1. RESPONDING TO THE THIEF IN THE NIGHT

2. Matthew 24:36-41 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

3. Matthew 24:42-44 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

4. Matthew 24:45-49 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

5. Matthew 24:50-51 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

6. How would the Lord want you to respond?

7. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left! – v37-42

8. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
A. What Happened to People Who Were Not Watchful?

9. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
1. People heard Noah’s preaching but ignored or ridiculed it if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness – II Peter 2:5

10. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
1. People heard Noah’s preaching but ignored or ridiculed it.
Romans 10:17 - Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

11. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
1. People heard Noah’s preaching but ignored or ridiculed it.
II Thessalonians 1: and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

12. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
2. They had plenty of time.

13. It took 120 years to build the ark but the people ignored the signs
I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
2. They had plenty of time.
It took 120 years to build the ark but the people ignored the signs
Noah’s preaching & the Ark

14. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left The flood came unexpectedly!
2. They had plenty of time.
. . . and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. – v39
The flood came unexpectedly!

15. You have only your lifetime to make your commitment to the Lord!
I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
2. They had plenty of time.
. . . and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. – v39
Your grace period
You have only your lifetime to make your commitment to the Lord!

16. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
2. They had plenty of time and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. – v39 I Peter 3: who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

17. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
B. What will happened when the Lord returns?

18. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
B. What will happened when the Lord returns?
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark v38

19. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left
B. What will happened when the Lord returns?
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. – v40-41

20. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left – v37-42 II
I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left – v37-42 II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken – v43-44

21. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
A. What Happens to Sleepy Landlords?

22. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
A. What Happens to Sleepy Landlords? He was careless – not preparing for burglars!

23. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
A. What Happens to Sleepy Landlords?
I Thessalonians 5: for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

24. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
B. How do you handle burglars?

25. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
B. How do you handle burglars? 1. You make it difficult by installing alarms.

26. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
B. How do you handle burglars? 1. You make it difficult by installing alarms. 2. You arm yourself spiritually.

27. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
B. How do you handle burglars?
1. You make it difficult by installing alarms.
2. You arm yourself spiritually.
I Thessalonians 5:8 - But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

28. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
B. How do you handle burglars?
1. You make it difficult by installing alarms.
2. You arm yourself spiritually.
Acts 2:40 - With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”

29. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
B. How do you handle burglars? 3. Will you be asleep spiritually when He comes?

30. II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken
B. How do you handle burglars?
3. Will you be asleep spiritually when He comes?
John 14:6 - Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

31. I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left – v37-42 II
I. Be Watchful: You Could Be Left – v37-42 II. Be Prepared: You Could Be Taken – v43-44 III. Be Faithful – v45-51

32. A. Being a Christian means remaining faithful.
III. Be Faithful
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. – v45-47
A. Being a Christian means remaining faithful.

33. III. Be Faithful
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. – v45-47 I Corinthians 4:2 - Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

34. B. Putting off a decision for the Lord until later is risky business!
III. Be Faithful
But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – v48-51
B. Putting off a decision for the Lord until later is risky business!

35. The Big Question. NOT “When will Lord Jesus come again”
The Big Question? NOT “When will Lord Jesus come again”? BUT “Will I be ready when He comes?”