Are You Prepared? (CC)
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LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US BY THE PROPHET
MALACHI, WHERE WE READ
FROM CHAPTER 3, THE FIRST
THREE VERSES:
"I WILL SEND MY MESSENGER,
WHO WILL
PREPARE THE WAY BEFORE ME.
THEN SUDDENLY
THE LORD YOU ARE SEEKING WILL
COME TO HIS TEMPLE;
THE MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT,
WHOM YOU DESIRE, WILL COME,"
SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.
BUT WHO CAN ENDURE
THE DAY OF HIS COMING?
WHO CAN STAND
WHEN HE APPEARS?
FOR HE WILL BE LIKE
A REFINER'S FIRE OR A
LAUNDERER'S SOAP.
HE WILL SIT AS A REFINER AND
PURIFIER OF SILVER;
HE WILL PURIFY THE LEVITES AND
REFINE THEM
LIKE GOLD AND SILVER.
THEN THE LORD WILL HAVE MEN
WHO WILL BRING OFFERINGS IN
RIGHTEOUSNESS,
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD,
MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND
THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR
HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT,
OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND
COMFORT.
AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST:
WHO COULD ENDURE
THE DAY OF THE LORD'S COMING?
WHO CAN STAND IN THE PRESENCE
OF THE LORD?
INTERESTING QUESTIONS THAT
WE ARE PRESENTED WITH THIS
MORNING.
WHETHER IT BE IN THE TEXT
THAT WE JUST READ,
OR IN OUR PSALM FOR THIS
MORNING. IT REALLY IS
AN INTERESTING WAY FOR US
TO THINK ABOUT
THE LORD'S COMING.
THE LORD PREDICTED
THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS GOING
TO BE THE MESSIAH,
WAS GOING TO COME INTO THIS
WORLD
TO BE ITS SAVIOR.
THE PROPHET MALACHI REMINDS
US AT ZION: TO PREPARE
THE WAY FOR CHRIST TO COME.
TO PREPARE PEOPLES' HEARTS.
HOW DID HE DO THAT?
HE WENT AROUND PREACHING
THE WORD.
HE WENT THROUGHOUT THE
REGION OF THE JORDAN,
OUR GOSPEL LESSON TOLD US.
TEACHING PEOPLE CONCERNING
CHRIST. PREACHING
A BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE ...
SO THAT PEOPLES' HEARTS
WOULD BE PREPARED TO RECEIVE
THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.
TO REALIZE THAT CHRIST CAME
AND ACCOMPLISHED HIS GOAL.
AND THAT HE IS GOING TO COME
NOW AS
KING OF KINGS WHEN HE RETURNS
TO TAKE US TO BE WITH HIM IN
GLORY.
BUT HOW ARE WE RIGHTLY
PREPARED?
WHAT STEPS ARE YOU TAKING
IN ORDER TO BE READY
WHEN CHRIST COMES TO CALL
YOU HOME?
OR [WHEN HE COMES]
TO END THIS WORLD?
BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO?
OR IS IT LIKE WHAT OCCURRED
THIS PAST WEEK IN
SAN BERNARDINO?
NOT GONNA HAPPEN AT MY
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.
I'M NOT GONNA THINK ABOUT
THOSE THINGS.
I'M NOT GOING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT TO DO IF I'M IN THAT
TYPE OF SITUATION.
BUT SINCE THAT TIME HOW MANY
THINGS HAVE WE HEARD ABOUT
HOW TO BE PREPARED
FOR AN EVENT LIKE THAT?
ALWAYS TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT
TO BE AWARE OF YOUR
SURROUNDINGS. MAKE SURE WHEN
YOU GO IN A BUILDING YOU TAKE
NOTE OF WHERE THE EXITS
ARE AND HOW TO GET OUT IF
SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS.
SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HOW TO
USE YOUR BELT TO BLOCK
A DOOR THAT HAS
A HINGE FROM BEING OPENED.
SIMPLE LITTLE THING:
TEACHING US TO
BE PREPARED.
BUT WILL WE BE THINKING ABOUT
IT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS?
OR WILL OUR HUMAN NATURE KICK
IN AND SAY:
NOPE! DIDN'T HAPPEN TO ME.
IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN TO ME;
I'M NOT GONNA WORRY ABOUT IT.
WHAT REALLY ARE THE CHANCES OF
ME BEING IN THAT SITUATION?
THE CHANCES
THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN
THE SITUATION
FACING YOUR LORD AT SOME
POINT
AT THE END OF YOUR LIFE
IS 100 PER CENT.
EACH OF US
WILL BE CALLED BEFORE HIM
TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT.
TO SPEAK OF OUR FAITH.
TO HEAR THE CHARGES THAT ARE
BROUGHT AGAINST US
FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE
HAVE DONE
THAT ARE AGAINST GOD'S WILL.
FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE
NEGLECTED
TO DO.
ALL OF OUR WILLFUL
DISOBEDIENCE
FOR THE TIMES THAT WE JUST
SAID: I'M NOT
GOING TO DO WHAT I KNOW I
SHOULD DO.
I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I WANT.
ALL THE TIMES WHEN WE HAVE
HURT OR
HARMED PEOPLE WITHOUT OUR
EVEN KNOWING
THAT WE'VE DONE IT.
ALL OF THE TIMES
THAT WE HAVE NOT TRUSTED GOD
AND WE TURN TO HIM WITH
ANGRY FISTS
YELLING AND CLAIMING HE'S
THE ONE WHO'S AT FAULT.
HE'S THE REASON FOR ALL OF
THIS. ALL OF THIS
DIFFICULTY IN MY LIFE.
INSTEAD OF CALMLY TRUSTING
AND RESTING IN HIS BLESSINGS.
WE WILL STAND BEFORE
THE ALMIGHTY LORD.
SO WE GO BACK TO THAT
QUESTION:
WHO CAN STAND IN THE PRESENCE
OF THE LORD?
WHO
CAN ENDURE THE DAY OF HIS
COMING?
BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE
TREMENDOUS.
IT IS GOING TO BE
LIKE A REFINER'S FIRE. OR A
LAUNDERER'S SOAP.
I READ THIS PASSAGE
AND I THINK OF TWO THINGS.
BOTH OF THEM INVOLVING MY
PARENTS.
MY DAD MADE LEAD SINKERS SO
THAT HE COULD GO FISHING
WITH THEM ALL THE TIME AND
HE HAD THIS POT
THAT HE WOULD MELT METAL DOWN
IN.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS
HE ALWAYS REMINDED US
TO STAY AWAY FROM ... BECAUSE
IT WAS SO HOT!
IT WOULD BURN US TERRIBLY.
IT WAS
FASCINATING TO WATCH IT
BUBBLE.
THAT'S HOW THE IMPURITIES
WOULD BURN AWAY
TO GET WHAT HE WANTED.
THE OTHER PICTURE'S OF MY
MOTHER.
AND THE LAUNDRY. AND A BAR
OF FELS NAPTHA SOAP.
BECAUSE IF THERE EVER WAS
SOME STAIN THAT WOULDN'T
COME OUT SHE'D RUB IT WITH THE
SOAP I STILL DON'T LIKE
THE SMELL OF. BUT I'D KNOW IT
WHEREVER IT IS AND
SHE WOULD TAKE THAT BROWN BAR
OF SOAP AND JUST
GRIND ON WHATEVER STAIN IT
WAS ...
AND IT ALWAYS CAME OUT.
AND IN MY MIND, I COULDN'T
FIGURE OUT HOW THAT BROWN
THING, THAT LITTLE, THAT BROWN
FILM
ON THAT STAIN ON THAT PIECE
OF CLOTHING WOULD
JUST MAKE IT DISAPPEAR.
THE SAME THING IS TRUE
OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE BY
PURIFYING US FROM OUR SIN.
HE HAS REMOVED ALL OF THE
IMPURITY,
THE PUNISHMENT OF OUR SIN,
HE HAS TAKEN THOSE SIN-STAINED
GARMENTS AND
WASHED THEM IN HIS BLOOD.
AND MADE THEM WHITE AS SNOW
AND THAT IN MY MIND DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE VERY MUCH EITHER.
BUT HE DID THAT OUT OF LOVE
FOR US
SO THAT WE COULD BE HIS OWN.
AND LIVE WITH HIM IN HIS
KINGDOM.
HE PURCHASED US
WITH THAT BLOOD!
AND HE IS COMING TO GIVE US
WHAT HE HAS PROMISED.
ETERNAL LIFE IN HIS NAME.
AND THE ONLY WAY
WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
STAND IN THE PRESENCE
OF GOD, EVEN STAND AND LOOK UP
AND BE WATCHFUL
FOR THAT LAST DAY IS
RESTING ON THE WORK THAT
CHRIST HAS DONE.
BELIEVING AND TRUSTING IN HIS
FORGIVENESS.
BECAUSE
WE MIGHT THINK IT WOULD BE
EASY AND SO WONDERFUL
TO STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF
GOD AND WHEN THAT MOMENT
OCCURS ... WHEN GOD IS
BEFORE US IN HIS COMPLETE
HOLINESS ...
THE ONE THING THAT
WE WILL TRULY RECOGNIZE
IS OUR UTTER CORRUPTION;
OUR UTTER
SINFULNESS.
AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO PLEAD.
WE HAVE
NOTHING IN OURSELVES THAT IS
GOING TO MAKE GOD
LOVE US. THAT IS MAKE GOD,
MAKING GOD
GOING TO SAY: LOOK, YOU'RE
BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE, SO
I'M JUST GONNA LET YOU IN.
YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL ALL
YOUR LIFE SO
YOU DESERVE THIS.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING
TO MATTER
IS IF WE BELIEVE IN JESUS
CHRIST
AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
AND TRUST AND RELY ON
HIS WORK.
THAT IS WHAT WE HOLD TO;
THAT IS OUR FIRM FOUNDATION.
AND ON THE BASIS OF THAT,
GOD GRACIOUSLY OPENS THE
DOORS OF HEAVEN
TO US
AND SAYS: COME IN!
COME TO ME, YOU WHO ARE
BLESSED
BY MY FATHER.
WE NEED
TO PREPARE FOR THAT DAY.
WHAT MEASURES
DO YOU TAKE DAILY
TO BE ABLE TO SAY
TO YOUR LORD?
OUR SINFUL NATURE NEEDS THAT
DAILY REMINDER OF WHO IS THE
ONE WHO IS IN CONTROL.
BECAUSE WE KNOW
WE COULD TAKE EVERY EFFORT
TO MAKE EVERY PREPARATION NOT
TO PUT OURSELVES INTO A PLACE
OR POSITION
WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE
ATTACKED AND SHOT UP.
AND WE CAN DIE IN THE CAR
ON THE WAY TO WORK.
WE CAN DIE IN OUR SLEEP.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO
AVOID THAT FINAL
EVENT.
SO IT IS TIME FOR US TO BE
PREPARED.
TO BE PREPARED WITH THE ONE
THING THAT HAS NEVER CHANGED.
THE ONE THING
THAT NEVER WILL CHANGE.
TO BE IN THE WORD.
TO STUDY GOD'S WORD.
TO HEAR GOD'S WORD. TO MAKE
AN EFFORT TO MAKE THAT A PART
OF OUR LIFE. TO PUT IT INTO
PRACTICE IN OUR LIFE AND
TO LIVE OUR FAITH ACCORDING
TO WHAT THAT WORD SAYS.
THE WORD IS UNCHANGING. GOD
IS UNCHANGING.
HIS LOVE IS EVERLASTING.
JOHN THE BAPTIST
CAME TO PREPARE HEARTS TO
RECEIVE
CHRIST. TO BE FOCUSED ON
THE ONE
WHO HAS FORGIVEN OUR SINS.
TO MAKE THAT OUR TOP PRIORITY.
TO MAKE THAT A PART
OF OUR DAILY ROUTINE.
TO KNOW THAT WHENEVER IT
HAPPENS, HOWEVER
IT HAPPENS, WE ARE READY!
WE'RE PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT
CALL OF OUR GOD
TO GO HOME; TO GO TO HEAVEN.
TO STAND IN HIS PRESENCE
AND LOVINGLY LOOK AT HIM
AND SAY: I BELIEVE THAT JESUS
CHRIST
DIED FOR ALL OF MY SINS.
THEY HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN
THROUGH HIS WORK.
I KNOW AND TRUST
THAT YOU ARE A GOD OF YOUR
WORD
AND HE WILL GIVE ME
ETERNAL LIFE.
DON'T PUT IT OFF TILL
TOMORROW.
DON'T THINK THAT YOU HAVE
MORE PRESSING THINGS
TO DO AND PREPARE FOR.
BE READY
FOR CHRIST'S RETURN.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH
GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR
UNDERSTANDING, KEEP YOUR
HEARTS AMD YOUR MINDS AND
ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES, IN THE
ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE
EVERLASTING. AMEN.