Untitled Sermon (12)

Session 6

Matthew 25:1-13

INTRODUCTION

Boy Scouts Moto: “Be Prepared”

When it comes to the Kingdom of God- we are told to be prepared.

Live in a world that believes that there are many ways to heaven.

-Oprah

Parable is given to show us the importance of being prepared for Christ’s coming.

READ/ PRAY

Three Truths of the Kingdom

Matthew 25:1–13 ESV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For 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, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Matthew 25:1 “1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.”

A. “At that time”= Matthew 24:36-41

B. “Kingdom of heaven will be like” = analogy of marriage.

1. Like saying God is our Father

a. only makes sense to those who have a good father.

b. failure of fatherhood keeps people from understanding.

2. Failure of marriage in our culture keeps people from understanding.

a. Marriage is most tender, firm and endearing relationship on earth.

b. Marriage is dead in America

(1) Even among many “Christians”

(2) Beyond just homosexual marriage—already dead.

(a) No longer the way God intended.

(b) God intended no sex outside of marriage and one mate forever.

(C) Living together is not God’s plan- increases chance of divorce.

C. “Ten Virgins”= Ten girls of marrying age but not yet married= bride’s maids.

D. “Lamps”= torches covered in oil.

E. Hindu marriage witnessed by missionary.

1. At a Hindu marriage the procession of which I saw some years ago, the bridgegroom came from a distance, and the bride lived at Serampore, to which place the bridegroom was to come by water. After waiting two or three hours, at length, near midnight, it was announced, in the very words of Scripture, “Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.’ All the persons employed now lighted their lamps, and ran with them in their hands to fill up their stations in the procession. Some of them had lost their lights and were unprepared, but it was then too late to seek them, and the cavalcade moved forward to the house of the bride, at which place the company entered a large and splendidly illuminated area before the house, covered with a n awning, where a great multitude of friends, dressed in their best apparel, were seated upon mats. The bridegroom was carried in the arms of a friend, and palced in a superb seat in the midst of the company, where he sat a short time, and then went into the hosue, the door of which was immediately shut and guarded by sepoys. I and others expostulated with the doorkeepers, but in vain. Never was I struck ith our Lord’s beautiful parable as at this moment—‘And the door was shut.’”

Matthew 13:2-9 “2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.””

A. “oil”= preparation

1. If referring to Holy Spirit one must not take parable too far.

a. Holy Spirit cannot be bought.

B. Two types of people.

1. Wise= prepared for coming of Messiah

2. Foolish= unprepared (13:5-6, 20-21)

Matthew 13:5-6 “5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.”

Matthew 13:20-21 “20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.”

3. Both exactly alike except in their preparation.

C. “The Cry Rang out” (6)= The trumpet blasts (24:31)

1. 1 Corinthians 15:52 “52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be ch

2. 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

D. vs. 8- Preparation is not transferable from one person to another.

Matthew 13:8 “8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

1. It is your personal responsibility to be ready.

Matthew 13:10-13 “10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”

A. Wedding banquet (10)- happens at grooms house.

B. “Door was shut”= no one else allowed in.

C. “I do not know you.” (12)

1. Matthew 7:21-23 “21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is 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 mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

2. Compare to 25:11- “Sir, sir”

Matthew 25:11 “11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’”

3. True Christians are ready and prepared.

D. vs. 13—“Keep watch”= be ready and prepared.

1. Matthew 24:42-44 “42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

CONCLUSION

Are you prepared?

What about those around you?

Untitled Sermon (12)

IV. Coming of the Kingdom

A. Prepared for the Kingdom

I. The Kingdom is Coming (1)

II. The Kingdom is for the Prepared (2-9)

III. The Kingdom is Limited (10-13)