Staying Awake— Sermon by Rev. Craig Stephans

let us

pray Jesus as we look forward to that

day I pray that even now you would fill

us with your Holy Spirit granting us

wisdom and Revelation to know you better

Holy Spirit I ask that you come may your

gospel be preached may it be applied to

all of our hearts with power and

conviction that we would be transformed

into Christ's image it's in his name we

pray amen please be

seated we're in a season of significant

and momentous days both in the church

calendar also in our nation as we

started off November with All Saints Day

then had election day which was

anticipated greatly with hopefulness and

much trepidation and we celebrated

Thanksgiving this past week and now that

we turn into December we look forward to

Christmas and new years's and for others

we have ending of semester and coming

home for a little while but all these

days as significant as they are there is

a more significant day coming whose

measure is matched only by some of the

greatest days that have ever occurred in

the history of humanity days like the

day that Jesus was conceived by the holy

spirit in his mother Mary Mary days like

the day when he was born into the

world days like the day that he died was

crucified and buried and then days like

the day three days later when he was

raised from the dead in newness of Life

by the glory of the father a day like 40

days later when he ascended or 10 days

later when he ascended into heaven or it

was 40 days when he ascended into heaven

and the disciples watched him enter the

cloud clouds and glory and then 10 days

later on the day of Pentecost when the

Holy Spirit was poured out and the

church began with flames and tongues of

fire and

power this

day that the scripture speak of the day

that Jesus returns when he returns as

king and Lord and judge to establish his

kingdom over all things and his rule

over all things in that day Jesus speaks

of in Luke 21 in Our Gospel message in

the midst of a longer teaching where he

describes or all the tumult and all the

chaos and the troubles that will occur

on the earth in this life from that time

until our time today and until that day

when he returns all these events that

occur on the

earth that prede toward that day when he

comes that day is when history will come

to its clim climax with the return of

Jesus Christ on a day of judgment when

all people will come before him before

the one who has power and authority over

all creation the one who has power to

dictate each person's

eternity heaven or hell all people each

person and every one of us will come

before Jesus the king the Lord the judge

on that day and people will have

different experiences on that day there

will be different outcomes for different

people in Luke 21 Jesus is exhorting his

audience then at that time and since

then and

today to be prepared for that day to

settle it

beforehand your posture and your

relationship to Jesus on that day

because we don't know when that time

will come we don't know when our time on

Earth will come and the time of

preparation will be over and then we'll

be

judged earlier in Luke's gospel Jesus

teaches about the possible outcomes on

that day and it's quite contrary to our

idea of everyone being

okay as Southern folks we want to be

polite we don't want anyone ever to feel

bad or

excluded and that's

commendable but when it comes to the

gospel when it comes to the truth of

scripture there is a differentiation

between people in relation to God the

Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and

that differentiation determines

Eternity for each and every person

listen to what Jesus teaches in Luke 13

beginning in verse 23 when someone among

the crowd that he's teaching to says to

him Lord will this those who are saved

Be Few and this is one of those

questions where afterwards we want to

hear a pin drop it's so quiet to hear

what Jesus says because of its

profundity and significance for each and

every person Jesus answers that question

will those who are saved Be Few by

saying strive to enter through the

narrow door for many I tell you will

seek to enter and will not be able when

Once the Master of the House has risen

and shut the door and you begin to stand

outside and knock at the door saying

Lord open to us then he will answer you

I do not know where you come

from but you will begin to say we ate

and drank with you in your presence and

you taught in our streets but he will

say I tell you I do not know where you

come from depart from me all you workers

of

evil and Luke says in that place or

Jesus says in that place there will be

weeping and nashing of teeth when you

see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all

the prophets in the kingdom of God but

yourselves thrown out and people will

come from east and west from north and

south and recline at table in the

kingdom of

God the determination of where people

spend eternity whether it is in the

kingdom of God or cast from the kingdom

of God is in relation to whether they

know Jesus and are known by Jesus

do you know Jesus today does Jesus know

you does he call your

name have you invited him into your life

to make his home with you are you in

relationship with him the exhortation of

the Gospel message in Advent is settle

that

today settle your eternity today settle

your relationship to Jesus today before

that day when he returns or you go to

see

him there are other outcomes that

scripture shows

us

outcomes that are the consequence of the

good news of the Gospel that is received

it's said most simply and most plainly I

think from Jesus to the thief on the

cross who called upon his name and just

said Jesus Remember me when you come

into your kingdom and Jesus turned

turned to him and said truly I tell you

that today you'll be with me in

Paradise today you'll be with me in

Paradise in Matthew 25 Jesus tells a

parable we call it the parable the sheep

and the goats because in that Parable he

describes a king who is

Judge and on that day all people come

before him and he separates them in the

parable the sheep and the goats in

reality it's those who know and serve

Jesus and those who do not

and to those who know him and serve him

he says come you who are blessed by my

father inherit the Kingdom prepared for

you from the foundation of the

world this is the message of the Gospel

that there is not equality of outcome

for each and every person in terms of

Eternity but there is an equal

opportunity for each and every person to

be saved and to enter into the kingdom

of heaven through Jesus Christ by grace

through faith and his

sacrifice when Jesus has that famous

conversation with Nicodemus the leader

of the Jewish people in John chap 3

Jesus says to him truly I say to you

unless one is born again he or she

cannot enter the kingdom of heaven or

the kingdom of God inless one is born

again and this is followed in that

conversation by Jesus sharing the good

news of how one is born again that it's

available to each and every person but

it's not

automatic for Jesus says God so loved

the world that he gave his one and only

son that whoever believes in him should

not perish but have eternal

life and he says the son came not into

the world to condemn the world but to

save the world through

himself we are saved by grace through

faith in Jesus by believing in him and

calling upon his name being born again

made new by the Father in heaven and

then we are part of his family his

children his sons and daughters and on

that day we will be welcomed into his

home of Heaven into Paradise forever but

it's not automatic it's not even the

default posture of people since the time

that Adam and Eve

sinned our default is sin not

righteousness

our default for eternity is not heaven

but hell an exile from

God sin death and hell is a common

reality for all people born into this

world the good news of the Gospel in the

face of that terrible truth is that

Jesus has come and become sin for us

that we can become righteousness of God

through him the good news of the gospel

and the terrible face of death is that

Jesus has overcome death and that by the

glory of the father we too can be raised

to newness of life and have eternal life

with him the good news of the Gospel in

the face of hell is that through Jesus

we can have eternal life with him

forever in Paradise in heaven but it's

not automatic and it's not the default

posture it requires an exercise of Faith

to respond to God's grace in Christ and

to say Jesus Come into my life forgive

my sins make me born again make me yours

and give me eternal life in heaven with

you

forever in Matthew chapter 6 when Jesus

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

teaches about all the struggles and

anxieties we can have in

life he he tries to cover them all in

the generalities of shelter of food of

clothing of Direction and guidance he

says in the world in the midst of all of

this you're going to have

trouble and then he gives us his

exhortation that we never can grow out

of but should always be a priority for

us and even more in this season of

Advent seek first the kingdom of God and

his

righteousness and he promises to take

care of all these other needs that we

have but the priority is seek his

kingdom and his righteousness first and

above all else in this

world because as Jesus teaches in Luke

21 and it's matched in Mark 13 and

Matthew 25 we're going to continually be

in the midst of tumult of struggles and

trouble of war of rumors of War of

anxieties of Temptations to

fear and to sin in this world

and so in the midst of it seek first his

kingdom and his righteousness in the

midst of describing the destruction of

Jerusalem that has happened but then

also the situation that we'll find

ourselves in throughout the history of

this world Jesus says in verse 8 of Luke

21 see that you are not LED

astray see that you are not LED astray

in the midst of this world he even says

many will come in my name

saying I am he or this is the way don't

be led

astray in the midst of the world today

from every direction sometimes subtle

sometimes

overwhelming sometimes deceptive

sometimes just shock and awe coming

against us we will be tempted to be led

astray and tempted to fear and to become

anxious but for those who follow and

believe in Jesus Jesus called calls

these an

opportunity All the Troubles that we can

have all the circumstances we can face

Jesus says these are an opportunity in

verse 13 of Luke 21 this will be your

opportunity to Bear

witness every day that's not starting

off good for

you every day that doesn't go your way

and you know there are a million

pitfalls that can happen

some simple some complex and tragic

Jesus is saying in the midst of all

those things that can and will happen

it's your opportunity to Bear witness

and to Bear witness to what to Bear

witness to our

Salvation to Bear witness that we are

not just victims in this world that we

are not victims of defeat that we are no

longer victims of sin and death that we

are no longer are destined to hell that

we have eternal life in the Kingdom of

Heaven through Christ and so no matter

what happens in this world we can bear

witness that Jesus has come into this

world and saved us and we have an

eternal hope in

him and you can settle that today so you

don't have to worry or be anxious or

fearful or defeated but that you can

live into the promise of the Gospel that

we are more than and conquerors that we

have Victory and Triumph through

Jesus Jesus goes on in his teaching that

was our gospel today in verse 25 of Luke

21 and he describes what will occur in

this world he says there will be signs

in the sun and moon and stars and on

Earth distress of nations in perplexity

because of the Roaring of the Sea and

the waves people fainting with fear with

foreoing of what is coming on the world

for the powers of the heavens will be

shaken people will faint with fear their

hearts will grow cold with sin and

selfishness they will give in to

indulgences of Temptation they will be

led astray from God and their purpose in

life there's great distress

perplexity I I was seeing a video just

yesterday that it's been 20 years since

the great earthquake and tsunami that

occurred in Indonesia killed hundreds of

thousands of

people earthquake roaring of the sea

this is happening we're in the midst of

this but there is a differentiation

between those who are living in the

Kingdom of Heaven those who know Jesus

and are following him those who are

standing by faith in his word Jesus says

to

them they will see the son of man coming

in a cloud with power and great Glory

now when these things begin to to take

place straighten up and raise your heads

because your Redemption is Drawing Near

that day which will cause fear and for

boing for some is the day that our

Spirits have been groaning for to come

it is a day that the all creation groans

for to be set free from sin and futility

it is a day that the holy spirit in us

groans for when the children of God will

be revealed for what they are when all

will be set right and God's kingom will

be over all and all that is evil will be

cast out of it

forever so Jesus says when you see all

these things know that your Redemption

is Drawing Near straighten your backs

raise your heads fix your eyes on Jesus

call upon his name and prepare to stand

before

him but there are two different outcomes

on that day Revelation 6 and 7 I think

give a description of them in Revelation

6 that's the chapter with the seven SE

the six seals The Four Horsemen that

ride from Heaven and the six seal and

when the six seal is opened John

describes what he sees and hears

Revelation 6:1 15 then the kings of the

Revelation 6:1

Earth the great ones and the generals

and the rich and the powerful and

everyone slave and free hid themselves

in the caves and among the rocks of the

mountains calling to the mountains and

to the Rocks fall on us and hide us from

the face of him who is Seated on the

throne and from the Wrath of the lamb

for the great day of their wrath has

come and who can

stand for those who don't know Jesus as

their savior as their friend as their

brother as their Lord that day when he

comes will be a fearful

day they will try to hide from him from

this God that they've ignored and

neglected or rebelled

against it's just like that day when

they knock on the door and Jesus says

depart from me I never knew you there is

fear and nashing of teeth and

weeping because they didn't know the

Lord but that's not the outcome for

everyone there's this great question

that resonates through

history the great day of their wrath has

come and who can stand who can stand

before God's throne and the lamb who

sits upon the

throne it's a question that is answered

I think in the next chapter when John

sees a vision in Revelation 7 and: 9 he

says after this I looked and behold a

great multitude that no one could number

from every nation from all tribes and

peoples and languages standing Before

the Throne and before the lamb clothed

in white robes with palm branches in

their hands and crying out with a loud

voice salvation belongs Belongs To Our

God who sits on the throne and to the

lamb these are the ones who can stand

before God on that day and every day as

they worship Him and they declare that

salvation Belongs To Our God and to the

lamb and they have received that

salvation when John is asked the

question who are these this great

multitude so many who have come before

the Lord he says to the angel sir you

know and the angel says these are those

who have come out of the Great

Tribulation they've come out of all

those events described by Jesus and

described by Zechariah earlier they've

come out of that tribulation they have

made their garments white in the blood

of the lamb and they stand before him

day and night

worshiping and he has become for them

their Good

Shepherd wiping every tear from their

eyes they've received the forgiveness of

their sins through the blood of Jesus

they've been born again through

Jesus they've received the Holy Spirit

and eternal life and they will stand in

the presence of God

forever Jesus goes on in his teaching in

Luke 21 and: 29 to give that parable

about the Fig Tree when you see the fig

trees leaves Sprout you know that summer

is near and so you get ready for that

fruitfulness that Harvest

and he is saying when you see all these

things in the world take place know that

the kingdom of God is near the kingdom

of God is at hand it's

present seek that Kingdom first and his

righteousness Jesus goes on in verse 34

and he says but watch

yourselves watch

yourselves set yourself before the Lord

and examine where you are in relation

ship to God in relationship to Jesus in

relationship to the Holy Spirit examine

yourself in light of God's word how does

do you reflect in the light of God's

word watch yourselves lest your hearts

be weighed down with dissipation and

drunkenness and cares of this

life man there are so many cares and

anxieties of this life there are so many

Temptations to be distracted and

dissipated there are so many Temptations

that would numb us like

drunkenness that we just can't handle

dealing with all the anxieties of life

so we back away and we find some way to

distract or numb ourselves or we are LED

astray into some false assurance that

this is the way to overcome other than

the way of Jesus so Jesus is telling his

people watch yourselves so that that day

day does not come upon you suddenly like

a

trap because that day is coming and it

will be

sudden but Jesus is encouraging us be

ready for it settle it beforehand that

you are ready for that day so when Jesus

comes it is a glorious day for you that

you receive his coming with open arms as

you receive the coming of a lover of

your soul of one in with whom you're in

love as you receive a best friend your

savior a beloved family

member and as you

receive a just and righteous

King whom you do not become afraid of

and hide from but who you have a sense

of

relief to see coming that all will be

well all will be made

right and so Jesus continues for it will

come upon all who dwell on the face of

the whole Earth but stay awake at all

times stay awake at all times

praying stay awake in communication with

the Lord who loves you stay awake in

communication listening to the Lord who

gave his life for you stay awake praying

and seeking the

Lord who loves you and who seeks you and

who calls your name and who speaks words

of life and peace over you stay awake at

all times praying over the promises that

God has given to

you and Jesus goes on praying that you

may have strength to escape all these

things that are going to take

place now maybe we can't escape them all

physically because we are all subject to

the trials and tribulations of this

world but we can escape their spiritual

effect we don't have to be subject to

fear and anxiety we don't have to give

into

temptation we don't have to follow the

way of the world we can escape that we

can escape the lies and deceit of the

devil we can escape the power of our

sinful nature we can escape

that and Jesus

says to stand before the son of man we

can on that day stand before him and

declare that salvation belongs to this

one who is now come and I am saved and I

belong to him and we can rejoice in his

coming because he's coming to take us to

be with him forever in

Paradise Zechariah after describing a

pretty horrible Vision concludes it in

verse 9 of 14 by saying and the Lord

will be king over all the Earth on that

day the Lord will be one and his name

one there is no escaping this reality

and this truth that on that day the Lord

will be king over all the Earth because

he is already King of the universe and

King over all creation and on that day

he will establish his rule in and in and

through all

things so as we begin Advent do all that

you can to prepare yourself for that

day he has done all that he need needs

to do so that you can be prepared he has

died for you that your sins might be

washed away and you can be accepted with

God and receive no

condemnation for he became sin for us

that we might become his

righteousness and if we have faith in

him we can have peace with him

forever so as I close I want to take a

give you a couple minutes in quiet to

set yourself now before Jesus set

yourself now before the one who will

come on that day and allow him to

minister to you allow him to speak to

you and you speak to him in quietness

and then we'll close in prayer in a

couple minutes

I want to bless you with the words of

the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians

the end of our reading

now may Our God and Father himself and

our lord Jesus make you increase and

abound in love for one another and for

all so that he may establish your hearts

blameless in Holiness before our God and

Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus

with all his Saints amen