1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,080 Singing indeed. We're turning tonight in our 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:12,040 Bible to the Gospel of Luke, The Gospel of Luke. 3 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:18,320 We're in chapter 12 and I want to read from verse 22 right 4 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:26,360 through to 40, Luke chapter 12. We're at verse 22 for those 5 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:27,800 online. The words will come up and 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,000 scream. And we're reading, of course, 7 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,400 from the King James Bible, Luke chapter 12, verse 22. 8 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:43,560 Let's hear the word of God. And He said unto his disciples, 9 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:50,120 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life what 10 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:55,240 you shall eat, neither for the body what ye shall put on. 11 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:01,640 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 12 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:08,200 Consider the Ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which 13 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,600 neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. 14 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,440 How much more are ye better than the files? 15 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:21,120 And which of you with taking thought can add to His stature? 16 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:26,360 1 Cubit. If ye then be not able to do 17 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,040 that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 18 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,320 Consider the lilies, how they grow. 19 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:39,240 They toil not, they spin not. And yet I say unto you, that 20 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:44,600 Solomon and all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 21 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:51,320 If then God so clothed the grass which today is in the field, and 22 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,760 tomorrow was cast into the oven, how much more will He clothe 23 00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:00,000 you? O ye have little faith, and seek 24 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:06,800 not ye what ye would eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be 25 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,199 ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the 26 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:13,960 nations of the world seek after, and your Father knoweth that ye 27 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,520 have need of these things. But rather seek ye the Kingdom 28 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,280 of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. 29 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,000 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure 30 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,120 to give you the Kingdom. Sail that you have, and give 31 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,200 alms. Provide yourselves bags which 32 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:37,600 wax not old a treasure in the heaven that feel of not where no 33 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,000 thief approaches, neither moth corrupt of. 34 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,160 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:51,800 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and you 36 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,520 yourselves take unto men that wait for the Lord, when he shall 37 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,320 return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, 38 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,000 they may open unto him immediately. 39 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,600 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall 40 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,320 find watching. Verily I say unto you that He 41 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,880 shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and 42 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,720 will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the 43 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:24,440 second watch, or come on the third watch and find them, so, 44 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,920 blessed are those servants. And thus know that if the good 45 00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:33,880 man of the house had known what are the thief would come, he 46 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:37,520 would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken 47 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:42,160 through. Be ye therefore ready also, for 48 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:47,680 the Son of Man cometh at an hour when you think not Amen. 49 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,160 We know that God will stamp with His own approval and blessing 50 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,280 this reading of His own precious and infallible Word. 51 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,520 This evening. My text is found in Luke chapter 52 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:08,320 12, verses 37 through to 40, and I've entitled the message 53 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:13,960 tonight, Watching and waiting for the coming King. 54 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,920 Now, there are few truths more neglected in the modern church 55 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:25,720 than that of the personal, visible, bodily return of the 56 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,680 Lord Jesus Christ in power and glory. 57 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:33,760 So often we speak of home improvements. 58 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:40,280 So often we speak of personal improvements, our personal best 59 00:04:40,280 --> 00:04:44,560 here and now. But in stark contrast, the New 60 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:49,600 Testament continually exhorts and directs born again believers 61 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:55,080 to live in light of another world, to live in light of 62 00:04:55,080 --> 00:05:00,480 another world with another cry. The day when the king returns, 63 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:06,160 you see the early church, the 1st century church, they lived 64 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:12,320 with the expectancy. They greeted one another with 65 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:16,760 the cry, Maranatha, our Lord comes. 66 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,120 They worked, they worshipped, they witnessed, they prayed, 67 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,280 they evangelised. They all suffered much 68 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:27,760 persecution, some even suffered martyrdom while looking for and 69 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,680 longing for Christ's visible bodily appearing. 70 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:36,240 Remember the Bible says in First Corinthians 16 and 22, if any 71 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,560 man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be in Natham 72 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,840 Maranatha. That word anathema means let him 73 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:47,520 be cursed. The word Maranatha means our 74 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,440 Lord comes. Remember what the Lord Jesus 75 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,040 said in his Olivet Discourse, Matthew 24 and 12. 76 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,440 Here's one of the verses. And because iniquity shall 77 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,880 abide, the love of the many shall wax cold. 78 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:08,160 And in this 21st century, sadly, that is so true of our 79 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,360 generation. Even those who profess the name 80 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,480 of Christ have become cold and careless. 81 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,640 They are spiritually drifting. They they are in a state of 82 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:24,400 spiritual drowsiness. Sadly, in a true sense, we have 83 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:29,760 all allowed ourselves to be lulled to sleep by this anti 84 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,360 Christian world. Lulled to sleep with the world's 85 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,600 comforts. It's entertainment. 86 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,120 It's ambition. Long to sleep with things and 87 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,640 possessions. Materially long to sleep with 88 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,400 trinkets. But the Lord Jesus Christ 89 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:50,480 repeatedly commanded his church to watch. 90 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:56,640 Not to speculate, not to date set, not to be overcome with 91 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:02,680 fear, not to panic, not to be full of a spurt of unbelief, but 92 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,800 to watch. And this section, Luke chapter 93 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:12,120 1237 to 40, comes in a portion of the Holy Scripture where the 94 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:16,200 Lord Jesus Christ is teaching his disciples about stewardship, 95 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:20,120 about readiness, about eternal priorities. 96 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,160 Just before uttering these words, he warned his followers 97 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:27,440 against carelessness, against anxiety. 98 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,480 He told them to consider the Ravens, He urged him to consider 99 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,600 the lillies, and he called upon them then to seek first the 100 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,160 Kingdom of God and to lay up treasure in heaven. 101 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:45,000 And after he did that, then he turned his attention to this 102 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,680 great theme. What is the theme of Luke 1237 103 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,720 to 48? Is this living ready for his 104 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:57,520 return, or watching and waiting for the coming king? 105 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,240 This is not merely A prophecy for the curious. 106 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,280 No, this is practical Christianity for the Church. 107 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:10,080 The great Puritan John Owen said when sin lets us alone, we may 108 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:15,480 let sin alone. But as sin is never less quiet 109 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:23,240 than when it seems most quiet, so our watchfulness must never 110 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:29,960 be laid aside. If Christ is coming, and he is, 111 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:37,640 then his people, those who say we are God's children, they must 112 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,120 be found watching for him coming. 113 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,880 They must be found waiting for us coming. 114 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,680 They must be working in light of his coming. 115 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:49,360 Here's a question for us tonight. 116 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,560 Are we living ready for his return? 117 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:59,040 Four simple little truths. Look with me at verse 737. 118 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:01,360 Sorry. Blessed are those servants from 119 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:07,800 the Lord, when he cometh shall find watching the servants that 120 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:13,360 are mentioned. Who are these servants? 121 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,200 Notice their identity, how they're described. 122 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:21,280 Those servants. I believe this is covenant 123 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:25,520 language. They are those who belong to 124 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:29,720 their Master. I believe these servants are 125 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,960 those who have been born again of the Holy Spirit, who've been 126 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:39,400 savingly joined to Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ as their Lord 127 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,880 and Saviour. True Christianity begins with a 128 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,040 bowing the knee in submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and 129 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,400 Saviour. That involves coming to Him as a 130 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,280 Sinner. That involves crying out to him, 131 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:58,280 Lord save me, I perish. That involves true repentance 132 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:02,440 and faith in Jesus Christ. We live in a world where the 133 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,600 modern world wants a Saviour without a sovereign. 134 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:10,600 The modern world wants men to like Jesus without Him being 135 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:16,280 their Lord. But the true gospel called 136 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:20,640 sinners to repent of their sin and receive Christ as Lord and 137 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,040 Saviour. Remember the Philippian Geeler 138 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:27,720 cried out to Paul and Silas, Sirs, what must I do to be 139 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:29,360 saved? What was their answer? 140 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:34,400 Acts 16 verse 31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt 141 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,600 be saved. Philippians chapter 2 and in the 142 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:45,560 verse 10 and 11 we read these words that at the name of Jesus 143 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:48,040 every knee should buy of things in heaven and things on earth 144 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,800 and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess 145 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:55,520 that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 146 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,200 Let me state tonight I believe it's wrong. 147 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:04,040 I believe it's the height of folly for those preachers who 148 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:09,840 preach a gospel that says to individual sinners that you just 149 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:14,720 need to trust Jesus as your Saviour, but you can reject him 150 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:20,160 and refuse his Lordship, His ruling reign over your life. 151 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,720 I I believe that's a false gospel. 152 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,240 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. 153 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,080 And the full title is very important. 154 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,520 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. 155 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,200 The word Lord refers to his deity. 156 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:41,000 Jesus refers to his humanity. Christ refers to his ministry. 157 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:45,040 You can't divide Christ, and the Lord Jesus said, if you love me, 158 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,800 keep my commandments. So I asked this question 159 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,000 tonight. Are you one of his true 160 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,480 servants? Have you been born again of the 161 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,880 Holy Spirit? Do you have a testimony that 162 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,600 you've been washed in the precious blood of Christ by 163 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,680 faith? Because the servant watches 164 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:07,720 because he loves his master? Do you love the Lord Jesus 165 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:12,120 Christ and sincerity and truth? Are you watching for his return? 166 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:16,600 I remember years ago in Larne and the little mission hall, a 167 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,920 man from America, a preacher by the name of the Reverend Paul 168 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,280 Finch. And he told the story of his 169 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,280 father, that his father used to get out of bed every morning, 170 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:27,560 pulled back. He called them the drapes. 171 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:31,120 I didn't know what a drape was. That's a curtain, fancy name for 172 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:32,840 a curtain. And he pulled back these 173 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,880 curtains and he looked out into the light of the new day. 174 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,360 And every morning he'd have said this. 175 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:43,000 Even. So come Lord Jesus, there was a 176 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:47,000 man who was watching for his Lord's return. 177 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:50,960 See, the unbelieving world doesn't watch for Christ's 178 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:54,240 return. Christ is not in all their 179 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,760 thoughts. And if he was in their thoughts, 180 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,960 the return of Christ wouldn't be a truth for them to triumph in. 181 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,800 It would be a truth to terrorise them. 182 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,760 It was Spurgeon, the great Baptist preacher, that said 183 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,160 this. To the ungodly, the coming of 184 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:16,240 Christ is a dreadful threat. But to the true believer, to the 185 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,960 child of God, it's a delightful truth. 186 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:26,080 We call this the blessed hope. It's sure and certain. 187 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:31,320 The servants that are mentioned, listen to what he says. 188 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:35,080 Blessed are those servants from the Lord, when he cometh shall 189 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,800 find watching. Are you one of those servants 190 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:44,720 watching for Christ because you love him, because he's your Lord 191 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,120 and your master? The second thing I want you to 192 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:56,880 discover tonight is this the surety that is affirmed, it says 193 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:06,680 in verse 38 and find them. So blessed are those servants. 194 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:14,120 Matthew chapter 2442 says, Watch therefore, for ye know not what 195 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:21,000 are your Lord cometh. Mark 1337 says, What I say unto 196 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:28,480 you, I say unto you all, watch. First Thessalonians 5 and 6 197 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:33,600 says, Therefore let us not sleep, but let us watch and be 198 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,120 sober. You see, the surety that is 199 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,600 affirmed here in light of this blessed hope, is that there's a 200 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:45,920 spiritual watchfulness, not just the servants that's mentioned, 201 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:50,880 but the surety that is affirmed. The watching servant is marked 202 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:55,200 by what spiritual alertness He is watchful. 203 00:14:55,960 --> 00:15:00,560 Now what does that mean? He or she is living with 204 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:04,720 spiritual discernment. The King is coming. 205 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:11,000 That individual is guarding their own heart and mind against 206 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,320 all the encroachment of the world, the flesh, and the devil. 207 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:19,360 That individual is remaining faithful in the place of prayer, 208 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:21,640 private prayer, and public prayer. 209 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,000 That individual is persevering in a life of holiness unto God 210 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,680 as the evidence of salvage, not the ground. 211 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,080 The ground is the meritorious work of Christ. 212 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:38,600 Here's the fruit, persevering in a life of holiness unto God. 213 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:44,280 And on top of that, he's daily looking and longing for Christ. 214 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,920 Remember in the last book of the Bible, in the Book of 215 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:52,040 Revelation, it was old John the Apostle that said this in 216 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:56,880 Revelation chapter 22 and in the verse 20. 217 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,600 Listen to the word of God. He which testify of these things 218 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:06,440 saith, surely I come quickly. That's the Lord Jesus speaking, 219 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,000 and here's John's response. Amen. 220 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:16,600 Even so, come, Lord Jesus. See, he was living in light of 221 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:20,800 the Lord's return. He was looking and longing for 222 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:25,000 the Saviour and coupled with this spirit of watchfulness, 223 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:31,960 this spiritual alertness is that we hold fast to the form of 224 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,400 sound words. I was encouraging you there in 225 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,320 the singing, standing in the promises of God. 226 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,080 And I want you to understand tonight that according to the 227 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,800 Bible, it says in second Corinthians chapter one, verse 228 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:49,080 24, all the promises of God in him that's in Christ are Yeah. 229 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:51,880 And in him, Amen. And according to Herbert 230 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:57,400 Luckier, there's something like 7300 promises in the book, and 231 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,960 they're all found in Christ and all connected to him. 232 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:05,280 And we need to hold fast to these words. 233 00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:08,319 You see, this is not merely A passive waving. 234 00:17:09,079 --> 00:17:13,040 It's a personal waving, an act of faithfulness. 235 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,400 Remember what we read in Psalm 127, except the Lord keep the 236 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,200 city. The watchman waketh, but in 237 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:20,599 vain. That has to do with the 238 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:23,800 sovereignty of God. That has to do with God's act 239 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:27,280 over the city, providentially in keeping the city. 240 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:32,280 What do you think of a city? Think of the watchman and guard 241 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,440 on the wall. Could you think of the city 242 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,120 watchman and guard duty falling asleep? 243 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:43,000 What good would he be? You'd say he's as useless as a 244 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,200 chocolate fire guard In ancient times. 245 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:51,800 If you go up to Londonderry, you'll see the Maiden City stand 246 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:55,000 in the walls there. You look down over the whole 247 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:59,560 city and then think back to ancient times, how the ancient 248 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:02,920 cities had walls. And the Watchmen stood in the 249 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,200 walls, especially through the night. 250 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,520 And while others slept, they slayed alert. 251 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,680 They, they, they kept awake. They, they were there to warn of 252 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:12,920 the enemy approaching. They were there to warn of 253 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:14,960 danger. They were there to announce the 254 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:16,920 coming of the dawn of the new day. 255 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:21,160 But if the Watchmen slept, the city suffered. 256 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:28,560 And likewise the servant of Christ must be watchful in the 257 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:32,520 light of that blessed hope. And I've explained what I mean 258 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,120 by watchfulness. Living with spiritual 259 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:38,440 discernment, guarding 1's heart and mind against the world, the 260 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,680 flesh of the devil. Remaining faithful in prayer, 261 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,000 persevering and holiness unto the Lord, Longing and looking 262 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,840 for Christ. Holding fast the form of sound 263 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,840 words. This is an active faithfulness, 264 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:55,720 but there's also a spiritual waiting, not just a spiritual 265 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,480 watchfulness. If you look at our text, it says 266 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,000 in verse 38. And if he shall come in the 267 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:07,000 second watch or in the third watch and find them, so blessed 268 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,880 are those servants. Now, this has nothing to do with 269 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,040 a timepiece that you wear in your arm, OK? 270 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,760 So the word watch has nothing to do with a timepiece. 271 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,280 OK. The second watch or to come in 272 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,560 the third watch means in the deep hours of the night. 273 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,560 The second watch was 9:00 PM to midnight. 274 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,560 The third watch was midnight to 3:00 PM. 275 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:33,280 Then of course, there was a fourth watch of the night, which 276 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:37,000 is not mentioned, and that was 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM. 277 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,520 Now this was very late at night. And what does he say? 278 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,840 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the 279 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,880 third watch and find them, so find them what? 280 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,720 Find them watching? Bless it, or happy. 281 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:57,840 Happy are those servants you see late at night. 282 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,760 Those late night hours are when exhaustion is greatest on the 283 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:07,200 body, when vigilance is the hardest. 284 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:13,800 And the point of the passage is about watchfully waiting with a 285 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:18,120 spur of readiness and faithful expectation. 286 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:24,240 See, Christ is teaching here, or hinting that his return may be 287 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:31,280 delayed, and in the period of delay can grow a weariness and a 288 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,040 carelessness. And this is where many churches 289 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,680 have gone astray. They have grown careless. 290 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,520 They have struggled with spiritual drowsiness. 291 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,480 Remember Peter second Peter 3 and 4? 292 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:48,080 The scoffers came in his day and they asked us, well, where's the 293 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,880 promise of us coming? And they mocked and scorned the 294 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,680 idea of us coming. And they made false accusations 295 00:20:55,680 --> 00:21:00,840 and they made false assumptions. But the delay was not a denial. 296 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,720 You see, God's clock is different from ours. 297 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,080 The Lord Jesus used an illustration here in verse 39 298 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:13,400 about the good man of the house. Think of him, he's worked hard 299 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:18,680 all day, he's sleepy, he wants to go to bed. 300 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,800 But it says here if he'd known what timer are, the thief would 301 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:25,960 come. He would have watched. 302 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:30,400 Now the point is that not that Christ is like a thief morally, 303 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,480 but when does the thief come? He comes suddenly, it comes 304 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:40,200 unannounced, it comes unexpectedly, and of course 305 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,240 that's how the Lord Jesus will comes. 306 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:48,600 According to Matthew 244244, First Thessalonians 5 and two 307 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:53,080 Revelations 6 and 15, no one knows the day they are. 308 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,040 And this fact destroys date setting. 309 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,600 It destroys prophetic sensational nonsense. 310 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:06,560 It destroy speculative obsession. 311 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,320 You see, let me illustrate. There's a man in America called 312 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:15,760 Harold Camping and he run a radio station called Family 313 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:23,720 Radio and he set the date may the 21st, 2012 that Jesus was to 314 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,120 return in power and glory, not date, come and gone. 315 00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:29,840 That didn't happen. And then he said no, he got his 316 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:33,160 calculations wrong. He said a new date, this time 317 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:39,200 October the 21st, 2012. Well, that was soon to be 14 318 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:44,320 years ago. He also added in that there was 319 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:48,240 a flock of birds gathering in the valley of Megiddo in the 320 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,560 land of Israel and the birds were a saying that the battle of 321 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:54,960 Armageddon was soon going to take place. 322 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,560 I believe one day there will be a battle of Armageddon, 323 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:03,680 literally in this earth. But you cannot set dates and the 324 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,880 true Church of Jesus Christ does not set dates. 325 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:12,160 But what it did do was historically emphasised 326 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:17,920 readiness over recklessness, readiness over reckless dates 327 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,760 setting. The church's task is not to 328 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:24,520 calculate a calendar but to cultivate holiness. 329 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,840 JC Rile, the first Protestant Bishop of Liverpool, said this. 330 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:33,240 The highest style of a Christian is the one who lives ready for 331 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,560 the Lord's return. Now when's he coming back? 332 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:41,040 This is what he said himself. Mark chapter 13, verse 32. 333 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,440 But if that day and hour knoweth no man, not the angels which are 334 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,560 in heaven, neither the Son but the Father. 335 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:52,600 And some people have taken that truth, and they've made an 336 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,000 argument. But wait a minute, if Jesus is 337 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,920 the Son of God, how could he not know? 338 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,560 And the assumption and the inference is well, then he's not 339 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:08,360 truly or fully God. Well, I want to tell you tonight 340 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:12,000 that he is truly and fully God, greatest semester of God. 341 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:17,640 And his God was manifest in the flesh, but he was also truly 342 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,040 human. And in that human body he had 343 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:29,520 limitations, hunger, tiredness. He was also one in that body to 344 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:33,120 grow in knowledge according to Luke 2 and 52. 345 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:38,560 In that body He suffered and who can tell the physical never mind 346 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:42,080 does merit the the the the mental and the emotional 347 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:47,360 sufferings of Christ. He lived a life of dependence on 348 00:24:47,360 --> 00:24:50,880 the Father. He didn't act independently of 349 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:56,640 the Father and in His divine nature, I believe, of course, He 350 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:03,680 is eternally the Son of God with the attribute of omniscient. 351 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:09,760 But here He is speaking in His human nature, and He speaks from 352 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:14,160 a position of sincere human limitation. 353 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:17,160 And it's a mission to the Father. 354 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,520 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, not the angels, which 355 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:25,200 aren't Him, neither the Son, but the Father. 356 00:25:28,120 --> 00:25:30,240 Many events are being prepared for. 357 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,920 If you know the events coming up, say it's retirement, well, 358 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,280 you prepare for it. Examinations, hopefully you 359 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,360 prepare. Young people don't go into an 360 00:25:40,360 --> 00:25:44,640 exam without being prepared. A wedding, a lot of preparation 361 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,600 for a wedding. And with some weddings coming up 362 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:50,360 later on in the church, a holiday, you'll also get 363 00:25:50,360 --> 00:25:52,720 prepared. Passport ready, you'll think 364 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:57,520 about what you're going to pack, a journey where you'll make sure 365 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:01,360 that your tyres are pumped up and you're got fuel in your car. 366 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,280 Get multitudes. While they're prepared for these 367 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,920 things and they have wisdom and sense to prepare for these 368 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:13,520 things, multitudes tonight are unprepared for one of the most 369 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:17,200 important events that's going to come to this world, one of the 370 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:20,840 most important meetings ever. And that meeting, of course, is 371 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,720 the personal and visible appearance of Jesus Christ. 372 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,760 Listen to me very carefully. Come to verse 40. 373 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,040 Here's the Third Point very quickly, the steadfastness that 374 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,160 is required. Look at verse 40. 375 00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:38,040 Be ye therefore the word therefore means, in view of what 376 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:43,960 I've just said, Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of Man. 377 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,080 Cometh it an hour when ye think not. 378 00:26:47,120 --> 00:26:55,840 The command is simple. Be ready not panic, but of 379 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:02,920 perseverance. The believer remains steadfast 380 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,400 because he believes and lives and light that Christ may return 381 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:11,600 at any moment. The believer remain steadfast 382 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:14,000 because he knows about the uncertainty of life. 383 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:16,720 One minute we could be health and strength, the next minute we 384 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,320 could be in a bed of sickness. One minute we could be alive, 385 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,320 the next we could be dead. The believer remain steadfast 386 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:28,160 because eternity is so near. Or put a heartbeat away from it. 387 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:37,600 The command is be ready. Be therefore ready also like 388 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:42,640 these servants, ready, watching and waiting for their master to 389 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,800 return. Ready in repentance and faith. 390 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,840 Ready in holiness. Every man that hath this hope in 391 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:53,280 him purifies himself even as he is pure. 392 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,280 First John 3, verses 2 and three. 393 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,280 Living in light of Christ's return promotes a life of 394 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,760 holiness, a life of true sanctification that we preached 395 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:07,560 on this morning. You see a church that loses 396 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:11,560 sight of eternity. It becomes worldly, it becomes 397 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:18,920 woke. Ready and faithfulness as a call 398 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:23,120 to faithful stewardship. The steward is watching. 399 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:30,000 He's a waiting servant. He does his duty when the 400 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,400 masters away. He works on and does what his 401 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,840 master told him to do. The tasks are fulfilled. 402 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:39,040 What are you doing? I'm doing what I'm told. 403 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,680 See, what are we told to do? Go ye into all the world and 404 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:44,320 preach the gospel to every creature. 405 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,400 We're not called to idleness. We're not called to date set. 406 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,560 We're not called to speculation. We're not called to fearfulness. 407 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,240 We're called to faithfulness. Go ye into all the world and 408 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:54,640 preach the gospel to every creature. 409 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:58,400 That's the Great Commission and that's what I seek to do here 410 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,240 Sunday by Sunday morning and evening. 411 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,840 That's what I do in the open air in Belfast when I stand at the 412 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,920 City Hall, when I go up the sandy road or or go up the 413 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,600 Shankill. That's what we do when we go 414 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:14,600 round the doors and carried off Ryan and myself, John Calvin 415 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:19,760 said this, We must hunger after Christ until the day that he 416 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:22,120 shall appear. We're not only ready in 417 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,960 repentance and faith in Christ and and ready in holiness and 418 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,800 ready in faithfulness, but we're also ready in hope. 419 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:34,880 You see, it's a certainty. Jesus said I will come again. 420 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:41,600 It's not a fancy, it's a fact. The first time he wore a crown 421 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:45,200 of thorns when he came. This time when he returns, he'll 422 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,280 be wearing many crowns over there. 423 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:53,400 In the book of Acts and Acts chapter 1 and in the verse 11, 424 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,880 remember what the Angel said to the disciples. 425 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:02,840 Acts chapter 1 and verse 11 Listen to the word of God. 426 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,880 Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 427 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:10,240 This seeing Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, 428 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:14,400 shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into 429 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,120 heaven. The second coming of Christ to 430 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:22,520 this earth and power and glory is not just a warning to the 431 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:28,440 unconverted, but as a comforting welcome for the people of God. 432 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,440 Titus 2 and 13 says, looking for that blessed hope and the 433 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:35,960 glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus 434 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:40,560 Christ. And when Christ returns, a life 435 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:47,400 of suffering ends, Sin will cease, death will be no more, 436 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:54,680 and Christ will come and reign visibly and power in the throne 437 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:59,160 of David. The steadfastness is required. 438 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:06,600 I want to say one final thing, the surprise that is revealed. 439 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,680 Look at look chapter 12 verse 37 again. 440 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:17,560 It says, verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself and 441 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:22,680 make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve 442 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:26,760 them. The returning Christ, the coming 443 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:33,720 King will serve his servants does not point to the wondrous 444 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,560 grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the servant King. 445 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:41,280 He's the the kingly servant in glory. 446 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:46,520 Christ will eternally fellowship with his redeemed people. 447 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:50,400 There'll be a sitting down at the married supper of the Lamb. 448 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:57,480 What grace, what condescension, what mercy? 449 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,040 You see, it's not that these are worthy servants, you're earning 450 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:07,800 a reward, but they're unworthy sinners and they've been sealed 451 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:11,400 by a gracious king, and now they're being served by that 452 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:15,200 same gracious king and are watching and are waiting and are 453 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:19,400 working. Doesn't merit salvation, but it 454 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:26,280 reveals the genuine working of God's grace in our hearts and 455 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,800 lives. I was struck yesterday by a 456 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:32,640 little text as I finish. Whoso trusteth in the Lord, 457 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:36,080 happy as he. Proverbs 16 and 20. 458 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:42,040 Let me ask tonight, do you know that you're saved by grace 459 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:47,240 alone, through faith alone in Christ alone? 460 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:54,280 The watching believer doesn't watch and wait and work to earn 461 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:58,520 heaven. He watches and waits and works 462 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:03,040 so he can experience home to be with Christ. 463 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:10,400 Christ is the highest and fountain of all happiness. 464 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,960 So I asked this question as we finished tonight. 3 questions. 465 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:21,200 Are you prepared for Christ's return and power and Dory or are 466 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:28,120 you spiritually asleep? It's not about discovering or 467 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:32,480 date setting. The simple question is, Are you 468 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:34,840 ready to meet Christ when he comes? 469 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:38,960 That's the first question. The second question is this are 470 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,880 are are you weary in waiting? Many people are weary in 471 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,080 waiting. Where is the promise of us 472 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:47,800 coming? And, and they grew discouraged. 473 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,160 And then the delay, they think the delay is a denial and they 474 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:54,160 go through trials and troubles and, and, and, and they, 475 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:57,400 they're, they're problematic for many of the people of God. 476 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:03,920 Their prayers are not answered. They become greatly discouraged, 477 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:06,200 maybe even at the point of despair. 478 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:09,520 Over there in the book of Hebrews and Hebrews chapter 10 479 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,400 and verse 7, it says for yet a little while. 480 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:17,239 And he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 481 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:19,840 And here's the third question tonight. 482 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,840 Are you living faithfully in light of his return? 483 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:29,320 See, I believe when Jesus Christ returns in power and glory, many 484 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:32,159 of us superfest his name, and I put myself in the front row, 485 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:36,760 many of us will be ashamed. Do you know why we'll be 486 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:41,639 ashamed? We'll be ashamed because of the 487 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:46,120 way we've lived. We're ashamed because of the 488 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:50,400 misspent opportunities that we had to do a great work in his 489 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:53,639 name. We'll be ashamed because of the 490 00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:57,040 sinful habits that we engaged in. 491 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:00,760 Suppose I said this as we finish. 492 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:07,560 Suppose I phoned you up and said, do you know that tomorrow 493 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:12,720 at lunchtime King Charles is coming to your house? 494 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:18,120 What would you do when you went home from church this evening? 495 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:22,240 I'll tell you what you would do. You would get ready for King 496 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:25,680 Charles. You would try your best to tidy 497 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:29,360 your house, the best room you'd be showing them in time. 498 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:36,960 Isn't that right? Well, if that is true and we're 499 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:43,840 living in light of his return, therefore all our habits, our 500 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:48,760 sinful proneness, our worldliness, whatever we're 501 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:55,560 doing, we need to put away and live with this thought. 502 00:35:56,680 --> 00:36:00,680 When he says, Behold, I come quickly be like old John and 503 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:04,040 say, Amen, so shall it be. That's what it means. 504 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:12,840 Even so, come Lord Jesus, the servants that are mentioned, are 505 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:17,480 you one of them? The surety that's affirmed He's 506 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:21,040 coming. We need to be spiritually 507 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:23,640 watchful and spiritually waiting. 508 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:30,080 The steadfastness that's required be there for ready and 509 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:34,600 the surprise is revealed. He's going to serve you and me 510 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:36,840 at the married supper of the Lamb. 511 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:41,760 May the Lord bless these few thoughts and take them to heart 512 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:44,360 this evening. If you have any questions, feel 513 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:48,120 free to ask me as you leave God's house.