Matthew 25:1–13 NIV

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Ready or Not, Here He Comes

Next week we are going to start a new series called “Come Hungry”!

Next week we are going to start a new series called “Come Hungry”!

How many people came to church today Hungry? Hungry not for food, but hungry for God.

“Come Hungry” will lead us to the table of Thanksgiving on November 18th for our church fellowship Thanksgiving Dinner.

“I’m getting excited” You all are invited! Invite your friends and families… hey try to invite your neighbors too! Or even a stranger! How about that!

And then in six Short weeks we begin a wonderful season in the Church. It’s the Advent season.

It’s a season of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas and the return of Jesus at the second coming.

Advent literally means “coming”… the arrival of a notable person. Jesus Christ!

So, the title to this message as we get a jump start to the Christmas season is “Ready or Not, Here He Comes”

Let’s start by reading together

Matthew 25:1–13 NIV

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Story of Procrastination:

(Ugh English class – in High School… I was always putting off Studying for Class… trying to cram 9 weeks of lessons into one night.

So, there I am taking the final exam… and nothing looked right or English to me…. I needed to study more.

But it was too late… I had put it off too long…

The teacher saw my face and after I failed the final exam, she brought me in and said, “you waited too long didn’t you?” She knew me!

In the end she worked with me until I got it, but I failed, and I never did get to do that exam over again… because I waited too long….)

Some things cannot be put off until the last minute.

The bridesmaids were supposed to have their lamps ready to light the way for the wedding party to go on to the wedding feast.

But when the groom arrived, only five bridesmaids were ready. The other five had waited too long. The shops were all closed. It was too late to go and buy oil.

Procrastination is a bad habit at all times. But it will be a fatal mistake for those who are not ready to meet Christ when he returns.

Jesus is teaching the importance of being prepared to meet him when he returns, because after he appears, unbelievers will have no further chance for salvation.

C. S. Lewis wrote, “When Christ returns, how awful to know that all of it was true, and that it is too late to do anything about it.”

Story of Barrowing that did not turn out well.

(So, there I am playing semi-pro football… There was a young man on the other team who left his helmet on the charter bus and the driver went to town to get something to eat.

We worked it out and we let him use an extra helmet from our team. (yeah glad he had different color jersey because it was confusing enough.

We thought it was all worked out… but … we underestimated that helmets at that level are usually custom fit…

He played most of the game until the third quarter when I broke through the line and sacked him as hard as I could of course it’s football!

When I stood up his helmet was turned sideways on his head, and so was his nose! Laid flat broken and bloody. I did feel sorry for the guy…

The point is in some things… you just need your own gear….

He needed his own helmet…

Some things just can’t be borrowed.

The foolish virgins could not borrow oil when they needed it. In the same way, people cannot borrow a personal relationship with God.

They must possess it for themselves. They cannot live on someone else’s spiritual capital.

You can’t make it to heaven on your family’s faith.

It’s not what you raise your kids to “believe” … It’s all about a personal faith in Christ.

No one else can answer for you. You must make a personal commitment to Christ to become a Christian.

And when Christ returns, what others have said or done for you will not matter—only what you have decided for Christ.

We love to talk about the details of the end times…

We love to read of people arguing their ideas of when Christ will return…

It’s not that we shouldn’t have any interest in Christ’s return… It’s that we should be more concerned about being ready then trying to know every detail and timing….

“Trying to jump out of a plain that is crashing, just at the last moment” won’t work with the laws of physics.

And “trying” to wait till the last moment to surrender, won’t work with God. He knows if that is what you are doing.

Some things simply do not need to be known.

Jesus stated the point of this parable as follows: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour!” ().

Some people become so caught up in trying to figure out elaborately detailed scenarios of the second coming and match the biblical prophecies with contemporary events… that the real message of Christ’s return, gets lost.

The second coming, however, is an event that is beyond our power to imagine.

It should be enough to take the plain, simple truth of Scripture that says,

1. Jesus will return to earth visibly and victoriously.

2. His return will bring about the end of time and the beginning of eternity.

3. When Jesus comes back, he will judge the world, send the devil and his followers to Hell, and take his church to live with him forever in Heaven.

There is little value in going beyond those basic facts that are clearly and repeatedly taught in Scripture.

It should be enough to recognize that the Lord is coming back, that we don’t know when, and that we need to live our lives in a state of readiness for his return.

The return of Christ will have the same significance for Christians alive when it happens, as death has for Christians who die before it happens.

It will be the end of life in this world and the start of a life in what has been described as “an unknown environment with a well-known inhabitant.”

Story of something that is too good to miss!

Like a good wedding photographer… they stand and wait for the perfect moment…. Camera raised… lenses focused… flash ready…. Waiting for the perfect moment….

Catching the moment when the Bride came walking in……

It was worth the wait… I am so glad the photographer was ready…

It was Priceless…

Some things simply must not be missed.

The foolish virgins missed the joy of the wedding feast because they were not ready when the groom came.

Let us make sure that we do not miss the indescribably greater joy that will come to those who attend Jesus’ wedding feast.

The New Testament uses a beautiful Greek term to describe Jesus’ return: “Parousia” ().

In ancient times the term referred to a visit of a person of high rank, especially the king or the emperor.

Knowing that the King of kings will return to this earth… let us follow the example of Martin Luther, who said he had only two days on his calendar,

“today and “that day.”

CONCLUSION

Jesus said, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” ().

Becoming a Christian is not something to put off.

Serving Christ faithfully is not something to neglect.

When Jesus comes, will he find you ready?

I want to give you an opportunity to respond this morning. A time to confess him as Lord of your life.

A time to surrender everything unto him.

Are you ready for Christ to return?

If Jesus came back today… will he find you ready?

Come, and let us pray and prepare for his return: