(Last Days) Being Ready for Christs Coming — Zac Poonen

The Hope of Christ’s Coming and Spiritual Preparation

We have been looking at the last days and the coming of Christ in these days and you know like it says in 1 Corinthians 15 there's a verse in 1 Corinthians 15 which says that if we only had hope in this life of Christ then we are of all men most miserable.

Verse 19 1 Corinthians 15 19 if we have hoped in Christ in this life only we are of all men most to be pitied. In the same way. If Jesus had gone from heaven to heaven after his resurrection and we never knew what is going to happen thereafter we wouldn't have a hope.

What are we looking forward to. So just like it says in 1 Corinthians 15 that if our hope in Christ is only in this life then of all the people in the world we are most to be pitied. Because why in the world do we have to live so faithful and all that if this life is everything in the same way.

If we don't have a hope of the second coming of Christ burning in our hearts it can hinder our Christian life. I want to show you a verse in 1 John chapter 3 and there you will see the reason why many Christians who say that they have the hope of Christ coming you'll see there don't really have it.

They think they have it. But you know everything is known by its fruit. So here is the evidence that you have the hope of Christ's second coming. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2 what he's saying there is we are already children of God.

I mean that's happened already because we have received Christ but it has not yet appeared what we shall be. The time is going to come when we're going to be completely different. I mean our body is going to be different and our personality and everything.

Because when Jesus Christ appears when he returns we shall be like him. Because we shall see him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope. Now many people if Christians if you were to ask them what is the blessed hope they will say our blessed hope is the return of Christ to this earth.

But here if you read carefully many Christians don't read the Bible carefully what is the blessed hope. The blessed hope is that we shall be like him when he returns. If he returns from heaven I'm going to be just like I am today.

I'm going to be pretty disappointed with my body and my spirit and everything. But the hope we have is that when he appears we'll be like him. And here is the proof that this is your hope. You will purify yourself until you reach his level of purity.

That's the meaning of that verse that means day by day by day by day you will keep on cleansing yourself of everything that the Holy Spirit shows. You is unlike Christ in your life because nobody else sees your thought.

You know most of the areas where we are most unlike Christ are our thoughts which nobody can see. Our attitudes to people which nobody can see. And the motives with which we do good things. Bad motives with which we do good things which also nobody can see.

Bad motives with which we speak which others can't see. So who can show you those areas in your life. Only the Holy Spirit. And you can know whether you have the hope of the second coming of Christ by this simple test are you allowing the Holy Spirit to show you every day areas of unchristlikeness in your actions words thoughts attitudes motives.

And as you as he shows you those areas are you repenting and saying Lord I want to give up that. I want to give up that wrong attitude to that person. I want to stop speaking like this these words. I want to really fight against these thought patterns in my mind which like fortresses I've got to demolish them in Jesus name and my whole life.

Lord. I want my whole personality to become like Christ. I want you to. It won't happen overnight but I purify myself. When do I stop. If you have stopped purifying yourself you are imagining that you've already become like Christ.

You know some people accuse us who don't know what we teach and who never listen to our messages. They say these people speak as if they are perfect. I say no. I say look what's written in the front of our pulpit.

Let us press on to perfection which is the clearest testimony that anyone who stands behind this pulpit is saying he's not perfect. I said it's you guys who don't preach. Let's press on to perfection.

Who must be imagining that you're perfect. I mean who's the one who doesn't take a bath or a shower. The one who imagines he's already clean. Who's the one who says well in this hot climate I probably need to take two showers a day.

The one who recognizes that he's unclean. So it's the one who recognizes he's unlike Christ who's gonna really long for the Holy Spirit to show him and he'll cleanse himself. This is the primary primary way in which we are going to be ready for the coming of Christ.

Knowledge of the Last Days Must Lead to Obedience

It's very important for me to say that because we have whole lots of multitudes of denominations and groups in Christianity who study about the last days in the second coming of Christ they'll have a big chart showing the various dispensations which are all man-made ideas.

Don't you believe all that about how this is gonna happen. This is gonna happen this is gonna happen. And at the end of it all I remember I used to study that when I was in the Brethren Assembly when was that 45 years ago.

And I studied it so well that I could teach it to others. They took a Bible study on it and exactly according to the Brethren books. But I found at the end of it all the people who heard this wonderful Bible study and all these charts and everything I had charts they they were still living in sin.

Sin means they were angry they were bitter. They loved money they fought with one another they everything. I mean there wasn't that much pornography those days. But if that was there they'd have been into that too.

And then I realized what's the use of all this study was use of studying about the last days just to satisfy our curiosity you know for our understanding for God's Word. When you listen to God's Word right now you're listening with your ears and through your ears it goes to your mind.

Now if it stays in your mind you will never be spiritual. It's like putting food into your mouth and keeping it there. Even if it goes down into your stomach and stays there it'll never make you healthy.

It'll make you sick. So when we receive truth into our mind is one of the biggest mistakes that Christians have made. They receive truth into their mind and they keep it there. Picture that as putting food into your mouth and keeping it there and you keep on stuffing your mouth with food.

And since you can't keep too much in your mouth you spit something out and take something more. And that's how Christians get knowledge. They forget something else they've heard and then they put something in.

They never become strong because it's not digested. Now how can I get truth that I've got into my mind down into my heart. It's a very difficult process even though it's a short distance. We have to meditate on what we have heard or read and obey it through meditation and obedience.

Truth comes down from mind to the head. So when we hear about the second coming of Christ don't let it remain in your mind. I must warn you about that because there are multitudes of people who leave it just there.

I want to show you one verse within Psalm 119 before I move on to the study. This is just a little warning because so many people study about the last days and they don't get any spiritual benefit out of it.

See what you learn from these two verses. Psalm 119 verse 99 and 100. Psalm 119 verse 99 and 100. I have more insight than all my Bible teachers. How do you get more insight than all your Bible teachers.

Because I meditate on your testimonies. First step I meditate. I have more insight than even the elder brothers. How did that happen. Because I obeyed your word. It's very simple meditation and obedience.

If you do that you'll have more insight than Bible teachers who just have it all in the head. You'll have more insight than even older brothers who've been in the Lord. And the older sisters who've known the Lord for years more than you who don't let it sink into their heart.

One more verse in Psalm 119 at the beginning of that chapter verse 11. Thy word I have treasured in my heart so that I might not sin against thee. So there we see that keeping God's Word in the mind doesn't help us.

It's keeping God's Word in the heart that keeps us from sin. And you're wondering why after so many Bible studies so many challenging messages so many times you have determined and take decisions at conferences and meetings why you're still in falling into sin.

I'll tell you because the devil fooled you to keep those truths in your mind. You never meditated on what you heard. You never obeyed the little things God told you to do. And so it never sunk into your heart.

The food came into your mouth and was spat out or it came into your stomach and it was vomited out. That doesn't help you as good as not eating food. It's as good as not going to a meeting. It's as good as not attending a conference.

So I want to encourage you that because of the reason I say that particularly in relation to this study is because I have been in numerous meetings where they study about the last days in the second coming of Christ.

And every time it is details about this and that you know our curiosity is such we'd like to know is the Antichrist born. Yet what's going to happen. What's going to happen. What's going to happen. Brother if that challenges you to live a godly life great.

But if it's just information and worse of all if it's just information which you want to preach to others then you're in a bad shape. So please remember that because on no other subject have I found so much interest in knowledge and curiosity as in relation to the last days in the second coming of Christ.

Jesus’ Teaching in Matthew 24

Now I want you to turn to Matthew 24 and see what Jesus himself said. We've been looking at that chapter in relation to the last days and see what Jesus said in Matthew 24 and 25 those two chapters he was speaking in answer to the question the disciples asked when will your view be returning.

What will be the sign of your coming. And I'll come to that in a moment. But after he did say one thing he said in verse 32 learn the parable from the fig tree Matthew 24 32 when its branch is tender and puts forth its leaves.

You know that summer is near even so you too when you see all these things which I've just talked about happening you can recognize that he that this is the Lord is near right at the door. He's near right at the door.

Or it is near the coming of the Lord is near right at the door. So some of these things which he mentioned we are the generation that's seeing it. For example what did he mean. He said this this verse 33 is in the immediate context of verse 32 when you see these things what are these things.

When the fig tree puts forth its leaves. Now in the Old Testament the fig tree is a picture of Israel. And in the New Testament the vine is a picture of the church. Jesus said I am the true vine and my father is the gardener.

And you all are branches in the vine. And in the Old Testament you read about expressions like in the day of when Jesus reigns on earth everybody will be sitting under his own fig tree under his vine.

So the fig tree is a picture of Israel and the vine is a picture of the church. That's just general. As you study scripture you never read about Israel as a as the vine. It's always a fig tree. Even in the book of Jeremiah if you study the Old Testament you read about God showing Jeremiah a basket of figs good figs bad figs.

He was showing up them about good Israelites and bad Israelites. And even Jesus one said about a man who planted a fig tree and he came again and again to that fig tree. And that's Luke 13 6 a certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on it.

He didn't find any. That's Jesus coming to Israel. Luke 13 6 looking for fruit not leaves. Leaves are religious activities. Reading the Bible praying fasting going to meetings. All religious activity are leaves.

Fruit is character love joy peace purity humility gentleness goodness etc. So I must distinguish it in fig tree that has only leaves and a fig tree that has fruit came looking for fruit and he did not find it.

And he said to the vineyard keeper that three years Jesus was had a ministry for three years and then three and a half years I have come looking for fruit on this big tree and I haven't found anything.

Israel just rejected Jesus cut it down get rid of Israel let's finish with Israel. And then the man said leave it alone. Let me try one more year and then if it doesn't bear fruit cut it down. So Jesus ministered part of another year there was still no fruit.

And then you know that Israel was rejected. So that you see another example of that in the parable of not parable you know we read that Jesus was once going to Jerusalem and on the way he saw a fig tree.

You know that story I don't need to turn for turn to it. And he came. It says looking for leaves and he didn't find any leaves. I'm sorry he came looking for fruit and he didn't find any fruit. He saw leaves and it says he cursed it.

Now many people think why in the world did Jesus curse a fig tree. Because he didn't find any fruit in it. And the reason was that the fig tree was a pic was a picture of Israel. He was teaching something to the disciples.

Here is a fig tree. It's a picture of Israel. I come looking for fruit. Character godliness love for God love for one. I don't find it. What do. I find plenty of activity plenty of sermons in the synagogues fasting praying.

But they don't care for the widows. They don't care for the poor. They don't keep their inner life pure. Only leaves. He says that type of religion is cursed. He cursed it. And we read later on when he came by there next day the disciples saw the fruit and wither.

The tree had withered completely. Didn't. Whether the it started withering that moment or a little later it withered completely. And that's what happened to Israel. You know Jesus said how the temple would be destroyed.

40 years later the temple was destroyed and Israel was the fig tree. Israel dried up because it was cursed by God because they got sent his son for three and a half years inviting them to turn but they wouldn't receive him.

They killed him. And so God turned away. And they were scattered throughout the four corners of the earth or the every part of the earth. Then Jesus said but one day this cursed fig tree is going to come up again not producing fruit.

No Matthew 24 32 it'll come forth and only put forth leaves again. It'll be a nation of Israel. Nation of Israel will be born. But there won't be spiritual. And do you know when that happened that happened on the 15th of May 1948.

In fact two weeks ago they celebrated their 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel. Now that never happened for 2 ,000 years always the nation of Israel was ruled by other countries. When even when Jesus was there the Romans ruled Israel subsequently others at different times the Muslim Empires ruled that area which they called Palestine for many years.

And then in the 90 years ago after the First World War the British took over. They ruled it for about 30 years. They promised to give the nation to the Jewish people. But they didn't do it. They went back on their promise.

And it is when they went back on their promise that this Great Britain that ruled the world suddenly became Little Britain thereafter. God takes it seriously when you don't keep your promises. And then God himself arranged in an amazing way for the children of Abraham to come back to the land of Israel.

Now that is a promise that he made to Abraham years ago. God keeps his word. So the fig tree put forth the leaves. Now we're not saying those people are children of God or they're going to heaven. Or that's not a saying.

I'm talking about God's promise to Israel was an earthly promise even in the Old Testament. And he fulfilled that earthly promise. He said this land is yours and he gave them that land. It's the most amazing miracle that is that never happened in the history of humanity where a whole nation is scattered for years.

I mean imagine even Indians migrate to other countries but after some time they don't want to come back to India. I mean you don't find multitudes of people wanting to come. They are happy where they are.

And same thing with Africans and South Americans. They all go to different countries and but the Jewish people they wherever they went they remained as Jews. They were unique and they finally came back and started a nation from scratch in this 20th century it's never happened.

I've heard of one King in Europe some two three hundred years ago asked his parish priest give me one proof that the Bible is true. And he said the Jew the fact that they never get assimilated into any nation they remain unique is the proof that the Bible is true.

And we see that in our generation. Now the only thing is interested to see. I'm not I'm not talking I'm not up into politics. I'm not here to support Israel versus the Arabs. Or that's not my point at all.

You got to understand this. I have only one enemy that's the devil. I don't have any earthly enemies and I don't believe you should have either. And we are not into politics. We are not in on this side against that side against one nation for another nation.

Or against nation. No so I'm not talking about anything political here. You got to understand that we're just taking about certain facts that God gave a nation to Abraham. Not God didn't favor a nation if he blessed a man.

And there's a law in God's economy that if you follow the Lord you and your children will be blessed. I mean that that applies to you as much as it applies to Abraham. It applies to anybody. If I follow if you and I follow the Lord our children and our grandchildren will be blessed.

There's no doubt about it. But God chose Abraham and the law was fulfilled. His children his grandchildren were blessed. And God promised him a nation a land. And he gave them that land. It's a very small bit of land.

And he gave them that land. And all I'm saying is that the Lord said when that fig tree starts putting forth his leaves. When people come back into that land watch out for that. You see what he said. Even so when you see these things verse 33 recognize something recognize that the coming of the Lord is near.

So even though Israel got back that land in 1948 the most important part of Israel without which Israel was not complete Israel was the city of Jerusalem. And they never got that in 1948. They got that nearly 20 years later in June 1967.

June 1967 is just about 40 years ago 41 years ago. And that's when they really felt on. Now we're a nation because we got back our old capital to to the people of Israel. Israel is not Israel until you get Jerusalem.

And Jesus said in relation to Jerusalem also. And Luke 21 I want you to notice this in Luke 21 Jesus said verse 24 he's talking about you know immediately after you know I told you that the temple would be destroyed 40 year.

Temple was destroyed 40 years after Jesus was crucified. And at that time he's talking about that time in Luke 21 20 when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies that happened in 70 AD about 40 years after Jesus was crucified recognize that her desolation is near.

Then those who are in Judea you better run. All the Jews were told to run flee to the mountains. And those in the midst of the city better go. Because those in the country and city better leave. Because those are days of vengeance.

I believe for the crucifixion of Christ. You know that all the things that are written may be fulfilled. Woe unto those are with child. You know if you're pregnant in those days you're talking about 70 AD those who are nursing babies it'll be very difficult because there'll be a great distress and wrath upon this people.

You're not talking about Christians. He's rocking on this people who were going to crucify him and they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And that happened. It's happened for 2 ,000 years.

The Jews were scattered into all the nations of the world. And then he said Jerusalem. He's talking about Jerusalem now will be trampled underfoot by Gentiles means Jerusalem will be ruled by non-jewish nations.

For I mean hundreds of years for nearly 2 ,000 years. Until until what the times of these non-jewish nations is over. You know when that happened 1968 67. Sorry 1967 June 67 that's when Israel got possession of Jerusalem.

What did Jesus say when you see these things happen. You know that he is near Matthew 24 33 right at the door. Verse 34 I say to you this generation this is Matthew 24 34 will not pass away until all these things take place.

That means the generation that sees these things happening before their eyes will not pass away till everything is fulfilled. Now if our interpretation as you have heard it this morning is true I don't know how long a generation is.

Is it 70 years. 70 years from 1967 we're not here to put dates but all I say is we have Jesus told us you'll never know the day or the hour when I return. But he said you will know verse 33 when he is near.

And I don't know about you. But I believe the coming of the Lord is very near. Now I'll tell you something that doesn't make me live a holy life. I would live a holy life even if Christ's coming was a thousand years from now.

That doesn't make any difference to me. I mean if I know that Jesus Christ were coming tomorrow or he's coming a thousand years from now I wouldn't live any differently today or tomorrow. If you feel oh if Christ were coming tomorrow I've got to set certain things.

Right. Brother you'll never be ready for the coming of Christ if you live like that. Because you don't hate sin. You hate being caught when Christ returns. You know like many people say the Jews had ten commandments.

But many Christians have only one commandment. You know what it is. Thou shalt not get caught. That's all you can sin. But thou shalt not get caught. You ask yourself whether that is the commandment you live by.

You're afraid when you're doing something if somebody will catch you. Oh that'll be terrible. But as long as you don't get caught. Oh I'm okay. Well I tell you the Jews are better because they had ten commandments.

So those who live by the commandment thou shall not get caught. You can frighten them by saying hey Christ may come tomorrow. Oh I better not get caught. I better get ready. See they're not afraid of sin.

Jesus came to make us hate sin. What if Jesus is not going to come for a thousand years. You see telling me to commit sin is like saying brother Zack you're permitted to lick the floor if you want. Thank you.

But I don't want to do it. Or worse you're permitted to lick the commode in the toilet. Thank you sir. But I'm not interested. You can do that if you want. If you don't see sin like that. If you don't see sin any type of sin.

Dirty thoughts anger pornography like licking the toilet. If you don't see it like that I would say to you you don't have a clue why Jesus died on the cross. So I don't believe in scaring people out of sin by saying Christ may come any moment.

I don't believe that's a valid reason. I mean you just scare people. But I don't personally believe that Christ will come any moment. Because I believe we go to got to go through the Great Tribulation before Christ comes.

So you have seven more years to do. What. Two options to sin. Or to purify ourselves as he is pure. I feel that after nearly 50 years of being a believer I'm so far from being Christlike that I say Lord please give me time.

Boy if I will know I only seven years left I'm gonna work hard because I want to be ready for the coming of the Lord. That's the most important thing when you see these things happening. Know that he is near.

Spiritual Alertness and Readiness

And if he is near what should I do. Jesus said here verse 36. Even though he's near of the exact day and hour nobody knows. Not even the angels of heaven not even the Son of Man. It's amazing. When Jesus was on earth he limited himself in his mind to be like a man that he did not know the date of his own second coming.

Of course he knows it now because he went back to heaven and he took back his powers as God now. But when he was on earth he limited his powers as God. That's why he had to come near a fig tree to find out if it has fruit as God knows from the other side of the earth whether there's fruit on a fig tree.

He slept he was tired he was thirsty. And he limited his mind that he did not know the date of his own second coming. But he knows it now. And then he said it's going to be like this. You know verse 42.

Men will be working in the field or in an office. One will be taken the other will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken the other will be left. Be on the alert. Because you don't know which day your Lord is coming.

If you don't know which day your Lord is coming what should you do. Be on the alert verse 42. That means be awake spiritually. The most important preparation to for the coming of the Lord is to be awake spiritually.

You know when you're awake it's easy to avoid dangers. Do you see a pit in the way. You don't go into it. But if you're asleep like some people walk in their sleep they walk right into that bit. When you're asleep you don't know whether somebody's stealing your things from your room.

When you're awake you know it. You're alert when you're that. That's what it means to be spiritually awake. I know if the devil is coming to steal something from me. I know somebody's coming to harm me the devil.

I mean how many means bring me into sin. I'm alert. I'm awake. We had to be spiritually awake. That's the meaning of be on the alert. But you don't know. And he says be sure of this. Verse 43. If the head of the house knew exact time of the night when a thief was coming he would have been on the alert.

But the thief doesn't announce saying hey I'm coming at 130 tomorrow morning. No if he knew it he'd be alert at least from 115 onwards. But he says you don't know. You don't know when he'll come. For this reason again he says be ready.

Verse 44. For the Son of man is coming at an hour when you do not think. And what should he be doing. Who then is that faithful and sensible servant. Verse 45. Faithfulness and wisdom are the most important requirements in the last days.

Who then is that faithful slave. Not clever not gifted. There are many clever gifted people who won't be ready. But faithful means which the little God gave you. You use faithfully for him. God will never ask you why didn't couldn't didn't you go around preaching like brother Zack.

He'll never ask you that question. Your answer would be Lord. If you had given me that gift I could have done the same thing. He's not going to ask you. He'll only ask you. Well okay forget. You didn't have the gift somebody else had.

But with the little I gave you were you faithful with that. I mean he's not going to ask you why you didn't give millions to the Lord's work like some other millionaire did. I didn't have millions. That's fine.

Or somebody else could have a lot of time to serve the Lord. You may not have had so much spare time. Mother with children doesn't have much time. He's not looking for all that. He's looking for faithfulness with whatever God gave you.

Are you faithful. That's the important thing. And second is are you wise. Wise is different from clever. There are a lot of clever people are not wise spiritually. And there are a lot of people who don't get good marks in maths and science who are very wise spiritually.

I don't think Peter came first in his class but he was wise spiritually. So who then is that faithful and wise slave whom his master will put in charge of his family. I want to tell you this in relation to the last days my dear brothers one of the great sorrows in my heart as I've seen different churches over the last 33 years God's raised up including our church here is that there are so few almost you can count on the fingers of one hand those whom the Lord read verse 45 whom the master can put in charge of his family to give them their food at their proper time.

Imagine if you were an irresponsible father or mother you had children and you never fed those children at the proper time. Because you were busy watching television or going to the movies. Or you know doing up your hair and dressing your face and going to the beautician and all that.

You ignored your children. Whatever mother would you be neglect your children. But I don't think any of you parents do that. You give your children right from day one their food at the proper time. Think of mothers who are working who resigned their jobs.

What for you ask why are you resigning your job. You're earning a lot of money. The answer is I've got to take care of my children. Children are more important. And there's 50 ,000 rupees a month. You're getting yeah sure.

I've got to give my children food at the proper time. I wish there were more people like that in the churches who say Lord will you give me a hunger to study your word so that I can give something of your God's Word is the food to the people who are younger than me in this church.

Brothers or sisters. The Bible says even sisters can prophesy in the last days. That means share God's Word with others. Many of you have been in this church for so many years. I want to ask you how many times have you given some spiritual food to people younger than you.

How many times have you looked out for people who are coming newly to the church and sought to encourage them. Have you just left it to the two elders to handle all that I've been to. I went to a home once where somewhere in Europe where a father and mother had about 15 children.

And you'd think that a mother would be a nervous wreck if she had 15 children. Right. I mean some people are nervous wrecks just with two children leave alone. More than that 15 children. The mother must be a nervous wreck far from it.

The mother would sit there like a queen. She didn't have to do anything. The one daughter would do the floor. One daughter would do the washing. One daughter would do the cooking. And one son would go and work and earn the money.

Another son would go and work and earn the money. And some other daughter or son would change the diapers of the little baby and the father and mother just sit as kings and queens doing nothing. They're not nervous wrecks.

They would have been nervous wrecks if their older children were irresponsible. Like a lot of brothers and sisters in our churches think of those 15 children. The 25 year old son was lazy sitting at home earning nothing.

And the 23 year old girl was lazy never doing any cooking never doing any washing. Never. And the others. Nobody would help with the change. The diapers of the babies. And the mother had to run around doing this and that.

And the father had to run around earning the money for the house boy. They would have both been nervous wrecks. They'd have probably died before that time. And it have served. Those children deserve. Those children would have deserved it to become orphans.

I tell you this. We have a lot of people like that in our churches who sit there saying I can't do anything. It's like this 25 year old son sitting at home just eating sleeping watching TV going to bed saying I can't do anything.