Are You Ready For Jesus

1 Thessalonians 5:2 NASB95

2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 5

3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then bdestruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you blike a thief;

Opening Prayer

Matthew 25:1–13 NASB95

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Matthew

Overview

An story that describes a Groom coming for His Bribe and we know that to mean Jesus returning for the church

The Ten Virgins represent all professing believers

The Five Prudent Virgins represent the True believers

The Five foolish Virgins represent the false beleivers

Oil represents the Provision of Righteousness , or the Holy Spirit that fills our lives (lamps )

(v.2) The Prudent and the Foolish

Five prudent and five foolish

There were five prepared for the Groom to come and five were not

They were mixed in with each other and could not be distinguished one from onother

this is an illustration of the wheat and the tares

:24-30

24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25 “But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

25 “But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

26 “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.

26 “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.

27 “The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’

27 “The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’

28 “And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’

29 “But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.

28 “And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’

30 ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

29 “But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.

30 ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

(v.3) Some Were Not Ready

There were those who were unprepared

They were part of a group that was waiting on the groom

They felt like the provisions on hand (self Righteousness)would be sufficient

In our society this could equate to:

Going to church

doing things with the church

teaching a class

being affiliated with believers

None of these things will get you into the kingdom of God

Nicodemus asked Jesus “How can a man be born when he is old? Jesus answered him saying “ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

As was the case with the ten virgins, all were professing believers, but only half were true believers. That is the state of the church, all profess, but few are genuine. Which are you?

(v.4)Some Were Ready

There were those who were truly prepared

time was not a factor for them

Those five were righteous and found to be so when the Groom returned

While the state of readiness is tied to the oil in this parable, it comes down to this point, that is knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and being ready when the time comes for Him to receive His bride and that is the rapture of the Church

(v.5)Complacency In The Church

The lamps of those who were unprepared for the delay burned out

Point to be viewed are

this is a representation of the contemporary church

the modern church fails to see the need

as time passes by, all of the virgins became sleepy

this does not mean the wise virgins began to have a moral lapse but stands as an illustration to the length of the delay

The Church

bu

A delay can cause those who are not fully commited to something to begin to loose zeal , or to fall away all together

While the saved will stay the course

the lost will completely fall away

only those with the Provisions for Righteousness will be saved

(v.6-13)Christ Returns For Those Who Are Ready

Those that are righteous stand ready to be received

Those who are unrighteous now have run out of time

The oil which represents righteousness through the Holy Spirit was recognized and those who it could be seen in were called away with the Bridegroom.

Christ will return for those that are prepared

As those who were unprepared cried out “Lord Lord open up for us” only to hear “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.”