Untitled Sermon

THE ILLUSION OF ENOUGH

we focus on the end but we forget the beginning.

there were five of them who took extra.

the blessing is in the extra, the grace is in the extra.

benediksyon an se nan rezev la.

ou pa konn sa w pral jwen deyo a.

extra prepares you for what you do not know

si yo te konnen a ki le misye t ap rive egzakteman, le konsa yo te ka prepare pou le misye t ap rive a

ki le yo vin foolish? it wasn't at the end, it was at the beginning. midnight didnt make them foolish, midnight revealed their foolishness. they were foolish from the jump why...

wisdom requires that you are able to learn even when you aren't in class. wisdom requires that you are observing and not only looking. surely they say the other girls with extra oil, but their inability to observe and ask a question of themselves...if they have extra oil, should I also bring extra?

am I missing something?

I want to counter the affirmation culture this morning.

affirmation is good but this is where affirmation is problematic. affirmation convinces you that you are good where you at. it blinds you to the reality of your lack in order to boost your self esteem. affirmation can make you miss a better version of yourself because you are trying to so hard to convince yourself that the current version is good enough. affirmation can make you miss the Holy version of yourself, the Godly version of yourself, the Christ like version of yourself because you are busy looking at the mirror the world gave you instead of the mirror God gave you. how is it that you are affirming a person that the bible says should be crucified!

Affirmations are good and helpful, dont get me wrong... but I just want to let you know that you can affirm yourself into foolishness if you are not also confronting yourself with reality.

The danger of modern affirmation culture

Our culture says

"Believe in yourself."

The gospel says

Crucify yourself.

our culture says

you can do it

the Gospel says

you can do all thrings through Christ

our culture says

"Affirm yourselves."

the Gospel says

"Examine yourselves."

One of the unintended consequences of constant self-affirmation is that we become resistant to correction.

Eventually every warning sounds like negativity.

Every conviction feels like shame.

Every correction feels like hate.

The foolish virgins may have dismissed anyone who questioned their preparation.

Imagine if one of the wise virgins had asked,

"Did you bring extra oil?"

A defensive response might have been:

"Don't judge me."

"My lamp is burning."

"I choose positivity."

"Speak life!"

"Don't question my journey."

Then midnight came.

Reality didn't care how positive they had been.

Affirmation without Examination becomes Exaggeration

You exaggerate your maturity.

You exaggerate your readiness.

You exaggerate your strength.

You exaggerate your spiritual condition.

They exaggerated their preparation!

Affirmation + Examination = an honest assessment of who you are and who you aren't!

Healthy affirmation Unhealthy affirmation

Is grounded in truth Ignores truth

Builds confidence Avoids correction

Coexists with humility Rejects feedback

Encourages growth Pretends growth isn't needed

Says, "God is with me." Says, "I'm enough and need no one else"

Welcomes conviction Resists conviction

the difference is in the preparation

THE ILLUSION OF SHARING

gen bagay ki pataje, gen bagay ki pa pataje

nou ka pataje manje, men don spirityel la, mpaka pataje l ave w

nou ka pataje rad, men apel spirityel la, m paka pataje l ave w

m paka pataje relasyon pesonel mwen ak Bondye ave w

m paka pataje obeyisans ave w

sa k vin nan tet mwen se ke, si 5 moun gen lanp, li ase pou 10 moun we. men sa m aprann.. ou paka depann de limye pa m pou w we wout pesonel pa w ak Bondye. Chak moun dwe gen pwop lwil pa yo pou Bondye klere pwop chemen pa yo.

nou te ka gade yo epi n di, sa k fe yo aji konsa...se pa ke se dan di y ap fe..se ke, se pa tout bagay ki pataje. menm si m te vle pataje l ave w, m pa kapab

with God, there are red light seasons, there are yellow light seasons, and there are green light seasons.

There are seasons where God says...

Red

Stop.

Wait.

Heal.

Learn.

Repent.

Prepare.

There are seasons where God says...

Yellow

Slow down.

Pay attention.

Get ready.

Be alert.

The moment is coming.

But then...

There are moments when heaven says...

GREEN.

GO. OBEY. TAKE IT!

NOU TELMAN ABITYE AK FREN, MEN PA FWA FO W ABITYE AK GAZ LA TOU!

The five foolish virgins had spent all their time wishing for the announcement.

Then...

The announcement came.

"Here is the bridegroom!"

This was the moment they'd been waiting for.

But because they weren't ready...

The opportunity they had prayed for became the opportunity they missed.

Then say:

The greatest tragedy isn't when God doesn't open the door.

It's when God opens the door and you're not ready to walk through it.

Then transition to the congregation

Some of you have been praying for years...

"God, send me."

"God, use me."

"God, open the door."

"God, bless my family."

"God, give me influence."

"God, give me the opportunity."

Can I tell you something?

When God finally opens that door...

GO.

Don't hesitate.

Don't overanalyze.

Don't talk yourself out of it.

Don't wait for another sign.

Go.

I love the repetition here

When it's green...

Go.

When it's green...

Forgive.

When it's green...

Apply.

When it's green...

Serve.

When it's green...

Start the business.

When it's green...

Lead the Bible study.

When it's green...

Share your faith.

When it's green...

Move.

When it's green...

Obey.

Then contrast the lights

Red means trust God.

Yellow means prepare.

Green means obey.

Many people know how to stop.

Some people know how to slow down.

Very few know how to go.

some of us here are in yellow seasons, some of us are in red seasons...but today I wanna talk to the green light folk! green light, let me see you! this is your time... its time to obey and go! get your oil and go. get your lamp and go.

you dont gotta tell me twice, im gone! if you pass me the ball, im a shoot it every time.