The Coming of the Kingdom of Heaven
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Introduction
Introduction
Today I am going to begin the first of a few messages where the we will take the time to look at Jesus as the teaches one truth through three different parables ....
The teaching concerns the coming of the Lord Jesus, and with it the coming of the Kingdom of God.
The parables themselves remind us to be careful, there is coming a time when the Lord Jesus will return, and with him the end of the age as well. The kingdom of heaven will be revealed for all those who are His children.
But for those who are not ready, for those who have not followed the instructions of the Master carefully, they will be disappointed and judged.
And what a terrible thing it is to be judged by God....
This morning I want to take some time and look at Matthew chapter 25.
It is here in we find the first of the three parables that Jesus teaches concerning His coming and with Him the kingdom of Heaven.
So take your Bibles and lets look at the first 13 verses of .
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 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.’ 10 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. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Now Jesus is using the imagery of a wedding to drive home the point of the coming of the Kingdom of God .... and with it the coming of the Bridegroom.
Now Jesus is using the imagery of a wedding to drive home the point of the coming of the Kingdom of God ....
Weddings were something that everyone could identify with in that day, it was a major focal point of life and yes, it was a celebration for all in a particular community.
So much so that everyone in a community was invited to attend, to join in the celebration in the joining of two lives together to make a family.
The engagement was a long process, it was something that could have been for them when they were children, or they may have come to this arrangement as young teenagers. So their was a lot of focus on weddings.
The best part of the engagement we find is when the time of the wedding finally comes....It is joyous time, a time to celebrated.
All things were in place and as they moved closer to the day of the wedding. We know that the bridegroom with some close friends would leave his home to go to the bride’s home, where there were various ceremonies, followed by a procession through the streets – after nightfall – to his home.
The ten virgins are the bridesmaids who have been assisting the bride; and they expect to meet the groom as he comes from the bride’s house…
Everyone was to have their own lamps or torches, everyone who was asked was expected to be ready… they were told the wedding was coming … they were to be ready for the announcement… soon the bridegroom would be coming for his bride.
Important In the bigger scope of things, Jesus is teaching about his return, and with it the kingdom of God drawing close to people and the call was clear… it could happen at any time, the call was to be ready.
It is still relevant to us, we are called to be ready for the bridegrooms return!
So let me share a few thoughts with you this morning as we get started...
1. All Wanted to see the Bridge Groom
1. All Wanted to see the Bridge Groom
All Wanted to see the Bridge Groom
If there is a truth we can hold very securely my friends, everyone wanted to see the bride groom when the wedding celebrations were to begin…
Without a doubt they did not want to miss or be excluded from the time of the celebrations.
Verse 1 tells us this truth...
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
The announcement was made the bridegroom is coming , the wedding is a hand… get ready…
What do we know here?
The bible tells us of two groups of women that will be present… 10 virgins, who are classified as 5 who were wise and 5 who were foolish...
What made the difference? Why were some considered wise and or foolish?
It was determined by the fact that some had extra oil and some did not.....
So consider this.... some events might take a while to get started or to get underway… as such, you would need extra oil to ensure you had enough to last until the event took place. Also, some events went on for a long time, the celebration might be extended over a larger amount of time that one would originally think.
No matter the case.... oil was needed to ensure your lamp would be able to produce light for a long time...
Now here is a little extra note to consider, lamps were also a pass into the celebrations, party crasher’s wouldn’t have lamps, they saw the event and would try to get in not knowing how long people had been waiting… so no lamp would give them away.
{ - The kingdom of God only has entry for those who are ready....
{ - In truth the kingdom of heaven would be available to only those who possess the true light of Jesus Christ…
So we know there were 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins, 5 who were prepared and 5 who were not able....
So this leads us naturally to our next thought..
2. Not All Were Ready
2. Not All Were Ready
2. Not All Were Ready
2. Not All Were Ready
2. Not All Were Ready
Now we know this to be true, The passage tells us that not all were ready as the events of this passage reveals to us....
Now understand one thing we will see is this truth. I wasn’t that they didn’t know the events surrounding them…
Oh no.... what is seen is that they knew but choose to do differently...
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
Now remember a wedding celebration is something that would have been promoted, the father would have invited the community to come and partake in the celebration. So all would have know of the upcoming event....
People made plans to be ready to attend… and here, we have ten virgins who are supposed to be a part of the wedding party. But Jesus tells us something particularly eye opening about these 10...
5 were wise… and 5 were foolish.....
Each group took their lamps, but only the wise took oil with them. They were ready, no matter how late in the night the bride groom came, they would have oil , they would be ready...
So there is a question we must ask at this point....? Does the oil represent anything special?
The answer would have to be, Yes!
Oil must represent the preparation, the gift of grace in the life of the believer.
The wise virgins were the ones who did not waste time, they knew the coming of the Lord (the bride groom) was certain and so they were ready, their hearts were right… They had made their professions of faith.. grace had entered into their hearts.
The foolish are those who heard the message and ignored it… There is plenty of time to get ready.... it will be a while.... is the spirit of their heart.
But the Lord is not delayed for the sake of delay…for the sake of just waiting… the Lord has delayed his coming for the sake of humanity that more might believe in the message the bridegroom is coming.. be ready...
Have you had a change in your heart, is the grace of God indwelling you!
So here is our next thought for today...
3. Bride Groom was Delayed
3. Bride Groom was Delayed
3. Bride Groom was Delayed
I have always wondered about this phrase in verse 5.. the bridegroom was delayed. And it begs me to make to ask.. why?
Why is the bridegroom delayed?
Now this is an important question, you see the early church beveled Jesus coming would be fairly quickly, they thought Jesus would return would be in their life time....
Yet if we look at verse 5, we see that is not the case… Jesus said the Bridegroom was delayed.
5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
They were told to be ready, they were told the bridegroom was coming, but the bridegroom was delayed.... ?
Now why was the bridegroom delyed
While the early church felt like the Lord would return quickly, but the Lord Jesus has delayed his coming in accordance with the will of the Father. Jesus told his disciples that only the Father knew the day and hour of the Son’s return.
4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
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.
,
He will come, return on the right day....
Now what was the effect that this delay help on the 10 virgins...
As the night drew on, we see that the virgins became sleepy, they grew tired and they began to dose off...
Now this word “drowsy” has a two fold meaning tied out to it ....
The first is the natural meaning of the word, it refers to a nodding, sleeping, or becoming sleepy.
The second is a spiritual state of lethargy… or spiritual drowsiness which leads over into spiritual activity.
Now with this being said there is a warning here. Church we cannot be like the sleepy, drowsy virgins, we cannot be lethargic in our daily walk to the Lord. Yes our Lord has delayed his coming for good reasons.... but we must be faithful servants using the talents our Lord has entrusted to us...
Be ready, be on the alert, Jesus is coming again.....
You see if anything is certain, we do not know the coming of the Lord, no one knows the day or hour..
Just be ready.........
Now lets move on to my next thought....
. No One Knows the Day or the Hour
4. No One Knows the Day or the Hour
Now lets move on to my next thought....
4. For Some it was to Late
4. For Some it was to Late
This my friends is probably the most difficult of the entire passage. what is it you might ask?
It is the truth that not all were ready when the bridegroom came to get his bride...
{ - Not all will be ready sadly when Jesus (the bridegroom) comes to get his bride, (the church.)
Now lets look at the remainder of the text
6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 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.’ 10 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. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Suddenly, the coming of the bridegroom is announced… “Here is the bridegroom! come out to meet Him”…verse 6
The time has come, the bridegroom has come to get his bride, there is dancing, and music and their is a Spirit of celebration being announced as the wedding party goes down the streets making their way to the house of the bride...
And the virgins here the call.... they arose and trimmed their lamps, to trim means to make them ready to produce the most light...
But suddenly the foolish virgins realize they do not have enough oil .... so they has that the wise virgins share their oil … but honestly they cannot… they do not have enough.
Listen my friends, the grace of God that I hold in my heart is not what I can share with you… I cannot distribute grace… I can only direct you to the one who has the answer..
Verse 9, the 5 wise virgins tell the 5 foolish to go and try to find oil, to see if the oil merchant can sell them some… the trouble is the hour is late, they are truly out of time.
I want to tell you we are warned daily that we must be ready, Jesus is coming again.. be ready for his coming...
Jesus is coming again....
Now look at verse 10
10 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.
The wedding party came, the time has finally come and they went with the bridegroom...
They went with him to the marriage supper of the lamb.... and the door was shut...
Listen to Matthew 24:44
44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
And let me share Revelation chapter 19, verses 6-9
Rev 19
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
The wedding party was gathered, the bride groom finally came and gathered His bride and they have returned to the father’s house so that the marriage feast, celebration could begins...
But when the celebration begins, when all the parties are gathered, the door is shut...
My friends, when the Lord returns, when the door is shut, there is no more time, there is no hope for grace, no hope for salvation any longer.....
Now let me take you back to our text one more time....
11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Matthew 25:11-1
Verse 11 tells us that these 5 foolish virgins, these ones who were never ready for the celebration, but waited to the last minute...
They knew the wedding party had come but they were not ready… so they made their way to the Father’s kingdom door… they knock.... but the response was a sad one...
The Lord answered, I do not know you....
33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
and then
19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
Watch therefore is the call of the Lord… Be ready is the call of the Lord, for we do not know the day or the hour of the Lord’s return...
You see my friends the call is to be ready…the Bridegroom, our Lord is delayed in his coming by the will of the Lord..
But the time is near, you must be ready before the door is shut and you have more hope
Are you ready today....
4. For Some it was to Late
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 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.’ 10 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. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 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.’ 10 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. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”