I’D  FINISH  THE  GAME

One day a group of men were playing ball when one of them had a sobering thought. “What would you do,” he inquired, “if you suddenly were made to know that this would be your last day on earth?”  

There were several different answers to the question. Some would rush immediately to the church building and pray; some would rush to those they had wronged and make wrongs right; others would run to pay obligations that were past due. But one man thought seriously for a moment and said, “I think I would just play the rest of this ball game.”  

This is the attitude of a faithful Christian. Since the time of Christ’s second coming is uncertain, we are instructed to be ready at all times. Notice Matt. 24:42-44 reads, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman 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. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”  

We do not know when Christ will come again, we do not know when we will die, and we do not know what’s going to happen in the future. “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”  (Jas. 4:14) Therefore, we need to be ready at all times. Ye are all 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. (1 Thes. 5:5-6)  This passage is directed to us: children of the light and of the day. Let us be alert and prepared and watchful.  

Peter tells us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Pet. 5:8).  Sober means to be of sound mind, free from the influence of intoxicants.  Vigilant means to be watchful, spiritually alert, keep awake. Do not be like the disciples who could not stay awake an hour while Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples,  Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.   And  he took with  him Peter  and  the  two sons  of Zebedee,  and began  to be sorrowful and  very heavy.  Then saith  he unto them,  My  soul    is  exceeding sorrowful,  even unto  death:  tarry  ye here,  and  watch  with  me.  And  he went  a little farther,  and fell  on  his  face,  and prayed,  saying,  O my  Father,  if  it be possible,  let this  cup pass from  me:  nevertheless  not  as I  will, but  as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?  Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation:  the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the  second time, and prayed,  saying,  O my  Father, if  this  cup   may  not  pass away from  me,  except  I drink  it,  thy  will  be done. And he came and found them asleep again:   for their eyes were heavy.”  (Matt. 26:36-43)  

Do not be like the Rich Young Ruler (Matt. 19) who went away sorrowful because he had great possessions. Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”(Matt. 6:19-21).

Do not be like Rich Fool who was busy building greater barns. “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, 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 fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Lk. 12:15-21)

Do not be like Felix who was waiting for a convenient season. “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” (Acts 24:25) There is no time like now. The Bible tells us “behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (1 Cor. 6:2) 

If we were told that Jesus was coming today, could we say we are ready? Would we have to rush out and get a few things in order first? Or could we finish the game, knowing that we have made all the necessary preparations?  

Based on a sermon by RAY McMANUS,