Bible Studies on the Second Advent of Jesus Luke 12 v 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him."

Being Accountable when Jesus Returns Tonight I want to deal with our Responsibility as Stewards of The Lord. Each one is accountable for their own actions on the return of the Lord.

We all need to make sure we are ready for this by making certain we have done all within our power to fulfil the will of God. This requires being committed to what we know is right and doing it.

Ephesians 4 v 1. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.”

The word ‘Vocation’ means ‘Invitation’ This is a great thought opened up by Paul. It means: God invited you to be a participator in the Salvation He provided for mankind.

Christians to live worthy of the ‘special invitation’ extended to We are expected as Christians to live worthy of the ‘special invitation’ extended to us by The Lord. The Christian path is a narrow one to walk and can be undertaken with success.

Stewardship and the Will of God Let us read together Matt 25 vs 14 to 30. There is something in these verses for us to consider in relation to our stewardship and being ready for the Lord’s return.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned” 1. HIS RETURN verse 19. “After a long time the master of those servants returned” Talents were deposited with each servant who were then expected to use them and provide a good return for their master.

“And settled accounts with them” On His return the master will 2. HIS RECKONING verse 19. “And settled accounts with them” On His return the master will want to ‘reckon’ with us. We are ‘accountable’ for the talents He has given to us.

“Come and share your master’s happiness” 3. HIS REWARD vs 21 to 23. “Come and share your master’s happiness” Two of the stewards fulfilled what was expected of them and were rewarded when the master came.

2 Tim 4vs 7 & 8 Paul writes. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Paul believed he would be Rewarded because: 1. He had STAMINA to fight a good fight. 2. He had SUCCESS and finished the course. 3. He was STEADFAST and kept the faith.

We have to be prepared to have our stewardship ‘reckoned with’ by the master when He comes. So we have to be ready to have what we have done examined by the master.

Each was given a gifting to match the ability they had. STEWARDSHIP & ABILITY. Jesus recognised the level of ability in each of the three men He gave talents to. Each was given a gifting to match the ability they had.

God will never expect you to do more than He knows you are capable of coping with. On the other hand He does expect you to do what He knows is within the limits of your ability.

In the sphere of our Christian life we must perform according to the level of our ability. God’s endowments are according to the ability He sees we have. So He does not give more than He knows we can handle.

Two of those given talents could be termed as ‘Capitalists’. The other one could be termed as a ‘Conservationist’. Two saw ‘multiplication’, one experienced ‘stagnation’.

STEWARDSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY. Next let us observe: STEWARDSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY. When the Lord comes the day of reckoning will reveal whether we have ‘invested’ or ‘divested’.

“What shall this man do”? When Jesus challenged Peter to feed the sheep, (John 21 v 21) Peter said: “What shall this man do”? Jesus replied: “What is that to you? You follow Me”.

“It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so Luke 12 v 43 “It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns” When the Lord returns He wants the benefits accrued on the divine deposit invested in us.

“You wicked, lazy servant” 4. HIS REPROOF. Luke 24 v 26. “You wicked, lazy servant” I have read the following: “Poor stewardship amounts to nothing less than withholding from the Lord that which is His”

When Jesus returns I trust He will Reward us by saying. “Well done, good and faithful Servant” Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Be prepared On His RETURN To be RECKONED with. To be REWARDED. Or To be REPROVED.