II Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Text Matthew 24:44 “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Paul was awaiting execution in a gruesome Roman prison and death could come at any moment! At this time Paul wrote a final letter to a young comrade named Timothy. The letter is one of preparation; not for Paul, but for Timothy; Paul had no loose ends to tie up. Don’t miss the magnitude and the depth of what Paul said, “I am now ready” (vs.6). Paul didn’t just say he was ready, but “now” ready. The word “now” means even now and comes from two words when combined mean, surely or explicitly now. While Paul said it, can you say, “I am now ready.” If there was not another tick on the clock, “I am now ready.” Within our text, Paul was ready for sacrifice and separation. He was ready to sacrifice himself for the cause of Christ and ready for physical separation from this world, to meet God in the next. It’s at times like this, that hope so and maybe so doesn’t cut it! It’s not a matter of do you want to, it’s are you ready to die? The Apostle Peter speaks of being ready to speak, “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (I Peter 3:15). Peter was ready to tell how he got saved and how he knew he was saved. The point is, get ready while you have the time! Sacrifice, separation, speaking; are you ready, now? Preparation must be done in the present for there is no assurance of tomorrow!