ready or not

(We all can remember playing hide and go seek, and hearing the one count down, and then say, "Ready or not, here I come!"

Does that not remind us of Jesus coming?)

Luke 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

(Jesus will come suddenly, at an hour we think not, so we need to watch and be ready:)

Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

I Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

I Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

(When Jesus comes for the Christians in the blessed hope, and when he returns to the earth, it will happen suddenly, quickly:)

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Revelation 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

(The day of the blessed hope, our escape, but beginning the world’s woe, will come like as a thief, it will happen suddenly, quickly:)

I Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

(When Jesus returns at the second advent, it then will also be like as when a thief comes, it will happen suddenly, quickly:)

Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

(Even as late as the battle of Armageddon, Jesus will come as a thief, and show up suddenly, quickly:)

Revelation 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

(Then, even after the millennium kingdom, the end comes as a thief, it will happen suddenly, quickly:)

II Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

(What does this mean for Christians believers?

First off, where are we going?)

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

(What will it be like?)

I Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

(How it will happen?)

I Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 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.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

(Are we ready?

What’s the only way to be ready?

How many of our family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors, are not ready?

The blessed hope will come suddenly, but then what will happen to those who are not ready?

There will be much trouble, fear, and pain for those going through the tribulation.

Then, for all those who die without trusting Jesus for their salvation, will have an eternity of fear and pain.)

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Matthew 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Luke 12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.