I’m on call with Argonia EMS two or three times a week. For twelve hours at a time, more if I’m working a double shift, I wear an EMS uniform shirt and carry a pager on my belt. My portable radio is never far from me and I’m ready to drop everything and run for the ambulance barn at a moment’s notice should the need arise.
The need seldom arises. Most of the time, a day on call in Argonia is like any other day. Get up in the morning. Get ready for the day. Eat breakfast. Go to work. Eat lunch. Work some more. Come home. Eat supper. Get a test page and go off call. That’s normal. Most on-call days are call-free, but I still have to be ready to respond when it’s my turn to serve.
Most of you, I know, are not officially on call for anything, but you understand being ready to respond. You have a cell phone. When it rings or beeps or whatever it does, you’re ready to respond. You’re ready to answer the call or reply to the text. You have an alarm clock. When it rings or beeps or whatever yours does, you’re ready to respond. You’re ready to jump out of bed and smash the nasty thing. You have a child. When he yelps in pain or she cries for help, you’re ready to respond. You’re ready to comfort or correct at a moment’s notice. You have a job. When your boss asks you to do something, you’re ready to respond. You’re ready to say, “Yes, sir! Right away, sir!”
One day, in the not-so-distant-as-you-think future – Jesus predicted it – a trumpet blast will sound.
“At that time,” he said, speaking of the earth’s final days, “the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31, NIV)
Paul refers to this final clarion call too.
“We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, NIV)
I don’t know about you, but I get excited thinking about that day. I can’t wait to fly! Can’t wait to see Jesus! Can’t wait to be with him and his church forever and ever and ever!
How about you? Are you excited?
If you’re not, perhaps it’s because you’re not sure you’re ready to respond to the heavenly trumpet, not sure you’re ready to leave this life behind. Are you ready?
In order to be ready, you must first believe on Jesus.
The Bible says on more than one occasion that believing on Jesus is God’s requirement for admission to Heaven.
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, NIV)
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31, NIV)
If you have believed on Jesus for your salvation, you are ready for his return. And if you’re ready, you should eagerly wait and watch for his quick arrival.
How do you wait and watch?
Paul gave these words of guidance at the end of his discussion of the resurrection:
“…my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV)
We were saved with a purpose:
To serve God by working for him.
To do good.
To love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us as much.
“…it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)
You see it? You believe on Jesus. You gain salvation by grace, through faith. Then you serve. You do the good works that God designed you to do – the good works prepared for you to do before you even knew who Jesus was. That’s how you watch and wait.
Jesus said, concerning the last days and his second coming that, “It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing [his work faithfully] when he returns.” (Matthew 24:46, NIV)
Believe on Jesus for salvation. There is no other way to enter the Father’s house.
Believe on Jesus and follow him. Serve others faithfully.
Are you ready? The trumpet is going to sound soon.
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