Watchful Waiting

Series: The Gospel Truth

Text: Matt 24:36-25:29

Introduction: (What?)

Today we are overlapping a bit with last week’s message since many were not here and we were unable to put the sermon on YouTube. Our primary concern is “given that even Jesus Himself does not know when He will return, what should we be doing in the meantime?” In 1976 Francis Shaeffer, theologian and philosopher, wrote a book entitled “How Should We Then Live?” In it he addressed the rise and fall of Western Culture. His question is one that fits our situation today. In light of Jesus’s Return, how should we be living? Jesus addressed this issue in several parables that we will consider today and next week.

Examination: (Why?)

1. Only God Knows for sure

Mt 24:36-44 “36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone. 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

In the last message we looked at the unusual fact that not even Jesus knows when He will return. There are still many people who try to pin-point His return to a particular date. That is futile. If Jesus doesn’t know, why should we think we can know? The key phrase in the scripture we just read is “Therefore be alert...” After uttering this phrase Jesus gave a mini-parable about a homeowner not knowing when a thief is coming. That lack of knowledge demands constant vigilance because the thief could show up at any moment. So it is with the return of Jesus. Jesus told His disciples and us that while He is away we should be faithful, watchful, good stewards, prepared and expecting Him to show up at any moment. He could show up sooner than we think. We will find that fleshed out in chapter 25.

2. Are you foolish or wise?

Mt 25:1-13 “1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; 4 but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ 12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’ Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”

This parable is another of what is called “kingdom parables” giving us some insight into the coming Kingdom of God. We pray “Your Kingdom come” but do we really understand what that means? The bottom line seems to be that the Kingdom of God will be populated by those who are prepared for it. As Jesus had already mentioned, there will no time for last minute preparation. You won’t have time to run back in the house and grab your coat, purse or keys. Instantaneously the ones who are prepared will be ushered into the kingdom while those not prepared will be left for judgment. One commentator said, “Once Jesus returns, it will be too late to rethink your life and your priorities. His judgment will be irreversible and there will be no second chance to repent.” In youth group we used to sing a song entitled “Give Me Oil in My Lamp” It went like this, “Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning. Give me oil in my lamp I pray. Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning. Keep me burning ‘til the break of day.” The truth is, no one is going to just show up and give you oil. You must have made preparations by purchasing the oil ahead of time and perhaps purchasing more than you think you will need because you don’t know how long it will be until the “break of day”.

Recently we were warned that a hurricane might be headed our way. Those who were wise began to put together their “hurricane preparedness kit”. Those who were foolish found themselves with no water, no power, not enough non-perishable food,etc. In the previous parable Jesus returned earlier than expected. In this parable the Bridegroom, (Jesus) is later than expected. The 10 virgins, part of the wedding party, all expected the bridegroom, however, only five of them were prepared for a possible delay. Those who were prepared accompanied the bridegroom into the wedding feast. Those who showed up late because they had not been prepared found a locked door that would not re-opened no matter how much they knocked or called out. The lesson to us is that we must be prepared for every eventuality. That means that we must be “saved and sure”. Once the door closes, it will not be reopened. in Genesis 6:3 God warned about delay. “3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain (strive, beckon) with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.”” The 120 years was the span of time that it took Noah to build and load the ark. Once loaded, the door was closed and locked. It is dangerous to ignore the drawing of the Spirit toward Christ. That “drawing” is an inner urge to surrender to Jesus. To ignore it or to think, “I’ll do it later” is extremely dangerous.

3. What are you doing with what you have?

Mt 25:14-30 “14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’ 21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’ 22 “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’ The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned. So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

Then man going on a journey represents Christ, and the servants represent professing believers who were given different levels of responsibility (or spiritual gifts) The master was not asking that each bring equal results, but rather that each be faithful with what was entrusted to them. That faithfulness is demonstrated by some fruit that comes from the stewardship of the gifts that had been given. Those who wound up fruitless because they were too lazy or too distracted by the ways of the world are unmasked when the master returns and exposed as the hypocrites they are. (Christians in name only)

The ending of each of these parables brings to mind what Jesus said in Mt 7:22-23 “22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’” You can check all the boxes and still be lost. You can pray a prayer; be baptized; serve in various ways in the church, but if you have never surrendered to Christ, you are not grafted into the vine and therefore will not produce fruit. Jesus expects a return on His investment. He invested His life so that you might have life eternal, but you can’t have it on your terms.

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Here are some questions that each of us must ask and answer.

Am I keeping watch for Christ?

Am I faithfully following Christ?

Am I trusting Christ alone through faith alone for my salvation?

Am I serving Christ with what He has entrusted to me?

If you can’t answer each of those with a resounding “Yes”, then you have never fully surrendered to Christ. Today might be the last opportunity you will have because, “No one knows the day or hour” that Jesus will return or that your soul might be required of you.