upon the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream brake against the house and could not shake it because it had been well. But he that heareth and doeth not heareth but doeth not is like a man that built a house. The man still builds a house upon the earth without a foundation against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in. And the ruin of that house was great. Now I do believe that in the days of the end time, whether we shall all be raptured before the tribulation or not, in the days of the end time, there will be enough earth shattering things to bring many, many a believer's faith to naught. [00:21:09] There will be many who will be disillusioned, many who will lose their faith, many who will sink into unbelief, many who will be worn out by the things that are going on around them. The whole atmosphere of evil, the whole atmosphere of oppression, the whole atmosphere, as it were, of evil. [00:21:34] Therefore, in that day it will be found out who had the foresight and the forethought to dig deep and lay the foundation upon the rock. Dear child of God, you can't do that overnight. You can't suddenly see the gathering black storms and say, now, now, quick. I must dig deep. I must dig deep. I must build my house upon the foundation, the foundation upon the rock. [00:22:01] That's what I mean about foresight and forethought. Many believers seem to think that once they see the gathering black clouds, they'll be able furiously to start digging, get the foundation laid on. It will be too late. [00:22:15] Five foolish virgins too late. [00:22:26] They found they had no reserves. [00:22:31] So it can be with you and with me. [00:22:37] He that heareth my words and doeth it, do not think that a single person will stand but by the grace of God. [00:22:50] The history of the church in the last 30 40 years is strewn with servants of the Lord in China and in eastern Europe and Russia who collapsed when the great trial came. [00:23:05] Men who people thought would not collapse collapsed. And some who people thought would collapse stood the test. [00:23:15] Don't think anybody here, from the elders to the most newly born child of God in this company, will automatically be preserved. [00:23:29] It is a matter of spiritual reserve. Now our Lord said not once, but again and again, be ready, be ready, be ready. It's not enough to be involved. It is not enough to have had an experience of those. Be ready. Make sure that you have those reserves. [00:23:53] Now you ask me straight away, well, how such reserves, spiritual reserves, are all bound up with the practical ministry of the Holy Spirit. [00:24:07] You can talk till you're blue in the face about doctrine and about spiritual theory and about ideals from the word of God. [00:24:17] You can preach them. [00:24:19] But unless the Holy Spirit is practically in charge of your education, your enlightenment and your experience, you will not have a capacity produced for reserve. [00:24:34] Only the Holy Spirit can do that. Now let me say this again. [00:24:38] Whatever our view of the person and the work of the Holy Spirit, whether we think there is a second experience, a second blessing or not, whether we believe in a distinct experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit or not, the fact remains that the end times will require every believer to know both his indwelling and his empowering to the full if they're to come through. [00:25:14] Make no mistake about no amount of human churchillian grit will get you through those last days of darkness such as this world has never seen. And I'm not talking just of the final tribulation, but of the pressure that will come before that. Unless you and I know the indwelling and empowering of the Holy Spirit to the full. [00:25:40] Oil is always a symbol of the Holy Spirit. [00:25:46] What I have just said about an experience of the Holy Spirit, what I'm trying to get at is people who think that by an initial experience of the power of the Holy Spirit, or the fullness of the Holy Spirit, or however you like to put it, they are now safe. [00:26:04] It is not so, not unless the Holy Spirit is really able now to educate you and train you and discipline you in order to produce a capacity in you which is deep, to give you roots that go right down into Christ to give you foundations laid upon the rock. Someone says, isn't the most important thing in those the end times to hear what the Spirit says to the church? Exactly. But only those who know the practical ministry of the Holy Spirit can hear what the Spirit says. [00:26:45] To the rest, it's either make believe or it is just a matter of somehow conjuring things up. [00:26:56] Only the Holy Spirit can give us an ear to hear. Pierce that ear, enable us to hear. Only the Holy Spirit can give us the ability to obey, the power to obey whatever the cost. [00:27:14] We have to note very carefully in the Old Testament certain things that all come back to this matter of being ready. [00:27:22] You take Joel's prophecy in the Old Testament, three little chapters, that's all, three chapters that constitute one of the greatest ministries of the Old Testament, the ministry of the Prophet. [00:27:42] On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up and said, by the Holy Spirit. This is that which was spoken of by Joel. [00:27:54] Now the interesting thing is this, that if you look carefully in Joel chapter two from verse 28 to 32, there you have the words which Peter said were fulfilled or began to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. But if you go on to the third chapter of Joel, you find that you are immediately in the last great battles of human history. [00:28:23] And when you carefully look at the words of Joel's prophecy as spoken by Peter through the holy Spirit in acts chapter two, you begin to realize that it has not been exhaustively fulfilled. Listen, and it shall be. In the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. Yea, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days will I pour forth of my spirit, and they shall prophesy, and I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath blood and fire and vapour of smoke, the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the day of the Lord come, that great and notable day. And it shall be that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. It seems to me quite clear that that is speaking of the final day of the Lord. Luke and Matthew both speak of great signs in sun and moon and in the stars, when the heavens shall be shaken, literally shaken. [00:29:41] Now that's the very last phase. But isn't it interesting that we have a prophecy of Joel that began to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost and which has characterized the whole history of the church of God? Every time there's been a movement forward, it has been a mini Pentecost. What do I mean mean that by the Holy Spirit, men and women saved by the grace of God have been joined to their living head. [00:30:07] They have done the will of the head on earth. [00:30:14] We are to look for something in the last days that will be the final fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. Oh, when you read that third chapter of Joel, how exciting. Then it becomes awesome. Horrific in some things, but wonderful in others. [00:30:34] Dear child of God, you and I will never stand in those last days unless the Lord really comes upon us and helps us in this manner. If you and I are afraid of the Holy Spirit, may he help us in the days that lie ahead. [00:30:54] I don't care what anybody says about the work of the Holy Spirit, that it should be this or it should be that. You should have this or you should have that. My point is simply this, that whether they're all totally wrong in believing that you should have a second experience or not for the last days, we all need a very full experience of the Holy Spirit. [00:31:17] And if we do not have that, we shall not go through with love and faith. [00:31:25] Our love will wax cold and our faith will turn to cynicism. [00:31:32] Only the Holy Spirit can do this. Is it not interesting, therefore, that in Zechariah chapter four, when we are told from another angle of the last final phase, when that top stone shall be brought forth with shouts of grace, grace unto it, when the mountain that stood before the builder shall become a plain, it is said not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. [00:32:07] So we know that though the cry will be not power, power unto it, nor glory glory unto it, but grace, grace unto it, the final phase of the purpose of God will be completed, will be fulfilled by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. [00:32:27] Therefore, dear child of God, you cannot be ready apart from the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Years ago I heard Mister sparks say that the last phase of the church of the age will be a renewal of our understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. [00:33:01] The Lord knows exactly what he is doing. [00:33:06] He is refocusing our attention upon the person and work of the Holy Spirit in order that you and I might be made ready, might be prepared in practical terms for what lies ahead. [00:33:25] Therefore, be very careful of people who tell you next year the Lord will come on such and such a day, at such and such a point of time, the Lord will come. Be very careful. For even when we know the indwelling and empowering of the Holy Spirit to the we shall not know the day nor the hour, but our Lord said to those four disciples, in an hour that you think not the son of man comes. [00:33:56] Let every one of us take note. [00:34:03] Now there is a second thing I want to underline in this matter of being prepared, and it is watch carefully. [00:34:15] Watch carefully. Take your bible again. [00:34:20] Lets look at a few more verses. Matthew 25 verse 13. [00:34:30] Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. You would have thought that perhaps those who watched carefully would at least know the day, if not the hour. [00:34:45] But even with the most careful watching, you will not be told the day or the hour or the month or the year. [00:34:57] That's why you need to watch. [00:35:00] That brings us immediately to what watching really means, doesn't it think? [00:35:06] It doesnt mean watch, and you will be clear that the Lord is coming next month. [00:35:12] But watch lest you be deceived, lest you be led astray, lest you be stumbled. Well, come to it in a moment. Now look at a few more scriptures, chapter 24, verse 42. [00:35:26] Watch therefore, for ye know not on what day your lord cometh. [00:35:34] Or again, Luke, chapter 21. [00:35:38] Luke 21 34 36 but take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come on you suddenly as a snare. So shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season, making supplication that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the son of man. [00:36:14] Then if you will, look at mark at the gospel according to Mark, chapter 13, verse 33 to 37 take ye heed, watch, and pray, for ye know not when the time is. It is as when a man sojourning in another country, having left his house and given authority to his servants. To each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch. Watch therefore, for ye know not when the Lord of the house cometh, whether at even or at midnight, or at cock crowing or in the morning, lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. [00:36:55] And what I say unto you, what I say unto you, I say unto all, watch. [00:37:06] And then one Thessalonians, chapter five. [00:37:11] One Thessalonians, chapter five, verse six. [00:37:17] So then let us not sleep as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. [00:37:28] Let us watch and be sober. [00:37:31] What does it mean to watch? It means to keep alert and awake, literally, to keep awake spiritually, to keep alert and awake at every season. [00:37:53] Out of such watchfulness comes real prayer. [00:38:01] So much prayer is routine. [00:38:04] Falling aback upon others information or upon the pattern that we normally pray, those who watch you will notice are always those who initiate prayer. [00:38:20] They are the people who are alive, alert, awake. [00:38:28] And because of that, a burden can come into their heart of prayer. [00:38:37] This matter of keeping awake is tremendous, don't you think? [00:38:41] I don't know what you all feel about it, but you see, the interesting thing is that in Luke, it says it's a very high standard, watch ye at every season. [00:38:49] I mean, you would have thought the Lord would have given us a little let up now and again and said, okay, okay, sleep, you know, one third asleep, two thirds awake. [00:38:59] But he doesn't. He even says, did you notice in all the times he might come? He specifically says, they're all night watches, lest coming he find you asleep. It's as if the Lord said, no sleep spiritually, no sleep 24 hours awake, otherwise trouble. Now, what is sleep? I mean, sleep means that you just grow drowsy. [00:39:28] And however much you try to keep open your eyes, as you may well be trying to do now, however much you fight to keep open your eyes, you just can't do it. And have you noticed something? You no longer take anything in. [00:39:43] You know, it all becomes a drone. [00:39:47] And that's exactly what can happen with the Lord. With our listening to the Lord, to the word of God, to the things that are happening around us. It just becomes a drone. [00:39:58] And slowly we sleep, keep awake, keep alert at every season, because it is those who keep awake that will escape the things that are coming upon the face of the earth and stand before the son of man? Whatever that means, we'll come to it in a moment. [00:40:23] What does it mean? [00:40:26] Does it mean that some believers will not escape the things that are coming upon the face of the earth? [00:40:32] Won't we all who are born of God stand before the son of man? [00:40:36] Why does the Lord specifically tell us, watch ye at every season, making supplication that ye may prevail? Prevail to escape the things that are coming upon the face of the earth and stand before the son of man. What does it mean? [00:40:59] One thing we can say immediately, and that is keeping awake and alert is linked with endurance and coming through. [00:41:11] It is also linked with real prayer. In other words, when these days begin to come to pass, if we have not already entered into them, routine prayer will be no good. Of course, we must have the normal kind of prayer. But what I mean is this, that unless we are alive, we shall never be praying about the kind of things that could take us all by surprise and undo us only if we are alive and awake watchmen on the walls of Zion, will we see the kind of things that are developing and start already beforehand to pray? Lord, prepare us, Lord, what shall we do? How and what those of you with young families, those of you with other problems, perhaps these are the kind of things you can't suddenly wake up in a moment of time and know what you're going to do. [00:42:16] Unless there have been people who've watched instead of sleeping, who've been awake instead of being in a stupor when it happens, how can we all suddenly get together and say, now let's pray, let's pray. What should we do? [00:42:31] We may not even be able to get together. [00:42:37] That's the kind of thing that in the years that lie ahead, we need to be alive to long before it happens. [00:42:48] And there's another thing. There are many things that will take us by surprise. But when the Lord knows there's a company of people who've been as live as it is possible, as it is possible to be alive awaits. As it is possible to be awake, I believe the Lord will undertake for the emergencies. He will say a special grace, even if it is a whole detachment of angels. He'll send them along saying, now you just see that those folks are guarded. [00:43:16] They kept alive through the years before they prayed and prayed. Now things are taking them by surprise. [00:43:23] Guard them now this comes to another thing about watchfulness, watching carefully. And it is this word, take heed to yourself and your heart. Luke 21 and verse 24. This is part of being, watching carefully. Take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come on you suddenly as a snare, for so it shall come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. [00:44:00] Now if you look at Marks Gospel and chapter 13, he also uses this word, take heed in a way that Matthew and John do not listen. Mark 13 nine. He says, but take ye heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to councils, and in synagogues shall ye be beaten before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake for a testimony unto them. And the gospel must first be preached unto all the nations. Take ye heed unto yourselves. Then again, same chapter, verse 23. But take ye heed. Behold, I have told you all things beforehand. Again, verse 33. Take ye heed. Watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is take ye heed. What does it mean? [00:44:59] It means just take care of your heart. [00:45:08] Don't think that because you are saved, because you are part of a company such as this, you are automatically ready and will automatically be preserved. Take heed to yourself that your heart be not overcharged. [00:45:32] Listen to how it's put in the new american standard Bible, Luke 21 34. Be on guard that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life. And that day come on you suddenly like a trap. [00:45:52] For it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place and to stand before the son of man. [00:46:05] All right, listen to this. In Phillips 21. This is how he puts it. 34. Watch out. [00:46:16] Don't let my sudden coming catch you unawares. [00:46:20] Don't let me find you living in careless ease, carousing and drinking, and occupied with the problems of this life like all the rest of the world. Keep a constant watch and pray that if possible, you may arrive in my presence without having to experience these horrors. [00:46:38] Listen to Phillips. This is how he puts it. Be on your guard. See to it that your minds are never clouded by dissipation or drunkenness or the worries of this life. Or else that day may catch you like the springing of a trap. For it will come upon every inhabitant of the whole earth. You must be vigilant at all times, praying that you may be strong enough to come safely through all that is going to happen. And stand in the presence of the son of man. [00:47:09] Now, it is an amazing thing to me. I say this to my own heart, let alone to yours. That you know, we do not think about words of scripture in the way that we ought to. The old version puts it like, take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with and drunkenness and cares of this life. And that they come on you suddenly is a snare. [00:47:37] Now, in this whole wide world, snares don't come on you suddenly. [00:47:43] You come into them suddenly. You ever thought. [00:47:47] Have you ever heard of a snare coming round and catching you suddenly? [00:47:55] You've never heard of such a thing, have you? [00:47:58] What is it really? It's a spring trap. A spring trap. [00:48:05] You're just walking along and suddenly your corp. [00:48:11] The thing is clamped down on your core. No escape. [00:48:17] Our Lord says, be careful. Be careful. My coming. And this will just be like a spring trap suddenly. [00:48:27] And that's how the rest of the world's going to be caught. But you mustn't be. [00:48:36] Now, what are the things that will help us to be caught like the rest of the world? Here they are, sir. He says that your hearts take heed to yourselves, that your hearts be not overcharged, overcharged. The revised down version says, way down. [00:48:58] The new american standard Bible says, weighted down, overcharged, overloaded, so that you're absolutely weighted down. [00:49:10] How many here, I wonder, are already weighted down. [00:49:15] You just come into a meeting just feeling as if the whole world is on your shoulders. [00:49:22] Everything's now, this is exactly what it's talking about. And this is what it speaks of. Three things. Surfeiting, drunkenness, and the cares of this life. [00:49:35] Surfeiting. [00:49:37] What is surfeiting? [00:49:40] I wonder? How many know what it is to nothing to do with surfing. Surfeiting. [00:49:49] What is surfeiting? [00:49:51] You will notice that most of the modern versions use the word dissipation. [00:49:56] Do you know what dissipation is? [00:49:59] Dissipation is just constant word to throw away. Throw away, dispersed, disintegrate, squander. [00:50:12] You have talents, you have energies, you have a saved life, and you squandered it, dissipated it. [00:50:24] So listen, there are thousands of christians who are dissipating their redeemed lives. [00:50:33] It's as much as the Lord can do to keep them alive spiritually, because all the time we're dissipating, dissipating the Holy Spirit's energies, dissipating the grace of God. [00:50:46] We're just squandering it because we're not careful. [00:50:52] Drunkenness. [00:50:54] Now, I doubt whether there are too many believers that would come into this category of drunkenness, but what is drunkenness? [00:51:05] Why do people get drunk? [00:51:10] It is a form of escapism, isn't it? [00:51:16] You drown your sorrows in dream. [00:51:21] You refuse to face realities by simply swallowing alcohol. [00:51:31] Now, there are many christians who have signed the temperance pledge who are as guilty of drunkenness as I see it, as the actual thing. Because many of us are refusing to face up to the realities of our own life. We're refusing to face up to the realities of our own temperament, of our own background. We will not allow the Lord to deal with them. We're in a kind of stupor, because we are in a form of escape, as always. Running away, running away, running away, my dear friend, when that day springs upon us, upon the whole world like a trap, in that day, people who have not faced up to the realities of their own nature and background and temper, and have never allowed the Lord to deal with, will be found out much better to dig deeper and to allow God to deal with us now, if there are problems in our natures, if there are problems that we have inherited, if there are problems somehow or other in life which we're running away from, let's face them now. Let the holy spirit do the work now and cares of this life. [00:52:45] I like the way Phillips puts it. I think it's Phillips worries of this life. He puts it, the living Bible puts it like this. [00:53:00] Occupied with the problems of this life. [00:53:04] Now, I don't want you to put your hand up, but I wonder how many this evening are occupied with the problems of this life. [00:53:12] It's a terribly hard word, it is, really, because I had no doubt that if we could all be honest with one another, and every time we have a gathering, we would say, hands up everybody who's occupied with the problems of this life, an enormous number of hands would go up. Someone's got a family problem. Someone's got a business problem. Someone's got a problem with the boss. Someone's got a problem with an employee. Someone's got a problem with their husband. Someone's got a problem with their wife. Someone's got a problem with the children. Someone's got a problem with their parents. But I mean, it's all kind. Maybe it's an aunt, a grandma, I don't know. Problems, problems, problems. We're occupied with problems. [00:53:52] Isn't it right that we should face these problems? Yes, but it is a very interesting thing that we can be so taken up with the cares of this life that that day, coming like a spring track suddenly upon the whole earth, could take us by supply. [00:54:21] I think that binds us all out. [00:54:24] Dissipation, drunkenness, problems of this life. [00:54:34] Unless we watch carefully, we will find that one or other of these things, dissipation, escapism, or the cares of this life will ensure that we are caught out by that day. [00:54:53] Now will you please notice one Thessalonians? Because the word of God confirms itself by another word. [00:55:02] And in one Thessalonians and chapter five and verse six, we read. And, sorry, not verse six. [00:55:21] Is it verse six? Let me just see. No. So then let us not sleep as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. Now will you notice verse four and five. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. [00:55:39] For ye are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness. Now, what I want you to notice, there is the word overtake you. [00:55:58] Do you mean to tell me that the Lord's coming could overtake some believers? [00:56:05] We are so taken up with things that it overtakes us. Something we have long believed, something we have long expected, we've sung about, we've prayed about. In the end, it overtakes us, and it's the same thing again. Sleep or drunkenness is the call, he says, for those that sleep, sleep in the night, and those that are drunk are drunken in the night. Same thing again. [00:56:38] Isn't it interesting? [00:56:41] Stupor, drowsiness, lethargy, apathy or escapism. [00:56:58] Sometimes our being well acquainted with the truth of his second coming can cause us to be asleep. As to the practical steps or consequences, I know many, many evangelicals who are so schooled in the doctrine of the second coming of Christ that they automatically think that they are prepared now for such. When these things begin finally to happen, it will come as a terrible shock. [00:57:30] Now you say, but how? Because we've been brought up to believe the kudos, yes, but in some strange way, because we believe the Lord is coming again and that things will get worse and worse. Somehow we think that we're prepared when in some strange way there is not a practical thing we've done. [00:57:54] Now, I think in this matter we need to pray above all for wisdom and understanding. Watch ye at every season, keep alert at every season, all seasons making supplication that ye may prevail. To escape those things coming upon the face of the earth, we must pray for wisdom and understanding. Have you ever noticed these little words? Listen to them. Revelation, chapter 13, verse eight. [00:58:39] Sorry. Verse 18. [00:58:41] Revelation 1318. Here is wisdom. [00:58:48] He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. [00:59:01] Now there are some incredible things that have been done with this mystic figure, 666. [00:59:14] But the word says, here is wisdom. [00:59:18] Let him that has understanding. [00:59:26] It says it two or three times. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. [00:59:33] Or again, revelation 17, nine. Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. [00:59:48] Now, don't just sort of say, well, of course I'm not one of the elite. [00:59:56] I mean, if I was an apostle Paul or Peter or a Martin Luther or a Wesley or a watchman knee, of course I'd have wisdom. This isn't true. The word of God says quite clearly, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally to all men and upbraideth not. And it shall be given him if he ask, in faith, nothing wavering. [01:00:23] In other words, wisdom is given to the man that fears the Lord. [01:00:33] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. [01:00:37] If you fear the Lord enough to know what you are in yourself and your own stupidity and dimness, and you begin to seek the Lord humbly for wisdom, he will give it. He won't upbraid. He won't say to you, oh, you. [01:00:55] You think I'm going to give you wisdom? What about the stupidity last week and that the week before and this? He won't upbraid you. [01:01:06] The Lord knows how dim you are. [01:01:11] He will not bother to upbraid you in that way. [01:01:14] He will give liberally, if you will only ask. [01:01:19] Now, in the days that lie ahead, those that have wisdom and those that do not will be clearly seen. [01:01:37] And it will be wisdom that will preserve many a saint and a family from catastrophe, following wrong lines, getting involved in things that appear to be messianic but are not knowing what to do and when to do it. [01:02:06] Oh, may the Lord help us in this matter. [01:02:10] In Ephesians chapter five, we have another little word, which, whilst it may not be primarily to do with the last, actually, Peter, I think, could do with that. Door open. [01:02:22] Thank you. [01:02:24] Ephesians 515. [01:02:28] Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [01:02:39] Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is? And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the spirit. [01:02:53] Now, isn't that interesting? Because the days are evil, we must redeem them, not because the days are good, but because the days are evil. We must redeem them, because there is something within the days that is against the things of God, against the interests of God. We are here to see that every minute of that day has value in it. For the interests of God and of his kingdom, be not foolish or unwise, but wise, redeeming the time and understand what the will of the Lord is. Oh, we do need to cry to the Lord for wisdom and understanding. I believe that those that keep alive and awake will be the first people to ask the Lord for wisdom and understanding. Just because they keep alive, just because they take heed to themselves and to their hearts, they will want to have wisdom from the Lord and understanding. Daniel puts it in his prophecy. Daniel and chapter twelve and verse ten, like many, shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined. But the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but they that are wise shall understand what a word they did are wise. I can't feel that everybody who has written a book on the book of Daniel can come into the category of those that are wise, but those that are wise will really understand what that book's about. [01:04:38] And remember, it's sealed till the time of the end. In other words, the full import and intent of the message of Daniel is to be for those in the last days. [01:04:55] Well, we need to pray then, for that. Then those who watch and pray will be alive to any practical steps which ought to be taken at any given time. [01:05:06] Now, I'm not going to go into those practical steps, but I believe that there will be times whether we're right at the very beginning of the end time, whether we're into it quite a way. Whatever phase it is, there will be times when practical steps will have to be taken when we are alive and awake and making supplication to the Lord. I believe that the Lord will give wisdom and understanding as to any practical steps that ought to be taken. [01:05:40] Mark carefully. [01:05:42] Luke 21 36. Ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass and stand before the son of man. I find that a most interesting phrase. I've already mentioned it. What does it mean? Since every born again believer is going to stand before the son of man, what does it mean? Now some will say that this is to do with the partial rapture, that those who watch at every season making supplication will be raptured because they are ready taken to be with the Lord to stand before the son of man. Well, that may well be true. [01:06:20] May well be true. [01:06:24] I wonder also whether it could be that those who watch carefully may well find that they are preserved. [01:06:40] I wish I could stop now. That time's gone to tell you stories of so many, for instance, of the jewish friends one has in Israel, particularly, who escaped from the Holocaust. [01:06:55] I am always interested to speak with any german jew or jewess. [01:07:01] How did you escape? [01:07:07] Or polish. [01:07:10] How did you escape? [01:07:12] Again and again and again you hear the same thing. [01:07:16] My parents. [01:07:19] They felt in their hearts something was coming, and they just got out. [01:07:27] All the stories you hear. [01:07:30] Sometimes I remember I'll tell the story a little more fully another time of one family. He is now the chief accident officer for Avis in Israel. [01:07:41] And he said, when I came out of school one day, my mother was standing there with a little small bag, and she said, now don't ask any questions or anything else. He was only 13 don't ask any questions, don't make any fuss. We're going on a long journey. She took him to the railway station, the main railway station in Berlin. And then they met some of the other members of the family. They never said anything to each other. They just all got into carriage, all just carrying just. Only handbags and just a small little bag, nothing else. And they got on the Orient Express and went to Istanbul. [01:08:16] From there, of course, they went to Palestine and they managed to get in under the british mandate. [01:08:24] Now, the interesting thing is this, that they escaped because they left every single thing they possessed, just as it was when they got up that morning. They didn't go back and take a single thing. [01:08:43] Years later, his aunt, who was with them, she had extensive property in Berlin and she had a british passport. And she now with a british passport, decided to go back in 1936 to Berlin and put all her matters in the hands of a lawyer. [01:09:01] And she was never heard of again. [01:09:04] She died in a concentration camp. Remember, lot's wife, when those days really come, you see, we're going to have to face up to these practical steps. Sometimes will have to be taken. I should imagine most of you who stored food a year or two ago are very thankful. At least it cushions you against inflation. [01:09:30] I mean, there was something to do with one good thing that came out of it, nothing else. [01:09:36] There may be other things like that. I think that there are times when the Lord will say something to us and then we just have to be obedient, not to be stupid, not to be foolish, do it in fellowship as far as we are able to, because there may come a time when we will not be able see. People turn their nose up at our group meeting, but there may well come a day waiting one lightning movement. We're no longer allowed to meet centrally, but we will be able to meet in homes. [01:10:06] Those who've turned their noses up will then be found out because we've got to learn to have the kind of Christianity that can go into caves, can go into a shed, can go into some little hole, have a time of fellowship and stay alive. How else do you think the church has survived in China? There hasn't been an official gathering of believers for years and years and years in China. They just had to be in twos, threes, fours, in a home here, in a home there and somewhere else, sometimes in a field, down in a ditch. [01:10:42] Now, you see, all this comes, in my estimation, as a matter of really prevailing to escape all these things that shall come upon the face of the earth watch at every season. No letting up. Making supplication. [01:10:59] Now, there is another matter here that I just want to touch on two others, and I will close this evening just on these. [01:11:08] On these two. [01:11:12] I mean, this is all part to do with watching. So we shall only have dealt with these two tonight. [01:11:18] Keep in touch with political developments, whether it is by radio or television or newspaper. Personally, I have no time for christians who never listen to the news and never read a newspaper. I think it's plain stupidity, people tell me in a sort of very specific spiritual man, or because I. I never read the newspaper at is any point so. So depressing? [01:11:50] Well, I wonder what's wrong with such folks. [01:11:54] They remind me of people who don't read certain parts of the Bible because they find them depressing. [01:12:02] It's a question of how you read your newspaper. If you read your newspaper instead of your Bible, then I understand. [01:12:11] But, you know, I think it's incredible when people are not abreast of news. [01:12:18] I don't mean to understand everything, because not every one of us is built that way, but at least we can understand some things. [01:12:24] Otherwise, we're suddenly caught out, things start to develop. We don't know what's happening. It all catches us all swims around us and overwhelms us. [01:12:36] We do need to keep in touch with political developments. Don't be foolish over these matters, but just to keep abreast, to keep alive. Now, sometimes we may not understand it, but others may, and they can let us know. [01:12:54] I remember a company I once went to in the states. I think I've told you this before, some years ago, just after the assassination of Robert Kennedy, John Kennedy. [01:13:10] And they said to me with great pride, do you know, we didn't even know about it till three days afterwards. [01:13:18] Now, the whole world knew about JF Kennedy's assassination, but these bees were terribly proud of the fact. No television, no radio, no newspaper. We didn't know anything. [01:13:30] We are so separated. [01:13:36] Well, I don't call that a thing to be commended. [01:13:40] To me, it's a form of escapism. [01:13:42] It's not facing up to realities. We are in this world. We're not of it, but we're in it. [01:13:48] We are meant to keep abreast. We're meant to keep in touch. We're supposed to be the salt of the earth. We're supposed to be the city set on a hill. [01:14:00] And you can't very well watch at every season making supplications that you may prevail to escape all these things coming upon the face of the earth and not know what's happening. [01:14:12] It seems to me a quite extraordinary outlook. [01:14:17] I think myself it's immature. [01:14:20] Well, if we are spiritually immature, okay, but I mean, for those of us who are a little older in the Lord, it seems to me we should be able to take this kind of thing in our stride and at least keep abreast of these. It's part of watching carefully. And lastly, we need to keep awake and alert, watching the Lord himself, watching the unfolding of his purpose, watching the developments in this world, watching the strategy of the enemy and watching our own hearts. [01:15:03] Then I think the Lord will be able to keep us more. [01:15:14] I was going to say easily, if you understand what I mean. We do give the Lord some problems sometimes. [01:15:20] He wants to keep us, he wants to preserve us. But I dont think we always help him in this matter. [01:15:29] Well, those are just two matters in this whole question of preparation in the light of the coming again of the Lord Jesus being ready and watching carefully. There are many others that I believe the Lord will lead us to look at, perhaps not at such great depth and to such a great extent as these two, but many other things too, that I believe have much to say to us in these days and in the days that lie ahead. Shall we pray.