WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:06.480 Well, good Tuesday morning to you on this quiet Tuesday morning, soon to be rainy Tuesday morning. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:15.199 We're glad that you're joining us as we're looking at Matthew chapter twenty-four this morning, looking specifically at verses forty-two through fifty. 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:18.480 Um the title of this devotion is Be Ready. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:25.359 So, you too must keep watch, for you don't know what day your Lord is coming. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:34.000 Understand this if a homeowner knows exactly when a burglar is coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:40.159 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when you least expect it. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:48.799 A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:54.640 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:00.079 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all that he owns. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:09.840 But what if the servant is evil and thinks, My master won't be back for a while, and he begins beating the other servants, partying and getting drunk? 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:17.920 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant into pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:22.079 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:31.840 I can remember as an older high school student, there were a few occasions where my parents would leave me at home by myself while they would go away for the weekend. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:39.599 Typically they would leave me some money for food and a simple list of chores that would be expected to be done before they returned. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:49.120 Like a stereotypical teenager, I would wait until the absolute last minute to get all the house cleaned, the yard mowed, and the list of chores completed. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:57.760 Sometimes I would beat my deadline and other times I would get in trouble for failing to be responsible with the responsibilities I was given. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:05.040 In the same way, Jesus is alluding to the responsibilities that the disciples will be tasked with upon his departure. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:14.319 Christ let his disciples know that he will one day return, which we looked at yesterday, but no one knows the day or hour that this will take place. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:22.719 So the message Jesus has for his disciples is, you must be ready, all the time because the Son of Man will come when you least expect it. 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:28.400 Jesus didn't want his followers to be caught flat footed and unprepared for his return. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:36.879 Have you ever considered that as a follower of Jesus you have been given responsibilities from your heavenly Father that you will be held accountable for? 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:51.439 As a disciple of Jesus, we are not just given the gift of salvation and the inheritance of a heavenly destination, but we have also been called to a higher standard where we live on mission, sharing and living out the good news of Jesus. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:03:00.000 However, it is easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day activities that we forget about our responsibilities and fail to be faithful in carrying out the mission. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:05.280 No one knows when Jesus will return, but when he does, we must be found faithful. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:09.199 To the one that is found faithful, there will be a great reward. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:18.960 However, to the one that squanders his responsibilities will be treated as a hypocrite and thrown into a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:30.479 So our action this morning, as Easter approaches, let us be faithful to the relationships that the Lord has placed around us by inviting people to join us at one of our Easter services. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:36.719 If Jesus were to return this year, who in your life would still be lost and in need of salvation? 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:40.080 Invite them to join you at church on Easter Sunday. 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:42.159 And Lord, we pray this morning. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:47.680 Thank you for coming the first time to earth and providing the salvation that we needed. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:54.240 Thank you for your death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, but thank you also for your impeding return. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:04:00.159 Lord, let me be found faithful upon your return, sharing and living out the gospel. 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:03.439 Thank you so much for joining us this morning. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:11.360 Stay safe with the bad weather that's coming, and we'll see you back tomorrow morning as we look at Matthew chapter twenty five.