Is Your Passport Ready

Is Your Passport Ready?

Have you been issued your passport yet? In order to help secure our borders -- our government is requiring us to have a passport as of January 2008 -- so that if for any reason you leave the country -- you can get back into the United States. That means if you go down to Mexico to see a dentist -- or to buy medicine -- you will need a passport to get back into the United States. I don't know how all that is going to play out; -- only time will tell. But to be on the safe side -- Jeannette & I have had our passports updated. -- We got our newly issued passports in the mail recently.

The whole process reminded me of the time when Jeannette & I were making preparations for our trip to the Holy Land a few years ago. One of the critical questions that came up was: -- "Do you have your passports ready?" -- At the time our passport had in fact expired. So we located our old passports -- dug out our birth certificates -- went & had an up-to-date photo taken -- & we made the trip to the then one & only Post Office in Tucson which at that time issued passports!

We waited our turn in line -- & when we finally reached the clerk who handled passports -- he asked us some crucial questions about our Father's place of birth, etc. Then he looked at our old passports. He looked at Jeannette's old picture & her more recent up-to-date picture & said: -- "You have not aged much over the years." Jeannette smiled. -- She liked that. -- It made her day! Then he looked at my old passport picture -- & looked at me -- & said: -- "Is this your son's picture here?" I could have shot him -- but then I would have been left behind!

Everything was planned & prepared & paid for. Jeannette & I had looked forward to our trip to Israel. We were excited as we met the rest of the group with whom we would spend the next ten days -- at the O' Hare airport near Chicago. We had our luggage & the trip information at hand. The group leader said to us very clearly: -- "Be sure you have your passports ready. If you don't have your passports -- the airplane will leave without you."

Once again, I pulled out my passport to look at it one more time -- & remembered that if you look like your passport photo -- you desperately need a vacation! Getting in line for clearance for security for the flight to Israel -- & later passing through customs in Israel -- we were instructed again: -- "Have your passports ready."

In other words our relationship with the United States had to be kept up-to-date -- & officially certified on the pages of our passports. Before we could enter another country -- our passports must be ready!

In 1 Thessalonians chapters 4 & 5, the Apostle Paul talks about a great trip God's people will be taking some glorious day. In 1 Thessalonians, beginning with 4:13 & continuing through 5:11 -- the Apostle Paul tells about the Homegoing of God's holy people! This is a trip that all of us who are redeemed (saved -- born-again) -- are going to be taking -- some grand & glorious day. I am looking forward to it! -- Are you? It is not to the Holy Land; -- it is to a Heavenly Land! The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is coming to take us to our Eternal Home!

The underlying thought of this passage is this: -- "Is Your Passport Ready?" Paul is urging us as believers -- to be sure we have our passport ready when Jesus returns to take us home to be with Him for eternity! Our relationship with God must be kept up-to-date!

Let's read a portion of this passage beginning with 1 Thessalonians 5:1.

Now, brothers, about times & dates we do not need to write to you,

for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace & safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, & they will not escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light & sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert & self-controlled (prepared). For those who sleep, sleep at night, & those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled (prepared), putting on faith & love as a breastplate, & the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.

Therefore encourage one another & build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (I Thess. 5:1-11 NIV).

Like the disciples so long ago -- we, too, may wonder: -- "When will these things happen & what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?" (Luke 21:7). We ask: -- "So, when will the Lord come?" Curiosity seems to provoke many people to construct time-tables -- instead of getting their passports ready! Through the ages -- sincere people have predicted the date & the time of Jesus' return. -- However, Paul writes: "About times & dates we do not need to write to you" (5:1). Jesus' position on this subject of date setting had already been made so very clear! Moments before ascending into heaven -- Jesus said emphatically: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has put in His own power" (Acts 1:7). In the clearest possible language Jesus said: -- "No one knows about that day or hour -- not even the angels in heaven -- nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32).

My friends -- It is disobedience to Jesus for us to set dates & to construct time-tables for God to follow! We know precisely that we cannot know precisely! Too many sincere -- but immature Christians -- have been victimized & caught-up by such false prophecy!

I saw a cartoon once of a scraggly fellow holding a sign that read: "The World Is About to End." -- Onlookers not only see the sign -- but also hear him, as he looks at his wristwatch, saying, -- "10, 9, 8, 7, 6 ..." Friends -- don't trust anyone who insists they know when Jesus is coming! -- Nobody but God the Father knows!

Since Jesus Christ is coming -- & since we don't know just when -- how are we as Christians to live? We must be prepared to meet Jesus at any time! I ask you today: -- Is your passport ready? There are three things found in this passage which gives us instruction in helping to be sure that our passport in valid & up-to-date! My friends -- Is your passport ready?

1. To Have Your Passport Ready -- Be Alert! (5:2-3)

Paul says: -- "The day of the Lord will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night!" -- So be on guard -- be alert! We do not know when that time will come. Jesus will come for us in suddenness & surprise!

When people are saying: -- "All is well, everything is quiet & peaceful" -- then, all of a sudden, disaster may fall upon them. Public opinion echoes with skepticism -- saying: "Peace & safety." All is well, everything is quiet & peaceful -- however, public opinion makes a poor substitute for truth!

Through the preaching of Noah -- God warned the world of the coming Flood. -- Yet the truth of the coming Flood never reached beyond eight people -- before the rains got out of hand. God warned Sodom -- but they wouldn't listen either -- until the brim-stone & fire spilled out of the sky with destruction! Now Paul writes: -- Disaster will come -- just as suddenly as labor pains in a pregnant woman. The sinner's final separation from God will occur in an instant. My friends -- the Lord's coming will be like a thief in the night. So, be Alert! -- Is your passport ready?

In his first letter sent home from Swaziland -- a missionary wrote: -- "In Swaziland, it is no longer 'if the thieves break in' -- but 'when the thieves break in.'" My friends -- the warning of Scripture is not if Jesus will come again -- but when He comes again! In the Book of Revelation -- Jesus said: -- "I will come as a thief ..., & you will not know at what hour I will come to you" (Rev. 3:3). Is your passport ready?

During the Easter season of 1949 -- a mother took her son to a movie in Tacoma, WA -- to see the film The King of Kings. The Crucifixion scene dramatically showed the sky getting dark -- the earth shaking & rocks falling. The mother whispered to her boy: -- "That's the way it will be when Jesus comes back." At that very moment, an earthquake jolted the area. The walls shook & the seats trembled. That mother cried out: -- "Oh no! Not yet!"

Are you ready? -- Be alert! Jesus will find many people unprepared & unaware! Paul speaks of those who are asleep -- unprepared to meet the Lord; -- they procrastinate & say "some other time." Only those who are watching & waiting will be ready! So be alert! -- Be sure your passport is ready!

2. To Have Your Passport Ready -- Be Armed! (5:8)

Using the imagery of a military camp on alert -- Paul portrays the soldiers as equipped for the demands facing them! He speaks of the virtues of faith -- hope -- & love! It reminds us of that eloquent Hymn of Love found in 1 Corinthians 13 -- "Now abides faith, hope, love -- these three, but the greatest of these is love." These, my friends -- are the things which provide us with spiritual protection! Also, in Ephesians 6:13-17 -- Paul develops this imagery of the Christian's protective armor! God has provided all the armor we need to face every kind of test & trial & temptation! God equips us for the difficult times of these last days! God equips us -- not only for survival -- but for winning!

Paul is not calling us to a nervous -- fearful watch until Jesus comes -- hoping somehow -- by might & perseverance -- we will hopefully survive! No -- our readiness comes by depending on our ongoing -- personal -- up-to-date relationship with Jesus Christ! God does not expect us to just get by! Drawing on the resources of God through Jesus Christ -- you can be more than conqueror through Him who loves & cares for us! So -- be armed with the whole armor of God!

Many people -- in the church as well as outside the church -- need to learn that vital Christianity -- is neither a creed -- nor a ceremony -- but it is a daily life connected with Jesus! Our faith is far more than a religion; -- it is a relationship! As long as we live in Christ -- & Christ lives in us -- we can live the victorious Christian life -- & be ready for the Lord's return!

An old cowhand applied for a job. -- His oral resume simply stated: -- "I sleep well when the wind blows." The rancher was puzzled by his words -- but he needed help badly -- so he hired the cowboy. A few nights later -- high winds swept across the prairie. The rancher got up quickly & went out to check on things. The windmill was properly adjusted to ride out the storm. The gate was tied with an extra rope. A canvas tarp was tied securely over the haystack -- & anchored down firmly with pegs. Everything remained in fine shape! At the bunkhouse the rancher found the old cowboy sound asleep. Then he understood those words: -- "I sleep well when the wind blows."

My friends -- draw upon the resources of God through Christ -- & you can sleep well when the winds & storms of life blow!

The royal chaplain thought he should read verses to Queen Mary of Orange as she laid dying. She responded: -- "I have not left this matter till this hour." And we too can have our spiritual passport ready for that parting hour. So be Armed! To have your passport ready, be alert & be armed!

3. To Have Your Passport Ready -- Be Assured! (vr.11)

I like the way J.B. Phillips translate this verse: -- "So go on cheering & strengthening each other!" Encouragement is a tremendous ministry! There are times when we all need a little encouragement. In this Christian walk -- we should all be engaged in this ministry of encouraging one another in the faith! Inspire assurance by encouraging one another! Inspire assurance by building up each other! We all need encouragement from time to time! Encouragement -- is oxygen to the soul! As Christians -- we need to be engaged in this practice of encouraging & assuring one another! Let us love one another -- encourage one another -- lift up one another -- & assure one another! Our words have the capacity to bless -- or to blast! In a country church in a small village in Yugoslavia -- an altar boy assisting the priest during Mass -- accidentally dropped the glass of wine! The village priest struck the altar boy & gruffly shouted: -- "Leave the altar & don't come back." -- He never did! He became Tito -- the atheistic Communist leader of Yugoslavia following World War II.

At about the same period of time -- an altar boy helped serve Mass in St. Mary's Cathedral, in Peoria, Illinois. He, too, dropped the wine class -- but as the glass broke -- falling on the marble floor -- the bishop -- with a twinkle in his eye -- whispered: --"Someday you will be just what I am." That boy grew up to become Archbishop Fulton Sheen -- one of the most eloquent spokesmen for Jesus Christ, with his television programs during the 1950s -- called Life Is Worth Living.

As we anticipate the day of our Lord's return -- may we seek to assure & encourage one another in the faith! Is your passport ready? -- Be alert! Be armed! Be assured!

Conclusion: -- Negligence is a sad & dangerous thing -- especially in the realm of faith -- in the things that are spiritual! I wonder how many good Christian people have grown cold & careless toward the Lord! Jesus said that in the last days -- the love of many shall wax cold! Jesus Himself condemned the church in Ephesus: -- "You have forsaken your first love. Remember the heights from which you have fallen. Repent & do the things you did at first" (Rev. 2:4-5).

I ask you this morning -- Is your heavenly passport up-to-date & ready to go? Don't let anything hinder you -- or stand between you & Jesus!

In 1991 -- Buster Moore wanted to go on a Work & Witness Mission trip to Guatemala -- along with other members of his church. But Buster ran into a problem! -- He had no passport! -- He didn't even have a birth certificate -- upon which a passport is founded. Strangely enough -- when Buster Moore wrote to the state of Texas requesting a birth certificate -- Texas had no record of him being born! Since Buster Moore had not been "officially born" -- he could not get a passport to join the others from his church -- to fly to Guatemala! So Buster Moore was left behind!

I wonder how many people yearn with expectancy to join the excitement when Jesus meets us in the air -- but who will miss it all because they have never been spiritually born again! Nicodemus was a fine person -- schooled in religion & selected to the governing board of his religious community! But Jesus said to him: -- "No one can enter into the kingdom of God unless he is born again!" (John 3:3).

The Bible tells us that Jesus will come to take His people to Heaven! But nothing impure will enter Heaven! Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life! Is your name written down -- on those pages white & fair? Have you believed on Jesus -- & received Him as your Savior? In the last chapter of the Bible -- Jesus announced: -- "Behold, I am coming soon!" (Rev. 22:12). I ask you this morning -- "Is your passport ready?"

Pastor Lyle Pettit -- Wynne Chapel -- Cochise, AZ