“Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won’t see it. People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes. But first the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected by this generation. “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all. “And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”

Luke 17:22-30

What’s your plan for today? Is it “business as usual?” If that means you will be fully occupied with earthly activity consider an important agenda item: Be prepared for Jesus to return today.

We both just read the Bible text.

The Bible-the book that has remained in force more than 2000 years-tells us Jesus is coming back to earth. When Jesus comes again all of us will be changing our business plan. He is God. We’ll be following His perfect plan then. FACT ONE: Jesus will return to His earth.

The verses from Luke 17:22-30 make another fact NON-debatable-No one knows when. No one knows when a bolt of lightning will strike. No one knew the day God started the rain and worldwide flood. Not one person in Sodom or Gomorrah knew fire and burning sulfur was coming that day. And another thing-We are unwise to think those are simply stories and therefore fiction. They happened. No one had any warning. Do you know when lightning will strike next?

These verses are the very words of Jesus. He knows all things. He knew that day speaking to the Pharisees He would return to earth. He knew that day WHEN He would return. We are unwise to assume that since Jesus said these words so long ago it must mean either He’s forgotten or changed His mind. Perhaps He’s delayed by something.

Never!

He knows all things.

He never changes-who He is or His mind.

He has all power-nothing ever deters Him.

FACT TWO: No human knows when Jesus will return to earth. Here is the logical response to these 2 irrefutable facts: A part of our everyday living is to be set aside for Jesus to return-today. We are to watch for His return.

Just how are we to prepare ourselves? Begin with a question- Would you be ready if Jesus came today? When He comes again it will be to bring all who believe in Him (living and dead) to heaven. Do you believe?

We know Jesus is coming.

We don’t know when.

But we can be ready…make believing in Him the FIRST part of today’s business…