Herbert W Armstrong

   Maybe your prayer life will change. Maybe you change your study habits. Maybe you change how you work on the job. Maybe you change on how you treat your mate. Maybe you change on how you relate to the world and how you're affected by the people in the world and how you react to the people in the world. Have you changed your child rearing habits? Or a number of things. Maybe you spend all your savings. What's the use of having it? Might as well live it up, spend it. One month left.

   I imagine there are reactions among you now from one end to the other from some people saying, well, I don't really believe it's coming anyway. To the other extreme which says I'm ready for him to come right now.

   On the other hand, if you knew absolutely that Christ wasn't coming for 100 years. I mean absolutely justice in the other case. It was scheduled just like the feast next year absolutely that he wasn't coming for 100 years. Would you make any changes in your life? Think about that. Maybe you buy a new car. A new home. Change jobs. Have your teeth fixed. Go to college, even if you're older. Start a business, get married. Live it up. I mean, after all, there's gonna be time to repent. Later. Maybe you start a savings account. And hedge against the future because you've got 100 years to go or a lifetime.

   Would you make any changes in your life? If we're honest with ourselves, I think we'll have to admit that our lives are greatly affected by what we believe about when Christ is going to return. Should they be? If so, in what way? Should our lives be so influenced by something that no man knows about. Does that great event, Christ's return keep us from living a balanced life? Well, I think it does. But I don't think it should.

   I picked two extremes. Well, maybe you wouldn't agree with the extremes. Some people say we have lots of time. 5 years, maybe more. Other people say Christ's return is very, very near, just around the corner. I tried to pick some times in my introduction that would present to extremes as far as our lives are concerned, I doubt if anybody sitting here hearing my voice is going to live more than 100 years. Now on the other hand, in order to give us a little time to change just in case class is going to return in a month, I, I made it a month. He might return tonight, but that wouldn't give you any time to, to answer the question, would you make changes in your life? Would it? can't change much today. So I tried to pick some extremes.

   What about that, brethren? Somewhere in between those two extremes, I feel is the real answer. Because I really don't think Christ is going to come next month. On the other hand, I really don't think that Christ is going to come in 100 years from now. Somewhere in the middle.

   Let's turn to Matthew 24. Take a look at some of the things that Christ taught about, maybe those two extremes. Because you see, Christ wanted us to live a balanced life, and he didn't want his return to foul that up. And I've observed among many of the brethren in the church with conversations with actions. That I think they're living what I'm going to call a lame duck Christianity.

   Matthew 25, it's about the 10 virgins. 5 were wise, 5 were foolish. 5 had oil in the lamps, 5 didn't. 5 thought maybe it's 100 years away. I have plenty of time to get oil. And sure enough, they were caught sleeping and Christ returned to the time when they weren't expecting it because they thought it's 100 years away maybe. And so they were caught unprepared and one of the lessons that we can learn from this is be prepared. Be prepared. That's what Christ, one of the big lessons that Christ's teaching here. There are many others. But one of the big lessons is to be prepared.

   If it's 100 years and we say, well, I've got lots of time. Then we might be surprised. He's saying be prepared. But it came when those 5 who didn't have oil were at least expecting it, at least they weren't prepared, they weren't ready. Well, that's the lesson of Matthew 25:1-13.

   Now let me read verse 13. Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes. The lesson is to be prepared for us for the term is concerned. Be prepared and then in Luke 19. It's an attitude that many of us adopt, I'm afraid. It's the parable of the pound. Beginning in verse 11. Luke 19 (Luke 19:11-12). And as they heard these things, he added to make available because he was not into Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

   Now this is the other people. They thought that the kingdom of God was gonna come right away, that Christ's return was imminent very, very soon. You wanted to dispel that thought.

   Verse 12, he said, therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive himself a kingdom and to return, and no time is given. He didn't go for 100 years and then he's coming back. He didn't go for 1 month and then he's coming back. He just went for some period of time with the intention of returning. And the servants didn't know when.

   And he called his 10 servants and delivered them 10 pounds and said unto them, occupy till I come. Occupy till I come.

   And what does occupy mean? You're occupying a chair here right now. You're sitting in it. But occupy here doesn't mean just to sit in a chair. It means to conduct your business. To do something with the pounds I'm giving you. Live your life. To have a normal intercourse with the world association, whatever it takes for your daily life. Go about your business as though everything was normal, because it is. I mean, I'm just taking a trip. Occupy till I return.

   Well, you know what happens. He gave, let’s read on. But his citizens hated him and sent a message after him saying we will not have this man to reign over us, and it came to pass that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called on him to whom he had given the money that they might know how much every man had gained by trading.

   Then came the first saying, your pound has gained 10 pounds, and he said unto him, well, good. You're a good servant, because you have done faithful and very little, have your authority over 10 cities. And likewise with the other one, he had, he had 1 pound and gained 5, and he gave him authority over 5 cities.

   But I want you to note the attitude of the other man. And another came saying, Lord, behold, here is your pound which I have kept laid up in a napkin. He thought if you permit me that Christ's return was imminent. But he didn't have time. To take that pound and do anything with it. It doesn't say that here. I'm going to use that example though. So he just held on to it. He figured, well, I don't have time to do anything with this pound. Christ's return is imminent. I don't know when he's going to come back, but it's bound to be soon, so I'm not going to do anything with it.

   And he said, well, I feared you because you are an austere man, verse 21. You take up that. Which you lay down not and you reap that which you sow not, and you said of him out of your own mouth while I judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man. Taking up that I laid down and reaping what I did not sow. Wherefore then didn't you take my pound and at least put it in the bank so that would gain some usage.

   If you were going to be that fearful and think that you didn't have time to do anything with your life or with this pound that I left you, something that I left in your uh stewardship, why didn't you at least just put it someplace where I, where I gain at least a little interest on it. And so he was unhappy with him, but the attitude that I think is there or one that could certainly be there is I don't have time to do anything with it. I don't have time to occupy. I don't have time to do anything except just hold this for fear I'll lose it. And when he comes back, I will have lost it. And instead of trying to invest it or trying to use it or trying to multiply it or trying to gain with it, he was fearful. And he didn't gain anything.

   And I think in many cases our lives are keyed that way. I don't have time to go to college. So I don't have time to do this or time to do that. And Christ taught the, told the parable because he, he, he sensed that his disciples thought that his return was immediate, that his kingdom was going to be set up right away. And he wanted to dispel that thought. He wanted to dispel that attitude.

   So one of the lessons that I want to get across to you based on this parable is I can't do anything because time is short. That attitude is too prevalent, I'm afraid in many minds. I can't do anything because time is too short. Christ is going to be back before I know it. So what's the use of me trying to do anything? What's the use of me trying to Develop. What's the use of me trying to go to college? It's all going to be old. What's the use of me getting married?

   And so we become lame duck Christians, brethren, and I'll get to that later.

   Luke 12 is another parable that he gave along similar lines. The lessons just a little different. That's for those who maybe think that they've got it figured out and in fact, he isn't going to come for 100 more years.

   Luke 12 beginning in verse 15 (Luke 12:15). And he said unto them, take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. And that's a good lesson for us to learn, brethren, physical things don't mean that much to us. If we get wiped out, so be it. It shouldn't matter, really shouldn't be that way. But we do place a great deal of emphasis on physical things. We're just humans and that's the way we are.

   But notice he went on in verse 16 and said, and he spake a parable under them about abundance now. About things which most people call uh say that that's what their life is, abundance of physical things.

   He went on to speak a parable. The the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself saying, what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruit. And he said, this is what I'll do. I'll pull down my barns and I will build greater and there, there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods, and I would say to my soul, so. You have much good laid up for many years, maybe 100 years. Take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.

   And so for some who think, well, it's so far away. I got lots of time. I can do just about anything I want. I'll just live up, live it up. I'll eat, drink and be merry because it's going to be time to repent. What does this man have befall him?

   In verse 20 God, but God said unto him, you fool. This night your soul shall be required of you. He might have been a young man, 35 years old, who was very industrious and, and he was blessed with God by having bountiful crops. And he thought, well, I'll just retire early and I'll just, I'll just have it easy the rest of my life. I've had a bounty for pro abundance and I'm just going to live off of that and relax. I got lots of time.

   Brethren, we might be young and we might be healthy, and we might be here in God's church and if things go on with 20, 30, 40, 50 years left in our lives. We might make great plans, hoping maybe that Christ won't return and foul that up, and I don't mean that to be a negative thing at all. But this man died that night, and we can too. I can die on my way home from this place and so can you, and I can die tonight, regardless of my plans, my wealth, or anything I've got going for me. This night might my life be required of me and yours.

   And the lessons of this parable is we can die anytime. And so even if Christ were going to return 100 years from now, and we knew it absolutely. And we made plans accordingly and we were trying to kid ourselves and out gift God. We might be tipped up and die tonight. And then where would we be? We wouldn't have time to repent, would we?

   What are we learning from all of this, brethren? It ought to tell us how we ought to live our lives, and I hope the time I'm finished uh we'll be able to do that. Because I detect and I see and know and some of the things that I hear from speaking to some of you that most of us have that idea that have that problem, that Christ return is imminent and so therefore I'm, I'm just going not to do certain things that I would like to do if I knew that I had 10 years, 5 years, some, some more time. I get that impression. I just don't think God wants us to be that way, and we become lame duck Christians in my judgment.

   Now what is a lame duck, that’s a political term that probably all of you are familiar with, but those of you who are not. It's the time between when an incumbent officer like a mayor or a governor or a president has been defeated at the polls and, and someone else elected and the time that that new elected man takes office, for example.

   Mayor, uh, The Houston mayor and, and, and, uh, yes, I can't think of the fellow's name now that ran against him, uh. Louis Macy are in a runoff right now. Now, in a couple of weeks from now, McConn or Macy, one of them will be the next mayor of Houston right now, Mr. McConn is the mayor of Houston. But if Macy wins the runoff, then Mr. McConn will be a lame duck mayor. Because Macy will have been elected mayor, but McConn will fill the office for say 2 or 3 more months until Mr. Macy is inaugurated, I think in January.

   So what does that mean to Mr. McConn being lame duck from, well, why should he start any new programs? Why should he start any new things in City Hall? His time is 2 months away and someone else is going to come and replace him. So he just kind of lollygags around and does nothing. He just makes makes status quo and then make ways and fills out the remainder of his term, which is a couple of months, knowing full well that as it were, Christ is going to return 2 months. It's all over for him as mayor in 2 months. Someone else is going to come on the scene and take over. So why should he start any big program? Why should he get involved in long-term bonds and all that sort of thing which is normally the, the responsibility of a mayor because he's not going to be there. And so they've turned that a lame duck. He knows that his time is short. He knows that he hasn't got time to start any long-term program.

   And I think many Christians feel that way. They know, quote unquote, that the time is short. So they're not gonna start any far-reaching programs in their lives. They're not gonna branch out or occupy in a sense that Christ left it because they know, quote unquote, the time is short. And they have become, in my judgment, lame duck Christians. Just waiting for the replacement to come on the scene. The replacement being they hope a spirit glorified body. But that's what they're waiting for. They just know it's coming right now and they're lame ducks. They've got no vision for the future except the short term. They just know it's going to happen and they become lame duck Christian.

   Now as one of the ministers who brought a sermon was along similar lines in in England at the feast did, they opt out of life. You know, you have an option. That's what comes from. And they opt not to live. They opt just to sit there and wait. And they miss out on living life because they opt out. Because we're so confident that time is short. And it may well be brethren. I'm not saying that it's not. It may well be, but should we opt out of life? If it is, and I say no 1000 times no. We should not opt out of life if it is.

   Now in this regard, there are some things that we shouldn't forget. Number one is, it's going to happen. God's kingdom is going to be set up. Now there are scalpers and the Bible said there'd be scalpers in the last days, and it's probably scalpers in the in God's church, but it's going to happen, brethren. Christ is going to return. God's government is going to be set up on this earth.

   Turn with me to II Peter. We don't want to forget these things. These are some things we don't want to forget. The effect of this business of how to live this silent life that I hope I can get across to you. We don't want to forget it.

   II Peter 3:1. The second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. So don't forget it. Remember now. That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first that there shall come in the last day scalpers. Walking after their own lusts. And saying, where is the promise of his coming?

   I've heard this for years. I've been in the church for 18 years and they've been saying that ever since I was in there. The time is short. We're on the gun lap. It's right around the corner. Can't be more than 1975. 1972, we're gonna flee. Well, where is this promise that they're coming some soon.

   For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. I can't see any change. Everything's going just the way it always has, and all they say is, time is short, on the gun lap, it's gonna happen, get ready. But I don't see any difference.

   You're saying, don't forget that. For this they willingly are ignorant of that by the word of God, the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished.

   Don't forget that happened, brethren. Don't forget to look back in these words, that what happened, and it can be proven. Those things it says in here happened in the past. Don't forget that. It's going to happen, brethren.

   Jeremiah 37 chapter. King Zedekiah was King and Judah, and he and his people were in the city of Jerusalem and they were being besieged by the Chaldeans. Of course he was scared to death, I guess, just like anybody would be, that's about to be conquered by a sieging army. And Pharaoh and his army out of Egypt came up, I guess, because they were going to try to help the Uh, nation of Judah out by running off the Chaldeans. And so they came up to attack the Chaldeans who were besieging the city of Jerusalem. And so the Chaldeans saw them coming and they turned around from besieging the city and they start turned to to fight the Egyptian army.

   Well, Zedekiah went to Jeremiah. He wanted to know what was gonna happen, and he felt surely in his mind that because they had turned and left. From sieging the city and chasing after the Egyptians, that was the end of the Chaldeans. You wouldn't see them anymore.

   In verse 7 of Jeremiah 37 (Jeremiah 37:7). This is what God told him. Thussaith the Lord or the Eternal, the God of Israel. Thus shall you say to the king of Judah has sent you unto me to inquire of me, behold, Pharaoh's army which has come forth to help you shall return to Egypt into their own land. Chaldeans are gonna make them turn tail and run, in other words. And the Chaldeans shall come again and fight against the city and take it and burn it with fire.

   So Jeremiah told King Zedekiah. The Egyptians are going to turn around and run and go home, and the Chaldeans are gonna come back and they're gonna take the city and they're gonna burn it.

   Verse 9, and I want you to notice this, thus says the Eternal, deceive not yourselves. Saying the Chaldeans shall surely depart from us, for they shall not depart. He didn't want to believe that Zedekiah didn't. He didn't want to believe that the Chadeans were gonna come back and they're gonna take that city. And if you read on through the rest of this chapter in chapter 38, you can see what happened. They did come and they did take it.

   It's going to happen, brethren, and we need not deceive ourselves into thinking that it's not because it's going to happen. God is going to set up his government and his kingdom, and Christ is going to return to this earth. But we don't want to forget those things.

   Now, the thing is, no man knows when. No man knows when, and God planned it that way. I feel on purpose.

   Matthew 24:36 we're probably abundantly familiar with that scripture says, but of that day and hour speaking of Christ's return. No no man. No, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. No man. But he is going to come, and we don't want to forget that, brethren, and I want to emphasize that that we don't forget that. This sermon is not intended for you to forget anything that we know to be true, and those things are, are going to happen. They're going to happen, but we don't know when. No man knows when.

   In Matthew 25:13, we just read that earlier. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes. We don't know, no man knows. I don't care who tells you that they think they've got it figured out, no man knows. That's what the scripture says.

   So don't forget that. If you think it's going to be right around the corner and you're a lame duck Christian as a result and opting out of life, then maybe you're deceiving yourself. Or if you think it's going to be 100 years from now. And you deceive yourself in the same man, I got lots of time. I'm gonna live it up, eat, drink and be merry and have my call because I've got time to live. Don't deceive yourself. No man knows. And even if you did, your life may be required of you tonight. And mine, we don't know that.

   I think God planned it that way, so we wouldn't live unbalanced lives. Because our lives would be too affected by that certain event, which is certainly going to change this whole world. We would be too affected by it and we wouldn't be living the way God and Christ wanted us to live. That's the whole purpose of our being here in the flesh in the first place.

   Well, in the past, I'll have to confess to you that I, I regulated my life a great deal around that event. I bought a car in 1966 a Pontiac and I said to myself and probably to my wife and maybe my friend, this is the last car I'll ever own. And I wore that thing out. 130,000 miles on it when I got another car in 1973 and I probably thought then. But I don't recall, well, this car is sure going to be new when Christ comes. Yeah, and we do that, and we hesitate buying homes and we hesitate doing this, and we hesitate doing that because, we say it's just around the corner and we opt out of life and we become lame duck Christians.

   Well, there's something else we don't want to forget, brethren. The righteous will receive eternal life, salvation, and the wicked will receive eternal death, damnation. Now that's not a threat or a scare tactic, that's just a pure unadult truth of God. Now some of these things aren't true and we have no business sitting here. We're just kidding ourselves to even be here. It's the whole crux of why we believe and what we believe. It's the whole hope of our future. That's right. But the future is for the future and the present is for living now. And we shouldn't opt out of life and we shouldn't become a lame duck Christian because we haven't been voted out of office yet.

   And how should we live? Well, Christ was abundant with telling us that too, and we've known a lot of it, but I think sometimes we overlook it.

   I John 2 to begin with. Verse 15 (I John 2:15). Love not the world. These are the things that are of the world or in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all this is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world.

   And we read that and we divorce ourselves completely from the world. It doesn't say not to participate in the world, not to live in the world, to cut yourself off from the world, doesn't say that, brethren. It just says don't love the world. But you know what John 3:16 says? Sure, I'll bet you do. God so loved the world, if God loved the world. The same Greek word is used in both places, love. God loved the world, but he tells us not to love the world.

   Well, it's not a paradox or a contradiction. Not to get messed up in those things that are of the world, that is the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. But we're supposed to have concern for those in the world just like God who loved the world, gave his only Son for the world. That through him the world might be saved. Yeah, we can't divorce ourselves from the world and cut ourselves off from the world in that regard and fulfill the part we have in Christ loving the world cause we've got to mingle with them and we've got to show them the way. We've got to live amongst them.

   Matthew 25:13. No, beg your pardon. That's right. John 17 looked at the wrong place. Christ said there John 17 Beginning in verse 15 (John 17:15). I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.

   Christ didn't ask God, the Father, to take us out of the world. And John just said don't love the world. We're not of the world, but we're in the world, and we have, we have a responsibility to the world that we find in Matthew 5. He made it clear when he was here. And I think many of us completely divorce ourselves or cut ourselves off from the world because we're afraid that our interpretation of loving the world is that we have absolutely nothing to do with the world. That's not, that's not true.

   Matthew 5:14. I've heard it a million times. And I'm not going to exaggerate. You are the light of the world. That's what we were put here for, to be a light in the world. We can't be a light if we cut ourselves off or put ourselves under bushels as Christ goes on to explain the city that sat on a hill can't be hid. Neither do men light a candle, put it under a bushel, don't stick it under a basket after they've lit lit a candle. What good will it do? Well, you know as well as I, nothing. But on a candlestick and it gives light into all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, not just brothers and sisters here in the church, men, everybody. Everybody you associate with. That they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

   Most of the people that you let your light shine before in the church, probably, just see your bad works. Men in the world can see your good works if you let your light shine before them, and they'll glorify God.

   Mr. Ogwyn said. I, I forget exactly when, but I've written it down here in the back of my Bible. Or in the front. If you please God, it will be evident for the world. That’s right. That's what we were put here for, to show the way, to light to the world. And we're not to love the world.

   Another, another thing that Christ taught us to live by is the golden rule and Luke, Luke 6:31. Whatsoever you would that others. Do unto you, do you likewise under them also. But don't forget the move is yours. And if the other guy doesn't even know that rule exists, the only way it'll work. That's how we're supposed to live.

   Matthew 25:31-36. Let's notice. What Christ said in this regard. He when he's come back to this earth, he set up the government, his kingdom, beginning in verse 31 of Matthew 25, when the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another as the shepherd divides his sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king say unto them, on his right hand, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

   Notice. The next word is for, for means because. This is why. You're gonna inherit the kingdom from prepared from the foundation of the world because I was hungry and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you befriended me or took me in. Naked and you gave me something to wear. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison, you came to me. Because of these things, you're gonna get the kingdom.

   Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when did you see us? Or when did we see you hungry and fed you or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and took you in or naked and give you something to wear? When did we do this? But when did we see you sick and in prison and came unto you and the king shall answer and say unto them, verse 40, verily I say unto you, in as much as you have done it under one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.

   Even Christ called the people in the world his brethren. Do it to anyone, you'll get your reward. Yes. They're going to, we're going to receive God's kingdom because we live God's way, and living God's way is doing those things that he just mentioned there. Now I tell you, if we give food and drink and we give clothing and we give comfort and we give love and we take people in. And that becomes a habit with you after a while. If you practice that, you practice that. It becomes a habit with you and God's way becomes a habit. And that's the way God intended it for it to be. We practice that, it becomes a habit and then we just automatically do it God's way. But we've got to live to do that. We can't opt out of life. You got to live.

   And the Philippians 2, Maybe Mr. Pierce read this, I don't recall. This is the this is the attitude that we ought to have amongst ourselves as brothers. Philippians 2 (Philippians 2:1-4). If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any vows of mercy fulfill you my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind. Let nothing be done to strive for vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better themselves, boy if we could just grab that attitude and live by that, esteeming someone else better than you, that's hard to do, brethren.

   Look, not every man to his own things, but every man also to the things of others. And you know, just, just a little word on the husband-wife thing. Men, your wives are Christians. If they are, there are some men here who don't have wives in the church, but for the most part, men, your wives are Christians. Do you treat your Christian fellow brethren better than you do your wife, applying the scripture to them and leave your wife out. Wives, your husbands are Christians. Do you treat your Christian sisters better than you do your husbands, trying to apply this scripture to them and leave your husband out. Well. ought not be.

   And finally, in James 4. As far as how to live and how many, many, many more scriptures we could go into brethren, but you know all of these things. I'm just reminding you. James 4 beginning in verse 13 (James 4:13-14). But don't leave God out. Go to now, you that say tomorrow or today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain. And you're planning, you say that or we say that.

   Verse 14, whereas you know not what shall be on tomorrow, for what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. For that you ought to say instead of saying tomorrow I'm going to do this today I'm going to do this. You ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that. But now you're rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.

   Don't leave God out of it, brethren. In your life, don't leave God out of. Try to remember to say, God, I hope you're in this, or asking. Studying these words and make sure that the things you are planning to do today or tomorrow or down the road are in accordance with God's way of life. And seek his blessing on it. Don't leave him out. Don't forget, don't think it's you doing it. And you're leaving him out, he may trip you up.

   Therefore, to him that knows to do good and does it not to him, it is sin. So don't leave God out of it, brethren, and there are many, many more things that Christ taught on how to live and they're all through the sermon on the mount Matthew 5, 6, and 7.

   But now, how about the right balance? I don't think Christ is coming next month. And I'm more confident that he's not going to wait 100 years. But you see, I don't know. So somewhere between those two times and if I, if I think the next, the next month is right, somewhere between those two times is the truth, I think. But I don't know that either because Paul thought it was coming and how long ago would Paul lived? So, I don't know that.

   And balance is the most difficult thing for us to attain. Allowing ourselves to become a lame duck Christian or to opt out of life. Because we think Christ's return is imminent very, very soon. It is a mistake, I think. It's a mistake. And on the other hand, being foolhardy and forsaking God's way saying in yourselves, oh Christ is not coming for 100 years, therefore I've got time to do this and that and the other thing, something I've always wanted to do, maybe just a little bit of sin in there, but I've got time, being foolhardy and saying that to yourself. And making a mistake and turning from God's way. It's not what God intended either. Somewhere in the middle is, is the answer.

   So we ought to live life now. Live life now. What does that mean? Well, Turn again to Matthew 24 to see if we can find a few scriptures that tell us. Or at least suggest something.

   Beginning in verse 42 (Matthew 24:42-46). Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord has come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. We don't know, and that's why we don't know. You would prevent a thief from entering your home if you knew he was going to come, you'd be there waiting. You wouldn't be a thief.

   Therefore, be you also ready. That's the answer. Be you also ready. For such an hour as you think not, the Son of man comes. Those of you who may be sitting here saying he's coming right away. I don't have time to do this or that. I don't have time to really live life. I don't have time to make long range plans. I'm, I've been defeated at the polls. I'm a lame duck Christian. Both of you sitting here saying that. He's coming in an hour when you think not. And if you think that's when he's coming, he's not going to come in. And for some of you who may be sitting here saying he's got, we've got 5, 10, 15, a 100 years from now. I'm going to make long range plans. I'm going to do what I want. I'm going to let my soul have pleasure and fun. I'm going to have time to repent. He's going to come in an hour that you think not. Just like that thief.

   Who then? To a faithful and wise servant. What's the answer, he says. Whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household to give them meat in due season. Blessed, verse 46, blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he comes, shall find so doing. Living life. Not worrying about whether it's next month or 100 years, but living life, so doing. Living it, going ahead with life.

   How are we going to teach the people in the world tomorrow how to live if we haven't lived? If we've gained a great deal of experience on being able to watch and be ready in case he comes tomorrow. And that's what we're going to teach to the people in the world tomorrow what profit will it be to them if we know how to be ready when he comes tomorrow. That's not what we're to teach them, brethren. He will have already come. He's not coming again. We've got to live life if we expect to teach others how to live life in the world tomorrow.

   It won't do us any good to be able to teach them that well, we were here and we were sitting back and we patterned our lives in a conservative way and we didn't gamble, we didn't do anything. I don't mean gamble in the sense of, of, of gambling. I mean we didn't take any chances with this. We knew it was right away coming, but that what good's gonna do you to tell somebody in the world tomorrow but that's what you've learned with the little time you spent on this earth.

   And some ministers, and I don't condemn anyone. Study long and hard in the prophecy. So that they can understand what those prophecies mean and that's fine. That's not, that's not my bag. That's fine. I, I'm not criticizing them in that regard, and they've worked at it and they've studied in history and they correlated some of the Old Testament with his history and prophecy and that's fine, that's good information. And they know dates, and they know events, and they know certain things and they know about the 1290 days perhaps and they know about the 1335 days and they know times of the Gentiles and they know this and that. That's fine. I thought some of that I knew. I'm not so sure.

   The brethren is futile to try to out guess God. If that's what they're doing it for. If they're doing it just because they want to learn and that's knowledge, that's great. But if you’re trying to outguess God, that's futile. To delve in the dates, to worry about this, about that, and try to set dates on this and that. Try to figure it all out.

   Suppose, for example, that you were to come up with the truth. Suppose that in all of your endeavors of studying in prophecy and into history. And come up with all the 1290 days and 1335 days, the times of the Gentiles and this and that and the other. Suppose you should stumble upon the answer and you would really know when Christ is going to return. What good would that knowledge do you? Just what good would that knowledge do you? Would it give you some basis for making a change in your life? Perhaps that's not all, but if that's, if that's what it did you, I suggest maybe you ought to make that change anyway.

   Would it give you some basis to warn your neighbor? Or your family members who aren't converted saying I know it's going to be on December 23rd, 1979, you better get ready. They got to do any good, brethren, why they'd like you to scorn. If you knew absolutely now and you could figure it out. What good would that knowledge do you? I say absolutely nothing. Wouldn't do you any good to know that if you could figure it out. You're not gonna convince your neighbor, even if you knew. And if you had some things in your life you needed to change, and that was the thing that would prompt you to change because you knew, and I suggest better change anyway. If you're not living your life right anyway. If that's the reason.

   If on the other hand, we heed Christ's admonition in Matthew 24:32. Turn there. Matthew 24 beginning verse 32. Now learn a parable of the fig tree. See, the, the disciples came to Christ and they wanted to know all of this. They wanted to know when it was going to happen. They wanted to know when he was going to return. This is all he told them. Learn a parable of the fig tree. When his branch is yet tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer's not.

   We're all smart enough to see when the seasons change. Leaves fall off the trees we know falls coming. That's the season we're in now. When they start budding and new leaves come on next spring, we know spring is not. He said, when you know, you know those things.

   So likewise, verse 33, when you shall see all these things that he described in his previous verses in this Matthew 24, when you shall see all of these things. Know that it is near even at the doors.

   But you know that's even a relative statement even at the door. I, I, uh, my former environment before I changed jobs five years ago, I had a technician working for me that he was a very good man. He could, he could work hard, he could put out the work. And whenever I go in to find out the status of status of a certain thing he was working on, I asked him, how's it coming? When is this going to be ready. He got to the point where after he knew me quite well, he'd say first thing in the morning. Well, you see, that'll work forever. I can go and ask him in the morning. He say first thing in the morning. I could go ask him the next day and he said first thing in the morning, that'll work forever. Just even here at the door, I didn't tell you anything.

   He was only telling us how we can tell when the time is short when we're probably living in the last days by looking at world circumstances and situations and the events taking place. But I say, brethren, that it's relative, I bet Paul back in his day saw some of the wicked things take place. And he said to himself, wow, things can't go on much longer than this. Things can't go on much longer than this. And I know men over there just have said that to themselves, and we say that today and I say that today. I confess to you I say that today. I say to myself, I don't see how it can go on much longer than this. But I hope I don't opt out of life because of that.

   If I have any money stored aside, if I have a home bought and I have cars paid for and Christ comes tomorrow, then those things can go away. I, I don't care a bit about that. That's not the reason I have those things at all. If I put my trust in some gold that I bought because I think that's a good investment today for anybody who wants to make an investment, and I'm gonna put my trust in gold, then I've made a mistake. God says the gold and silver are gonna be worthless in that time, and I mean that. I agree with that. I know it is. But better than having your money in a savings account. Really is. If I lose it, I lose it. I'm not looking to that goal for my salvation or to my home or to my car or anything I have. We need to know those things.

   And to make a pun that Mr. Frank Brown made in England, don't look at dates. But look a figs. But Christ said, look at the fig tree. Don't worry about the dates. Look at the fig.

   I say to you that if you live God's way of life, every minute of your life. As the best to the best of your ability, if God gives you the help. So we're going to do what God wants us to do, and if we're doing that. It won't matter. Whether Christ comes next month, or 100 years from now. You'll be ready. You live God's way of life. Every minute of your life is, is the best of your ability with God's help, and you're doing what God wants you to do. It won't matter whether Christ comes next month or 100 years from now, you'll be ready. I think that's what God intended. I think that's why he won't let us know. That gives us too many little options for human nature to grab on to and say, ha, now look at what I can do.

   Don't ignore the signs of the times, brethren. That's what the whole story of the fig tree is about. Don't ignore the signs of the time.

   I Thessalonians verse 5. Chapter 5, excuse me. I Thessalonians chapter 5 (I Thessalonians 5:1-6). But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you, and I don't need to remind you either. For yourselves know perfectly. You know perfectly well. That the day of the Lord so comes to the thief in the night.

   Do you know that perfectly well, brethren? Christ said it's gonna come as a thief in the night, and I don't think we demonstrate that by our actions that we believe that. And Peter's, I mean, the Paul is saying here, you know perfectly well that Christ is going to come as a thief in the night. I don't have to remind you about that anymore. You know that perfectly well.

   For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as prevail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. But you, brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Don’t neglect or ignore the signs of the time. You're not in darkness that this should overtake you as the thief. You are the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.

   The admonition that Christ gave was, watch you therefore, that you may be accounted worthy to escape the things that we know for certain are going to come on this earth because we can watch the figs and not worry about the dates.

   Verse 7 (I Thessalonians 5:7-9), for they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that are drunken are drunken in the night, but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breast plate of faith and love. And for an helmet the hope of salvation, for God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

   So we don't need to worry about those things. We know perfectly well. Why don't we alter our lives? Why don't we stop living like we think it's going to happen next week? Or on the other hand, why don't we stop living like we know it's going to happen 100 years from now?

   My note of caution in conclusion. I did not say anywhere in this sermon that Christ is not coming very soon. I didn't say that because I don't know that. But what I did say is don't opt out of life. Live God's way every minute of your day. Plan your life as though you had 100 years to live. And live according to that plan as though today were your last day.