I John 2:28-3:3
“Here I Come…Ready or Not”
Introduction
1. Jesus came the first time and few were prepared.
2. Luke says, When you see these things begin to culminate, look up for your redemption draws nigh.
3. This world is winding down. Jesus could come at any time for His Bride.
4. Jesus could come at any time…are you ready?

I. THE PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING 2:28
Keep on abiding in Him.
A.The Immediacy of the Preparation And now
1. Today…in light of the critical time and the coming of the Savior.
2.Whatever you are going to do for Jesus begin today. “Tomorrow” is one of the Devil’s favorite tools.
B. The Individuals of the Preparation Little children
1.The word is not paidia (vss 13, 18) immature Christians but teknia “born one” and applies to every Christian.
2.Born ones…in (John 3) born again…born from above (John 1:12) As many as receive He gives the power to become ‘children’ of God.
3.He is talking about those born into the family of God by receiving His Son…Be Prepared!
C. The Ingredients of the Preparation
The Rapture is not going to be a thrilling event for some believers. Some won’t be ready!
1.Abide in Him…that’s how we can be prepared. The word is keep on abiding which speaks of continual fellowship. Let nothing come between you and the Savior.
2.It is possible for God’s children to be out of sweet communion.
3.To abide in Christ is, on the one hand, to have no known sin unjudged or unconfessed, no interest into which He is not brought, no life which He cannot share. On the other hand, the abiding one takes all burdens to Him, and draws all wisdom, life and strength from Him. It is not unceasing consciousness of these things, and of Him, but that nothing is allowed in the life which separates from Him. New Scofield pg 1148
4.There are two reasons to abide:
*That we may have confidence (boldness, assurance). It is the same word as (3:21; 4:17) confidence, boldness… “Freedom of Speech”
*Not be ashamed before Him (in His presence) at His coming. Ashamed is to hang your head in shame or shrink away in guilty surprise. If I am not living in fellowship at His coming I will hang my head in shame.
D. The Imminence of the Preparation That whenever He shall appear
1. When is Jesus coming? Any date setting is foolish speculation. No man knows the day
or hour. Not even the Son of Man only the Father.
2.God’s purpose in whenever. Let’s say, House work is to be done before mom gets home. She is to arrive between 6 and 10. You will have the house in order whenever she arrives.
3.Many talk about His coming. They even get excited about it, but the Rapture is going to be embarrassing to many. Why? Because of the way they live. One day we all must appear before the Bema Seat of Christ and give an account of our deeds (II Cor 5:10).

II. THE PRACTICE AT HIS COMING 2:29
A. What He Is If you know that He is righteous…
1. Grow up I heard: You look like your father. God’s children look like their Father.
2.God is righteous (Rom 3:5, 21,25,26…Rom 10:3)
B. What We Are Everyone that practices righteousness is born of God.
1.Man cannot meet God’s standard. All our righteousness are filthy rags (Is. 64:6)
2.In Christ I am a new creation (II Cor 5:17) in (v. 21) we become the righteousness of God by Him (born of God).
C. What We Do we practice righteousness because we are born of God.
*(John 3:1-8) Nicodemus you must be born again.
*The righteous acts come from being right with Him. You know this in your head and by experience.
*Jesus is coming. Are you living by your righteousness or His? Are you expecting that you are accepted because your good outweighs your bad? Are you doing what is right?



III. THE PRIVILEGE BEFORE HIS COMING 3:1
(There should be no chapter division.) Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed
upon us. We are so loved!
A. The Realization
1.Behold see how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us. (NASV) Literally, Behold you (plural) (all Christians)
2.What manner of love…what foreign kind of love. This love is not found naturally in humans. Look at the Cross…we hung Him there!
3.Has bestowed means to give something. The gift becomes the permanent possession of the recipient. We are loved as His children. We are the permanent objects of His love!
B. The Relationship
We should be called the sons of God (children of God)
1. Vile sinners are brought into the family of God.
2.That’s Love! We murdered His Son and then He adopted us into His family!
C.The Resemblance
We are like Him.
1.Therefore that we should be called the children of God. The world doesn’t know us or this by experience.
2.The world doesn’t understand this Father/Son relationship that is produced through Jesus Christ.
3.They cannot understand what makes us different: New Creation…New Birth…New Person.
4.The world and the Christlike life have nothing in common. They cannot understand by experience. One day all will see. (Eph. 2:7) Are you part of His family? Only His family will spend eternity with Him!

IV. THE PROSPECT AT HIS COMING 3:2
A.The Present
1.Beloved is agapetoi loved by God in a special way. God is the Source!
2.Now we are the children of God. Now is a present reality…right now. We are the children of God. Children is teknia…born ones.
B.The Problem It does not yet appear what we shall be.
1.This life isn’t all there is. Looks can be deceiving.
2.Be patient. There is a progressive work going on right now. We are in a restoration process to make us look more like Jesus. The ultimate will be in eternity!
C.The Possibility When He shall appear we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.
1.We shall have a body like His…(I Cor 15:51, 52) We shall be changed in a moment (in atomo) in the twinkling of an eye (1/20,000 of a second) (I Cor. 15:42-44) The natural is wearing out. It will be exchanged. (I Thes. 4:13-18)
2.For we shall see Him as He is…Only in our glorified state can we see Him as He is. Like Him is not miniature robot. Like Him but with our personalities…our individuality…our unique selves but in glorified form. He will never destroy the person Terry V. Murray. Like Him brings us to all that He intended without the influence of sin, self or Satan.
There will be no sin, sickness or pain…disappointments or depression. Behold, I will make all things new (Rev. 21)
I’ve never been all that I’ve wanted: I wish I were a better listener…a better husband…
a better pastor…I wish I could love more, care more. We have so many human defects! Behold, I make all things new. Some day we will have a brand-new beginning!!

V. THE PURIFICATION FOR HIS COMING 3:3
A. Our Observation We have hope…certainty…assurance. Jesus will come. We will be changed!
B. Our Object Hope in Him.
C. Our Order Purifies himself even as He is pure.
1. He is urging us to clean up our act!
2. This cannot be absolute purity or self-effort and will power. His power must purify us
as I surrender to His Spirit.
3. If we believe that Jesus is coming back, and someday we will see Him and be like Him, it
should cause us to live a life that is not contaminated.
4. Show me how you live and I will tell you what you believe.
5.
Here I come…ready or not!