Jesus Is Coming Are You Ready?

Jesus Is
Coming
Are You
Ready?

By E. L. Bynum

Read Matthew 24:44-25:13 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye
think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44)
Scriptures teach us that Jesus Christ is coming again.
Many Christians say that they are looking for His coming,
however the majority of them are not really ready for His
coming. It is our prayer that this message will cause those
who read it, to seek to be ready for His coming.
I. The Promises Of His Coming.
While there are many promises of the Second Coming
of Christ, we shall mention only a few.
1. Jesus promised that He would come again. John
14:2-3, In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there
ye may be also. How can anyone deny the Second Coming
of Christ, without calling Jesus a liar? He plainly said, I
will come again.
2. The angelic messengers promised that He would
come again. When our Lord went back to the Heavenly
Father, after His death and resurrection, two men stood by
in white apparel. They had a wonderful message for the
disciples. Acts 1:8-11, And while they looked stedfastly
toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by
them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which
is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
3. Paul promised that Jesus would come again. The
beloved Apostle had much to say about the Second Coming
of Christ. He mentions this event in every chapter of 1st
and 2nd Thessalonians. I Thess. 4:16-18, For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the
dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The above passage of Scriptures clearly reveals to us
what is going to take place when Jesus comes for His own.
Please note that no mention of the lost is made in this
passage. This describes the dead in Christ, and the living
Christians, who will be changed and go up to meet the Lord
in the air. The unsaved dead will remain in their graves for
more than 1,000 years, before they will be resurrected. The
unsaved living will enter the 7-year tribulation, and be
under the reign of Antichrist.
This is why we believe in the premillennial,
pretribulation Second Coming of the Lord. Many false
teachers are making an all out effort to destroy this doc-
trine, but they shall not succeed. It is taught in the Word of
God, and therefore it will stand forever.
II. The Portents (Signs) Of His Coming.
When we speak of the signs of His Coming, we do not
mean that we can set a date for this event. We simply mean
that certain events that are prophesied to take place in the
last days are beginning to come to pass.

1. A falling away will happen before His coming.
II Thess. 2:3, ...for that day shall not come, except there
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition. Surely no one can deny that we are in
the midst of a great apostasy today. Multitudes are falling
away from the truth of God's Word. Religious leaders are
denying the fundamental truths of the Bible. Many examples
of this could be given.
2. A departure from the faith...before His coming.
I Tim. 4:1, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. One cannot depart
from the faith, without first professing the faith which was
first delivered to the saints. Almost daily we hear of men
who once proclaimed the truth, who now deny the truth.
3. A time when they will not endure sound doctrine,
before His coming. II Tim. 4:3-4, For the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables. Cults, Charismatics
and other promoters of false doctrine are often growing by
leaps and bounds. Cults offer error, and very little truth,
but multitudes are flocking to them.
The Charismatic movement (generic pentecostalism), is
one of the religious phenomenons of our generation. It has
nothing to offer but a mixture of psychology and emotional-
ism, but they are drawing large crowds across America.
They dominate the religious television broadcasting indus-
try. They largely control the Promise Keepers movement,
which is drawing huge numbers of men from all denomina-
tions. Many who are leaving the dead modernistic denomi-
nations, are now flocking to the Charismatics. They have
excitement and emotionalism, but they have little more truth
than they had in the liberal Protestant churches. These
people will not endure sound doctrine. They literally turn
away their ears from the truth. They are being turned unto
fables.
The Christian psychology movement is being used to
turn many away from the truth. Christian (?) psychology is
deeply imbedded in the teaching of John McArthur, Bill
Gothard, Robert Schuller, Bill Hybels, Lee Strobel, Chuck
Swindoll, and many, many others. Yet, they attract large
crowds, and some of them have large radio and TV
ministries. People are turning away from the truth, and are
being led into fables. John McArthur's teaching on the
blood of Christ is nothing short of pure heresy, but multi-
tudes follow him. Unfortunately the doctrines of these men
are now being brought into Independent Fundamental
Baptist churches. It is pure poison, but many are drinking
it as if it were the water of life.
Billy Graham continues to attract large crowds in his
crusades. He has done more to break down the barriers
between truth and error, than any man in the 20th Century.
He consorts with the Pope and Catholic leaders. He sends
so-called converts back to the Roman Catholic Church. He
allows Catholic nuns to counsel those who come forward in
his meetings. Yet, many evangelicals and fundamentalists
still support his meetings. Truly men are unwilling to
endure sound doctrine.
4. Perilous times will come before His coming.
II Tim. 3:1-7, This know also, that in the last days perilous
times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own

selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers
of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn
away. ...Ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth.
How can anyone read the above passage of Scripture,
and not believe that we are living in the last days? Perilous
times are so evident, that it seems foolish to even argue the
point. Lovers of their own selves, is an apt description of
the self-esteem, self-love movement of our day. It is being
taught as a doctrine of truth, when it is a doctrine of error.
The covetous, the boasters, the proud, and the blasphemers
are everywhere to be found.
The children who are disobedient to parents are
increasing in number every day. Discipline in the home and
school is a lost art. It might damage their self esteem. Many
are without natural affection. Mothers that murder their
babies through abortion are without natural affection.
Parents that go off seeking pleasure, while their children are
left alone, are without natural affection. Homosexuals and
Lesbians are without natural affection. We are truly living
in a perverse world.
We do not have to look far to find those who are lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God. Pleasure is the
principal thing for many. All sorts of pleasures are pursued
to gratify the desires of the flesh. Where are the lovers of
God? God is not given His proper place and worship. Man
wants God to be 2nd, 3rd, or 10th. I have news for you,
God is not going to play 2nd fiddle in anyone's band. Every
kind of pleasure is sought by this generation. Both legiti-
mate and immoral pleasure are promoted as the ultimate
answer to the need of man. God is really what man needs,
but the poor pleasure seeking fools press on to their ruin.
Much of religion today is only a form of godliness.
Devoid of the truth of God, and puffed with Satan's lies, it
has become a popular commodity today. This is exactly
what is prophesied to take place in the last days, before the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We live in an age of education and learning, but what
good is it doing us spiritually and morally? Ever learning,
and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, is an
apt description of this generation. There has been much
learning, but there is very little knowledge of the truth.
Some would say that I am a pessimist, but I am a
realist. I see a bright future for the born again children of
God. Jesus is coming, and there is victory ahead!!!
5. Return of Israel to their homeland prophesied in
the last days. Please read Ezek. 36-37. Ezek. 36:24, For
I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out
of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
They will be hated, and invaded. See this in Ezek. 38-39.
There are many places in the Bible that give us prophe-
sies of the restoration of Israel to their homeland. We do
not say that this restoration has been completed, or that it
will be completed before the rapture of the saints. Since
1948, we have seen the unfolding of the saga of this
restoration. Israel is in deep trouble today, and this was
prophesied long ago. We do not know how this will all take
place, but we are confident that God will restore Israel to
their land, and that many of them will turn to Christ in the

last days.
6. The building of the Ecumenical Harlot One World
Church of Rev. 17. There will be a one world govern-
ment, a one world religion, and a one world race of people,
just like at the Tower of Babel. This will be fulfilled
completely after the rapture, but it is already forming.
This one world religion is pictured as a woman. Rev. 17:3-
5, ...I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full
of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,
and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls,
having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and
filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a
name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE
EARTH.
This Church will be composed of the Roman Catholic
Church and her apostate Protestant daughters. Everywhere
you turn today, you will find ecumenicalism being promot-
ed. The Catholic Church is promoting it, and so are
Promise Keepers. The Protestant liberals have been promot-
ing it for many years. Unfortunately liberal Baptists are
moving in that direction. Even the most conservative
Southern Baptists are often engaged in ecumenical activities.
III. The Preparation Needed For His Coming.
A. You Must Be Converted (saved) To Be Ready.
1. The five foolish virgins of Matt. 25, were not
ready. They took lamps, but no oil. The oil represents the
Holy Spirit. Those who are not indwelt by the Holy Spirit
are not saved. Rom. 8:9, ...Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. There are many church
members who are just like the five foolish virgins. They are
not saved. All they have is an empty profession (empty
lamp). They have no oil, no light, and no life. When Christ
comes for His own, they will be left behind, because they
have never been born again.
You will notice that they slept instead of making
preparation. There is much apathy today. People are
spiritually asleep, and are not looking for His coming.
The five foolish virgins thought they could borrow oil
for their lamps. Many men are trying to get by with their
wives religion. We speak to many about salvation, and
when we ask them if they are saved, they start talking about
how faithful their mother had been in some church. They
are trying to go to heaven on a borrowed salvation.
The five foolish ones thought they could get oil at the
last minute. People tend to think that they have plenty of
time. Some are planning to be saved on their death beds,
but most of these will end up in Hell.
These foolish ones thought they could get in when they
desired. Little did they realize that they could not come to
the Lord at all, without the convicting power of the Holy
Spirit. Multitudes of church members are going to be
surprised, when they find out that church membership is not
a ticket to heaven.
What a sad day it will be for many, when they face the
Lord unprepared. Matt. 7:21-23, Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast

out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
2. See how it was in Noah's day. Matt. 24:37- 39, But
as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood
they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And
knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so
shall also the coming of the Son of man be. They continued
on with their sinful busy ways until it was too late. Sinners
have plenty of time for eating, drinking and marrying, but
they have no time to prepare to meet God.
3. Remember Lot's wife. Luke 17:32, Remember Lot's
wife. She represents those who will not be ready for the
coming of the Lord. She had been exposed to the faith of
Abraham, but it did not change her. Even her husband was
a believer (backslidden), but she had no heart for God. Her
love and interests were in Sodom, and not in the things of
God. In our day, there are those who have good religious
connections through relatives, but their own hearts are
given over to the sinful things of this world. They will not
be ready for His coming.
B. Your Conduct Must Be Proper to be Ready.
1. Some will be living in sin. Luke 21:34- 35, And take
heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be over-
charged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this
life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a
snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the
whole earth.
2. Some will take advantage of the Lord's absence.
Matt. 24:48-51, ...if that evil servant shall say in his heart,
My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his
fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The
lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not
for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall
cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
3. The 2nd Coming of Christ is a purifying hope. I
John 3:2-3, ...we know that, when he shall appear, we shall
be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man
that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure. I Thess. 3:13, To the end he may stablish your hearts
unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Those
who believe that Christ could come for His people at any
time, should be living separated lives. This doctrine, if
believed, will cause us to be a holy people.
4. Some will be ashamed at His coming. I John 2:28,
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall
appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed
before him at his coming. Christians who are caught with
their hand in the cookie jar, will be ashamed when they
have to face Him. Christians get your life right with God,
so you will not be ashamed when He comes.
C. To Be Ready, Your Work Must be Complete.
1. Every Christian has assigned work. Mark 13:34-
37, For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey,
who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and
to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the

house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the
cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he
find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch. His house is the local church, and every Christian
ought to be a member of one. This is where we ought to be
serving and working for Him.
If you doubt that the local church is the house of God,
read the following Scripture. I Tim. 3:15, But if I tarry
long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave
thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
2. Jesus gave His work assignment to the church and
its people. Matt. 28:18-20, And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world. Amen. If we are not a part of a
New Testament Baptist Church, and helping to carry out
this command of our Lord, then we are not ready for His
coming.
3. You can see this principle in the parable of the
talents. We need to pay careful attention to Matt. 25:24-26.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said,
Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where
thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not
strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in
the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord an-
swered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful
servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and
gather where I have not strawed. Christians who are not
using their money, time, opportunities, and God given
talent, are not really ready for the coming of Christ.
If you ever missed a homework assignment in school,
you found out that it was no fun to face the teacher, and it
didn't help your grades. I can remember some sad times
when I neglected to do some work that my dad assigned for
me to do. How I hated to see him return. I knew that when
he did, I would have to face the music.
D. You Are Not Ready If Your Loved Ones Are
Unsaved.
1. Noah built an ark to the saving of his house. Heb.
11:7, By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not
seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving
of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and
became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Noah's
faith was a faith that worked. It was a saving faith. He was
saved, and his family was saved. Christians should never be
content to see their loved ones in a lost condition. Those
unsaved loved ones will be left behind at the rapture. This
will mean that they will go to Hell for eternity. By prayer,
and by witnessing to them, we can see them saved.
2. Lot lost his wife, his daughters, his sons-in-laws.
He did not reach his family. Even though he was a righ-
teous man, he did not live a separated consecrated life for
God. (II Pet. 2:7-8). He built no altar, and he never taught
his family to practice separated living. His daughters that
married, married lost men. A lot of people are like Lot and
their family members are unsaved.
3. What a day of separation that will be. Matt.
24:40-41, Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be

taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at
the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Only the
dead in Christ, and the living Christians will go up to meet
the Lord in the air. The rest will be left for the tribulation
and the Antichrist.
Saved people sometimes have the sad experience of
losing their husband, wife, or child through death. This is
a sad experience, but we know that the separation is not
eternal. We know that our loved one has gone on to be with
the Lord. It will be different at the rapture. The unsaved
loved ones that are left behind will be lost for all eternity.
Hell will be their eternal home.
In spite of all of this, many Christians seem uncon-
cerned about their lost mates and their lost children. Many
profess to be saved, and yet they do not even know whether
their loved ones are saved or lost. Such people need to
examine their own spiritual condition, for they very well
may be lost themselves.
What is your excuse for not witnessing to your loved
ones? Some people say that they cannot witness, because
they do not know what to say. If you were driving by their
house and it was on fire, and they were on the inside.
Would you just drive on by because you didn't know what
to say? After all, this is your first experience with such a
thing. You have never had any training in such things, so
you shouldn't be expected to do anything. Wrong!
Something worse than a house fire is headed toward
your lost loved ones. God is going to judge sinners, and
they will face His wrath. Hell awaits those who are outside
of Christ, and we should pray, plead, and witness to them.
While we cannot save them ourselves, we know the God
who can save them. Let us never be ashamed of the gospel.
Rom. 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
When Oliver Cromwell was ruling over England, there
was a young soldier who was condemned to die. The
sentence was to be carried out the next day at the time of
the ringing of the bell in the great cathedral. When the man
began to pull the bell rope, he could only hear a dull thud,
and the bell did not ring. When they climbed up in the bell
tower, they found a young woman with her arms, legs and
body wrapped around the great clapper of the bell so that
it could not ring. When they pulled her bruised and bleed-
ing body away from the bell, they found that she was the
sweetheart of the young soldier. This so touched the heart
of Cromwell that he pardoned the young soldier. People
today need to be that interested in the salvation of their
loved ones.
Are you ready for the Second Coming of Christ?
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