Becoming a Stronger Disciple

HOW A DISCIPLE WATCHES

How a Disciple Watches (THE TRANSFORMATION)

I want to be ready and waiting for “the transformation”.

(Mark 13:32-37) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"

1. It‘s Going To Be TRAUMATIC

A. It will be a sudden interruption in all our plans.

(33) “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”

(Matthew 24:37-42) “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.”

B. The emphasis here is on the absolute suddenness of this event.

C. Sometimes we don’t like unexpected surprises.

D. This is going to be the most joyful and exciting surprise of our lives!

2. It’s Going To Be TRANSFORMING

A. Jesus is going to transform these failing temporary bodies into brand new permanent bodies.

(Philippians 3:20-21) Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.

(1 Corinthians 15:49-53) Just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the Man from heaven. I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,... Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

B. Doesn’t this sound like a lot of fun to you?

3. It’s Going To Be TRANSPORTING

A. Jesus is going to take His disciples up and away with Him.

(Matthew 24:40-41) “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.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:15-18) According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

B. Does it encourage you to know Jesus is going to transport His disciples to Heaven?

C. The only two important questions:

· Are you ready?

· What are you waiting for?