Let us read from 1 Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” Notice the phrase “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes”. Our Christian hope is that our Lord, who sits upon the throne, is coming back again. This hope is the anchor of our soul.
In John 14:3 we read, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” Jesus is coming back again. We shouldn’t limit our preparedness only when we come to partake in the Lord’s Table, rather it should be a readiness every day because our Lord is coming back again. Although we don’t know the exact day or time we know that Jesus’ coming is very near. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 we read, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” Yes, dear brothers; we shall always be with the Lord! This is our eternal hope. The difficulties and afflictions in this world are momentary compared to the eternal glory our Lord has prepared for us.
In 1 John 3:2,3 we read that when Jesus appears we will be like Him and that those who have this hope will purify themselves just as the Lord is pure. Let us fix this hope daily. How seriously and with godly fear we should live in this world. In 1 John 2 :28 we read, “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” When Jesus comes, there will be 2 groups of people – one that stands before God with boldness and the other that shrinks away. God’s will for us is that we can stand with confidence. Only those who fulfill God’s will, walk in the manner that Jesus lived and produce fruits that glorify God daily can stand with confidence at the Lord’s coming. Let us cleanse ourselves so that we can stand with confidence. In Mathew 25 we read the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. We see here also the 2 groups of people. The group that was prepared and ready could go confidently and the other group had to shrink back. We should abide in the Lord always and one who says he abides in the Lord, ought himself also to walk just as Jesus walked. We have to live a life following the footsteps of Jesus in our thoughts, in our deeds, in our actions and motives. How carefully we have to live in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation. Things around us will try to defile us, we need to be on the alert. In Ephesians 5:14-16 we read, “For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
In Ecclesiastes 9:8 we read, “Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head.” How can we keep our garments white at all time? By the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s coming is very near. Let us be ready and be alert at all times. The result of the sacrificial death is that when Jesus comes back he will receive his bride – holy and blameless. In Ephesians 5:26 and 27 we read, “so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” This is what God expects from our Christian life. Let us take these words seriously and keep ourselves holy and blameless.
Let us have this prayer in our hearts that the apostle Paul prayed in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” Our God will bring it to pass! When we meet Him, we will be like Him. In Revelations 19:7 we read, “His bride has made herself ready.” Let us use our time, to make ourselves ready. In 1 Thessalonians 5:6 we read, “so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” What great words of encouragement and warning we have received. Let us be on the alert to keep ourselves holy and blameless. In Hebrews 9:28 we read that Christ will come back; not for everyone but for those who eagerly wait for him. In Song of Solomon 4:7 we read how Christ sees his bride – all together beautiful and there is no imperfection. This is the testimony that we should hear from our bridegroom when we meet him. May God bless us all!
