Are You Ready For His Return

First Chronicles, chapter 12, verse 8. And of the Gagauts, they separated themselves to David. In a stronghold of the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men fit for the service of war, armed with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were swift as the gazelles upon the mountains. May we have a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for giving us the privilege of coming together to listen to Thy Word. We pray, Lord, that Thy Word will be life to each and every one of us, that we may be so taken up by Thy Word, that Thy Word will become life to each and every one of us. We give this time into Your hand, and ask Thy blessing upon it, to the praise of Your glory, in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen. Dear brothers and sisters, I consider it as a privilege of sharing the Word with you all. The Lord is so merciful that even in this last age, you know we are living in the last age. It is our belief that the Lord is coming soon. He may come at any moment. How good it would be, brothers and sisters, if we are meeting here this morning, and suddenly the Lord comes. But what if He should come at this moment, and some will be left behind? That would be a serious thought for every one of us this morning. Dear brothers and sisters, are you expecting the Lord to return? Are you prepared for His return? What if He should come back now? Will you be taken by Him? Or unfortunately, you will be left behind, because you are not ready. So dear brothers and sisters, we do consider this time, when we are coming together, this is the most serious moment. We have to consider what if the Lord should return now? Will we be taken up? Or we will, some of us, be left behind? So dear brothers and sisters, as we search the scripture this morning, we want to have this seriousness within us. We want to be those who are ready for His return, not to be left behind. You know, at the time of David, he was at that time a fugitive. He was with the Philistines because of the persecution of Saul. And yet, we find a group of people, the Geddites, they were a people who understand the time they live in, even though Saul at the time was the king of Israel. And yet they, and David was a fugitive, among the Philistines. And yet these people, they understand the time. They know that one day, David will be king. That is the will of God. So these people went to David instead of staying with Saul. They know the time they live in. And because of that, they followed David and they were greatly rewarded afterwards. So dear brothers and sisters, we are living at the last time. I sincerely believe that we are living at the time of the return of our Lord Jesus. He has promised His disciples before He left, He said He will come back to receive us to Himself. Now brothers and sisters, 2,000 years have passed since our Lord has spoken this word. 2,000 years is a long time. Why is it that He has not fulfilled His promise? It is not because He is not anxious to return. If we know the heart of God, heart of Christ, we know how anxious He must be to come back to receive His own, to Himself. But somehow, there was delay. And the reason is because we are not ready. But thank God, even during the time when David was a fugitive, the people of the Geddites, they understood the time. Even Saul was on the throne. But they knew that the kingdom belonged to David. So these people, they came to David. They followed David. During the time when David was a fugitive. And because of this, they were greatly rewarded. Now brothers and sisters, do we know our time? Do we know that our Lord is coming back? Are we those who still follow the Word, thinking that there will be plenty of time, that we can continue to live our own lives as we want to be? Are we like the people of the Geddites? They understand the time. They followed David when David was a fugitive. Eventually, they were crowned with David. So dear brothers and sisters, we find that we are living at that critical moment. We believe that the Lord may return at any moment. Even when we are meeting here this morning, what if the Lord will suddenly return? Will we be raptured? And to be with Him? Or will we be left behind, gnashing in teeth, repenting that we have not been ready for Him? So dear brothers and sisters, as we come together this morning, I do sense in my spirit that this is the most critical moment for us. We want every one of us here to be ready for the Lord's coming. He may come at any moment now. It is not because He does not want to return, so He waited for 2,000 years. That is not His heart. His heart is anxious to come back to receive His soul. It is because we are not ready. So dear brothers and sisters, the question this morning is, are you ready? If the Lord should come now, will you be taken up by Him? Or will you be those who will be left behind? The Bible tells us, as in the days of Noah, people were eating and drinking and marrying while Noah was preparing the ark. Noah must be preaching to the people when they come to see him building a huge boat. You know, there was never flooding in the past. So when they saw Noah building that huge ark, they must be wondering and questioning, something must be wrong with Noah. Because there was never rain, never flooding. But Noah, through the revelation of God, knew that God was going to send the flood. He was preparing for that day. Noah was preaching to the people during that period. But people must laugh at him, thinking that something must be wrong with Noah. But the day came when God told Noah and his family to enter into the ark, and the door was closed. Then the heavens opened, the earth breaks up, rain came upon this earth, and people tried to get into the ark, but God has closed it. So it is a sad thing when we think of what happened in the days of Noah. Such a huge boat that could accommodate so many people, and yet only Noah and his family was saved in the ark. Brothers and sisters, the Bible told the story of Noah and his ark. In order to warn us today, the day will come. It will come unexpectedly. The door of the ark will be closed, not by man, but by God himself. And when that should happen, the rain began. People must flock to the ark, trying to get in. But Noah couldn't open the door. I think Noah would if he could, but God had closed the door. So unfortunately, during the time of Noah, only eight people were saved in the ark. Think of the millions of people at that time, but only eight people were saved in the ark. Brothers and sisters, the Bible gave us this story as a warning, telling us that we are living as in the days of Noah. The flood is coming, but the door was closed. So are you, by the grace of God, within the ark and be saved? Or are you outside the ark and be drowned? I think this is a thought that each one of us should consider very carefully now. Again, I say, the Lord may come at any moment. He has waited and waited for 2,000 years. He is anxious to return, but he is waiting for you. He wants you to be ready. So when the flood shall come, you will be within the ark and be saved. Brothers and sisters, what a pity. When you think of 120 years, Noah was building that ark, was preaching to the people, and yet none of the people believed in him. They laughed at him. They joked about him, but they found at last that it is real. But it's too late. So, brothers and sisters, as we come this time, the question we want to each and every one of us is, are you ready? 2,000 years have passed. It's a long time. The Lord has waited patiently for you because he wants none to be lost, but all to be saved. You know the Bible tells us when a master left, he left the house with his servant to take care of the house. Now if the servant be faithful, he will carefully take care of the house. Knowing that the Lord, his Lord, will return at any moment. In Matthew 24, we are told, to such a servant, when the Lord come back, he will greatly reward you because he was faithful in small things and he will be granted in big things. But on the contrary, the Bible also tells us, the servant who thinks that the Lord will not come that soon, soon he began to eat and drink and he began even to beat his fellow servants. He thinks the Lord will not come that soon and unexpectedly the Lord came. And the Bible says, the Lord will come and cut him into two. He will be in darkness, meshing his teeth, re-painting, but he was late. So dear brothers and sisters, the Bible warns us very seriously, we cannot afford to be careless anymore. Dear brothers and sisters, may I warn you again, if the Lord should return at this moment, will you be left behind or will you be taken? Blessed are the person who will be taken by the Lord because he shall reign with Christ for a thousand years. Dear brothers and sisters, we live on this earth in a very short time. If you live over a hundred years old, it is just a very short period. But think of the millennium, of the thousand years, that you will be reigning with Christ for a thousand years. But the wicked servants try to find pleasure in his short period of time. The Bible says, he will be cut into two and he will be in darkness, meshing of teeth, re-painting. Now I know people are very curious. Wherever I go, young people will ask me the question, where is outer darkness? Of all the books that I have read, I have read a lot, there is only one author who tried to explain where the outer darkness is, what it is. And this is Robert Gavett. Robert Gavett is one who take the Bible literally. So he tried to explain what the outer darkness is. And everywhere I go, young people will ask me this question. Can you tell me what the outer darkness is? Do you think I will tell you? Of all the books that I have read, only one book tells us what the outer darkness may be. It was Robert Gavett. He said, the Bible tells us when our Lord Jesus travels outside, he was filled with darkness. But inside, there is glory. That's where the Lord is traveling. But when he shall come, he will shade off his outside darkness. So he will come in inside glory. So the outer darkness, as Gavett explained, is the outer darkness that he shade off. And those who will not be raptured will be cast into that outer darkness. In other words, it will be outside the kingdom of God. In a millennium, they will be outside of God's kingdom. And there will be outer darkness. Think of that. If we are not ready for the Lord today, this will happen literally to us. We will be cast into outer darkness. You remember the story of the ten virgins. These ten virgins represent the church of God. They all go out to meet the Lord because the Lord is coming. But because the Lord seems to have delayed, they all went to sleep. And in that parable, the sleep here represents they all died. Brothers and sisters, throughout the ages, God's people have been waiting for the Lord to return. They all go out to meet the Lord. But because of the delay, they all went to sleep. In other words, many saints died. But that's not the end. Suddenly, the word came. The Lord cometh. And they all wake up. They all try to trim their lamp. The wise one have extra oil in the vessel. So they are able to replenish their dying torch. But the foolish one, they don't have any extra oil ready. They fill their vessel with other things that they consider as more important. It seems to be so. But the wise one are able to replenish their torch because they have extra oil. But the foolish one could not because what they find in their vessels is not oil but other things which they consider as most precious. But now it's useless. It cannot be shared. Not that the wise one are not willing to share. I think if they have enough oil, they will certainly share. But they cannot. So when the foolish virgins went to buy their oil, the Lord came. The door was closed. And when the foolish one came back, we did not know whether they got the extra oil or not. Most likely not. They knocked the door but the door was closed to them. And they were sitting outside in darkness, gnashing their teeth. That is repenting. So brothers and sisters, this is a very clear picture. If we are not waiting for the Lord's return now, one day when the Lord shall come back, we will be those in outer darkness gnashing our teeth. That is repenting. Thank God. He will never forsake us. Once saved, forever saved. This is the mercy of God. Once God's mercy has come upon you, it will never end. Even if you miss the opportunity of being taken by the Lord to the Millennium Kingdom, yet, even so, in outer darkness, you will repent. Brothers and sisters, think of the long patience of God. If he has saved you, he will save you to the uttermost. You may misuse your time today, but God will never forsake you. You may have to go through outer darkness and repent, but he who has called you will save you to the uttermost. So you find in Romans chapter 8, we are told, whom he has called, he has redeemed. Whom he has redeemed, he has saved to the uttermost. But dear brothers and sisters, so far as God is concerned, this is the mercy of God. But so far as the wicked servant is concerned, he has to suffer much that he tries to escape. So dear brothers and sisters, the warning to us today is, as long as it is today, this is our opportunity. Thank God for gathering us this time together here. I do not know if this is the last opportunity. It is quite possible. The Lord may come today and it is his longing that he can save you to the uttermost and not being left in outer darkness and repent. Eventually, all who have been called will be saved to the uttermost because it is God who is doing this work. But brothers and sisters, a thousand years is a long period. Comparing with a life here on earth, if you live over a hundred people, a hundred years old, comparing with millennium, it is just a fraction. Why should we forsake God's grace and rather be under discipline until God's purpose in every one of us be fulfilled? So brothers and sisters, as I was talking with you this morning, on the one hand I feel most happy because I know God's will. God's will that he will save us to the uttermost. All of us, once he lays his hand upon you, he will never leave you. But on the other hand, I feel sad as I think of people who for the sake of the pleasure of this life, for a little while, they have to suffer darkness. They have to go through repentance in order that God's mercy may be completely come upon them. And this is why we are here this morning. Brothers and sisters, are you serious? Are you careless? What if the Lord should come back this morning? Where you will be? It is the prayer of my heart that if this should happen this morning, this auditorium will be emptied. No will be left behind, but all will be taken. Praise the Lord. But if this does not happen, and so, all, even most, will be left behind. How sad. Brothers and sisters, I cry for you, lest you be left behind. I will rejoice with you if you are taken. So I want each and every one of you to consider very carefully this morning. Let not this opportunity pass by. Brothers and sisters, this is the time we be ready for the Lord's return. Shall we pray? Dear Lord, It is with hearts of gratitude to know that Thou dost love us and love us to the uttermost. That Thou dost desire to save us and save us to the uttermost. It is not Thy will that we shall pass through outer darkness. It is Your will that when shall You come that we will all be taken up by You and be with You for a thousand years. So may this mercy and grace peace upon each and every one of us. We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.