Prepare to Meet Your God
Base Text: Amos 4:12
"Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel."
Introduction
We live in a world of planners and preparations. We study for years to build a career; we save for decades to secure a retirement; we check the weather to prepare for a storm. Yet, remarkably, many people live as if they will never die and never have to give an account to their Maker.
The encounter with God is the only appointment in your calendar that cannot be canceled, postponed, or ignored. It is inevitable, and it is decisive. How you stand before Him tomorrow depends entirely on how you prepare for Him today.
I. Why Must We Prepare for This Encounter?
Preparation is necessary because this meeting is not a casual social visit; it is a judicial standing before the King of Kings.
• A Just Judgment: God has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31). Every work, whether good or evil, will be brought into the light (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
• The Post-Mortem Reality: Scripture is clear: "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). Death is not the end of our story; it is the beginning of our accountability.
• The Risk of Eternal Shame: To appear before God unprepared is to face eternal shame (2 Timothy 2:15). There are only two final verdicts:
1. The Blessing: "Come, you blessed of My Father" (Matthew 25:34).
2. The Condenmation: "Depart from Me" (Matthew 25:41).
• The Logic of Preparation: If we take a hurricane warning or a fire alarm seriously, how much more should we take the eternal warning of the Almighty seriously?
II. How Do We Prepare for the Encounter?
If we are to be judged, we must know the "law" by which we are judged. We do not prepare based on our own feelings, but on God’s revealed standard.
• The Standard of the Word: Jesus said, "The word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). The Bible is the mirror that shows us our true spiritual condition (James 1:23–24).
• The Power of Scripture: The Word of God is what perfects and equips us (2 Timothy 3:17). It corrects our path and instructs us in righteousness so that we can stand blameless.
• What Does Not Prepare Us: * Human traditions cannot save.
◦ Personal opinions carry no weight in God’s court.
◦ Only obedience to the Word through faith in Christ prepares the soul.
III. When Must We Prepare?
The most dangerous word in the human language is "tomorrow."
• The Urgency of "Now": Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). God’s offer of grace is valid right now, but it is not guaranteed for the future.
• The Uncertainty of Life: The "Rich Fool" in Luke 12 thought he had many years to enjoy his wealth. God told him, "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you." Our life is like a vapor—a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4:14).
• Setting the House in Order: God told King Hezekiah, "Set your house in order, for you shall die" (2 Kings 20:1). We must live in a constant state of readiness.
• The Value of the Soul: Your soul is more valuable than the entire world (Matthew 16:26). To gain the world but be unprepared for God is the ultimate tragedy.
IV. Who Must Prepare?
This is a universal summons. No one is too high to be exempt, and no one is too low to be overlooked.
• No Exceptions: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:10).
• A Universal Call: Because the judgment is for everyone, God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30–31).
• Equality at the Throne: In that day, social status disappears. The rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak—everyone will stand on level ground to give an account (Revelation 6:15; Romans 14:10).
See Also
- Preaching on Idolatry: Why God Rejects Idols
- Preaching on the Healing of a Leper Matthew 8:1–4
- Preaching on Matthew 24:12 - The love of many will grow cold
Conclusion
There is a face-to-face encounter waiting for you. For the prepared, it will be a day of unspeakable joy and the beginning of eternal life. For the unprepared, it will be a day of deep regret.
The only valid preparation is a life lived in surrender to Jesus Christ and obedience to His Word. Don't let the distractions of this temporary life rob you of your eternal security.
The Final Question: If your soul were required of you this very hour, would you be ready?
"Prepare to meet your God."
