• Be On Guard
• To be prepared to defend oneself,
• To be ready to warn others,
• To be ready to serve.

• Mark 13:33-36"
• Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 "It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning-- 36 "lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

• INTRODUCTION:
• Due to the unsettled times of today we have got to constantly be on guard against those who would destroy our nation and murder any American they could.
• While we might think that the likelihood of such happening is infinitesimal we must never underestimate the dedicated obsession of the terrorist to harm us in any way possible.
• The word in our text means “to be sleepless”. “The word expresses not mere wakefulness, but the watchfulness of those who are intent upon a thing (Vine)”.

• INTRODUCTION:
• Jesus does not beg or exhort us to be watchful;
• He commands us to do so.
• Our text shows that we as disciples of Christ must be on guard for two reasons: the first is to be watchful for the foe and the second is to be alert for our Lord’s return.

• WHY SHOULD WE BE ON GUARD IN THE FIRST PLACE?
• Because we do not know when Jesus will come again.
• He will come when He is least expected...
• Matthew 24:44 ..."Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
• When He comes, our watchfulness will be manifested by our state of preparedness...
• Matthew 25:1ff ...The parable of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins at the wedding...the foolish ones don't have enough oil for their lamps and have to go get more...the bridegroom comes and the door is shut...
• Mt.25:11 ..."Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

• WHY SHOULD WE BE ON GUARD IN THE FIRST PLACE?
• Because Satan has great power...
• Ephesians 6:11 ...Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil....18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
• He is constantly trying to devour us...
• 1 Peter 5:8 ...Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

• WHY SHOULD WE BE ON GUARD IN THE FIRST PLACE?
• Temptation is his great weapon...
• Matthew 26:41 …"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
• Sometimes he presents himself to us in bold wickedness (1 Peter 5:8)...
• Acts 5:3 ...But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?

• WHY SHOULD WE BE ON GUARD IN THE FIRST PLACE?
• Other times he is more subtle about it...
• Genesis 3:1 …Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
• Many times he comes as a minister of light...
• 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ...And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
• Satan’s servants don’t hesitate to hold ecclesiastical offices or occupy pulpits...
• Matthew 7:15 ..."Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

• HOW CAN WE BE FOUND WATCHING WHEN SATAN TEMPTS US AND AT THE SAME TIME WATCH FOR OUR LORD’S COMING?
• By watching our Words…
• Teachers of the gospel have a great responsibility to watch what they say, the words they use...
• James 3:1 ...My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.... 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

• HOW CAN WE BE FOUND WATCHING WHEN SATAN TEMPTS US AND AT THE SAME TIME WATCH FOR OUR LORD’S COMING?
• Of course all will be judged by the words they speak...
• Matthew 12:37 …"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
• Proverbs 25:11 ...A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.
• We should not engage in filthy conversation...
• Ephesians 4:29 …Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

• HOW CAN WE BE FOUND WATCHING WHEN SATAN TEMPTS US AND AT THE SAME TIME WATCH FOR OUR LORD’S COMING?
• Or, idle words...
• Matthew 12:36 …"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
• The word for “idle” means “not carefully considered; answering (as in an argument) without thinking”…
• By watching our Actions…
• God will weigh our deeds and works...
• 1 Samuel 2:3 …"Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.

• HOW CAN WE BE FOUND WATCHING WHEN SATAN TEMPTS US AND AT THE SAME TIME WATCH FOR OUR LORD’S COMING?
• It is by these that we will be judged...
• 2 Corinthians 5:10 ...For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
• We must be active, alert…both to be ready for the Lord’s coming (Matthew 25:30) and to resist Satan (Matthew 26:41)…
• Matthew 26:41 …"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
• ”Watch” in Matthew 26:41 means “to give strict attention to, to be cautious, to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one”…

• HOW CAN WE BE FOUND WATCHING WHEN SATAN TEMPTS US AND AT THE SAME TIME WATCH FOR OUR LORD’S COMING?
• By watching our Thoughts…
• We will also be judged by our thoughts...
• Romans 2:16 …in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
• The wicked must forsake his evil thinking...
• Matthew 12:34 … "You brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
• The righteous individual will strive to keep his/her thoughts pure...
• Philippians 4:8 …Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

• HOW CAN WE BE FOUND WATCHING WHEN SATAN TEMPTS US AND AT THE SAME TIME WATCH FOR OUR LORD’S COMING?
• By watching our Company…
• We tend to try to be like those with whom we choose to associate...
• 1 Corinthians 15:33 …Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.
• By watching our Hearts…
• Everything originates from the heart...
• Proverbs 4:23 …Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
• We must always be watchful for the way of escape...
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 …No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

• CONCLUSION…
• The words we choose to speak…
All our deeds and works…
Whatever we think…
The company we choose to keep…
• All have a bearing upon our watching and waiting.
• We must be prepared all the time and that will only happen if we put ourselves on guard.

By Carey Scott from an outline by Ron Lehde

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