I want to star today asking a question. How many of you have ever traveled? Let’s think about this for a moment, let’s think about all of those times that we have traveled in our vacation. What is the first thing that we do before we travel? The first thing we do is chose where we want to go, correct? After we choose we then begin to plan out what we want to do, what we want to see, and the places that we want to visit. Immediately thereafter, we make the hotel reservations, and we buy our airline tickets and so forth. These are things that we often do with plenty of time before the trip, and we do it because we want that our stay in the destination that we have chosen will be something pleasurable and comforting. But, what other thing must we do prior to our trip that will ensure our comfort? The thing that we must do is pack our luggage. Depending on how long our stay out of our home will be, will determine how much stuff we will pack. That is, unless you are like my family, that for just one week we almost have to rent a moving truck for the luggage. We even take the pots and pans from the kitchen. We pack everything that we think that we will need, in other words, the essentials, and a few more as well. This is exactly what I would like to speak to you about today, today I want us to determine how well packed are we for the trip. What trip am I talking about? Let’s now turn to the Word of God.
Luke 17:26-36 – And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32Remember Lot's wife. 33Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 34I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Why did I choose these verses? I don’t know how many of you here have been paying attention to the events that have been unfolding in the Middle East and around the world in general, but I can tell you that in the last two or three weeks, I have received a large number of emails from people that are very worried and alarmed with the things that are happening in Israel. Although the correspondence was generated by people from different parts of the world that do not know each other, they all had something in common. The common denominator in all of them was that they all wanted to know if the things that are transgressing are a sign of the end times. Many are very preoccupied with this because based on current events and news, it is easy to appreciate that on a daily basis new enemies of Israel surface that only desire to see it completely destroyed. The reality of it all is that most if not all of the Arab countries want the nation of Israel to cease existing, while the majority of the countries en Europe offer absolutely no help what so ever, and all they do is criticize and condemn the actions of a nation that is only seeking to protect and defend its citizens. Part of this preoccupation also comes from the fact that there are some people out there that are declaring that all of these events are the beginning of the third world war. But there are also some that state that based on the number of nations that are at war with each other, we are already in the middle of the third world war. Now, before we proceed with our study today I want to make something very clear. Today we are going to be dealing with a very serious problem that with frequency alarms a vast majority of the people; I say this because today we are going to be dealing with prophecy. Therefore, I want it to be very clear that what we will be covering today is only a very brief study of the end time prophecies. The reality of it all is that I am NOT a prophet, NOR am I a great theologian, but as I have said on other occasions, I can read.
I also want to make very clear that the purpose of our study today is not to ascertain the date of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the end of times. I want this to be very clear because any one that proclaims that he or she can do this is nothing but a liar and a deceiver. I can say this with such conviction because in the Word of God we find clearly stated that this date is known by no one, as the Lord states in Matthew 24:36 when we read “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” It is necessary for me to make these things clear because the recent situations that have developed around the world are very alarming, and there are many out there that will exploit these situations for their own benefit to make a quick profit, by scaring people even more than they already are. Therefore the purpose of this preaching will not be to explore bible prophecy in depth. As I said before, the purpose of this preaching is to make us all reflect, and to call to repentance all of those that may have strayed and now find themselves doing things that displeasing to God.
One very true fact is that the Bible is the only book in human history that has passed all the tests throughout time. Although there are a large number of religious books and publications in the world, the Bible is the only book that contains prophecies that have been fulfilled, and that will continue to be fulfilled until there are no more. The Bible has never been wrong, and no matter how hard some people attempt to make it look as just a simple book of antiquity, they will fail. They will fail because the fact remains that the Bible will never be proven wrong. Why can’t it be proven wrong? The reason as to why we can be so confident of this is found in 2 Timothy 3:16 when we read “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Tell the person sitting next to you; the scriptures were inspired by God. In Deuteronomy 18:22 we also find “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” The bible is the Word of God, and the vast number of fulfilled prophecies is absolute proof of this. A while back I read an article about the mathematical probabilities reference bible prophecies. The scientific study concluded that the mathematical probabilities that one person could fulfill just eight prophecies as found in the bible was one in ten to the seventeenth power (1 in 1017). This is a number that the majority of people can’t understand, I can tell you that I had no idea what it actually meant until I read the way it was illustrated. Therefore, let me present to you the illustration so that all here can get a complete picture of what one in ten to the seventeenth power means. The way it was illustrated said that it would be the equivalent of covering the entire State of Texas two feet deep with silver dollars, then taking one of the silver dollars and marking it with a red X. This marked could would then be hidden anywhere in the State, and a person would be blindfolded and asked to pick up the marked coin in their first attempt. Can you imagine this? Well, the chances that this person could do this are one in ten to the seventeenth power. The study only dealt with eight prophecies, so just imagine if it had taken into consideration the more than sixty prophecies that Jesus accomplished with His birth and ministry. Why have I said all of this? I have said all of this because I want that there be no doubt that what we are seeing develop around the world are happening by mere coincidence or chance. I believe that the mathematical study that I just explained to this more than proves that. All that we are seeing happen are bible prophecies being fulfilled, and all that we will see happen in the future will be God’s Word being fulfilled.
I started today illustrating the preparations that all persons do when planning a trip. And a great reality is that sooner or later, all of us here will be traveling to the destination that we have chosen when we accepted to follow Jesus Christ. We have all planned our trip, and we have made the reservations when we accepted Christ’s promise s we find in John 14:2 when we read “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” But although we have all made plans, and although we have our reservation, the problem is that a very large number has not even though about preparing their luggage, while others have only packed half way.
In the verses that we are studying today we find that the Lord tells us “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” If we take the time to reflect in these words of Jesus, I think that we will come to the conclusion that these words describe the attitude of the world in an excellent fashion, but unfortunately these words also describe the attitude of a large number of people within the body of Christ. I say that it describes the world’s attitude in an excellent fashion because although many may be worried or preoccupied with the unfolding events, they continue doing that which is displeasing to God and continue to ignore His Word. Therefore, these are then all of those people that live in the world and that have not made any plans for that inevitable trip that all human beings will one day have to take. In James 4:14 we find this truth expressed in this fashion “…What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” But as I said, these verses also reflect the attitude on a large number of people within the body of Christ, that is to say, of all of those that have planned their trip, but that have postponed or continue to postpone the packing of their luggage.
As I said before, no one, but no one, knows the date when it will be their turn to travel. No one, but no one, can say when the end of times will be. This is more or less like traveling on “standby”. We have the destination, we have the reservations, we have the boarding pass in hand, but we do not know in what flight we will travel or at what time the departure will be. In other words, we are speaking about something that although we know will take place, it will come upon us suddenly and without warning. In the verses that we are studying today we find that the Lord tells us “In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32Remember Lot's wife. 33Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 34I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” As we can appreciate here, when the moment comes, be it that the Lord comes for His church as we find in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 when we read “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. 17Then 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.” Or when we reach the end of our life, it will be to late to begin packing. From the beginning of this preaching I have been talking about packing the luggage, but I am sure that many have asked themselves, what does he mean by that? But before I finally end the suspense, I want us all to note something in these verses that are of the utmost importance. I want us to notice what the Lord tells us will happen; things will happen individually. It will happen as the Lord tells us when He stated “one shall be taken, and the other left.” Why is it so important to note this? It is important because in it the Lord chose to reveal to us that salvation is something very personal. In other words, don’t wait for anyone to pack your suitcase. Now, what does this packing the luggage or suitcase thing all mean? Simply stated, our luggage or our suitcase is our spiritual life. And that is why today we should cautiously examine its content.
We must make sure that we have packed all of the essentials. We must make sure that we pack the conviction that God has given us, keeping always in mind the words of our Lord and Savior as we find in Matthew 10:32-33 when we read “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” We must ensure that we have packed a genuine faith, because as we read in Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” We must make sure that we have packed repentance, look carefully at what the Word tells us in Matthew 3:8 when we read “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.” We must make sure that we have packed love; look carefully at what the Word tells us in John 17:25-26 when we read “O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” We must make sure that we have packed forgiveness; look carefully at what we find in Mark 11:25-26 when we read “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” We must ensure that we have packed humbleness; let us never forget what the Lord tells us in Matthew 11:29 when we read ”Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” And what we find in James 4:6 when we read “…God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” We must make sure that we have packed holiness; look carefully at what we find in 1 Peter 1:15-16 when we read “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy.”
In closing. As I said in the beginning, in the last few weeks I have observed that there is a very large number of people that are completely preoccupied and alarmingly worried by the events that are transpiring in the Middle East and the world in general. There are many people that are living in fear of what might happen, or of the consequences that all of these events may produce. The reason for this is because many have realized that the prophecies are being fulfilled. And brethren there is absolutely nothing that can stop the Word of God from being fulfilled. Jesus said it best in Matthew 24:35 when He said “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” All of us here have planned our voyage to the presence of God. All of us here have made our reservation when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, but the question that we must ask ourselves is, have we packed everything that we will need for the trip? Let’s make sure that we pack everything that we will need not only to reach the presence of God, but to remain there with Him. Let’s never forget the words of our Lord as we find in Matthew 7:21 when we read “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” This is why I say on to you today, don’t be so worried about events that you can’t control, but rather be ready to travel at all times. Check carefully all that you have packed and ask yourself, have I forgotten anything?
