Prepared

Thank you for your prayers …

Slide Are you a prepper?

How many of you are last minute packers for a vacation? How many of you are in witness protection and have a “Go” bag already packed? A prepper’s motto is “better safe than sorry.”

In the 1990’s the word prepper took on its modern meaning particularly influenced by concerns over Y2K and various cultural and societal anxieties.

the Year 2000 Bug, was a potential computer flaw that could have caused issues when dealing with dates after December 31, 1999. The issue stemmed from a programming shortcut used in the 1960s and 1980s to save space and money, where programmers would only use the last two digits of a year to represent four-digit years. This made the year 2000 indistinguishable from 1900, which could have caused computer systems to incorrectly distinguish dates and potentially bring down computer-reliant industries.

I can remember the fear and uncertainty about what might happen when the year 1999 came to an end. Some were expecting the end of the world.

A prepper is someone who prepares for a major disaster or cataclysm by gathering materials and making plans. This could include stockpiling food and ammunition, learning skills, and collecting equipment. Preppers may believe that a war or disaster will happen soon, such as a worldwide economic collapse, but they may also be preparing for more general disasters. The goal of prepping is to survive and thrive during a crisis.

But prepping isn’t just about anticipating problems, prepping is also getting ready for opportunities. I am married to a someone who loves to be prepared. Gail loves to plan, process and then put together the agenda for trips, finances, tours … I love it.

Over the past few weeks, we have been looking at the end times. Every week we have repeated three things that we know for certain:

Slide Jesus is coming back again.

When? – we don’t know. But, we all need to prepare.

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. John 14:3

Slide We will all face judgment. We will be judged either by the works of our life or by the work of Christ on our behalf through his death, burial and resurrection. I am not concerned about the judgement because Christ has paid my penalty, forgiven my sins and given me His righteousness.

How about you? Are you spiritually prepared to stand before God in the judgement? Some watching and maybe in this room are saying, I think I am a good person, and I’ll take my chances.

I must admit, it makes me sad to know there are many who will ignore what Jesus says and what the bible teaches. We are all sinners and sin kills, separates and destroys any hope of personal righteousness. We need a savior, a redeemer, a rescuer … And because God loves us so much Jesus left heaven and descended to earth, lived a perfect life and then died in our place for our sins so that we might be restored to a right relationship with God.

Lastly,

Slide What you believe about the future will transform how you live in the present.

If you believe Jesus is coming back and that all of humanity will be judged, then today you will live differently. You and I will live with an eye toward tomorrow.

So how do we become a spiritual prepper!

This morning we are looking at a parable of planning and preparedness. Preparing for the “what ifs” of life and of Jesus' return?

Be Prepared

Are text this morning begins with a shift in focus. Jesus brings us to look at the kingdom of heaven. The now and the not yet is how we look at the kingdom of heaven. Over the next couple of weeks as we unpack chapter 25 of Matthew’s gospel, we will look at living in the now in preparation for the not yet …

Slide Are you prepared for the now and the not yet?

Jesus’ words are recorded in Matthew 25 …

Slide Then the kingdom of heaven will be like … Matthew 25:1a

We are living in the kingdom of heaven when Christ reigns and rules out lives. He is king and there will be a day when his kingdom will be complete. Every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And Jesus tells us we need to spiritually prepare.

There is no substitute for spiritual preparation. Spiritual preparation equips you for unforeseen crises and/or opportunities in everyday life. However, if you are unprepared, you will be vulnerable in life’s unexpected events.

Jesus told a parable that teaches this truth.

If you are spiritually prepared when a crisis comes, you will experience the spiritual strength, grace, wisdom, peace, joy and so much more that a relationship with Jesus brings you and will not have to try to develop instantly the quality of relationship with Christ that can sustain you.

We lose many opportunities to experience God’s provision in our lives because we have not devoted the time to our relationship with God.

So, let’s look at the this parable of preparedness. It begins with a comparison that causes all of us to immediately recognize that …

Slide There is wisdom in preparing now for tomorrow!

Jesus has previously used this comparison between the wise and the foolish to describe those who build theirs lives on sand and those who build their lives on rock. In Matthew 7:24-27

This passage highlights Jesus' emphasis on wisdom, preparedness, and faithfulness in living a life aligned with God's will. This is a lesson urging us to seek wisdom through obedience, preparation, and spiritual awareness.

So, Jesus says the kingdom of heaven will be like …

Slide … ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. Matthew 25:1b-4

Immediately you think … lamp and no oil … that is worthless! It’s like packing a flashlight with no batteries. Worthless. Foolish. This is an important contrast, a fool and a wise person. It is foolish to think because you have a flashlight and no batteries you will be able to see in the dark. In the same way, it’s foolish to think because you say you believe in God and yet His Spirit is neither in you nor leading you.

Why is there wisdom in preparing? Because …

Slide Life happens while we are waiting!

There is no one who is immune from the problems and limitations of this sinful, weak, aging life. Jesus says …

Slide As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. Matthew 25:5

We all get tired, hungry, hurt, distracted … life is filled with obstacles and opportunities. As you and I wait for Jesus to come again … we marry, we bury, we work, we have children, we live in the here and now seeking to be wise in obeying God, preparing our spiritual lives for what is to come. Today, tomorrow or whenever …

Which raises the question …

Slide Are you ready for your life to end as you know it?

What if you heard … he’s here. Let’s go, right now! What would your thoughts immediately go to? People who you need to call, invite, plead with. Pets, wait I need to get my dog. Possessions, I need a bag, some clothes, go the bank and get some money … really.

Jesus says …

Slide But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. Matthew 25:6-7

Are you prepared for His coming? The truth is that our last minute preparation could cause us to miss out.

Slide Procrastination is the enemy of good preparation.

Some of us have lived our lives by the slogan – “why do today what you can put off till tomorrow”. I tend to procrastinate. Until the panic monster takes over my brain and I get very focused and my work and preparation suffer. Many us in this room and watching online are approaching our spiritual lives, our relationship with God much the same way. Wait, put off until tomorrow to pray, be still with God, listen, read and meditate on His living word.

I’ll take care of my spiritual preparation when I get closer to the end. The problem is you never know when your life is up. Are you ready?

As the time gets closer the options are fewer … Jesus says …

Slide And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ Matthew 25:8-9

Your problem, your lack of preparation is not going to keep me from experiencing what my preparation has prepare me for. I can’t help you do what only you can do!

And that is a sad reality that there will be people who, because of a lack of preparedness will not be ready when Jesus comes back. You see …

Slide A lack of preparation can cause you to miss God in this life and the next.

God is here, present in this world, right now, don’t miss him. You can experience his peace, grace, mercy, love, joy, strength, power, and more every day of your life as you experience the joys and the problems, pains, disappointments, and setbacks all the while waiting for his coming … or not!

Jesus says …

Slide And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watchtherefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:10–13

It is so easy to get distracted, caught up in the cares of this world. It is so easy to go to church, say we believe in Jesus and yet live every day as if he doesn’t exist.

You may here this parable and think why wouldn’t Jesus open the door? It seems so unkind. You might be thinking, just open the door. But God is loving and king enough to call you, show you, prepare you for his coming. As Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:9-13

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:9–13

Slide Are you prepared?

Are you living in the kingdom heaven, the now and the not yet. Are you living with wisdom, batteries in the flashlight, ready for this life as you know it to end, are you experiencing God’s grace in midst of life’s difficulties? Are you prepared? Let me give you …

Slide 4 Things we can do every day while we wait!

Slide Live with a Kingdom Perspective!

Right now say to God, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven … and let it begin in me! Let the rule and the reign of Jesus in your heart and life be how you view everything now and not yet.

Slide Look at what matters and Prioritize accordingly!

We can get our lives in a foolish tangled web of lies, misplaced joys, distractions by things that don’t matter. We are reminded in Matthew 6:33 – seek first the kingdom of heaven and His (God’s) righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Seeking Jesus and prioritizing the kingdom requires that we …

Slide Linger with Jesus paying attention to His Presence.

In our lives we can so easily suffer from hurry sickness or even the belief that we must fill our lives with stuff, events, noise, distractions and all the while Jesus invites us to sit with him and linger in his presence. But this is not a 21st century problem, the disciples struggles to linger and to pay attention to Jesus presence. But when we do, we begin to …

Slide Love People the way Jesus loves!

And the way we experience his love in our lives gives us a greater capacity to show love to others. We love because he first loved us. The only thing that will go with you into eternity are people. Will you go with me?

Are ready today to experience the kingdom of God. To live with him with his priorities in his presence with his love.