Are We Ready to Reign With Christ?

Good afternoon, everyone. It's morning, isn't it? I'm going to get mixed up already. Good morning, everyone. Let's try that again. Boy, was that wonderful or not the children's choir? Let's give them another hand. You know, they didn't really even need the words back there because they sang out loud and very, very plain. You could hear what they were saying, and it's extremely enthusiastic. We had four grandchildren there. I'd better get this right, or I'm going to be in trouble. But, uh, Ileana, Jonathan, Grace, and Emma were up there singing in our granddaughter Abigail's song in a teen choir yesterday. But it's just, uh, that was a wonderful couple of lectures there, the teen choir, I mean, the children's choir did. So, so very, very beautiful and so well done. And so they were so enthusiastic. It is great to be here with all of you at the feast here in Gatlinburg. This is our first time actually down this area. We've been to Memphis, Tennessee, but never been to this side of the state before. It's very beautiful over here. But also being here also adds new meaning to the phrase, have an exciting feast. It's very exciting coming down on the mountains every day. It makes it a very exciting feast. And a double excitement we have here spiritually and also coming down from the mountains. You know, we now have only two and a half weeks away from the next presidential election where we're going to be selecting a new president. And whoever wins is going to be a first. Either have the first woman president or the first individual whose primary background is that of being a successful businessman. Also, neither candidate has any military background, and both candidates have rather high unfavorable ratings. As mentioned earlier, the only good thing is that both can't be elected. But come November 8th, not far from now, just two and a half weeks or so, one of them is going to be selected to be our next president. And they become the leader of the free world. But how much longer will we have a free world? We don't know. But right now, as God's people around the world, we're observing the Feast of Tabernacles. As we're observing that, a far greater selection is now taking place in God's feast sites. We have been selected to reign with Christ as kings and priests for 1,000 years at His return. So a question I want to pose today is, are you and I prepared for that? And what will it take to be prepared for that to reign with Christ? What role will we have to play? What role will you women have to play? What role will that be? And what are you ladies learning now that will help you prepare to reign with Christ? You're half or more the church. What about all you children, teens, and young adults? Have you been selected along with your parent or parents?

What role will you play? And what can you learn now during your formative years as you're growing up in God's church that can help you prepare to reign with Christ? Should you even care? Can you make a difference? Can you children, can you young children and older children, can you make a difference? If so, as the youth of God's church, what difference can you make? And I'll talk about later when you become adults, but right here, right now. Those are questions we'll look at today on this fifth day of the Feast of Tabernacles here in Gatlinburg. So the questions I want to ask is, are we all ready to reign with Christ? Are you ladies ready to reign with Christ? Are you youth and young adults preparing now and making yourselves ready for whatever your future may hold? And what will it take to make us ready? And what roles will we all play in the process of making ourselves ready? That's what I'd like to look at today. My title for my sermon here this morning is, Are We Ready to Reign with Christ? Are we ready to reign with Christ? Let's begin by asking this question here. It's a question we all thought about, we think about from time to time, especially now as we look at the world events, things that are taking place, not only here in the United States, but nations around the world and all the problems there are, and you see on the news every week. How much time do we have? That's the question that comes to all of our minds. How much time do we have to make ourselves ready? A question that probably comes to mind in thinking about that would also be, how much time do we have before Christ returns? Now those may seem to be parallel questions, but in actuality they have different answers, in a sense. In one sense we all know how much time we have to make ourselves ready, generally speaking. But no one knows how much time we yet have before Christ returns, not exactly. We think it's probably going to be soon we look at the world events, but we really don't know. What did Christ say in regards to the time of Christ's return? He said, and I won't turn there, I'll just quote it, He said it's recorded in Matthew 24, 36, But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, with my Father only. So no one knows the time of Christ's return.

How about how much time we have to make ourselves ready? We may not know how many years or days or hours we may have, but we do know how much time we have to make ourselves ready. You all know the answer to that question, generally speaking. And in that regard, all of us here were all in the same boat. Moses was a man of God, who God used to lead Israel out of Egypt. And before he died, God allowed him to see the Promised Land, Exodus 34. And then he died at the age of 120, Exodus 34, verse 7. Of the 150 Psalms we have in our Bibles, one is attributed to Moses, Psalm 90, which is the first Psalm or song of Book 4, in this case called a Prayer of Moses. Let's turn there to find the answer to our question, how much time do we have?

Let's go to Psalm 90, again, which is the first Psalm of Book 4, as it says right above Psalm 90.

Psalm 90, verse 1, says a Prayer of Moses, a man of God, the man of God.

He says, Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

For those God has called and selected, God has been their dwelling place.

For all generations, going all the way back to Adam and Eve, in other words, in the many people of God have called during all generations, from the time of Adam and Eve, a few people in the Old Testament, more now, but there have always been some that God has called and worked with.

For those that God called, God was their dwelling place during their life. They devoted their lives to God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, however you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

God is eternal.

He has existed from everlasting to everlasting. But what about man? How much time do we have?

Moses had 120 years.

But before that, going all the way back before Noah's flood, some lived for hundreds of years.

It's recorded that Methuselah lived 969 years, Genesis 5, 27, nearly a thousand years.

What if he had a thousand years, like Methuselah did?

What does God tell us in regards to a thousand years?

Psalm 90, verse 3, says, You turn man to destruction and say, Return, O children of men.

You turn man to destruction. That is, you allow man to go his own way to decide for himself what is right and what is wrong.

To his own destruction.

You turn man to destruction and say, Return, O children of men.

Return to God. Don't go down the road that will lead to destruction of your life.

Return to God, O children of men. Follow God. Follow God's word.

But what if he had a thousand years?

How much time is a thousand years?

Verse 4, Psalm 90, For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past.

It's like a watch in the night.

You know, a thousand years may seem like a long time, but we near the end of your life, regardless of how many years we live, and when we look back at our life, when we get towards the end of our life, it's like a watch in the night. I think, where did time go? Where did the years go? Didn't seem that long ago when I was a teenager. Where did all those years go?

It's like a watch in the night. But we don't have a thousand years. We don't even have a hundred and twenty years.

How much time, on average, do we have? Verse 10 of Psalm 90, The days of our lives, on average, are seventy years, and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boats is only labor and sorrow, for soon it is cut off and we fly away.

Now, as I read those scriptures, that really hits me, because I'm not coming, right? I'm halfway between those two numbers right now. I'm seventy-five. I'm halfway between seventy and eighty.

God began calling me back in 1962, at the age of twenty-one, but as I look back, all those years are now like yesterday, now that they are past. They are like a watch in the night. I go back, wow, I didn't see that long ago. I was just learning God's truth. And here I am, over fifty years later, now nearing the end of my life.

Not too many years from now, my physical life will be cut off, and I will fly away. I will die.

Physically, anyway, this time, we're waiting for our future resurrection. But again, what was my main question, and what is the answer to that question, and what is the main point of all this? My question was, how much time do we have? The answer, we all have the same amount of time, generally speaking. We all have our lifetime, whatever number of years that may be. We have the time we have right now. Our lifetime is the time we have. And what's the main point? The main point is this. Regardless of how many years we have, in looking back, they go by very quickly. We better not waste them, because pretty soon, you're going to be towards the end. You look back and say, where did all those years go? What did I do with my life during those years? What did I accomplish?

What does all this mean? It means that we should take advantage of the time we have while we have it, whatever time God may allow us. And to use whatever time we have to prepare for reigning with Christ. So when Christ does return, we will be ready to reign with Him. Because it's the only time we have to make ourselves ready, is right now, the years that God gives us now.

So are you and I prepared for Christ's return?

Let's go to another question. What will it take to be prepared? How come we'd be ready? Let's let Christ Himself answer that question for us.

Let's go to Matthew 24.

Matthew 24, let's begin in verse 30.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When His branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know it is near, even at the doors. Verse 34, Assuredly I say to you, this generation by no means pass away till all these things take place. This generation being the generation that would be living the time leading up to Christ's return, whichever generation that might be. But in much broader sense, what Christ says here applies to all generations that have lived since Christ said this two thousand years ago. How so? Because everyone, regardless of what generation they lived in, only has the end of their life.

That's it. They all have their lifetime. Matthew 24, verse 35, Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my father only, as I quoted earlier. Verse 37, But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming the Son of man be.

For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark they were just living their lives like everybody is today, not thinking too much about the end of their life or what might happen. Verse 39, And did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of man be.

What can we do to prevent that from happening? Verse 42, Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming, but know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready. Take the time you have now to make yourself ready. Be ready. For the Son of man is coming in an hour you might not expect.

You also be ready. How can we do that? How can we be ready? What will it take to be ready? What will it take to be prepared? Matthew 25, one of the most important sections of Scripture in the Bible, to my mind. Matthew 25, verse 1, let's just read the next nine verses. So much meaning there. Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Five were wise and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps, but they didn't take any oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. They all let down. They took their eye off the goal, forgot what time it was, that they only had this time to prepare. And at midnight a cry was heard, Behold the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose and they trimmed their lamps, and the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. We don't have enough oil to keep them going. But the wise answered, verse 9, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you, but go whether to those who sell and buy for yourselves. Of course, oil here is symbolic of God's Holy Spirit, and there's only one source from which you can retain God's Holy Spirit, and that's from God.

That source is God Himself. And there's another factor. Once we receive God's Holy Spirit, we have to keep it flowing. We have to keep it flowing outward toward others. I'm not going to read this Scripture here.

Just keep yourself in place here in Matthew. I just want to turn and read John 7, verse 38-39. Where says, On the last day of that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink.

He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this he spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not given yet. So God's Holy Spirit is given as being like rivers of living water. It has to be flowing like a river flows. What happens to a river that stops flowing? It becomes a dry riverbed.

It dries up and becomes a dry riverbed. Let's continue in Matthew 28. Matthew 28, let's go back to verse 8 and pick it up there again. Matthew 28, And the fully said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answer say, No, let there should not be enough for us and you. But go rather to those who sell, and buy for your sales, or obtain for your sales.

You can only obtain God's Spirit from God Himself. Verse 10, 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. How can we be ready? What will it take to be prepared? Well, it takes God's Holy Spirit to be prepared.

We'll be striving to renew God's Holy Spirit every day by using it. It's got to become a river of living water flowing into us from God and flowing out to others from us. When that's happening, then others can see God's love demonstrated in us. Making a spirit of God's love has extended toward others through us. And that's what it will take to be prepared in the spiritual sense. It will take God's Spirit flowing through our hearts towards others.

Let's move on to the role of all you women, all you ladies play. I want to have time emphasizing that because you play an extremely important role, probably over half of you here, and half of the members of God's Church are more, probably more than half of the members of God's Church are ladies. What role do women play in preparing for the return of Christ? See, do you ladies realize what a vitally important role, an honorable role, you all play?

God honors women tremendously in the Bible, tremendous honor towards all you women and ladies. I don't know how much you realize it, but there's no more glorious role in God's Church than that of you women. That's what God attributes to you. Let's just note the glory and honor God attributes to the role of a woman. In order for the Church to be prepared, become the bride of Christ, what do we be like? She's like unto a bride. I said that wrong way.

I gave away my answer. I don't know if she'll be prepared. What is the Church like? She's like unto a bride, isn't she? She's not like unto a groom. She's like unto a bride. Christ is the groom. He's looking for a bride. Let's go to Revelation 21, verse 1. I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea.

Then I jaunt to the holy city, a new Jerusalem coming down on heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Prepared as a bride? You know, in the physical realm, few things are as glorious as a bride adorned for her husband. It's the most glorious day of a young couple's life. And I would say that in the physical realm, there is nothing as glorious as a bride adorned for her husband.

I look back on my wedding day with Evelyn, 49 years ago. That was the happiest and most glorious day of my life. How glorious will the new Jerusalem be, and to what is that glory likened. Revelation 21, verse 9. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plays came to me and talked with me, saying, Come, I will show you the bride, the lamb's wife. What did one of the seven angels then show John? Verse 10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and he showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.

So here the very glory of God is likened to the new Jerusalem, which in turn is likened to the bride, the lamb's wife. No greater glory could ever be attributed to anyone than that of a woman as a bride. And Christ is going to take a bride.

He's going to make us his bride, who has made herself ready. Revelation 19, just going back to chapter 2. Revelation 19, verse 6. And I heard somewhere the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters, as the sound of many thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for our Lord God omnipotent reigns. And when the Lord, our God, omnipotent reigns, what is the first thing he will do? Revelation 19, verse 7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.

Title of my sermon is, Are We Ready to Reign with Christ? There is no more important question that could be asked of all of us at this time. And yet, to look for the answer to that question, we are appointed to the example of a bride making herself ready to be a wife. Tremendous honor and glory are attributed to a woman as a bride and as a wife. Tremendously honorable roles, in God's word. Unfortunately, our society is going the other way, isn't it? If they only realize what honorable roles are applied to women in God's word, God highly values and honors godly women.

I want to go somewhere that's a little unusual in this sense, but I want to take some spiritual analogies. Let's go to the last chapter of the book of Proverbs, because the last chapter of the book of Proverbs also highly honors and values the role of a woman. Let's go to Proverbs 31.

Proverbs 31, first one to put in context. Proverbs 31, verse 1, The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him. Now, we don't know who King Lemuel is. Is he a real king? Was he a fictitious king? Is this a story? We don't know. Is this like a person who is a king? He's a king, and his mother wants to teach him something. You're going to be a king. I want to give you some wisdom. So his mother taught him this and goes down, tells him things to avoid, avoid heavy drinking, and so on. If you're going to be a king, you've got to keep control of your mind, your thoughts, judge righteously and do them righteously. And it's almost like his mother is concerned. The context almost seems like this king does not yet have a wife. And his mother is saying, you know, as a king, a lot of women want to be your queen. But be careful. Make sure you pick someone who is virtuous and has excellence. Make sure you're very careful in selecting who your wife is going to be. I just forgot about in verse 10. Who can find a virtuous wife for her worth as far above Ruby's? Of course, my margin has it. Who can find a wife of valor in the sense of all forms of excellence? Who can find a strong, courageous wife who fears to do based on worthy things and who always strives for excellence? And God here says, her value is far above Ruby's. That it's far above the financial value of any kind of precious stones or any physical wealth we might acquire. Why? Because it's a value that can help prepare us to reign with Christ. And there's no greater value than that. The next 22 verses, interesting in Hebrew, the next 22 verses, verses 10 through 31, highly honor the role of a woman as a wife. There's also noteworthy that in Hebrew, those 22 verses are what is called a krostek. That is, they are in alphabetical order with each verse, starting with verse 10 and going through verse 31. There are 22 verses, there's 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. So in these 22 verses, they're in alphabetical order with each verse beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which has 22 letters. The first word of verse 10 begins with the Hebrew letter aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The first word of verse 11 begins with the Hebrew letter bet, which is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. And so it goes all the way down to verse 31, which begins with the Hebrew letter tau, the 22nd and last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Now, it doesn't tell us why that is. I don't know the answer, but I'm going to speculate. You can probably speculate too and come up with a better answer than me, maybe. But the question is, you know why? Why are these last 22 verses, the proper of 31, in essence, listed in alphabetical order? Well, my guess would be that it would stand out as being extremely important. It would get you the attention of the reader, at least when you read in Hebrew, as they were originally written, so we could take special note of their importance and catch our attention. Now, I realize we don't see that in the various translations we use today, but it is there nonetheless. And if you go to any commentary, they'll tell you that's the way it's constructed, so it's easy to find that out.

And that is special note to these 22 Scriptures. And here in these 22 verses, God highly honors and values the role of a woman as a wife and a mother.

But I want to go a step deeper with it here. This is applying to a wife and a mother, physically. But I want to take it a little deeper spiritual level.

Because the Church of God, we are all striving to become what?

We're all striving to become the Bride of Christ.

Who can find a virtuous wife?

Who can find a virtuous bride? Who can find a virtuous group of called-out ones, which we all are, to become the Bride of Christ? Who can find a group of called-out ones who, with courage and valor and strength of character, are striving for excellence?

So they can reign with Christ. Because that's the kind of a bride Christ is looking for.

That's what Christ is seeking. He's seeking to find a virtuous wife who is striving for excellence.

And he's striving for the kind of wife described here in these last 22 verses of Proverbs 31, if you look at it spiritually.

With that deeper meaning in mind, let's just read some of those last 22 verses, not all of them, because it wouldn't all apply quite in that sense, maybe, but some of them do. Verse 10, Who can find a virtuous wife for a worth as far above rubies? Because Christ doesn't need rubies. He wants and needs a wife of valor, in whom he can trust.

It was in X verse A.

Think of the husband here as being Christ, spiritually speaking, if you're making a spiritual analogy of this.

The heart of her husband safely trusts her.

Does Jesus Christ, who died the Father, they trust us? Can they trust us with just about anything? They know whatever values they have, we're going to share those values. We're going to pass on those values.

Verse 12, She does Him good and not evil. All the days of her life is not what we should do towards Christ and God the Father.

She seeks to do their will, to do their good, to carry out their work that they have brought us to do. All the days of our life, even as Anna and the sermonette.

Driving down to verse 17, She gurges herself with strength and strengthens her arms.

She strengthens her resolve to resist the pulls of the flesh and the ways of the world.

Do all of us do that? Do we all strive to do that? Do we all strive for excellence?

Verse 20, She extends her hand to the poor, yet She reaches out her hands to the needy.

When the opportunity is there, do we strive to do that when we have the opportunity to do so?

Verse 25, Strengthen on her clothing. Revelation 19.8 says, She is clothed with fine linen, clean and bright, which is the righteous acts of the saints.

Verse 25, Strengthen on her clothing, she shall rejoice in time to come.

In the time to come, she will greatly rejoice because of the many blessings God will pour out on her.

Especially when we will all rejoice at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

We have occasion for tremendous rejoicing as described in Revelation 19.7.

Verse 26, She opens her mouth with wisdom. In honor of Tong, there is a law of kindness.

She is always kind to others, even if they are not kind to us.

We always try to be kind. We want to exemplify God's character and the character of Jesus Christ.

In honor of Tong, there is a law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Do we do that? We are all part of what? We are all part of the household of God.

Do we watch over the ways of our household? When we see somebody who needs some help, do we go over there to help them?

Do we all watch out for one another? Do we all have that kind of love and care for one another that Jesus Christ has for us?

When we see somebody who has a need, do we go over there to help them?

We see somebody who is a little bit discouraged. Do we go over and try to encourage them?

Try to help them on. When somebody is having a very sore trial, we help them get past that trial and get through that trial.

I know what you are going through. I have been through that. Hang in there.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. You can make it. It is worth it.

We have a tremendous calling, a tremendous future. Don't let go of it.

Do we all do that? Do we all watch out for our household, the ways of our household, and strive to do that diligently?

Verse 28, her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her.

Her children rise up and call her blessed.

Maybe newer, younger members will want to follow our example.

Maybe some people in the world will want to follow our example when they see how blessed we are spiritually, and the kind of relationships we have with one another.

And they say, wow, I don't see those kind of relationships in the world.

The world is falling apart. I want to be like what I see, members of God's church, who have strong relationships, who know how to handle trials and setbacks, so that others would want to emulate us.

Her husband also, and he praises her.

According to most commentaries, the next words are the words of her husband, verse 29.

Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing.

But a woman who fears the Lord, she should be praying. That's what all of us should be doing.

We should have great honor and awe and respect for God in God's ways.

And that proper fear was brought out earlier in this feast.

And give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.

These last 22 verses of Proverbs 31, the role of a woman as a wife and mother is not only highly honored and valued by God, is also presented as being the most challenging of all roles.

As you read this, you say, well, what woman has ever fulfilled all these things?

I don't know.

But it's the goal that God has set for us, in a sense, if you want to look at it spiritually.

He wants us to strive for excellence.

He knows we'll need a lot of help when we not make it, but that should be our goal.

That should be what we're striving for, so we can make ourselves ready to reign with Christ.

Because Christ wants a bride, and wants an excellent bride, a glorious bride, a bride that will honor and glorify Him. So women play a vitally important role when it comes to making ourselves ready to reign with Christ.

And we must all strive to fulfill the role of a woman who is given in Proverbs 31, spiritually speaking.

In asking are we ready to reign with Christ, we have looked at how much time we have, and we have our lifetime.

We have also looked at what it will take to be prepared for the return of Christ, and we'll take God's Spirit flowing out of our hearts like rivers of living water.

And we looked at the role of women that they play in preparing for the return of Christ, spiritually speaking, and on a spiritual plane.

And a woman as a wife and mother also plays a vitally important role on the physical plane as well.

I don't want to leave that out.

And helping to train and raise their children from the time they are born.

In the very formative years, maybe she even plays a more important role as a father.

They both have extremely important roles, but in those very early formative years, when she's with the children of the mother, she's with the children more.

And in training them and teaching them God's ways is a tremendously important role physically.

I don't want to leave that out.

But let's now transition to our final overall question.

And I really appreciate Mr. Lebuchinaire's emphasis this feast on the youth, having a proverb or a scripture, I should say, every day focused on the youth.

Because, like I said, I think about 25% of us are under the age of 25.

Under 19 or under, here in the audience.

So what role do all you children and teens and young adults play?

How important is your role?

You know, the importance of your role cannot be underestimated.

Let's begin by asking this question. Have you been called by virtue of being a son or daughter of a parent or parents who believe in the fall of God?

Have you been called? What the Apostle Peter say is recorded in the book of Acts.

What do you say on the Day of Pentecost, on the day that God poured out His Holy Spirit? Let's turn there quickly to Acts 2, verse 36.

Acts 2, verse 36.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus. Oh, excuse me. That's what I say.

Acts 2.36. That's correct. Acts 2.36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both born in Christ. And when they heard this, they were cut to the heart. And they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, repent and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the mission of sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Was that promise to those individuals only, or was it also extended to their children? Verse 39. The promise is to you and to your children. And to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call. The promise is to you and to your children. So all of you children and your teens and young adults, you have been called. The promise is to you.

God doesn't just want your parent or parents. He also wants all of you to be a part of his family at this time. How important were children to Christ? And we all know this. We go over this on the second Sabbath after the Feast. We have the blessing of little children. Let's turn to Mark 10. Mark 10, verse 13. Then they brought little children to him, that he might touch them, that he might bless them. The disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased. And he said to them, let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them. And for of such is the kingdom of God.

Surely I say to you, who does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. You know, how do little children receive gifts? With a great deal of anticipation and joy and excitement. Which is how all of us should feel toward receiving the gift of the kingdom of God.

Little children are so important that Christ here tells us we must emulate this particular quality of the little child, their qualities. They have as little children if we are to receive the kingdom of God. What did Christ do next? Verse 16. He took them up in his arms, and he laid hands on them, and he blessed them. He gave them a special blessing, as we also do on the second Sabbath after the Feast of Tabernacles. What instructions does God give to children? Let's just look at a few of them in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs 1, verse 8.

There are a lot of people in this world, as you are growing up. It is hard to grow up as a youth today. There are so many out there who want to entice you to pull you into the ways of the world. Don't allow that to happen. Do not consent. Don't go along with the crowd. Stand for what is right. Strive for excellence. You will be highly esteemed for doing this.

You will be highly esteemed by those other kids. You really will. You will stand out. Say, wow, look at that! He is standing for what he believes is right. You will be highly esteemed and greatly blessed by God. Just after a couple chapters, Proverbs 3, beginning in verse 1. My son, do not forget my law. Let your heart keep my commands. For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

Follow God and He will give you peace of mind. They will give you peace for you throughout your life in the long run. They will give you length of days and long life. Let not mercy and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Internalize them. Make it a part of you. And so find favor and high esteem, both on the side of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. And in all ways acknowledge God and He shall direct your paths. He will direct you, of course, on the outcome of your life.

And you'll be extremely blessed as the years go by. And when you look back at the end of your life, you won't say, Well, I wasted those years. I don't have much time left now. I better go get busy. You'll say, No, I didn't waste those years. I've made use of them.

Right now, as we look around the world, what do we see? We see hatred, division, death, chaos, confusion, and a great deal of corruption. What does the world need? It needs righteous leaders and righteous leadership. Let's go to Proverbs 29. Proverbs 29, verse 2. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. When wicked man rules, the people groan. There are a lot of people in the world groaning right now.

They're longing for a right kind of leadership. Where do you find it? The world needs new leadership. It needs for the righteous to be in authority. What about God's church? Many of us who have been serving God in leadership roles will soon have to pass the baton to younger men and women. We'll have to pass the baton to a new generation of leaders.

Many are now having to retire. I didn't want to retire. I don't ever want to retire. But I have to, to some degree. I'm still past from five churches, so I'm not totally retired yet. You have to add Saginaw and Gaylord in Detroit to those other two. But I'm trying to develop leadership in those churches. They can take care of themselves, and they're doing that. They have wonderful leaders. And they're having to step up to the plate, and they're going to have to take the role. As a lot of UM people will have to do, the next generation will have to do. You're going to have to step up to the plate and take those leadership roles.

I think God is, because ongoing things are happening right now, that's forcing that on us. And that's good. Because the world needs new leaders. And it's going to come from the goals that God is training now, from all of you. A lot of us are having to retire and so on, because of just some age and other health reasons. So a new generation of leaders must now step up to the plate and carry on the work of God.

So both aspects of God's commission can continue to be carried out, so people can be prepared, so the gospel of the Kingdom of God could continue to be preached to a dying world. And that twofold commission must be carried out right up until the time of Christ's return, whenever that happens.

And it's never been more important to have leadership, the right kind of leadership being developed right now. So what role do all of you children and teens and younger girls play? As well as those of you who are now part of the younger generation, you have a crucially important role to play. I want to give you one more scripture for I conclude.

But in conclusion, are we ready to reign with Christ? How much time do we have to make ourselves ready? Well, we only have our lifetime. We have whatever years God gives us in this lifetime. And when we look back and we get to the end of our lifetime, it will seem like a watch in the night. What will it take to be prepared? It will take God's Spirit working in our hearts and our lives, flowing out of our hearts, so our lamps will never go out. What role do women play? They will not only play a vitally important role in training their children now and stealing God's values into their children.

Their very role as a bride and a wife and a mother is a role that is highly glorified by God and even likened to the glory of the New Jerusalem. We must all strive to make ourselves ready to be the bride of Christ. But what role will children and teens and young adults and the younger generation play? You know, they will play perhaps the most important role of all. How so? Let's have one final scripture. Let's go to Matthew 24. Matthew 24, verse 14. This gospel, the kingdom will be preached, and all the world is the witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

So it's going to have to happen first, maybe in a greater way than has happened so far. Dropping down to verse 21. For then there will be great tribulations, as it has not been since the beginning of the world, until this time, no, there ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, meaning no flesh would be saved alive.

But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. We've heard that scripture a couple of times before, but I want to emphasize it at the end of the sermon today. For the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. All of you who are now children and teens and young adults are part of a younger generation who are those who elect.

You could be that generation of those who elect. In other words, what's the saying is, the role you now play and the role you will play in the years just ahead of us, there's going to have to be a generation of young people, because unless there is, no flesh will be saved alive. And you are those elect, or maybe your children, will be a part of those elects who will cause those days to be shortened so that the world does not destroy, because there will be a generation, a new generation of youth, prepared to take the baton, the leadership of this world to lead it towards the return of Christ.

So let's not conclude by asking again the question, which is the title of the sermon, Are we ready to reign with Christ?