The document discusses the significance of being spiritually prepared for the return of Jesus Christ as emphasized in Luke 12:35-40, highlighting the need for vigilance and readiness. It cites various biblical references that stress living a life dedicated to Christ, being watchful, and embodying the teachings of Jesus. Ultimately, it emphasizes that true readiness comes from trusting, living, and longing for the Lord.

1. Always Ready
The Gospel of Luke 12:35-40

2. God Gives Us His Words of Eternal Life
Luke 12:35-48
Found on page 871-872 in our guest Bibles.
Today’s Scripture:

5. ?What should be the focus
of the follower of Jesus
in the here and now

6. Always Ready
The Gospel of Luke 12:35-40

7. 35 Stay dressed for action and keep your
lamps burning, 36 and be like men who
are waiting for their master to come home
from the wedding feast, so that they may
open the door to him at once when he
comes and knocks.
Luke 12:35-40

8. Live like a
faithful and
expectant
servant
#1

9. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the
master finds awake when he comes.
Luke 12:35-40

10. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the
master finds awake when he comes.
Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself
for service and have them recline at table,
and he will come and serve them.
Luke 12:35-40

11. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or
in the third, and finds them awake,
blessed are those servants!
Luke 12:35-40

12. For even the Son of Man
did not come to be
served but to serve, and
to give his life as a
ransom for many.
~ Jesus of Nazareth
in The Gospel of Mark 10:45

13. 39 But know this, that if the master of the
house had known at what hour the thief
was coming, he would not have left his
house to be broken into. 40 You also must
be ready, for the Son of Man is coming
at an hour you do not expect.
Luke 12:35-40

14. Live like a wise
and alert
homeowner
#2

15. ~ The Apostle Paul in
1 Thessalonians 5:2-4
“While people are saying,
‘There is peace and
security,’ then destruction
will come upon them as
labor pains come upon a
pregnant woman, and they
will not escape. But you are
not in darkness, brothers, for
that day to surprise you like
a thief.”

17. “…We live 750,000 days
closer to the return, and
indeed, Christ’s return will
always be on a statistically
improbable day, when the
world doesn’t expect him.”

18. “But do not forget this
one thing, dear friends:
With the Lord a day is
like a thousand years,
and a thousand years
are like a day. The Lord
is not slow in keeping his
promise, as some
understand slowness.
~ The Apostle Peter
in 2 Peter 3:10 (NIV)

19. “…Instead he is patient
with you, not wanting
anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to
repentance. But the
day of the Lord will
come like a thief.”
~ The Apostle Peter
in 2 Peter 3:10 (NIV)

20. “God has appointed a day
in which he will judge the
world in righteousness by
Jesus Christ, to whom all
power and judgment has
been given by the Father.

21. “In that day….all people
who have ever lived on
earth appear before the
judgment seat of Christ in
order to give an account of
their thoughts, words, and
deeds, and to receive
judgment according to what
they have done in the body,
whether good or evil.”

22. “As Christ would have us
to absolutely convinced
that there will be a day of
judgment, both to deter all
men from sin and to give a
greater consolation to the
godly in their adversity, so
will he have that day
unknown to men, that they
may shake off all carnal
security…,

23. “…may always be watchful
—because they do not
know at what hour the Lord
will come—and may always
be prepared to say, ‘Come,
Lord Jesus. Come quickly.
Amen.”

24. Why does Luke record this
account in his historical
biography of Jesus?
Important Question

25. To be always ready for
the return of Christ
means living for him with
an undistracted life.

26. Christian & Faithful at Vanity Fair
in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress

27. ?How do we know if
we are ready for the return
of the Lord Jesus

28. We’re ready when we
trust in the Lord Jesus
1

29. We’re ready when we
live for the Lord Jesus
2

30. “For the love of Christ compels us, because
we are convinced that one died for all…, and
he died for all that those who live should no
longer live for themselves but for him who died
for them and was raised again.”
~ The Apostle Paul in
2 Corinthians 5:14-15

31. We’re ready when we
long for the Lord Jesus
3

32. “For the grace of God has appeared that
offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to
say “No” to ungodliness and worldly
passions, and to live self- controlled, upright
and godly lives in this present age, while we
wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of
the glory of our great God and Saviour,
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us…”
~ The Apostle Paul in Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)

33. “He who testifies to
these things says,
‘Surely I am
coming soon.’
Amen. Come,
Lord Jesus!”
~ The Apostle John in
Revelation 22:20

34. image credit: C.K. Koay
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other images used for educational purposes:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/german-fans-london-champions-league-final-dortmund-471245
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image credit: GabrielVillena
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gvillena/4745275233/
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image credit: John Fowler
https://www.flickr.com/photos/snowpeak/11809389036/
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2578972/YouTube-video-shows-American-tourist-making-Queens-guardsman-smile-comic-routine.html
http://www.redeemedreader.com/2011/10/dangerous-journey-part-6/
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