(Archive of other audio sermons)
(Archive of other audio songs)

11 March 2012 - "Be ready"

Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen

3 And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

It was during this time that God gave Moses the tablets of stone on which the law was written.

Some imagine that these were huge tablets, but it's unlikely since the Bible states that Moses carried these stones down the mount.

Lets look at the following four points from this text.

1) God said to Moses to be ready.

2) He commanded him to come up.

3) He had to present himself before God.

4) He had to come alone and let no one come with him.

As Moses had to be ready in the morning, so too we must always be ready.

In Hebrew to be ready is to be unshakeable and immovable.

There's a fable of mermaids on an island that lured the ships at sea by their beauty and singing. As the men on these ships would steer their ships closer to hear and see these beautiful mermaids, their ships would run aground on the rocks and so they would perish. But there was a certain captain Ulysses, who knew about the place. He commanded his men to bind him to the mast and only loosen him once they're past so that he won't be able to steer the ship to the island and so he saved himself and his men.

Now this is the meaning of "be ready" in Hebrew, that you're tied fast to the solid foundation so that you will save yourself and those about you.

God also commanded Moses to sanctify the people. To be ready.

There was a young couple in Greytown with two little children, where the wife was a believer but not the husband. He would drop her and the children at church and then go to the bar himself and enjoy the time with his friends. After church he would fetch them again. His wife pleaded with him to join her but he laughed and scoffed at her and her faith.

One day he drove alone, went into the back of a truck and his car went underneath so that he was badly injured and trapped in the car. A traffic cop passed by and saw this man in such pain and agony and asked if he could pray with him. The man replied, "no, that time is past. That which was far from me is now close and that which was close to me is now far. Now it's too late." And this is how he died.

His parties and friends and beer were near to him, but suddenly they became very distant and that which was far, death and meeting his Creator, suddenly came near.

Things change. You might think you still have a lot if time, but death might be even at the door. Redeem the time while you have the opportunity. Repentance might be far from you, but things change and tomorrow those things might be close. Your evil friends who are so near to you and so real to you will one day be far from you when you die alone and stand alone before your Judge.

A certain tourist was taken through a beautiful garden and asked the guide how many years he had worked there. He replied, for 25 years. He then asked the man how often the owner visited the garden. He replied only once, twelve years ago. So the tourist asked him why he was still so faithful in keeping the garden, as it looked like he expected the owner tomorrow. The gardener replied, "I even expect him today. "

That's how we should be ready at all times, expecting Jesus any moment.

Ps 90
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

The Bible also says that it is determined for man to die once and thereafter the Judgement. The time will come when each one of us will have to present ourselves before God alone. You have your friends and loved ones. But in death you are completely alone.

A certain respectable man told others to repent but didn't think he needed to since he lived a good life. He said he had no fear standing before God on Judgement Day. But God was gracious to him and spoke to him in a dream. He saw himself alone standing before the Great White Throne on Judgement Day and he expected the Judge to praise him for the good life he lived. As he stood there he saw a man enter through a side door. This man was very serious and told the Judge that one day he sold material to this man for 66 marks but the man gave him only 60.

Again another door opened and another man entered whom he knew very well. This man was also very serious. He said to the Judge that he was in dire need, so under pressure he sold this man his only dairy cow for 300 marks but he only paid him 200.

The man trembled and realised that he was going to be condemned. Suddenly he saw his guilt and then he woke up, sweating profusely, realising that he cannot enter heaven like that.

He got up that very morning, went to different people and made right, including those people he never paid the full price.

That experience completely changed this man and he thanked God for showing him his sins. From that day he did not justify himself, thinking he was fine, but was humble so that God could reveal to him anything in his life that was wrong.