Word of Salvation – Vol. 26 No. 09 – December 1979

 

Be Ready For The Son Of Man

 

Sermon by Rev. D. K. Baird, Th. Grad. on Mat.24:36-44

Scripture Readings: Mat. 24:32–51

Psalter Hymnal: 307, 430, 221, 378

 

Many people have a strange attitude towards the future.

In some ways they are clamouring to find out what the future will bring. In other ways they don’t want to hear about it. They might go to great lengths to find a fortune teller, or be very keen to hear the predictions of some sage or other. And then when some of those predictions don’t go the right way they are plunged into despair. Some, upon hearing the prophesies of Nostradamus, were so shocked they had to stay home from work the next day. Seeing he is supposed to have predicted the rise of Hitler and the assassinations of the two Kennedy brothers, they reckoned his thoughts on a new world war could well be true.

The most important future event is the return of Christ.

However increasing numbers of people in our time know nothing about it. Try asking some people: you may be surprised how little Bible knowledge people now have. Those who have heard of it may not want to hear too much about it. But it is all-important because it is the return of the King. An event that everyone has every reason to be interested in; and yet we can understand that some may well prefer to forget about it.

The words of our text (Mat.24:36-44) form part of this long discourse of the Lord Jesus concerning the end time. In this part our Lord:

– speaks of His return

– when it will be

– and that we should be ready for it.

1. THE RETURN OF CHRIST – A FACT

Even though this event is still in the future, it is a fact. That is how certain it is. This is one thing in the future we may be quite certain of.

When he left the Philippines in the wake of the Japanese advance in World War II, General Macarthur said, “I will return”. No doubt he was confident he would, and, in fact, he did. But he may not have. He might have died of malaria in the meantime, been blown up by a mine, been relieved of his command, or any number of things to stop his keeping his promise.

But when Christ said “I will return” it is something so certain we may speak of it as a fact. He said himself, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (verse 35).

Jesus calls the event of His return, “The coming of the Son of Man”. He often used this title to describe Himself: “The Son of Man”. It appropriately described Him as the God-man. He was every bit a man, “Born of woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Gal. 4:4).

The Son of Man is the second Adam.

Through the first man came death; through the second Man came eternal life for the dead.

So far the world has seen the Son of Man in one form, in one role. He always has been God and King, but in His first coming He came as the King incognito. It was only veiled in flesh that His Godhead could be seen during His earthly life, and then only by those with the eye of faith. In His birth, His life and His death, He looked very insignificant. In fact, many to this day have completely failed to recognise Him: the God-Man, the Saviour-King – because His glory is hidden and covered.

There is, however, another aspect of the Son of Man which is yet to be revealed. The prophet Daniel speaks of it in this way:-

“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)

This is the same Son of Man but now no longer incognito. His glory and Kingship is now conspicuous, open for all to see. That is how He will appear the second time. That is the coming of the Son of Man spoken of by Jesus in our text.

The word used here is actually parousia: presence or appearing. This word would describe the official visits of a monarch to one of the cities of his empire.

On such state occasions the royal presence was such that none could fail to recognise the Sovereign for what in fact he was. Thus when the Son of Man returns His presence will be such that it will be clearly obvious who He is: the glorified King and Judge of all, who has returned to wrap up the job He began when He came the first time.

2. HIS APPEARING WILL BE UNEXPECTED.

Various people have tried to set the date of Christ’s return. Early Adventists favoured 1843-1844. The Jehovah’s Witnesses went for 1914. There have been many others. Such date-setting always seems a little strange in view of verse 36:-

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

The angels don’t know the date, even though they are so close to God, and even though they are going to be very much involved in the events of Christ’s return. On that day the angels will be sent forth to gather together God’s elect all over the world; (verse 31) and yet they do not know the date.

Not even Christ knew the date. Of course this is a great mystery how the Son has such a limitation, but we may say, not even Christ in respect to His human nature, knew the date.

Now if our Lord Himself wasn’t even prepared to set the date – surely those who try are being very foolish and presumptuous. Such nosiness and impertinence is inexcusable. There are some very general indications concerning when Christ will return – some are mentioned in this chapter – but the specifics have NOT been told.

Let’s not forget: the Father does know. So many have great plans future. The big multi-national companies have great plans. The Ayatollah Khomeyni has, Amercian Presidential candidates have plans, and so do the Australian political parties. Each of us has plans in some way or other. Many think the world is going on forever, more and more evolving to perfection.

Let everyone with plans remember: the date for the end has already been set. History, as we know it, will end. There is a day set when the Father will say, “Time’s up!”

So we do not know the date but one thing is certain: Christ’s return will be unexpected – many will be unprepared and lost. His coming will be like a thief in the night. (Verse 43)

The Security services have become an important part of the life of our cities. Perhaps we don’t see them so much, because they are out and about at night- touring round the city, calling at each place so many times each night. They just have to keep on the go all the time, because they have simply no idea when the burglar is going to strike. Because they don’t know when, they must be on the alert all the time.

Christ’s return will be a surprise like the flood of Noah. There was Noah building this large boat so far from the sea. Everyone said, “Noah, you old fool – just what are you doing? Well, he gave them a straight answer: “God is going to judge the world with a flood and this is the way of escape He has given me.” Well, they thought that was a great joke. Back they went to their office parties and their late night movies. Noah warned them. Peter called Noah “a preacher of righteousness” (2Peter 2:5). But they took no notice they just carried on as normal. There was nothing wrong with what they did – eating, drinking, getting married. But while they busied themselves with that, they did absolutely nothing in the way of preparing to meet the Lord. They carried on regardless even though in a few days they would all be dead! So too with the coming of the Son of Man. Due attention is given to life in general, but NONE to the fact that life will soon be over. This all in spite of the fact that Christians (preachers of righteousness) have told what is going to happen.

Just as in the days of Noah: completely unexpected will be Christ’s return.

3. SO: WE MUST BE READY

The aim of the Bible is not necessarily to answer every speculative question we might think up. So here too: all our questions about the how and when of Christ’s return are not answered. However one thing we are told very clearly: BE PREPARED! The moral of the story really is this: seeing we do not know when He will come, we must be on the alert all the time.

Verse 42: “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

Verse 44: “”For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

The Lord Jesus gives this vivid illustration of one being taken and the other left. (Verses 40-41). Earlier He said He will return to take the elect to Himself (Verse 31) The rest are left for judgement. All this will happen so unexpectedly. Two men will be working on the shop floor; one is taken, the other left.

– In terms of verse 31: the one who is elect is taken, the one who is not is left.

– In terms of our text: the one who is ready is taken, the one not ready is left.

– Or again: two women in the same street are beating a cake mix: one is taken, the other left.

Some might think this teaches The Rapture, where Christians are supposedly taken out of the world, while the rest are left to live on for so many years more. Hence the car stickers on the dash board which advise the hitchhiker: “If the driver disappears, grab the wheel”. There is no support for this idea in this text, or anywhere else in the Bible for that matter. The return of Christ is single event. There is no time gap after Christ returns for His own. That is the end ― the judgement follows immediately

The main thing is this: Be on the alert! Be alert for the return of Christ. Be alert for death. At any moment we could be face to face with the Lord.

What does it mean to be alert? What do I have to do exactly? Well, for everyone there is only one way ― to be alert to the Person of the Son of Man. Do you know why He is coming back? It is to finalise His Kingdom ― His Kingdom of righteousness. That is why He came the first time to announce His Kingdom which He will now return to finalise. That is what He said when He began His ministry :— “From that time Jesus began to to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Mat.4:17).

You are ready if Christ is actually your King. If He has brought you into His kingdom, taken away your guilt, credited you with His very own righteousness, and empowered you with His Spirit to serve Him, so He is in fact your King, well then, you are ready. You are ready if you are living a life of trust in Him which shows you are involved with Him and He with you.

CONCLUSION

The message is: BE PREPARED! Listen to what the apostle Paul said in Athens so long ago –

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

We are not to postpone coming to Christ.

We are not to postpone growing in Christ.

We are not to postpone being ready for Christ.

When we are ready we may look forward to this most wonderful of events.

When your desire is for Him, His return will be like a dream come true.

Amen.