Are You Ready? Christ's Return
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Introduction:
Introduction:
I have a very simple statement for you this morning, Jesus is coming back. Get Ready! For Jesus to comeback that means He already came, and if He came and can comeback that means He is God! If you are not ready you need to get ready. You might be asking “why do I need to get ready?” Think about the preparations we make when we are having company or family that we haven’t seen in a long time. Think about our attitude and preparation. We want things to be just right. Once you find out that more than a King is God! That almighty God is coming you would prepare in a different type of way! If you understand that God is coming back, you will be ready!
Background
Background
Jesus is communicating he is coming back as a Lord.
Jesus was speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees
PARABLE- A GENERAL STORY WITH SPIRITUAL TRUTH
The story itself is thought to reflect what was a rather typical wedding scene of first-century Palestine.
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.
The wedding guests were entertained in the bride’s home until late evening.
The story itself is thought to reflect what was a rather typical wedding scene of first-century Palestine. The wedding guests were entertained in the bride’s home until late evening. There they waited for the bridegroom, whose coming was announced by messengers. Some time after nightfall (in this parable, about midnight) the groom came to claim his bride and to take her to his father’s home, where the wedding ceremony and other festivities took place. Both the coming of the bridegroom to the bride’s home and the procession to his father’s home were accompanied by bright lights, especially by torches. One scholar on the parables notes that it is customary among the Arabs of Palestine for the groom to be late for the wedding. The delay results from the traditional haggling over the gifts due the bride’s relatives, for if such haggling is neglected, this may indicate that the bride is not to be prized very highly.
There they waited for the bridegroom, whose coming was announced by messengers.
The groom came to claim his bride and to take her to his father’s home, where the wedding ceremony and other festivities took place.
Both the coming of the bridegroom to the bride’s home and the procession to his father’s home were accompanied by bright lights, especially by torches.
The groom usually late for the wedding. The delay results from the traditional haggling over the gifts due the bride’s relatives, for if such haggling is neglected, this may indicate that the bride is not to be prized very highly.
Description- Do you fit the Description?
Description- Do you fit the Description?
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN- EVERLASTING KINGDOM RULED FOREVER BY GOD
TEN VIRGINS- UNMARRIED WOMEN, BRIDESMAIDS
FOOLISH- EXTREMELY UNWISE, STUPID
17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
PRUDENCE- HAVING YOUR RIGHT MIND BASED ON WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING
18 The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
What is your identity before God?
Identity has to do with the fact that you are who you say you are!
It’s easy to make a claim about ourselves but our identity is marked by God’s description.
God standardizes what we should look like. (Saint or Sinner; Child of God or Child of Satan;Prudent or Foolish)
Description marks who you are and what you do!
Jesus tells the Scribes and Pharisees that they were of their father the Devil. He rejects their statement that they were of Abraham and Jesus’ reason is that if you were from Abraham you would do the deeds of Abraham.
Did you know the name “Christian” was not chosen but was given to people who followed Christ!
When I was growing up and someone wasn’t doing right my Grandmother use to describe people as “EVERY BIT OF a FOOL.”
BELIEF DETERMINES BEHAVIOR AND BEHAVIOR DEMONSTRATES BELIEF!
IF YOU WERE TODAY ARRESTED FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN WOULD YOU BE GUILTY AS CHARGED?
Jesus wants us to know that there are two distinctive groups, The WISE and the FOOLISH.
All will fit a DESCRIPTION, and all will have a DESTINATION
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.
MATTHEW 25:2-4
Destination- Where is your Destination?
Destination- Where is your Destination?
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR GOING TO?- DIANNA ROSS
“In my Father’s House are many mansions, if it were not so i would have told you so, I go to prepare a place for you.”
Knowing where you are going determines how you prepare
How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!- Emma Jane Austen
The married couple would consummate the relationship at the Brides house and the Groom would then take the Bride to the Father’s house for the wedding feast and they would live there.
Jesus is again assuring the listener that He is coming back and taking all those who are wise with Him.
Abraham Lincoln said “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend 4 of them sharpening the axe.”
No where you are going and prepare for his return!
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.’
Matthew 25:5-6
Expectation- With Description and Destination there is Expectation!
Expectation- With Description and Destination there is Expectation!
DELAYING- “BUT ABOUT THAT DAY OR HOUR NO ONE KNOWS NOT EVEN THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN, NOR THE SON, BUT ONLY THE FATHER.
WHY IS JESUS TAKING SO LONG?
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
SLEEP- COMMUNICATES THEIR DAY TO DAY ACTIVITY.
SLEEP- COMMUNICATES THEIR DAY TO DAY ACTIVITY.
SLEEP COMMUNICATES THEIR DAY TO DAY ACTIVITY.
MIDNIGHT- HAS TO DEAL WITH DEEP IN THE NIGHT. HOURS WHEN NO ONE EXPECTS
BRIDESMAIDS WOULD NEED LAMPS TO ACCOMPANY THE BRIDE AND GROOM TO THE FATHERS HOUSE
We surprised our kids and took them to Disney a few weeks ago to Disney. Once we were in the car and on the road for an hour we let them know where we were going. The next question that ensued was when will we get there? Every 30 minutes we heard the famous question “are we there yet?”
EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO HEAVEN BUT NOBODY WANTS TO DIE!
Jesus is how you get to Heaven
Heaven is great but its great because Jesus is there!
This talk of Jesus’ delay deals with his immanent return.
My grandmother would leave home and give instructions and we would try to anticipate her return. Cause we would wait to the last minute to complete her chore list. Needless to say she always caught us off guard and judgement took place.
If Jesus is God, we need to have the expectation of the person of God: He keeps His promises.
Expect His return
IF YOU KNOW HE IS COMING BACK THAN LIVE LIKE IT!
Luke 21:34-36
WHAT WE EXPECT, WE OBEY!
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.
Matthew 25:7-10
PREPARATION- EXPECTATION BRINGS PREPARATION
PREPARATION- EXPECTATION BRINGS PREPARATION
ALL WILL SEE THE COMING OF THE LORD (v7)
7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.
THERE ARE NO LAST MINUTE CHAGES OF HEART.
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Is 55:
SUCCESS IS WHEN PREPARATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY
IN THE CHRISTIANS CASE ITS PREPARATION MEETS INVITATION (GOD HAS ASKED US TO COME AND THAT HE WAS COMING BACK)
A LOT OF US WANT TO KEEP GOD CLOSE ENOUGH TO SAVE US BUT FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO LET US DO WHAT WE WANT
PREPARATION HAS TO DO WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP AND IDEA OF WHO GOD IS.
SALVATION CAN NOT BE BORROWED BUT IS AN INDIVIDUAL THING (v 8-9)
THOSE WHO ENTER INTO SALVATION ARE SEALED IN
THOSE WHO DON’T ARE SHUT OUT
SALVATION IS ONLY AVAILABLE WHILE YOU ARE ALIVE
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 25:11-13
REJECTION-
REJECTION-
Failure to meet the right Description, to have no destination, no expectation, and no preparation ends in REJECTION!
When I was younger my cousin gave me excellent advice as it pertains to life. He gave me the 7 P’s. PROPER PLANNING AND PREPARATION PREVENT PISS POOR PERFORMANCE
When I was younger my cousin gave me excellent advice as it pertains to life. He gave me the 7 P’s. PROPER PLANNING AND PREPARATION PREVENT PISS POOR PERFORMANCE
The Shut Door means eternal punishment
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 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, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
ARE YOU READY FOR CHRIST RETURN? WHEN YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE GOING WHERE WILL YOU BE?