"Be Prepared!" Luke 12:35-40

New Year’s Eve                                     31-December-2022
Sermon Text: Luke 12:35-40
Sermon Theme: “Be Prepared!”

I.N.R.I. “Psa 90:12 Teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Moses prays in the 90th Psalm.   He confesses, “Psa 90:10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Tonight another calendar year ends - the day when our life is “cut off” this side of eternity draws nearer. We need our Creator to teach us to number our days - to take the gift of time that He gives us seriously. That we may gain a heart of wisdom - taking the opportunities He gives us to hear, read, learn, study, and inwardly digest His Word within His Church and in our homes. He needs to teach us to pray that His Word be taught among us in its truth and purity - that by God the Holy Spirit - we believe it and live holy lives according to it - here in time and afterward in eternity.
    The fool not only says in his heart that there is no God. The fool doesn’t take God’s time of grace seriously. The fool, chained by Satan’s lie, thinks he will have plenty of time to hear Jesus’ Word when he is older. The fool, blinded by the world’s wisdom, thinks that she doesn’t need Christ every second of life - for she can handle things with her own strength and thinking.
      On the seventh day of Christmas - the Creator shatters our foolishness. In love He calls, ‘Repent!” “Be Prepared!”
      In Luke 12 we find Jesus doing what He has done since the beginning of Creation - preaching His life bringing Word. Multitudes crowd to hear Jesus, for His Word is Spirit and Life! Our Lord warns against masquerading as an obedient follower of God to cover an evil heart. St. John echos this later writing, 1Jn 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” Be prepared - enter 2023 confessing the truth - you are a sinner. You cannot save yourself. You cannot pay off the debt of sin that you owe God. You cannot fix all that your sin has destroyed. Stop lying. Tell the truth - confess your sins. Stop trying to hide them as your lifestyle. Stop trying to put make up on the rotting corpse of your old sinful self. Confess them - place your sins on the Sin - Bearer - Jesus - The Lamb of God - He takes away the sins of the world - yours and mine - with His Holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. He claims your sins as His own - bleeding and dying for them on Golgotha - that the Father might justly declare you His own beloved child by grace through faith alone!
    Jesus preaches to you the message preached by the Holy angel at His birth - “Do not fear!” In the flesh and blood of the infant Jesus - God has reconciled sinful mankind to Himself. Be prepared! Don’t fear the plans and politics of man - fear the Lord God. The worse sinful man can do is to take your life - God has the power to cast into hell. Fear Him! For He claims you as His own in Jesus. He knows you personally, numbering the hairs of your head. He who watches over the lowly sparrow, watches over you for whom He spent the lifeblood of His only begotten Son to redeem!
    Tonight your Savior calls you! (Vs.35-36) Slaves of the Master would draw up their robes and belt, or gird, them preparing to serve. Be prepared to serve - how? By not being ashamed to confess Christ Jesus before men. From Jesus, St. Peter teaches us, 1Pe 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (10) who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” By grace the Lord God has chosen you in Christ to be “a royal priesthood” “His own special people” to do what? “Proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His own marvelous light!” Let your lamps burn brightly with the truth that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners! He saves us in spite of ourselves - He is gracious - He is love! Be prepared! Telling others of Jesus will bring the cross. Men of the darkness will not tolerate the Light of the World. They will seek to silence you by dragging you before judges and throwing you into prison. Don’t fear! God is for you! When you waver and doubt look to His Son nailed to the Tree for your salvation! He lives - He prays for you! In Him you are more than win - you are won and held safe in His nail scarred hand by God’s love!
    Be prepared! Be like men waiting for your Master within His House. Christ shall return in glory and all eyes shall see Him. Even now He comes to His Bride the Church knocking at the door of your heart - as He says, “I forgive you.” “I baptize you.” “I teach you to pray.” “I preach the Gospel to you.’ “I give you My Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins!” Open the doors of your ears immediately to hear Him! Receive His Holy Spirit filled Word and cling to it alone!
      Be prepared! Billions around the globe have watched the clock tick away the seconds until the New Year began. Whether watching a falling apple, orb, or waiting for fireworks to light up the sky - they were ready to cheer in the new year. We would do well to learn from the world’s example to watch forward to the true New Year with great anticipation! (Vs.37-38) Our Lord Jesus speaks a beatitude for the watchful. How do we watch for Christ’s return? Not by being like the foolish farmer thinking that he finally could have rest when his bumper crop came in - that night he would die - his earthly treasures could not save him. We watch by seeking the Kingdom of God. Trusting our heavenly Father who feeds the ravens and clothes the lilies of the field. Worrying cannot add one second to your life in 2023 - God the Father alone sustains your body and life. Watch - Be Prepared- by looking to His promises to you in Christ Jesus written within His Word. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word and Promise remain to eternity.
      Be prepared by pouring out your life in loving service to your neighbor. Investing in the poor, needy, defenseless with the goods the Father has entrusted to you is the only fail safe banking. Treasure those whom God the Father has created. God the Son has paid for with His blood, sweat, and tears unto death. God the Holy Spirit calls through the Gospel spoken through your vocal chords - to salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.  
      Be prepared by being served by the Master! Christ Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. He draws near to you who have no strength. He comes to you crushed by your sin. He comes alongside the grief stricken, hopeless, and despairing. He girds Himself. Takes off His royal robes and girds Himself with a servants towel. He lowers Himself to feed you His life - His body and blood - that you might find strength in Him alone. He fills the watery basin with the blood and water gushing from His crucified side to cleanse you forgiven - your sins forever forgotten by God. He walks with you mourning on the road to Emmaus - speaks His Word of suffering, cross, death, and new life. Then when night draws near and darkness threatens to swallow you - He places on your lips His living body - your eyes are opened and you rejoice to see your God your Lord your Savior your compassionate Brother.
      Be prepared - the second and third watches came in the darkest parts of the night - they are the hardest times to stay awake. Don’t be lulled to sleep in the world’s darkness. Don’t fall asleep in fear and grief. Watch - when the world seems the darkest - Christ Jesus draws near to rescue you. Paul learned this in the school of affliction- He confessed - Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written: "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER." (37) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (38) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, (39) nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
      Be prepared! Christ is coming again! He is our hope in this life and in the life of the world to come! Political parties cannot save us. He has, He did, and He does - He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! (Vs.39-40) Electronic door bells and security cameras cannot prevent thieves breaking into your house. They alert you to the threat so that you can summon help. In Isaiah’s day the people wanted to shut off the alarm of God’s Word preached by faithful prophets. They wanted smooth messages and illusions bolstering their fantasies that they were in charge. They didn’t want to hear of the Holy One Israel. They despised His unchanging written Word. So their nation would suddenly collapse, but the Lord’s Word and promise could not be thwarted. He sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to buy us back from sin, Satan, and death - that we might be His own.
        Be prepared! The promise of Christ’s first coming born of the Virgin Mother was fulfilled in real human history. The promise of Christ’s second coming in glory to judge the living and the dead will also come true. It is not for you to set the time, but to trust your heavenly Father’s good and gracious will. Listen to His Word of promise! “Surely, I am coming quickly!” Number your days! Thank God for the gift of life by hearing His Word. Let His light shine through faith in Christ and loving care towards those in need around you. Watch - be within His Church - hear - learn - memorize - meditate upon His Word.! Know the voice of your Good Shepherd Jesus - He comes feeding you on the green pastures of His Word and refreshing you in the gracious waters of His sacraments. Listen to His Word preached - beware of Satan, the world, and your lazy flesh who want to rob you of the treasure of Christ in His Word. Be prepared! Be ready! Pray! Rev 22:20 .... Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Amen.