A Saint is Prepared

Announcements

Youth tonight at 4:00 PM

Church Council tonight at 7:00 PM

Matthew Bible study tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM

Charge Conference will be November 17th at 7:00 PM on Zoom.

Shoe boxes will be collected November 23rd. Youth and children are packing shoe boxes on November 22nd.

Opening Prayer

Ever living God,

you inscribe our names in your book of life so that we may share in the first fruits of salvation. Grant that we may acknowledge Christ as our redeemer and, trusting in him, be confident that none of your own will be lost or forgotten. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Song: “Your Love Awakens Me”, “Even so Come”

Pastoral Prayer

Veterans Day Recognition

Matthew 25:1–13 NRSV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 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, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

1. Saints are prepared to give the light of Christ to all. (vs. 1-4)

Matthew 25:1–4 NRSV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

Ephesians 5:8–20 NRSV

8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are called to imitate Christ and avoid certain behaviors and embracing others. Paul warns the Ephesians that if they continue to live as they did before, they will not enter the kingdom of God and enter into final salvation.

The ten virgins have a choice to make. Are they going to live as people with the light of Christ in their lives or are they going to live in darkness even though they have the knowledge that the bridegroom is coming?

2. Saints are prepared for the delay in Christ’s coming. (vs. 5)

Matthew 25:5 NRSV

5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.

2 Peter 3:3–10 NRSV

3 First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!” 5 They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, 6 through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless. 8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

Why has Jesus delayed his coming? This is a question that many Christians have struggled with over the centuries. We read in the gospels that Jesus says that the current generation will not see death until he comes again. Did Jesus lie? No he did not. Those words of Jesus will be covered in a sermon on November 29. Right now, I will say that those words have been heavily misinterpreted over the centuries.

But certainly we can acknowledge that Christ has not returned in full glory as we might recognized in Revelation 20. Why is that? Peter helps us to understand that a little better. He gives us two important reasons.

there is a misunderstanding in the nature of time

Psalm 90:4 NRSV

4 For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.

a failure to appreciate the Lord’s allowing further opportunity for repentance.

3. A Saint is prepared by knowing Christ intimately. (vs. 6-13)

Matthew 25:6–13 NRSV

6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Matthew 7:21–23 NRSV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’

There is a call for an authentic relationship with Jesus. We cannot just pretend to know Jesus and think that is enough. There is a call to us to be obedient and follow him until he returns. We cannot grow lax in our following of him just because he hasn’t come yet. We become unworthy are are condemned when we do not trust and follow Jesus.

We live in a time right now where we can’t pretend to follow Jesus. We must do so with full faith. We must know who Jesus is as the coming Messiah. Now is not the time to play church. We must be the church in a real way. We must devote ourselves fully to Christ.

Closing Song: “Seek Ye First”