Ready of not. Here I come.

Matthew 24:3 (ESV)

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus taught on the end times not to scare us, but to prepare us.

  

Matthew 25:1-5 (ESV)

(Jesus speaking)“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps] and went to meet the bridegroom.] 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

 

We must live with expectation of Jesus's return.  We must not only appear to be ready. We must be ready.  

Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  We must be full of the Spirit of God.  

Ephesians 5:18  (ESV)

... be filled with the Spirit,

It is a command of God to be constantly filled of the Holy Spirit.  Being full means to be yielded to Him.  Being full does not mean that we have more of God, but God has more of us.

In difficult times, we raise to the occasion by our level of preparation. Our battle is not social but spiritual. 

Matthew 25:9-10  (ESV)

^{(Jesus continues)} But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

We must not only get ready for Jesus’s return, but we must stay ready for Him.  We must stay focused on our mission.

Matthew 28:18-19  (ESV)

And Jesus came and said to them, “…¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...

We can’t borrow someone else’s faith.  We must have our own.  We must avoid distractions.

Matthew 25:11-13 (ESV)

¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹² But he (Jesus) answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

We don't know the day or the hour of Jesus's return, but we do know the times and the season. It does appear to be the season.   

Do you have a relationship with Jesus?  Do you have the appearance of knowing Him, but do not? 

Matthew 7:21  (ESV)

“Not everyone who says to me (Jesus), ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

You can know Him. 

1 John 1:9  (ESV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 10:13  (ESV)

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Revelation 3:20  (ESV)

Behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat (intimately know) with him, and he with me.