Sermon

There's a Great Day Coming

Theme

Jesus promised he would come again, but he didn't say when, he just told us to be ready.

Object

A calendar with some important dates marked on it.

Scripture

"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." Mark 13:32 (NLT)

This calendar is very important to me. I have a circle drawn around the most important days of the year on this calendar. Do you see the circle around this date? That's my birthday. Every year my birthday is the same day. I always know when it is. Here is Christmas Day. That's an important day, isn't it? December 25th is Christmas day. It may be any day of the week, but it is ALWAYS on December 25th. Your birthday is an important day too. If I want to be sure to remember your birthday, I will draw a circle around it and write a note that says, this is Mary's birthday. That way I will always know when it is your birthday.

In our Bible lesson today, Jesus told his followers that a very important day was coming. He told them that a day was coming when people would see him coming in the clouds with power and glory. He told them that on that day he would send his angels to gather his people and take them home to heaven to be with him.

That's an important day, isn't it? When is that day going to be? Jesus didn't tell his followers that part. In fact, he told them, "No one knows the day or hour when I will return. Only the Father knows. That is why you must be ready, I will come at a time when you least expect it." Wow! If we don't know when he is coming, how will we be ready? By doing the things that Jesus would want us to be doing — loving one another, caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, and helping the poor. If we are busy doing those things, we will be ready when he comes.

Dear Father, even though we don't know the day or hour when Jesus will come to take his children be with him, let us live in such a way that we will be ready when he comes. Amen.