When I Lay Me Down to Sleep

When I Lay Me Down to Sleep

“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:6 

I’m going to be point blank and ask you a question, ‘Do you honestly believe that Jesus is coming back to earth someday and take believers to heaven in the blink of an eye, which is called the rapture? Or do you think that it won’t happen in our time?  If you are reading this, be honest and say what you really believe.  No one can hear you except God.  Maybe you think it’s a myth and just forget about it. 

If you don’t believe it at all, then ask yourself this question; do you believe that Jesus died for you on the cross?  How can you believe one and not the other?  Then why is so much written in the Bible about ‘watching for Him to return? I’m going to share just a few verses from the Bible that refer to this.

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”   Luke 21:36    I know most of you have heard or read about the end times of horrible troubles across the world. Terrible things are going to happen; if you don’t know what they are, then read Matthew 24^th chapter. It’s pretty hard to deny some of this is already taking place.  You can also read the Book of Revelation.

What can we do about what is coming someday in the end times?  Matthew gives us a hint in chapter 24, verse 44.  “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” What does that mean?  If you were going to attend a big event, you know you’ll get ready because you don’t want to miss it.  OK, so how do we get ready? Everyone needs to know the answer to that question.

“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. [Revelation 3:3]  Notice that the word, ‘watch’ is highlighted? That is because it is written over and over again in the New Testament so many times.  We should keep in mind that this is really going to happen someday whether you believe it or not.  Now, I’m going to share a scripture in Matthew that gives an example of what happens when some people are not ready and not watching.

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”  [Matthew 25:1-13]  It is going to happen someday and I for one do not want to miss going with Jesus because I wasn’t ready.  Only five of the ten above were prepared and ready.  Which of the ten do you think you would be? Ask yourself if you are really waiting and watching.

There is one other thing we must do, if we haven’t already done that and Revelation 3:3 tells us what that is.  It says, “Hold fast and repent”.  What that means is that we must ask God to forgive our sins and then ‘stand firm’.  Don’t give up believing because he will not give up on you. See how many places the Bible talks about Jesus return.  I Corinthians 15:51-52 says this, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

The Bible is full of warnings about this time to come.  Listen to this one in Mark 13:33-37: “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.   Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning-- lest, coming suddenly, he will find you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”   Let that word ‘watch’ always be a reminder to you to hang on; someday we are going to fly away.