ARE YOU READY?

*Miracle Offering Still open for a couple more weeks. *Share your story. Up on the website & the app.

*Fall Festival such a great night *Jills devotional available. Now on amazon.

Today is citycare sunday - here is why that matters - our church cares for our city. When you give to our church - you are giving go all of these partners and mission organization. When our church does something, you are doing something. When we go forth and DO SOMETHING as a church because we are resourced to do so, its because you have been generous and have not just partnered, you are BEING the church - So walk the lobby and see some of the

Grab your bible & open it up

Matthew 25:1–13 NLT

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

PRAY / For the message to impact HEARTS today.

WE CONFESS CERTAIN THINGS AS CHRISTIANS: We are confessional people. we confess certain things

JESUS IS MY SAVIOR JESUS IS LORD, JESUS IS THE CHRIST

But we also CONFESS something important as well:

JESUS IS COMING BACK

I want to talk about something that is very important NOW - but always - which is the second coming of JESUS Christ. That We serve a GOD who hasnt left us but is coming back for us

How do we know it - Well because He said He would be back

John 14:3 ESV

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

We know because we’ve got the WORDS of Jesus

We know the ending

we know JESUS is Victorious.

**ive been watching whats been going on in ISRAEL these last 4 weeks and my heart has beenb HURTING for Gods people. And for the people in GAZA. The Evil one orchrestated that attack and we know this isnt a regular war - this is about WIPING GODS PEOPLE off the Face of the planet - which will not happen. God wont allow it.

in 1948 Gods people became a NATION once again. I could talk foreever about all of this.... but you cannot help but look at whats happening and do three things:

*wonder: Is God moving things into place here - is There something happening here - These times are making you wonder, and i believe the whole world is wondering looking and considering what all this means - (thats an opportunity for the church btw)

*Pray” pray for Gods people. Pray for the innocent affected. Pray that EVIL is overcome, breakthrough takes place - PEACE REIGNS

Psalm 122:6 “6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you!”

*Trust - Trust that Gods got it all worked out and he does. If you know the book you know the ending - God loves HIS PEOPLE>

Gods everlasting covenant will LAST FOREVER>

BUT THIS IS CAUSE TO RE-VISIT SOMETHING IN OUR CONFESSION.

SOMETHING WE KNOW TO BE TRUE

Theologically this is called the DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS / The Return of Christ / The Fulfilment of His kingdom coming

and maybe this is new to you. maybe you recently Joined the winning TEAM> TEAM JESUS> you need to know this. As your PASTOR i wanna be faithful behind this puplit and tell you some things:

1.JESUS WILL COME BACK

Matthew 25:1 “1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.”

if you notice something here at the beginning of this parable. i want you to pay attention to some grammar here. Its important because in this parable there is a significant difference in the way ity begins, but you might not notice it. or think its nothing.

JESUS IS saying :”this is what it will be like when i come”

Not saying “this is what heaven is like: right now.

Here Jesus is making eschatological statement to the WORLD>

He is talking about the the coming time when he will come. and he is sharing this story to TELL the disciples that i will HAPPEN. and that its something still to happen.

We are in the in between. God has much for us to do, but when he comes, he’s gonna come. Its gonna happen. JESUS WILL COME BACK.

Its prophesied HE WILL

He said it HIMSELF he will

The Apostle Paul (who himself was caught up into the THIRD heaven) Wrote that HE WILL COME BACK & Told the CHurch in THESSALONICA what it WILL be LIKE,

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 ESV

16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Write this WORD down: “Parousia” - this is the greek word thats predominantly used to describe the second coming of JESUS. Its an important word because it CLARIFIES some things: this word means a formal going out to meet a KING, a FORMAL WELCOMING moment like when a king enters a His new kingdom - Thats what it will be like… a Parousia. a great MEETING up in the air

(Sphere in Las Vegas is NOTHING like what it will be like)

Jesus will come back!

2.BE READY

Are you ready? do you know what JESUS coming back means for you?

do you understand that we serve a god who returns for us.

the point of this parable is WARNING

When Jesus gives you warnings in the bible = They are particularly important to pay attention to.

He is saying

THIS IS WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE......YOU MUST BE READY.

How is your ready-ness?

Do you plan for a life but live like he will come back this very day and hour? thats how we are called to live our lives.

There ARE ALOT OF REASONS WHY PEOPLE WONT BE READY - They are the ETERNAL EXCUSES we always HEAR:

Excuses people GIVE:

*God is for only religious and spiritual people. Its NOT - its for everyone. that means YOU. Its not JUST A PUBLIC TRUTH, its a PRIVATE EXPERIENCE ALSO.

Alot of people think its just reserved for a few somebodys. The enemy has decoced them. We know not all will be saved, but The ones that are to be saved need us to tell them.

Romans 10:13 “13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””

*I too much of a sinner for that: Perfect

If you are deep in sin right now - Your the PERFECT CANDIDATE for GRACE!

Romans 5:20 “20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,”

If you think that just because you messed up, your not worthy of Gods love ive gotta hand it to you. You were never worthy of Gods love, Gods forgieveness, His welcoming in.

THE MORE YOU WALK WITH JESUS THE MORE YOU REALIZE HIS GRACE. The MORE YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU NEEDED HIM - WHEN YOU DIDNT KNOW IT.

if you have friends who are in SIN. What ive learned is this: they are actually the CLOSEST to being READY. Because they JUST DONT KNOW YET HOW GOOD GRACE IS.

(here is the one thats pressing in on my heart right now - With everything going on in Israel & even this week with some loved ones leaving this life too soon)

*Ill worry about that time when it get there. When i get back to the end of my life.

There is alot of people who think that when HE comes, they’ll have time. They wont.

Matthew 25:13 ESV

13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

He said you don’t know. No one does.

Here is the issue with that - Only God knows how much time you truly have

Psalm 139:16

Psalm 139:16 (ESV)

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

The days that were FORMED for you. They will come to an end. Are you ready?

When those FORMED days, When those NUMBERED days Are done....

Will you BE READY

Are you ready?

People think they are in verse 5 right now: Matthew 25:5 “5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.”

But notice something here. The unusual moment of the BRIDEGROOMS return

Matthew 25:6 “6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’”

In the middle of the night. When you LAST expect it. HE COMES. thats what the bible says....

Theres a burden on this church to get people READY to meet JESUS. For eternity.... to Get PEOPLE an opportunity, accept an invitation to make their peace with the LORD and to accept His forgiveness NOW when its available NOT when its not available.

The people out there, The universalists, who think all ROADS lead to GOD. they dont. Thats a LIE. Thats DECIET, Thats THE DEVIL PUTTING ON A CHARADE....Here is why - And here is why that BREAKS DOWN

Why would JESUS come the way he Did, Live, Die and Rise up on the 3rd Day then?

IT wouldve been a waste of Gods time to do that if he had some back up plan.

Thats the FOOLISH VIRGINS… The ones who didnt GET READY.

Matthew 25:3 ESV

3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

They werent ready - They didnt have things organised in their lives: this represents the HEARTS of people WHO HAVENT TAKEN GOD SERIOUSLY in this LIFE. They have PUSHED GOD ASIDE and in a spirit of REJECTION decided they wanna live for this world than think about the one WHO CREATED them and PUT them into this world.

3.STAY READY

How dod you stay READY

LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULL< BUT LIVE AND BE READY AT ANY MOMENT.

oh were gonna live!

I just turned 40! and i know im making the turn. ive lived alot of life but im waiting on God to blow me away with his goodness over the next 40.

But i know what to expect!

Psalm 90:10 ESV

10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

We have to KNOW

JESUS WILL COME BACK

be ready - be alert - Switch on to the things of the kingdom...

but STAY READY - STAY ALERT - STAY FAITHFUL.

Because HE WILL COME>