Ready or Not: Living in Expectation of Christ’s Return

Today’s passage from Matthew 24:36-51 draws us into the heart of Jesus’ teaching on readiness for His return. As Jesus sat with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, He answered their questions about the signs of His coming and the end of the age. He made it clear that while the generation witnessing the abomination of desolation and the great tribulation will know the season of His return, no one—neither angels nor even the Son in His earthly humility—knows the exact day or hour. This limitation is not meant to frustrate us, but to instill a posture of watchfulness and readiness.

Jesus likened the days before His return to the days of Noah. People were living their ordinary lives, oblivious to the coming judgment, until the flood swept them away. In the same way, many will be caught unprepared at His coming, distracted by daily routines and willful ignorance, despite the clear warnings and the proclamation of the gospel. The suddenness of His return is emphasized through the imagery of a thief in the night—unexpected, disruptive, and final. The call is to stay awake, to be alert, and to live in a state of spiritual readiness.

Jesus then contrasts two types of servants: the faithful and wise servant, who is found doing his master’s will, and the wicked servant, who abuses his position, indulges himself, and is ultimately judged. The faithful servant is not only rewarded with responsibility but also with the privilege of belonging to the kingdom. The wicked servant, on the other hand, is cast out, his fate sealed by his own disregard for the master’s return.

This teaching is not just for a future generation but for all of us. Whether we face the end of the age or the end of our own lives, the call is the same: be ready. Repentance and faith in Christ are the only sure foundation. For those who have believed, the charge is to live faithfully, loving God, loving others, and making disciples, so that when the Lord returns, He will find us about His business. The Lord’s Supper, which we share, is a tangible reminder of His sacrifice and our union with Him—a call to examine ourselves, confess our sins, and renew our commitment to live ready for His return.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The Unknowable Hour Calls for Constant Readiness Jesus’ insistence that no one knows the day or hour of His return is not a puzzle to be solved, but a summons to live each day in anticipation. The uncertainty is purposeful, keeping us from complacency and spiritual slumber. True readiness is not about predicting dates, but about cultivating a heart that is always prepared to meet the Lord, whether in His coming or in our own passing from this life. [32:14]
• 2. Ordinary Life Can Numb Us to Eternal Realities The days of Noah were marked by routine—eating, drinking, marrying—yet judgment came suddenly. The danger is not in the activities themselves, but in living as if God’s promises and warnings are irrelevant. We must guard against the subtle drift into spiritual apathy, remembering that the most significant events in God’s plan often break into the midst of our ordinary days. [36:04]
• 3. Judgment and Separation Are Real and Final Jesus’ teaching about one being taken and one left is a sobering reminder that His return will bring a decisive separation. The removal of the wicked at His coming is not arbitrary, but the outworking of hearts that have persistently rejected God’s grace. This reality should stir both holy fear and compassion, motivating us to share the gospel and to examine our own standing before God. [44:25]
• 4. Faithfulness Is Measured by Stewardship, Not Spectacle The faithful servant is not the one who makes a show of readiness, but the one who quietly and consistently fulfills the master’s will. Faithfulness is found in daily obedience, in loving service, and in the stewardship of what God has entrusted to us. The reward is not just future glory, but the present joy of living in alignment with our true Master. [50:42]
• 5. Spiritual Procrastination Is a Deadly Deception The most dangerous lie is not that there is no God or no judgment, but that there is no hurry. The enemy lulls us into delay, convincing us that there will always be more time to repent, to believe, or to serve. But Jesus’ warning is urgent: there will come a moment when the opportunity is gone. Today is the day to turn to Christ, to confess our sins, and to live ready for His return. [56:26]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [25:41] - Extra Hour, No More Time Changes in Glory
• [26:17] - Introduction and Announcements
• [26:55] - Giving Thanks and Setting the Context
• [27:30] - Jesus’ Olivet Discourse: The Disciples’ Questions
• [28:03] - Birth Pains, Tribulation, and the Antichrist
• [28:52] - The Certainty of Jesus’ Words
• [29:10] - The Unknowable Day and Hour
• [29:52] - The Days of Noah: A Warning
• [36:04] - The Flood and Human Indifference
• [38:09] - The Suddenness of Judgment
• [39:24] - One Taken, One Left: Interpreting the Text
• [44:25] - Parables of Judgment and Separation
• [47:21] - The Thief in the Night: Be Ready
• [48:59] - Faithful vs. Wicked Servant
• [51:58] - The Root of a Wicked Heart
• [56:26] - The Danger of Spiritual Procrastination
• [58:17] - The Call to Be Ready
• [63:34] - Encouragement and Communion
• [70:02] - Remembering Christ’s Sacrifice
• [72:01] - Living Ready Until He Comes
• [77:49] - Final Exhortation and Blessing

Bible Reading

Matthew 24:36-51 (ESV) — > 36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
> 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
> 38 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,
> 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
> 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
> 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
> 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
> 43 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.
> 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
> 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
> 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
> 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
> 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’
> 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards,
> 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know
> 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Observation Questions

1. According to Jesus, who knows the exact day and hour of His return? What does this tell us about the nature of His coming? ([29:52])
2. What were people doing in the days of Noah, and how does Jesus use this as a warning for His own return? ([36:04])
3. In the parable of the faithful and wicked servants, what actions distinguish the faithful servant from the wicked one? ([50:42])
4. What is the consequence for the wicked servant when the master returns unexpectedly? ([49:36])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus emphasizes that no one knows the day or hour of His return—not even the angels or the Son? How does this uncertainty shape the way believers are supposed to live? ([32:14])
2. Jesus compares the time before His return to the days of Noah, when people were living ordinary lives and ignoring warnings. What does this suggest about the dangers of spiritual complacency in our own routines? ([36:04])
3. The parable of the servants shows two very different responses to the master’s absence. What does this teach about the true nature of faithfulness and readiness in the Christian life? ([50:42])
4. The sermon mentions that judgment and separation at Christ’s return are “real and final.” How should this reality affect the way we view our own lives and the lives of those around us? ([44:25])

Application Questions

1. Jesus warns against spiritual procrastination—the idea that there’s always more time to repent or get serious about faith. Are there areas in your life where you’ve been putting off obedience or repentance? What is one step you can take this week to address it? ([56:26])
2. The ordinary routines of life can numb us to eternal realities. Is there a specific habit, distraction, or comfort that keeps you from being spiritually alert? How can you intentionally “stay awake” in your faith this week? ([36:04])
3. The faithful servant is described as quietly and consistently doing the master’s will. What does “faithfulness” look like in your current season of life? Is there a small act of obedience or service you sense God calling you to? ([50:42])
4. The wicked servant’s downfall began with the thought, “My master is delayed.” Have you ever found yourself living as if Jesus’ return (or your own accountability to God) is far off? How does this mindset affect your choices? ([49:36])
5. The sermon calls us to examine ourselves, confess our sins, and renew our commitment to Christ, especially as we participate in the Lord’s Supper. Is there a sin or relationship you need to bring before God or make right with someone else? ([01:05:53])
6. Jesus’ teaching about judgment and separation is sobering. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear the gospel or see Christ’s love in action? What is one practical way you can reach out to them this week? ([44:25])
7. The call is to live ready—loving God, loving others, and making disciples. What is one area where you want to grow in “living ready” for Christ’s return? How can your small group support you in this? ([01:12:01])