WEBVTT 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:10.000 The devil had three apprentices. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:20.560 And they were trying to come up with ways by which to keep people away from the Lord. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:28.879 And the first apprentice said to the devil, I'm going to tell people that there is no God. 00:00:30.080 --> 00:00:34.640 The devil said, That's not going to fool too many. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:38.880 Because deep down people know that there is a God. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:45.200 The second apprentice said, I'm going to tell people that there is no judgment. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:58.560 Said, you know, I don't think that's going to fool very many people either, because they all face consequences, and at the end of the day, they understand that there's consequences to action. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:07.759 The third said, I will tell people that you have plenty of time. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:15.280 I will tell people that you have plenty of time to get ready. 00:01:15.759 --> 00:01:20.080 And Satan said, Go, that will ruin millions. 00:01:20.639 --> 00:01:22.879 We're talking about being ready today. 00:01:22.960 --> 00:01:29.840 And y'all, the devil really wants us to not be ready to meet Jesus. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:40.000 And he wants this because he knows that the deepest desire of the Lord's heart is to be with you. 00:01:40.960 --> 00:01:45.199 The Bible tells us that the Lord is not willing that any should perish. 00:01:55.360 --> 00:02:04.479 The evidence of this being the desire of Jesus' heart is clear in the chapters of Matthew, chapter 24 and 25. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:13.039 James Montgomery Boyce, who was a pastor at the 10th Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia for 32 years. 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:17.840 I've been here 12 years, so that's 20 more than I have been here. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:19.759 Are you guys ready to keep me for another 20 years? 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:20.719 Is that okay? 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:22.560 Only a few amens on this side. 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:26.319 This side obviously is wanting to begin the search process already. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:43.759 But James Montgomery Boyce, he points out that about half of Matthew 24 deals with signs that are not actually the signs of the end. 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:47.439 You remember Jesus said, all these signs, and he says, But what? 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:50.159 But the end is not yet. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:57.039 And then there's a very small section that describes the return of Christ, verses 27 through 31. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:16.639 But the vast majority, Boyce points out, a third of chapter 24, verses 36 through 51, and all of chapter uh 25, a total of 62 verses warn us to get ready, since we do not know when that day of final reckoning will be. 00:03:16.959 --> 00:03:28.079 Jesus stresses this single point, the single point for all of these verses, 62 verses, the application is clear. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.799 Boy says, are you watching? 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:34.319 Are you ready for Jesus' return? 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:42.000 Jesus emphasizes this in Matthew chapter 24 and 25 through seven stories. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:44.719 Seven stories to emphasize this. 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:50.959 Four at the end of Matthew chapter 24 and three in Matthew chapter 25. 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:56.560 In today's talk, I'm only going to focus on the first two of those stories. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:07.919 And my reason for choosing to focus on these two stories is because they focus on aspects that I don't think we often consider when we think about what distracts us from Jesus. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:11.199 And that's why I'm going to look at these two stories today. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:23.360 Most sermons and most of the time in life when we talk about being distracted from something related to Jesus, although I appreciated uh Scott's prayer and how he prayed that, the everyday busyness of life can distract us. 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:26.319 But most sermons are about the bad. 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:47.759 Even when we do evangelistic series, many of you have been to what we call evangelistic series, and you'll hear people talk about the need to get ready or don't be distracted by all the bad things in the world, all the wrongs in the world, all the untruth in the world, but but be ready for Jesus come by not paying attention to the bad. 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:54.719 I actually want to talk to you about the good things that can distract us from being ready for Jesus' return. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:05:01.199 And the reason I'm going to start here is because this is where Jesus starts in these verses. 00:05:01.599 --> 00:05:09.680 Open your Bibles to the book of Matthew, chapter 24, Matthew chapter 24, verses 36 through 42. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:13.759 Matthew chapter 24, verses 36 through 42. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.560 And I am reading in the English Standard Version. 00:05:18.719 --> 00:05:20.079 These are Jesus' words. 00:05:20.159 --> 00:05:27.759 He says, But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:31.599 For as were in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:39.199 For as in those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.639 And they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:45.040 So will be the coming of the Son of Man. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:49.199 Then two men will be in the field, and one will be taken and one left. 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:54.159 Two women will be grinding at the mill, and one will be taken and one left. 00:05:54.399 --> 00:06:02.480 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:12.480 Two illustrations from Jesus' sermon, two good distractions that keep us from being ready for his second coming. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:30.079 There is a multitude of lessons we could take from these stories, and there's a multitude of lessons we could take from these chapters, but I have decided to focus on two things that are good in life that distract us from being ready for Jesus' return. 00:06:30.719 --> 00:06:33.040 Everything begins on this. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:41.360 Dr. 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:42.000 David L. 00:06:42.159 --> 00:06:49.279 Turner said, ignorance of the time of Jesus' coming should result in constant alertness. 00:06:49.599 --> 00:06:54.879 Ignorance of the time of Jesus' coming should result in constant alertness. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:59.759 This goes against everything that we kind of practice as a society. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:05.839 In fact, most of the time, we societally use ignorance as a reason to not be ready for something. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:11.040 We just had our teachers up front and we have a bunch of young people in the congregation. 00:07:11.599 --> 00:07:18.639 How many teachers have ever heard a student say, I'm not ready, I didn't know this was coming? 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:19.199 Right? 00:07:20.159 --> 00:07:21.360 Have you ever heard that before? 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:23.519 How many students have used that statement? 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:24.800 No one told me. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:26.000 I wasn't ready. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:31.519 We use ready, we use our lack of knowledge as an excuse to not be ready. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:34.879 It's like when Jason is about to ride in my car. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:36.879 Pastor Jason is about to ride in my car. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:40.719 Pastor Jason is very fastidious about his care of his car. 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:42.719 Me, not so much. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:51.519 And so as he's getting in the car, I'm like moving water bottles from around his feet and trying to, and I say, I didn't know I was gonna have anybody in my car today. 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:56.000 My excuse, I didn't know anyone was going to be in my car. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.519 Therefore, I'm not ready. 00:08:02.159 --> 00:08:06.159 We use this in simple ways, but we also use it in big ways as well. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:11.360 But Jesus is removing that excuse from us when it comes to his return. 00:08:11.599 --> 00:08:19.599 His buzzwords, some of his buzzwords in chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew, are these stay awake, be ready, watch. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:23.360 You don't know, stay awake, be ready, watch. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:31.519 In other words, ignorance of when he's going to come is not an excuse for not being ready. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:34.560 That is what Jesus is saying. 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:41.520 Because to live without watchfulness invites disaster. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:04.000 And you they walk in the door and you're like, oh, hi. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:09.360 And then you pull a spouse aside, you should have told me they were coming, I would have been ready. 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:16.240 NT Wright said this. 00:09:25.760 --> 00:09:35.360 Like people who know there are going to be surprise visitors coming sooner or later, but who don't know exactly when. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:43.440 If you believe that Jesus is coming, Jesus calls us to be ready. 00:09:44.560 --> 00:09:47.120 But as I said, I'm not just trying to encourage you to be ready. 00:09:47.280 --> 00:09:52.400 I want us to understand what it is that distracts us from being ready. 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:57.920 And two of those distractions are from the first two stories that Jesus shares with us. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:00.240 And both of them are good things. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:08.160 And they are talking about actually things that are just part of the generalities of life, just the practice of living. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:17.680 Jesus' first story is a historical story from the book of Genesis, and it gives us the distraction of everyday blessing. 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:28.480 Jesus says in Matthew chapter 20, or Matthew chapter 24 and verse 38, for as in those days before the flood, they were talking about the people living before Noah's flood. 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:34.800 In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.240 Now I want to say something. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:44.000 Unfortunately, Matthew chapter 24 and verse 38 has been misused by many preachers over history. 00:10:44.160 --> 00:10:47.520 It's misused in meetings that we've had over the course of history. 00:10:47.760 --> 00:10:56.480 Oftentimes we use this verse to somehow frame this as what God is condemning is that these people were all just partying and being wild and crazy. 00:10:56.640 --> 00:11:02.640 They should be much more somber, much more sober and holy and mindful of these things. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:07.920 Preachers have discouraged joy using this text. 00:11:08.160 --> 00:11:11.360 Make sure in the last days you're not having any fun. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:14.320 And don't get married. 00:11:16.560 --> 00:11:18.240 Ellen White wrote this. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:22.400 God did not condemn the antediluvians for eating and drinking. 00:11:39.280 --> 00:11:49.280 God wants you to enjoy the abundance of life and the abundance of the blessings that are in this life. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:52.640 He wants you to have a good life and to enjoy those blessings. 00:11:52.879 --> 00:12:02.560 The problem was that in the days of Noah and in our days is when the blessings from God get put in the wrong perspective. 00:12:02.800 --> 00:12:07.440 And these blessings from God become little gods in and of themselves. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:18.560 And we start to appreciate and value and have excess in those blessings and lose sight of the one who gave those blessings. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:23.520 Are any of us at risk of that in our world? 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:34.720 We've misused it and turned it into something of excess that is now a little god in our life that we think, oh, I can't live without this. 00:12:34.800 --> 00:12:37.440 I can't, I can't survive without this. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:46.720 There was a rapper in my childhood days that had the song Mo Money Mo Problems. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.000 I guess no fans of that rapper. 00:12:50.160 --> 00:12:52.560 First service knew that song right away. 00:12:52.640 --> 00:12:54.000 They were enjoying that. 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:58.160 You guys are a little more, I guess, proper and cultured. 00:12:58.320 --> 00:12:59.360 I don't know the song either. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:00.560 I'm just pretending to know it. 00:13:00.640 --> 00:13:00.960 But no. 00:13:01.280 --> 00:13:15.200 Anyways, that song, Mo Money, Mo Problems, is a song where the the the author of the song says, the more that I have, the more that I get, the more people want from me. 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:23.600 But the truth is, the more things that we get, the more we have blessings, sometimes the more we want those as well. 00:13:23.680 --> 00:13:28.720 And those become our focus and a distraction rather than God. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:30.560 I'm guilty of this. 00:13:30.800 --> 00:13:45.760 I was thinking as I was writing the sermon, I was thinking about the fact that I sometimes think to myself, man, I would never want to live, or I would never want to live with my five kids in the setting that my parents, five kids, I don't have five kids, sorry, don't worry. 00:13:47.280 --> 00:13:50.800 Christina has four, Dayton, Lannon, Levi Chad. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:55.680 But but I wouldn't want to live in a house of five. 00:13:55.920 --> 00:14:01.520 When I was a kid, we I I lived in a, you know, we lived in an apartment that was about 800 square feet. 00:14:01.680 --> 00:14:07.040 We lived in a in a in a double wide in a in a in a mobile home that was about a thousand square feet. 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:13.120 And the biggest house that I ever lived in off of Reed Avenue and Grand Terrace was 1,200 square feet. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:20.560 And I look back on that and I go, I think to myself, how did my parents survive with three kids in in that house? 00:14:21.280 --> 00:14:29.760 And I what I've come to the conclusion is that my sisters and I were just way better behaved than my kids are, and that's the reason why they could survive that. 00:14:29.920 --> 00:14:31.040 Do you believe that about me? 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.879 That I was a good kid? 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:38.320 I like you more now than first service because they said no, they didn't believe it. 00:14:40.160 --> 00:14:46.720 But my point is, is now we live in a much bigger house, and sometimes that that blessing of abundance that we have distracts me. 00:14:46.800 --> 00:14:53.760 And I feel pressure to stay and keep my kids in the environment that they're in than the environment that I was in. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:54.640 That's a pressure. 00:14:54.800 --> 00:15:01.520 This good thing has become a distraction at times in my life. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:07.120 Here's what Ellen White said that which is lawful in and of itself is carried to excess. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:13.120 Men and women are living for the pleasure, the senses for this world and this life alone. 00:15:13.280 --> 00:15:27.520 In other words, these good things that God gave you, these lawful things, these blessed things that He wants you to have that are wants, maybe not even needs, but are wants of yours that God wants you to have, we start to say, Man, I can't live without that. 00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:31.600 I start to live for those things rather than for God. 00:15:31.920 --> 00:15:35.920 A good thing that has become a distraction. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:46.320 Are any blessings that you received in your life, have they become bigger in your view than the one who gave them? 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:56.720 Are you living more for those gifts and those blessings than you are for the one who gave you those gifts and those blessings? 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.600 Those are then distractions. 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:08.879 The next story Jesus tells us in the context is in the context of one of the most basic things of life, and that is work. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:14.000 Then two men went into the field, one will be taken and one will be left. 00:16:14.160 --> 00:16:18.879 Two women were grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left. 00:16:19.040 --> 00:16:25.760 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day or hour the Lord is coming. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:26.560 Dr. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:34.879 France asked, What could be more normal and unthreatening than working on the farm or grinding grain? 00:16:35.040 --> 00:16:44.000 Yet in those routine situations, there will be a sudden crisis which will result in one taken while the other is left behind. 00:16:44.160 --> 00:16:51.680 Of course, some have misused this verse to teach an idea of a secret rapture, and that's not what this is talking about. 00:16:51.760 --> 00:17:01.920 It's just talking about the aspect of people will be living very normal lives, and those very normal lives themselves can be a distraction. 00:17:02.400 --> 00:17:07.599 The basic thing, the general practice of your day can be a distraction. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:15.200 France continues on the time of normal banality is potentially also the time of danger. 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:20.559 The time of just the regular happenings of your life. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:31.919 And Jesus says, in this most basic functions of your life, make sure that you stay awake, for you do not know when the Lord is coming. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:34.799 You do not know when the Lord is coming. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:45.039 In Matthew's inspired writings of chapter 24 and 25, this is the call to keep awake. 00:17:46.319 --> 00:18:04.639 Y'all, we can get so bogged down with life, with the basics of life, the banality of life, as France called it, that the routine of life becomes in and of itself our focus and thus a distraction away from the return of Jesus. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.480 I want you to think about this. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:09.679 I want to talk specifically to the adults right now in this room. 00:18:10.399 --> 00:18:19.919 Some of you adults are constantly warning your kids about the distractions of the world. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:22.000 Watch out for that. 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:25.039 We don't want you to do that because we don't want this to happen. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.799 Be careful with that. 00:18:28.399 --> 00:18:32.159 Don't be with these friends because they might lead you this way. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:36.559 Don't watch that because it might cause you to do this. 00:18:37.439 --> 00:18:45.839 We're constantly pointing out the big bad sin stuff in the world and the potential of the big bad sin stuff in the world. 00:18:47.439 --> 00:19:09.759 And could it be, adults, that while you're warning your kids about all the bad things that they need to stay away from, right before their eyes, you're modeling a distracted life just by going about the ordinariness of life and forgetting about Jesus. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.519 Don't do that. 00:19:11.679 --> 00:19:12.639 Don't do this. 00:19:12.879 --> 00:19:19.839 While your life is a distracted life just from your basic day-in and day out routine. 00:19:21.439 --> 00:19:26.559 Not by bad things, by basic things, the basic things of living. 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:28.559 A lot of you guys are going back to school soon. 00:19:28.639 --> 00:19:30.399 Some of you young people are going back to school soon. 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:32.480 If you're at Spencerville, you're going to start on Monday. 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:32.960 And you know what? 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:34.799 You're going to get into this routine. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:40.079 You're going to get into this routine, and this routine can just cause you to go through the motions of all things. 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:44.960 You're going to hear your parents saying on Monday morning, get up, hurry up. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:46.559 You got to get ready for school. 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:52.319 And you're going to hear that said Monday through Friday for the next nine and a half months. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:55.839 And then you're going to hear them saying like this, Hurry up. 00:19:55.919 --> 00:19:57.279 We don't have time for you to eat breakfast. 00:19:57.359 --> 00:19:58.240 You got to get out the door. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:19:59.119 We got to get to work. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:00.240 Grab a banana. 00:20:00.399 --> 00:20:02.399 Does anyone else say that in their home? 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:06.639 You're going to pull up to the school and you're going to see uh Mr. 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:07.359 Martinez. 00:20:07.439 --> 00:20:08.079 You're going to see Mr. 00:20:08.159 --> 00:20:14.480 Marz out there shaking hands and greeting people and telling you, hi, and this routine's going to go on over and over again. 00:20:14.639 --> 00:20:18.000 After the first week, you're going to know your class schedule and you're going to know your function. 00:20:18.159 --> 00:20:28.240 And in all this ordinariness of life, all this routine of life, the devil will use that right there to distract you from him. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:30.000 C.S. 00:20:30.159 --> 00:20:34.639 Lewis, just masterful, insightful theologian. 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:35.359 C.S. 00:20:35.439 --> 00:20:38.399 Lewis, of course, of course, wrote The Chronicles of Narnia. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:44.879 Some of you might have seen on my Instagram that I posted a video of my son after he had his wisdom teeth out. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:46.960 And some of you scolded me for that. 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:48.960 I had his permission, just so you know. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.799 But uh I was showing some of these videos. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:59.519 One of them that I didn't show you, though, was that Lannon, while he was standing uh sitting there, he suddenly says to me, Dad, do you want to talk about the Chronicles of Narnia? 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:01.839 I was like, Where did this come from? 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:02.879 But he's a C.S. 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:05.119 Lewis fan, uh, which is uh which I appreciate. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:05.759 But C.S. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:06.639 Lewis wrote another book. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.000 It's called The Screw Tape Letters. 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:09.359 Anyone read the Screw Tape Letters? 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:11.439 Screw Tape Letters is a genius book. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.960 I encourage you to read it. 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.960 And in that book, C.S. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:26.079 Lewis examines human existence from the perspective of a demon trying to distract a human from seeing or from meeting or from following God. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:26.879 And C.S. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:28.399 Lewis writes this. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:30.879 If I can get it, I'm not going to it. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.559 It just left me. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:34.799 All right, C.S. 00:21:34.879 --> 00:21:36.000 Lewis wrote this. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:39.839 You don't realize how enslaved they are to the pressure. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:42.240 He's this is the demon talking about people. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:46.559 You don't realize how enslaved they are to the pressure of the ordinary. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:54.399 They find it all but impossible to believe in the unfamiliar while the familiar is before their eyes. 00:21:54.639 --> 00:22:00.079 Keep pressing home on him the ordinariness of things. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:01.919 Think about this, parents. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:03.919 Be careful of that big bad wolf over there. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:04.799 Be careful of that. 00:22:04.879 --> 00:22:10.079 There, be careful of what you're Watching there, be careful of this, be careful of that, be careful of this, which are all good things. 00:22:10.159 --> 00:22:18.000 And maybe right before them, you're teaching them how to be distracted by just the routine of life. 00:22:19.679 --> 00:22:22.559 Just keep things as familiar as possible. 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:27.519 Don't lead them into some deep perversion that might drive them back to the Lord. 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:28.079 Don't do that. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:33.439 Just keep things ordinary, and in the ordinary practice of life, they'll be distracted. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:38.960 The blessings on this earth, the eating, the drinking, the marrying, all are blessings. 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:42.240 Working is a blessing from God. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:48.399 But Jesus reminds us not to let these good and ordinary things distract us. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:52.240 He wants you to be ready. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:54.639 He wants you to be ready. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:02.559 We could give a list of all the bad things that could distract us, but today I want to ask you a question. 00:23:02.879 --> 00:23:05.679 Is there anything good in your life? 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:22.720 Is your life so routine and so familiar that you've been distracted from that which is unfamiliar, from that which is amazing and beyond comprehension, the goodness of God. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:27.759 Some of those things might be very good. 00:23:27.919 --> 00:23:32.480 There might be very good things in your life that are distracting you, but consider this. 00:23:33.919 --> 00:23:34.799 Consider this. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:44.159 Even those good things, nothing that is good in this earth compares to the goodness that God has for you. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:54.159 The Bible says, No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor can the mind of man comprehend what God has in store for those who love him. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:02.240 Yes, don't be distracted by the bad, but also don't be distracted by the good. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:08.159 Y'all, I want you to be ready, but more than that, Jesus wants you to be ready. 00:24:08.399 --> 00:24:16.000 He's made that very clear, spending so much of this, these verses and these chapters encouraging people to be ready. 00:24:16.159 --> 00:24:24.480 And not only does he spend that time in Matthew chapter 24 and 25, but he's he spends that time encouraging the people to be ready throughout the Bible. 00:24:24.639 --> 00:24:34.960 Pretty much every single book of the Bible has references to the second coming of Jesus, has references to a new life, a better life, a life where Jesus makes all things new. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:39.279 This is throughout the Bible, and he wants us to be ready for that. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:43.519 He wants you to be with him for all eternity. 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:52.079 Each one of us has someone in this life that we can't imagine being separated from. 00:24:52.399 --> 00:24:58.319 A child or a spouse or a parent or a friend. 00:24:59.919 --> 00:25:02.879 Christina and I, about a month ago, we were standing in the kitchen. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:09.919 I can see us standing there and we were talking, and one of us, or maybe it was Dayton, said something about going to college. 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:14.879 And I turned to Christina and I said, This is our last year before he goes to college. 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:18.720 And I got teary-eyed thinking about it. 00:25:20.159 --> 00:25:24.000 As I get old, I seem to get teary-eyed about everything these days. 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:30.799 One of my great joys of life used to be able to make fun of my mother-in-law for how much she cried on the drop of a hat on everything. 00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:35.359 And now my kids will always say to me, they'll be like, Oh, Dad, you're being like Grandma Varve. 00:25:35.439 --> 00:25:37.359 It's taking all my joy away. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:52.000 But we're there tearful, just the thought of Dayton going to college and no longer having him there by our side day in and day out. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:56.639 That's the heart of Jesus for each one of you. 00:25:57.919 --> 00:26:07.519 He wants you there with him day in and day out, not just hit and miss, but every day and throughout all eternity. 00:26:07.679 --> 00:26:13.039 That's what he wants for you, brothers and sisters. 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:17.439 But I want to close with this. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:29.599 He wants you ready for the right reasons. 00:26:29.679 --> 00:26:31.839 And hear what I'm about to say. 00:26:33.439 --> 00:26:42.720 Too many of us have thought about readiness in the context of guilt and stress of the urgency. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:49.759 Do any of you have kids that ever ask you what time you'll be home from something? 00:26:50.000 --> 00:27:00.159 But they're not asking you because they actually care about what time you'll be home, but because they want to be ready, whether it's a chore list or something else. 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:04.720 You know, kids call, my my son Dane calls me. 00:27:04.879 --> 00:27:05.759 Hey dad, where are you at? 00:27:06.399 --> 00:27:09.200 I'm telling him, have you guys done your chores yet? 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:11.759 Oh, yeah, yeah, we're we're getting to them. 00:27:11.919 --> 00:27:14.639 Uh uh, what time will you be home? 00:27:18.159 --> 00:27:22.799 The urgency of time makes them want to be ready. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:31.119 And I know that we, as pastors, that sometimes have said things that have that have created that urgency, created that anxiety. 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:40.159 And I do believe that Jesus is coming soon, as one of my friends says, I believe there's a better than zero percent chance that Jesus is going to come in my lifetime. 00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:42.079 But I don't know when that is. 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:45.759 No one knows the day or the hour, Jesus says. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:52.960 But I don't want to be ready simply because I'm in fear or simply because I'm worried about the urgency of it. 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:54.559 That isn't the right motivation. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:28:03.279 Ellen White said that the shortness of time is urged as an incentive for us to seek righteousness and to make Christ our friend. 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:06.399 This is not the great motive, she said. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:08.559 It savors of selfishness. 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:15.200 Is it necessary that the terrors of the day of God be held before us to compel us through fear to ride action? 00:28:15.439 --> 00:28:18.720 She says, this ought not to be. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:32.399 Brothers and sisters, you should not be compelled to be ready because you're worried about what if he comes tomorrow and I'm not ready, or what happens if I do something when I'm driving home today. 00:28:32.639 --> 00:28:43.119 My dad said he used to worry if like he was driving home and he ran into somebody and a bad word slipped out of his mouth that he'd be scared, they'd be lost for all eternity because of that. 00:28:43.919 --> 00:28:46.319 These types of things would would make him fearful. 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:50.639 This is not the reason why we should desire to be ready. 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:54.559 This ought not to be, she said. 00:28:56.240 --> 00:29:00.799 I just gave away my secret, but I'm gonna tell you why you should be ready. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:03.679 Because I know that was a question. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:05.599 Why should we want to be ready then? 00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:10.399 Why should we want to be ready? 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:23.439 Ellen White's next line, immediately after where she says, this ought not to be, she wrote one of the beautiful, most beautiful lines for why we should want to be ready. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:27.919 And she said this because Jesus is attractive. 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.439 Three words. 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:32.879 Why should I want to be ready to meet Jesus? 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:34.399 Is it because he's gonna come tomorrow? 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:39.519 Is it because because times are looking scary and stressful? 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:42.720 It's because Jesus is attractive. 00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:44.720 Jesus is good. 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:51.679 No eye has seen, no ear is heard, nor the heart of man can comprehend what God has in store for you. 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:54.079 I have loved you with an everlasting love. 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:58.879 Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:04.559 Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:30:08.639 --> 00:30:13.599 Jesus is the reason to be ready. 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:18.079 Jesus is attractive. 00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:21.200 Y'all, nothing bad? 00:30:21.679 --> 00:30:22.639 For sure. 00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:28.799 And not even anything good in this life is as attractive as Jesus. 00:30:30.879 --> 00:30:37.119 So I invite you to consider your readiness. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:47.679 Not because of the urgency of time, but because Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is attractive to you. 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:51.439 Lord, we thank you for your grace, for your mercy. 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:54.559 We thank you that you are attractive. 00:30:55.039 --> 00:31:00.159 That you are the beauty of all the ages. 00:31:03.439 --> 00:31:13.439 And that which we think is most amazing in this world, it tails in comparison to the wonder and the beauty of you. 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:16.480 And your grace and your love. 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:17.919 Amen.