Sermon Tone Analysis

Thanksgiving

I want to thank pastor for this opportunity to minister this evening, it is an honor.

Tonight, I originally wanted to speak on the “Image of Man Versus the Image of God”, but after a confirmation upon confirmation, I kept coming back to this and I feel like the Lord was impressing this upon my heart, so if you will allow me this evening, I would like to speak to you for a few moments on “Partaking in the Bridegrooms Feast”.

I will be reading from the King James Version tonight, beginning at and reading down to , say amen when you have it.

I’d like us to pray together as a congregation before we are seated.

Jesus is speaking here and he begins to compare the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins.

In v. 2, the word “wise” means they were marked by the exercise of good judgement or common sense in practical matters; they were prudent.

Whereas the word “foolish” is used to describe a lack of wisdom and good sense or sound judgement.

In v. 1, the word “wise” means they were marked by the exercise of good judgement or common sense in practical matters; they were prudent.

Whereas the word “foolish” is used to describe a lack of wisdom and good sense or sound judgement.

In v. 10, the word ready means “completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress”.

In v. 1, wise means they were marked by the exercise of good judgement or common sense in practical matters - they were prudent, whereas the word foolish is used to describe a lack of wisdom, good sense or sound judgement.

Recap the parable

Recap the parable

Most of us have heard of the parable of the 10 virgins, describing a scenario in which they wait for their bridegroom to arrive.

Again, the virgins in this parable represent the church waiting on Jesus’.

We read that five were wise, and five were foolish.

The only difference between the wise and the foolish was their possession of oil, because all ten of them had lamps.

They all had the right tools, but they lacked what was necessary to make it all the way to the marriage.

In the church, it is not who does or does not have a lamp, but it will be who has the oil when the time comes.

It’s not just about being prepared, but its about our behavior and our lifestyle, as represented by the oil.

Jesus is explaining the condition in which the church must be while He tarries.

In the passage, the ten virgins were waiting so long that they got tired and began to slumber.

I believe we are living in the last days and when we’re so close to the brink of His return, we cannot afford to slumber, we cannot afford to allow our heavy burdens to weigh us down and exhaust us.

When we lose the expectancy in God’s return, we become self-centered and apathetic about the things of God, and then we become complacent.

Instead of fighting the good fight, we grow weary and let our guard down.

We cannot afford to fail our good master while we wait for his return, and we cannot afford to fail the church.

Lifestyle

The reason the ten virgins needed oil was to burn their lamps so they could go out and meet the bridegroom.

For whatever reason, the bridegroom was delayed and the ten virgins were in waiting.

And when the time had come, only the five wise made it to the marriage.

They needed their lamps so it could light the way as the wedding party marched from the brides house to the bridegrooms feast.

The oil for the lamps in this parable, represents our good works, or godly obedience and compassion, as stated in .

We do not know the hour in which God will return, this is why it is important for us to not only be prepared, but to be equipped to answer that call, in obedience and behavior thru our lifestyle.

Those five foolish virgins in search of oil, were in need of changing their behavior and lifestyle, but when the bridegroom comes, those that are ready will not have to change because their lifestyle has been characterized by readiness.

#people should see Christ reflected through us.

#we represent the church, we are the church.

#we are called to be separate from the world, and live a holy lifestyle.

Lets discuss some characteristics of the hopeful brides.

The bridegroom is going to return, and when he does, he is coming back for virgins, for those (his churches) that have kept themselves pure.

Now I say churches to emphasize a point in a sense that the five foolish were virgins also.

So because we are identified as the bride of Christ and meet the pre-requisites, doesn’t mean we’ve been chosen.

In fact, the only thing chosen up until this point is our lifestyle.

Because the bible says Jesus is coming for His church means that we have yet to enter into marriage - this is obvious because we’re not in heaven.

Because the bible says Jesus is coming for His church means that we have yet to enter into marriage - this is obvious because we’re not in heaven.

We are not perfect and we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory, but that’s because we were born that way - only Jesus was born without sin.

But just because we were born under certain circumstances, doesn’t mean we have to stay that way - we don’t use that as an excuse to continue living in sin.

But we strive for perfection and we do it by being obedient to his word and remaining faithful to the house of God.

The second coming will happen as described in .

This passage reminds us that God will honor his promise and return, hopeful that humanity has come to repentance, and without warning, everything will pass away, as it says in v. 11, also reminding us that our way of living honors him while v. 12 says that even the heavens and the earth will be dissolved - as if it never happened.

But regardless of what happens, we are looking forward to that new heaven and earth, that new Jerusalem.

However, we must remain steadfast.

Again, we are to be found without spot or blemish.

#preservation of the church

#remain a virigin

The Church

The first mention of “the church” in the bible is found in .

This is Jesus speaking, and Simon Bar-jona just had a revelation of who Jesus is; that He is the Christ.

The church was yet to come, as Jesus said “I will build my church”, which was born on the day of pentecost, while 3000 were added, and the church would continually add to it daily.

The church should be growing.

The church is not a fraternity or man made organization because it was only established on the day of pentecost after the outpouring of the Holy Ghost.

The church isn’t comprised of memberships, strobe lights, and fog machines, but it’s becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society that man is interested in creating the church in his image, rather than how God formed the church.

The church is the people, only by God unifying a body of believers through His spirit.

That is why pentecost is so vital to the preservation of the church.

When we lose sight of God’s plan and concern ourselves with the image of man because societal trends become the selling point of the “church”, then we need to pause, look around, and examine ourselves.

The church was yet to come, as Jesus said “I will build my church”, which was born on the day of pentecost, where 3000 souls were added to the church.

The church is not a fraternity or man made organization because it was only established on the day of pentecost after the outpouring of the Holy Ghost.

The church isn’t comprised of memberships, strobe lights, and fog machines, but it’s becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society.

It’s sad that man is more interested in creating the church in his image, rather than accept God’s design.

The people in is the church, but only because God unified a body of believers through His spirit, that Holy Ghost outpouring.

That is why pentecost is so vital to the preservation of the church.

When we lose sight of God’s plan and concern ourselves with the image of man because of societal trends and allow them to become the selling point of the “church”, then we need to pause, look around, and examine ourselves.

When we begin to introduce something foreign to the church, we begin perverting the image of God.

I’m not talking about a new program or church play, but I’m talking about something outside of how the church is supposed to operate.

Allow me to read three scriptures to you this evening and see if you notice a pattern or underlying theme:

When we begin to introduce something foreign to the church, we being perverting the image of God.

I’m not talking about a new program or church play, but I’m talking about something outside of how the church is supposed to operate.

Allow me to read three scriptures to you this evening and see if you notice a pattern or underlying theme:

ephesians

colossians 1:

These three scriptures clearly illustrates that the church is the body of Christ.

Again, we must be careful in our manner and how we conduct ourselves because our words and our actions have an impact on the kingdom.

In , Jesus begins another parable declaring to be the true vine and the Father is the husbandman - or the farmer or vinedresser, one who tends to the vineyard.

In the Old Testament, vine imagery served as a symbol of God’s people, so Jesus uses this parable to explain the union between Himself and the church, the church being the branches.

the union between Christ and the church.

In , Jesus declares

v. 2, Jesus explains that God is a skilled vinedresser and He removes unfruitful branches and prunes the fruitful ones to stimulate further growth.

He is the vine and the church are the branches.

v. 4-5, the church is reliant upon God, just as the branch is dependent on the vine for sustenance.

In the same way, the spiritual existence and continued fruitfulness of God’s people are absolutely contingent on “abiding” or “remaining” in Christ.

And in v. 6, we are urged to stay connected to Jesus.

The church, or God’s people, should produce fruit - this is our charge, our obligation, our Christian duty.

When we’re not connected to Jesus, we risk being separated from Him and being cast into fire like those bare branches.

Now remember, I’m talking about the condition of the church while we wait for Jesus to return, likened to the five foolish virgins who missed the marriage because they weren’t ready when the bridegroom came.

said:

The “True Vine” parable was used to illustrate a spiritual lesson that Jesus had already preached before.

After Jesus emerges victorious from being tempted in the wilderness, he begins his preaching and teaching on temptation, divorce, oaths, forgiveness, love, giving, prayer, fasting, heavenly riches, worry, and judgment, and concludes his sermon with a distinction between good fruit and evil fruit.

In :

matthew 7:21-23

said He is the vine and we are just the branches.