Stay Awake! - Mark 13:32-37

Mark 13: the center of the Mark 13 chiasm is to proclaim the Gospel! 

Today's text: Mark 13:32-37

In v32, we're talking armor "that day": we believe this is referring to the day of His return. There will be no warning, even He won't know until the moment! Nobody will know the date of His return.

v33... Be on guard, nobody knows the time. Keep watching for Him! Don't spiritually slumber. Be in guard against sin and rebellion in your life.

v34-35... Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake! 

The disciples will fail in each of the night watch periods (evening, midnight, before dawn, and dawn).

v36... Don't let Him find you asleep! When the time comes, it'll come suddenly. When He comes, there's no more time. The window has closed. 

v37... Stay awake! No details, just how to prepare: stay awake. 

That's today's text.

Our only warning is to be ready! 

The return of the Lord...

Pastor Josh's perspective: when will He return? We don't know. Should we avoid building charts showing the order? Not necessarily. But don't be dogmatic about it. 

There are many different ideas held by many people who love the Lord a lot. 

It's ok to pick a position on these things, but hold it with open hands, open to people with different perspectives. 

The order of the Olivet Discourse: all these things will happen, then the return of the Lord. Jesus comes last.

In Revelation, he comes, then the people endure through trials. But the post-tribulation perspective diminishes the surprise of the return of the Lord. His return is described as a thief in the night. An hour we the Church won't expect! No warning, no sign. If he's coming back after the tribulation, there's no reason for us to live in a state of preparedness until the tribulation has happened. 

"Didache": an early Church document saying how the Church is to conduct itself. It says to be ready! We know not the day nor the hour! 

Spurgeon: can't tell if the millennium will come first, but the indistinctness in Scripture seems intentional, so that we may be ready!

Illustration about Josh's kids being told to get ready to leave the house: they have no idea what it takes to leave the house (cleaning, prepping the babies, etc). They just have to be ready!

Is he comes right now: how will you be found? Drunk? Harboring anger towards someone? In an affair? Be faithful! Be ready! You cannot be found wicked!

Be righteous! 5 minutes into eternity, you'll never regret praying too much, spending too much time in the Word. Do it now! We know not the time! Be ready! 

That said, my faithfulness doesn't lead to my salvation. That would be legalism, a works-based righteousness.

You'll never be in Heaven because of your works. We're all only ever saved by grace. It's only because we came to Jesus in faith, and he washed away our sins. Only the grace of our God.

Faithful believers have the assurance of things hoped for! Our behavior follows our beliefs. "We are what we love." The saved are those who believe what Jesus said is true. The faithful servant simply truly believes the words of the master! 

You will know a tree by its fruit. If you believe in him, you'll stand at the door and wait! We must be men and women of conviction!

Two things...

1. If you're a believer, live for Christ! Study the Word to live the Word to share the Word. We have direct access to the Father! Ask Him anything! Ask Him to fix you! He'll slowly turn you into something more like Him. 

If there's ever a question whether you'll be in church Sunday morning, you're doing something wrong. Be with the Lord on His day! Be found awake! 

You won't be perfect. Romans 7. We're all imperfect. 

2. If you're a non-believer, come to Jesus! The return of the Lord is the best day for the believer, but the worst day for the non-believer. God's hand of friendship will be withdrawn on that day. They're will be no more opportunity to repent. Make your peace with the Lord, ask him into your life, and follow him from here on out. You're life will follow what you love!