Are you ready for some football? A lot of people think of Monday night football when they hear “Are You Ready?” But I want to talk to you about a different kind of “Are You Ready?” Bruce with Born of Him Ministries has a cross that says Are You Ready? on the front of the cross and it says “Turn From Dead Works” on the other side. Many open-air preachers around the country have Are You Ready crosses. Carl with Bezeugen Ministries prints the Are You Ready tracts like the one pictured above.
When we are out witnessing, why do we ask people the question, “Are You Ready?” We ask this question to get people to think about the afterlife. To get them to think about the reality that we are all going to die some day. Over 150,000 people die around the world each and every day and one of these days you and I will be part of that statistic.
But as you know, you are more than just a statistic. You are more than a number. You are a living, breathing human being. You were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). But like the rest of the 7 Billion people on this planet, you and I were also born with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5). This sin nature traces all the way back to Adam. Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden and we’ve been sinning every since. The Bible clearly tells us that after we die, we will face God on Judgment Day (Acts 17:30-31).
So the real point behind “Are You Ready” really is: Are you ready to meet your Maker? It’s our sinful nature that causes us the problem. God almighty is Holy, righteous and just. He cannot tolerate sin . Our sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). There is nothing we can do on our own to get back in a right relationship with Him (Romans 3:10-12). We can’t earn our way to Heaven and we can’t work our way to Heaven, no matter how many “good” works we do.
Because God is perfect and just, He must punish guilty sinners. You and I are guilty sinners and we deserve to go to Hell. People who die in their sins will be sent there. Jesus spoke a lot about Hell. He warned people about how horrible it is. But if you die in your sins, unforgiven by God during this life time, then this is the fate that awaits you. Hell is a place of physical and mental torment and it lasts forever! (Revelation 14:11)
Because God is merciful, loving and kind, He made a way of escape for us to avoid going to Hell. He sent Jesus to walk this earth over 2,000 years ago. Jesus never sinned in thought, word or deed (Hebrews 4:14-15). None of us can say that. Jesus never lied, stole anything or lusted after anyone. Jesus always perfectly obeyed the will of God the Father. He suffered beyond imagination at the hands of the Roman soldiers. He was beat beyond recognition and then He died a horrendous death on the cross. On the third day He rose from the grave.
Jesus defeated sin, Satan and death. He offers eternal life for all who repent and believe in Him (Mark 1:15). Repentance means to change your mind, turn away from. When you repent, you turn away from your sins. Belief is more than just an intellectual knowledge of Jesus. It is complete and full surrender. Belief is denying yourself and picking up your cross and following Jesus on a daily basis (even when no one else will walk with you).
Are you ready? Are you ready to choose life? Are you ready to surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ and put your trust in Him to save you? Are you willing to stop trusting in your own goodness, which can’t save you anyway? Are you ready to cry out to God to save you? Are you ready to turn away from your sins and turn toward Jesus? Are you ready to meet your Maker? If not, what’s holding you back? Get right with God today. Confess your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ our Lord. Do this today!
