Theme: Watch and Pray – How to? Text: Luke 21:34-38 (NIV) – “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. Target Audience: Union Church of Monterrey members and eventual visitors Objective: Instruct regarding the Bible (Jesus) teachings about what to be watchful for and to continually pray, and the end result of this.

1. Watch and Pray
April 7, 2019
Luke 21:34-38 (NIV) – “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with
carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you
suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole
earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is
about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend
the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the
morning to hear him at the temple.
This is Jesus last documented public sermon, before His crucifixion and death. We
usually give a lot of attention and emphasis on someone’s last words, Jesus of
course knew that, and decided to give this strong and difficult message at this
crucial moment, 3 days before He would be unjustly condemned and put to death.
Let us go together through some parts of this message
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2. Be always on the watch,
and pray that you may be
able to escape all that is
about to happen, and that
you may be able to stand
before the Son of Man
Luke 21:36
Let us focus on this specific verse…
Luke 21:36 (NIV) – “…Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to
escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the
Son of Man.”
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3. Be always on the watch,
and pray that you may be
able to escape all that is
about to happen, and that
you may be able to stand
before the Son of Man
Luke 21:36
First, what does these 2 key words mean?
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4. What means “To Watch” and “To Pray”?
•agrupnéo: to be sleepless, wakeful
Original Word: ἀγρυπνέω
Definition: to be sleepless, wakeful
watch
WATCH
agrupnéo: to be sleepless, wakeful
Original Word: ἀγρυπνέω
Transliteration: agrupnéo
Definition: to be sleepless, wakeful
Usage: I am not asleep, am awake; especially: I am watchful, careful.
Last week I was driving our family back home, from the church, and I´ve got
distracted, was not watchful, and missed a traffic light. It was raining and almost
caused an accident. We are watchful in such little things, everyday, how much more
important is to be watchful in our spiritual and eternal life?
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5. What means “To Watch” and “To Pray”?
•deomai: I request, beg
Original Word: δέομαι
Definition: to want, entreat
pray
PRAY
deomai: I request, beg
Original Word: δέομαι
Transliteration: deomai
Definition: to want, entreat
Usage: I want for myself; I want, need; I beg, request, beseech, pray.
Also about being watchful and praying, we all remember the parable of the ten
virgins, even though they were supposed to vigil for the groom´s arrival, they all fall
asleep. The difference for the 5 wise virgin was their preparation, they had,
figuratively, a continued prayer life, that gave her the oil of the Holy Spirit, to
overcome a difficult situation, that will eventually happen to any of us.
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6. What must we be watchful for?
False Teachers & Prophets
•Luke 21:8 - He replied: “Watch out that you are not
deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming,
‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow
them.
•Mark 13:22 - For false messiahs and false prophets
will appear and perform signs and wonders to
deceive, if possible, even the elect.
What must we be watchful for?
First, Jesus tells us to be alert regarding False Teachers & Prophets
Luke 21:8 NIV - He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many
will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not
follow them.
Mark 13:22 NIV - For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and
perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
6

7. 1) False
Teachers &
Prophets
Jesus ask us to be watchful regarding the
teachings of the false prophets, or false
teachers
Those false teachers come with beautiful
and convincing messages
Those messages can´t be sustained
False prophets had existed, at least,
since God’s people has been established
• Jesus ask us to be watchful regarding the teachings of the false prophets, or false
teachers, that apparently are under God´s Word guidance, but, worship
themselves, not the Lord of Creation.
• Those false teachers come with beautiful and convincing messages, gift wrapped,
and very often excessively appealing to the emotions or to the reason
• When analyzed by the light of the Law of God, tested by His Word, they can´t be
sustained, as lack the authority provided by this same Word, the Bible.
• Unfortunately, false prophets had always existed, since long ago in the days of
Moses, and later the Judges and Kings times of Israel (Fifteen hundred years
before Christ), and our Lord has always taught His people to test their messages
as being God given.
• In Deuteronomy 18 Moses prophesize about Jesus, and also teaches how
to differentiate a prophecy from the Lord, from a false one.
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8. 1) False
Teachers &
Prophets
Communications are spread in lightspeed and
reaches billions in seconds
TV, Radio, Cell Phones, News sites, Facebook,
You Tube, WhatsApp, Skype – Technology
tools
False teachings may come in many way – As
also the good and right teachings
We must be watchful to not accept false
teachings, that are constantly reaching our
senses.
• Added to that, we´re living in days where the communications are spread in
lightspeed and reaches billions in seconds.
• TV, Radio, Cell Phones, News sites, Facebook, You Tube, WhatsApp, Skype and all
the other communications tools that technology had brought us - and bless our
lives, if used in the right way – are a few examples of how we can receive
information from everywhere, anytime.
• Bringing back to the context of this message. False teachings may come in
numerous formats: text, videos, music, images – As also the good and right
teachings
• So we must be watchful all time to not receive and accept false teachings, that
are constantly reaching our senses.
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9. 1) False
Teachers &
Prophets
Everything HAS to be tested under the light
of the Word of God.
Being watchful and apply the criteria that
God taught us, to test the messages (1 John
4:1)
Does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh as the Son of God
Are from the world and therefore speak
from the viewpoint of the world
Whoever is not from God does not listen
to us
• Every YouTube sermon, Gospel song, beautiful e-mail chain, pastor preaching,
Bible studies, everything HAS to be tested under the light of the Word of God.
• Being watchful to apply the criteria that God taught us, to test the messages, or
the motives behind the messages.
• In 1 John 4:1-6, John tells us to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God” and teaches how to recognize the false prophets:
1. Does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh as the Son of God,
is not from God
1. Does not preach and teach based solely on the Word of God, but rather
bring new theories and teachings not supported by God’s revealed Word
2. Do the measures of success of these men and women are to Honor God,
the Spiritual Growth of the Church, the active preaching to the lost and
to proclaim and defend Christ’s message? Or they measure themselves
exclusively by the size and wealth of their congregations?
2. Are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world
1. Their fruits are from the world, not from Heaven. What are the
outcomes of their lives? Are these persons glorifying God in every aspect
of their ministries, or glorifying themselves?
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10. 2. Also, how do they handle the Lord’s resources entrusted to them? Do
they honor God by handling it in responsible and honest ways?
1. Whoever is not from God does not listen to us
1. What is the Holy Spirit telling us when we listen to their message? Are
their messages in synch with what the Spirit is telling the Church, or not
aligned to Him in any detail? This alignment with the Holy Spirit is a direct
result of a person’s prayer life.
About a month ago, I´ve received a podcast – audio message – talking very harshly about the
Christian pastors. Even though he was using the Bible to make his point, there were many
contradictions, as he was using verses out of context, trying to dissuade his audience to accept his
position. The Bible is the Revealed Word of God, and must not be used to serve´s someone particular
point of view.
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11. What must we be watchful for?
Anxieties & Distractions
•Luke 21:34 - Be careful, or your hearts will be
weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and
the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you
suddenly like a trap.
•Mark 13:34 - It’s like a man going away: He leaves
his house and puts his servants in charge, each with
their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to
keep watch
As the next warning, Jesus now asks us to be alert regarding Anxieties &
Distractions
Luke 21:34 NIV - Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with
carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on
you suddenly like a trap.
Mark 13:34 NIV - It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his
servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the
door to keep watch.
10

12. 2) Anxieties &
Distractions
Do not get distracted with the
worldly things, cares and anxieties
The anxieties of life are harder to
detect as sin
Jesus never asked to NOT take care
of our loved ones
Matthew 6 and James 4 – A contrast
between NEEDS and DESIRES
• Also, another request to be watchful and not go astray, away from God, in a
subtler way. That we do not get distracted with the worldly things, cares and
anxieties (Dissipation (Self-indulgence), Drunkenness (Overconsumption),
Anxieties of life, All types of sin).
• It´s easier to understand how some of them lead us away from God (Dissipation,
Drunkenness, Sin) but the anxieties of life are harder to detect as sin, as we
usually misunderstand them as our responsibility to take care of our family and
loved ones - What is Godly and important.
• Jesus never asked to NOT take care of our loved ones,
• Referring to Matthew 6 and James 4, we observe a contrast between NEEDS and
DESIRES
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13. What must we be watchful for?
Anxieties & Distractions
•Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be
given to you as well
•James 4:3 - When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives, that you
may spend what you get on your pleasures.
• Matthew 6:31-34 - So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall
we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do
not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.
• James 4:2-3 - You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot
get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not
ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong
motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
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14. 2) Anxieties &
Distractions
God provides our NEEDS
Must be careful to not put
our DESIRES in the same level
Not be anxious for anything
• God promise is to provide our NEEDS
• So, we must be careful to not put our DESIRES in the same level of importance
• And to not be anxious with what is NOT important, by God´s standards.
13

15. What must we pray for?
Escape All That…
•Luke 10:2 - 'He told them, “The harvest is plentiful,
but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his
harvest field. '
•Luke 21:36 - 'Be always on the watch, and pray that
you may be able to escape all that is about to
happen, and that you may be able to stand before
the Son of Man.”
As we acknowledge this truth that God provides our needs, then we rather focus
our petitions on what is eternal, by seeking God´s direction for our lives.
Luke 10:2 - 'He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest
field. '
Luke 21:36 - 'Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to
escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before
the Son of Man.”
In these example verses, Jesus guides us to pray specifically on some topics, of
course our prayers are not limited to those. Let us review together what He is
asking us to pray for.
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16. 1) Send out
Workers
God has individual plans for us
Has provided the guidance of the
Holy Spirit to help us fulfill them.
This is the Cross each of us must
carry - To do the Lord´s will
Send out Workers:
Mark 13:34 NIV - It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his
servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to
keep watch.
• God has specific plans for each of us – Individually assigned and prepared in
advance
• Has provided the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill them.
• Plans that we must seek to understand and invest our best efforts and resources
to make them happen according to God´s plan – This is the Cross each of us must
carry, do the Lord´s will in our own lives
15

17. 2) Pray that
you may be
able to
escape
Society is hostile to God
Pray for the Holy Spirit guidance
Pray that you may be able to escape:
• We´re facing a society hostile to God, not willing to follow His commands but
rather indulge themselves more and more
• We have to pray for the Holy Spirit guidance in every situation and challenge that
we may face, to overcome, support or even avoid them.
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18. Prayer is not the LAST resort,
but the FIRST line of action
“We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it
to be our first line of defense. We pray when there's
nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before
we do anything at all.
Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time
doing something that will get immediate results. We
don't want to wait for God to resolve matters in His
good time because His idea of 'good time' is seldom in
sync with ours.”
― Oswald Chambers
Prayer is not the LAST resort, but the FIRST line of action
Oswald Chambers (24 July 1874 – 15 November 1917) was an early
twentieth-century Scottish Baptist and Holiness
Movement[1] evangelist and teacher, best known for the
devotional My Utmost for His Highest.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/166479-we-tend-to-use-prayer-
as-a-last-resort-but
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswald_Chambers
17

19. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear
and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if
possible, even the elect.
Mark 13:22
•Be WATCHFUL,
pay close
attention and
always analyze
everything
under the light
of the Bible, the
Word of God.
Summarizing.
Be WATCHFUL, pay close attention and always analyze
everything under the light of the Bible, the Word of God.
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20. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds
of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert
and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people
Ephesians 6:18
•PRAY
continually, to
never lose
contact with
the Holy Spirit,
that will guide
you through the
path to Holiness
Also.
PRAY continually, to never lose contact with the Holy Spirit, that
will guide you through the path to Holiness
19

21. Watch and pray!
Risks of being
deceived by false
prophets, being fooled
by ungodly teachings
Be careful of signs and
wonders that are not
combined with
holiness.
Pray continually to be
prepared for the
things to come, live a
holy life
The testimony of
Christ: Sacrificing self-
indulgence and
standing firm for God.
Then we will be able
to “stand before the
Son of Man”
• Jesus warned His disciples of the risks of being deceived by false prophets, being
fooled by teachings that do not come closer or points towards God.
• To be careful about believing in signs and wonders that are not combined with
holiness.
• To accomplish that, He asks us to pray continually, so we can, not only be
prepared for the things to come, but primarily to live a holy life, that will
transform us and the world around ourselves
• By the testimony of Christ in our own lives - sacrificing our own self-indulgence to
follow God´s will and standing firm for God in a godless world.
• At his very moment, we´re able to “stand before the Son of Man” and be
confident that we will spend our eternity with Himself, Jesus
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22. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may Be
aBle to escape all that is aBout to happen, and that
you may Be aBle to stand Before the son of man.
luke 21:36
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may Be aBle to
escape all that is aBout to happen, and that you may Be aBle to
stand Before the son of man.
luke 21:36
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