ARE YOU READY?

Jul 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Twinkling of an Eye and the Last Trumpet

A mortal body cannot inherit eternity. Paul’s mystery in 1 Corinthians 15 reveals a sudden, irreversible transformation: in the time it takes light to reflect off an iris, perishable becomes imperishable. This is not magic but divine promise. The dead in Christ rise first, then the living are changed. No decay, no pain—only victory. The trumpet’s blast will split history. Are you listening for it? [03:07]

“Behold! I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”
(1 Corinthians 15:51–52, ESV)

Reflection: What daily rhythms keep your heart attuned to Christ’s return? How might you live differently if you truly believed this moment could come today?

Day 2: The Thief in the Night and the Stolen Trailer

Security systems fail. German shepherds sleep. The pastor’s stolen pressure-washer taught him: readiness requires proactive obedience, not good intentions. Jesus warns that His return will ambush the spiritually drowsy. Like a homeowner guarding against thieves, vigilance is not panic but persistent faithfulness. Delay breeds complacency; urgency fuels mission. [05:52]

“Therefore stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.”
(Matthew 24:42–43, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you substituted “good enough” for wholehearted readiness? What one step will you take today to fortify your spiritual alertness?

Day 3: The Open Door and the Voice Like a Trumpet

John’s Patmos vision models the rapture: a door splits heaven, a trumpet-voice commands “Come up!” and in an instant, he stands before the throne. This is the church’s destiny—not escape from trouble but summons to glory. The same voice that called Lazarus from the grave will call believers home. No delay, no debate. Just divine interruption. [14:54]

“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’”
(Revelation 4:1, ESV)

Reflection: How does the certainty of Christ’s summons shape your view of current struggles? What would it look like to live today as someone awaiting a royal summons?

Day 4: Noah’s Ark and the Scoffers at the Door

Noah built while neighbors mocked. For 120 years, his obedience seemed absurd—until rain fell. Post-rapture, those left will pound heaven’s door like Noah’s drowning neighbors, desperate for one more chance. Scoffers label readiness as conspiracy, but history bends toward divine appointments. The ark door shut; the rapture door opens. Only the ready enter. [21:24]

“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
(Matthew 24:37–39, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the urgency of Christ’s return? How can you compassionately confront their skepticism without compromising truth?

Day 5: Hearts Weighed Down by Peach Cobbler and Deadlines

Jesus named three rapture-killers: excess (third helpings at Golden Corral), numbness (anything dulling spiritual reflexes), and mundane anxieties (deadlines, carpools). These aren’t sins but weights—good things that become idols. Vigilance means pruning life’s clutter to keep hearts light. Eternal priorities demand ruthless editing. [34:06]

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
(Luke 21:34–36, ESV)

Reflection: What “good thing” in your life most often distracts you from eternal focus? What practical habit could help you regularly recalibrate your priorities?

Sermon Summary

Paul sets the promise on solid ground. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, so the perishable must put on the imperishable. He calls it a mystery, not magic, and anchors it to a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. Jesus then draws the picture in plain sight. Two in a field. One taken and one left. Two at work. One taken and one left. The command lands the point. Stay awake. Be ready. A careless night and stolen tools show what happens when vigilance gives way to convenience.

Jesus steadies troubled hearts with a promise. He goes to prepare a place and will come again to take his people to himself, so that where he is, they will be also. The process is clear. The trumpet will sound. The dead in Christ will be raised imperishable, and those alive will be changed. Death is swallowed up in victory. Therefore, the church is called to be steadfast, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord, because none of that labor is wasted. Thessalonians runs parallel. The Lord descends with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ rise first. The living are caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. These words are for comfort, not fear.

John then gives a glimpse. A door stands open in heaven. A voice like a trumpet says, Come up here. At once he is in the Spirit before the throne. That is how fast this will be. Not a blink, but the instant light reflects off the eye. The sound will carry. The summons will be personal.

The problem cuts both ways. Rapturitis shrugs at delay and breeds scoffing, just like in Noah’s days. Rapture mania chases dates and wastes time. The cure is balanced vigilance. Be faithful in today’s work and ready for any time, because he can come at any time. The purpose is not ducking an antichrist. The rescue is from the wrath of God in the coming tribulation. Daniel’s seventy weeks put a clock on Israel. The present valley is the time of the Gentiles. When that fullness is reached, attention turns back, and Israel’s salvation comes.

Luke’s application goes to the heart. Watch yourselves. Beware the fog of excess. Beware the things that impair judgment and self control. Beware the cares of this life that turn good things into idols. Stay awake. Pray for strength to escape and to stand before the Son of Man. Today is a day of grace. After the catching up, salvation will be harder, not easier. So the church is called to stay steady and speak plainly, because the Word of God does the work.

Key Takeaways

1. Readiness is a daily posture. Readiness is not a last minute scramble. Jesus ties it to ordinary life, because ordinary life is where souls are either awake or asleep. The call is simple and sharp. Stay awake, be ready, because the Son of Man comes at an hour not expected. [06:50]
2. Resurrection hope fuels steadfast work. The trumpet and the transformation do not produce passivity. They harden resolve. Be steadfast, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord, because none of that work is wasted in the Lord. Future victory makes present labor meaningful. [10:47]
3. Avoid rapturitis and rapture mania. Cynicism and obsession are twin errors. One rolls its eyes, the other chases dates. Neither watches the heart. Balanced vigilance keeps hands at the plow and eyes up, ready any time without wasting time. [23:53]
4. Guard the heart from excess and cares. Jesus points to an inner danger before outer events. The fog of excess dulls desire for God, and life’s cares quietly turn good things into gods. Watch yourselves, pray for strength, and keep judgment and self control clear. [33:03]
5. Look for Jesus, not the antichrist. Fear of a man cannot govern a heart anchored in Christ. The rescue is from God’s wrath, not from human threats. Fix hope on the One who is coming, and disappointment cannot overturn faith if timelines differ. [26:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:18] - Are You Ready and Bible foundation
[01:18] - The rapture and its promise
[04:18] - One taken and one left
[05:06] - A theft story about readiness
[09:46] - Trumpet, victory, be steadfast
[11:22] - Caught up together and comfort
[13:44] - Open door in heaven, come up here
[18:53] - Rapturitis, scoffers, date mania
[23:53] - Balanced vigilance for daily work
[27:19] - Purpose of rapture, rescued from wrath
[31:21] - Fullness of Gentiles and Israel
[33:03] - Watch your heart and stay awake
[40:12] - After the rapture, hard salvation
[42:01] - Closing prayer and intercession

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (ESV)
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Matthew 24:40-42 (ESV)
Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (ESV)
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Observation questions

What does Paul mean by calling the resurrection a "mystery" in 1 Corinthians 15:51, and how does he contrast it with "magic"? [03:07]
In Matthew 24:40-42, Jesus uses everyday scenarios (working in a field, grinding grain) to illustrate readiness. What modern examples were given in the sermon to parallel these images? [04:34]
According to the sermon, what is the purpose of the rapture, and how does it differ from common misconceptions about escaping hardship? [27:19]

Interpretation questions

Why does Paul emphasize that the resurrection happens "in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52), and how does this urgency connect to Jesus’ command to "stay awake" in Matthew 24:42?
The sermon warns against both "rapturitis" (cynicism) and "rapture mania" (obsession with dates). How do these extremes contradict the balanced vigilance described in 1 Corinthians 15:58? [23:53]
Jesus warns about hearts being "weighed down" by "the cares of this life" (Luke 21:34). What specific dangers does this pose to readiness, and why are they more subtle than external threats? [33:03]

Application questions

Readiness is described as a daily posture, not a last-minute scramble. What practical habit could you adopt this week to cultivate awareness of Christ’s return in your ordinary routines (e.g., work, errands, family time)? [06:50]
The "fog of excess" (like overindulgence or distraction) dulls our desire for God. What is one area of excess in your life (e.g., screen time, busyness, consumption) that might be numbing your spiritual alertness? How could you intentionally simplify? [34:06]
Being "steadfast and immovable" includes abounding in work that matters eternally. What is one task, relationship, or ministry you’ve dismissed as insignificant that God might view as meaningful labor? [10:47]
Jesus says to "pray for strength to escape and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). Who in your life needs your prayers today to be ready for Christ’s return? How will you intercede for them this week? [42:01]
Social media often amplifies either cynicism ("nothing will change") or anxiety ("the end is near"). How can you engage with these platforms in a way that reflects balanced vigilance and points others to hope? [25:24]

Sermon Clips

84s

#RaptureCall

“``Church, maybe it's gonna happen like this. One day in the not too distant future, God the father is going to tell Jesus Christ to go get your bride. And accompanied by one of the archangels and a host of angels, then all across this globe from horizon to horizon saved, and I believe unsaved alike, will hear a sound just like this. And then I believe those who are saved on this earth will hear something similar. Ronnie, come up here in the twinkling of an eye. Now folks, I don't know if if they're gonna use a shofar or if maybe the angels got a little better trumpet than that. But I think it's going to set the world back when they hear and then they see what Jesus said. Two men, one is taken and one left behind. Two women, one is taken and one left behind.”

53s

#AlwaysBeReady

“And then I got mad at myself because all I had to do was put it back in the garage where it would have been locked up. And this is what God says in his word through Jesus Christ. Therefore, you also must be ready. For the son of man is coming at an hour that you do not expect. If somebody would have told me, Ronnie, someone's gonna come and they're gonna steal your equipment tonight, I would have got up whatever time that was. I would have went, I would have taken that. We would put it in the garage. I would have kept it safe. And Jesus is telling the story that two people are gonna be doing this, and two people are gonna be doing that, and two people are gonna be doing this over here. One is gonna be taken, and one is gone. Why? Because one was not ready.”

61s

#LookingForJesus

“Let me just say this. The purpose of the rapture is not to escape the antichrist. I'm going to talk about this in two weeks. This what what we as Christians have labeled the antichrist. And I would just encourage you to think about this verse in Matthew chapter 10 and verse 28. It says, do not fear those who can kill the body, but him that can take both soul and body and cast it into hell. See, I'm not looking for the antichrist. And and to be honest with you, if my theology is wrong and he shows up and I and I see him in person, I'm gonna be one of the most disappointed people on the face of this earth. But it won't challenge my faith. Why? Because I'm not looking for the antichrist, I'm looking for Jesus Christ. I'm looking for him to return to this earth.”

66s

#TrumpetVoice

“And the first voice which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet. Isn't it interesting how John is describing the way that the angel that's speaking to him sounds? And and what he's saying is almost like the voice is barking. It's it's it's penetrating. And the first voice which I'd heard, and again, you go back to chapter one, he's talking about that voice that sounds like a trumpet. And that voice said this to John, come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this. Literally, I think we are watching John experience what the church will experience one day called the rapture. And so here he is. He's sitting on the Isle Of Patmos, and he sees this window of heaven open, and then he hears a voice like a trumpet, and it says, come up here. In verse two, it says, at once. I think at once is in the twinkling of an eye.”

62s

#LeftBehindRegret

“I can only imagine what it was like inside that ark to hear to hear the voices of their friends. The ones who were ridiculing them last week were now crying out, just open the door. In the not too distant future, there won't be an ark, there won't be a door that shuts, but there will be two men walking along, one is taken and one is left. There will be two women walking along and one is taken and one is left. And those that are left behind are gonna want just one more chance. Just one more chance.”

93s

#ShareTheGospel

“Because there are people that we work with. There are people that are in our family. There are people that have not yet called upon the name of Jesus Christ, and that is our job. Our job is to share this simple news. My heart breaks when I think about family members that may not know Jesus Christ as their savior. My heart breaks when I hear your story about family members, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, moms and dads that haven't called upon Jesus Christ. And what Jesus is telling us, stay awake. Be steadfast and movable. I know it's gonna get rough. I know tough times are gonna come. But what's on the other side is worth anything that we have to put up with on this earth? To see that grandchild, to they that son, that daughter, to see that uncle, that aunt, that mom, that dad, that husband or that wife in heaven with us.”

57s

#NoahWasRight

“Now I'm sure you've have a relative, an uncle that that you would call a conspiracy theorist. I identify as one of those people occasionally. I'll tell you this, that Noah was considered a conspiracy theorist for a hundred and twenty years. When he was building an ark that was bigger than he needed in a place that there was no water, they they they mocked and ridiculed and scoffed him. And then one day, the animals were in the ark. Noah and his family were in the ark, and the Bible tells us that God shut the door, and then it started raining.”

88s

#PromiseOfHeaven

“Isn't that incredible that that Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, here are his disciples. This is literally a day before he is going to be hanging on a cross, going through everything he went through for us, and he's telling his disciples, let not your heart be troubled. And and it says here, believe in God, and and and we're missing the understood you. If if you're an English major, you know what that's all about. He says, you believe in God, believe also in me. Believe that I am his son. For in my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you that I and if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and I will take you to myself so that there where I am, there you may be also. Church, here's the promise for the believer, either when we leave this earth, the the Bible tells us to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord. I mean, that is what we look forward to. As we as we get older and we experience the the infirmities that this body has, the one thing that we can think of is one day we'll we'll be out of this body. And when we are, we'll be in the presence of Jesus Christ.”

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