ARE YOU READY - Sermon Outlines. Org



ARE YOU READY

Matthew 24:32-44

When you open your Bible to the Gospel of Matthew, you find that Matthew chose to bracket the Lord’s public ministry between two sermons:

(1) The Sermon on the Mount…Chapters 5-7

(2) The Olivet Discourse…Chapters 24-25

• In the Sermon on the Mount the emphasis was practical; in the Olivet Discourse the emphasis is prophetical.

• In the Sermon on the Mount you read of the rules of the Kingdom; in the Olivet Discourse you read of the return of the King.

• Before giving the Sermon on the Mount the Lord was baptized; after giving the Olivet Discourse the Lord was buried.

• Prior to the Sermon on the Mount Jesus proved that the tempter could not conquer Him; after the Olivet Discourse Jesus proved that the tomb could not contain Him!

The Olivet Discourse can be divided into 2 parts:

• Matthew 24…the Lord’s end time prophecies; Matthew 25…the Lord’s end time parables.

• The prophecy of chapter 25 deals with the course of this age; the parables of chapter 25 deal with the climax of this age.

• The prophecy of chapter 24 is concerned with God’s judicial dealings with mankind; the parables of chapter 25 is concerned with God’s judgmental dealings with mankind.

• Both prophecy and parables are concerned with the last days as they affect the Jews, the Gentile nations, and the church.

The 24th chapter of Matthew can be divided in a threefold division…

1. The end time events as they will affect the Gentile nations...24:4-14.

2. The end time events as they will affect the Jewish people…24:15-31.

3. The end time events as they will affect the Church…24:32-51.

I want to read this morning verses 32-44 (for the sake of time) and preach on the subject…ARE YOU READY?

In the November, 1991 issue of People’s Weekly, a store bore the headline, “When A Family Vanishes.” The article told the story of the Brendle family: Emily daughter, age 8; Alae, mother age 49; Ernest, father age 48. The Brendle family vanished on September 20, 1991. The FBI, state, and local police searched for the Brendle’s with the aid of a helicopter, and tracker dogs, but to no avail. Police believed that they were murdered, but no bodies were found. Police chief Charles Brule said, “The shock-factor here is the disappearance of an entire family.”

One day the world will awake to the news that another family is missing…a family of millions. The circumstances will be entirely different from the Brendle family, for murder or foul play will not be the cause. It is possible that the headlines will read across the world…MULTITUDES HAVE VANISHED!

• Who is that family? It is a spiritual family made up of every child of God.

• What is the cause of their missing? It is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His own…the Rapture of the Church!

(1) The Coming of the Lord Jesus is foretold in the Scriptures.

***1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(2) The Coming of the Lord Jesus is foreshadowed in the Scriptures.

***Genesis 5:24

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

***Hebrews 11:5

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

{Was not found…searched for by others. One can only imagine the shock, panic, and consternation that will grip the world as a world-wide search goes on for Loved ones, but to no avail.

• It will be a time of consternation for those that are left; it will be a time of celebration for those that are removed.

• The coming of Jesus will be a tragic event for those that are unsaved; but a thrilling event for those that are saved.

ARE YOU READY?

I. THE SECRECY OF HIS RETURN…v. 36

*ILL…Dr. A. B. Simpson told the story of some boys flying kites. Tom, your kite is gone said one little boy to another that was holding hard to a string that reached somewhere up into the sky. He said she is gone this time for sure, we can’t see a speck of her. Tom replied, No she ain’t either. My kite’s all right. I can’t see it, but I can feel it tug.

…We may not know the exact day and hour, but we can feel its tug in our heart. There is a cord in the heart of the believer and the other end is bound to the heart string of the Lord Jesus. That cord is Christ in you, the hope of glory! The closer we get to the hour of His coming, the greater the pull is in the heart of the believer.

ARE YOU READY?

II. THE SURENESS OF HIS COMING…v. 37-39

A. The Description

…Jesus was saying that the conditions on earth at the time of His return will parallel conditions on earth in the days of Noah (Luke 17 parallel’s the conditions to Lot’s day).

• Noah lived in a pornographic society.

• Lot lived in a perverted society.

*Noah’s day was characterized by…

1. Spiritual Decline

2. Social Dilemma

3. Shameless Depravity

4. Scientific Development

5. Some Devotion

6. Strong Delusion

7. Sudden Destruction

B. The Definiteness

Jesus is saying that as certain as the times were in Noah’s day; so shall the certainty of My return be!

ARE YOU READY?

III. THE SEPERATION AT HIS COMING…vs. 40-41

A. The Happiness the Removed Ones will Enjoy

B. The Horror the Remaining Ones will Experience

ARE YOU READY?

IV. THE SUMMONS FOR HIS COMING…vs. 42-44

A. The Truth

…Jesus is coming again at an hour no man knows.

B. The Tragedy

…People will be left behind and face the terror of the tribulation!

C. The Thought

…It stands to reason the greatest need in this building this morning is for all of us to be ready. We must be prepared.

1. It is an INDIVIDUAL matter!

…Be ye!

2. It is an IMMEDIATE matter!

…His coming could be before we leave this building this morning. Therefore it is imperative that one get ready now!

ARE YOU READY?

• R…redeemed

• E…effectual

• A…abiding

• D…decreasing

• Y…yield

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