I pray that you have all taken the time to sit with the scriptures we have been studying. We are at the crossroads of decision making time. Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Romans 13:11. It’s time to rouse ourselves from sleeping, and put our spiritual armor on. It’s time to take a stand for righteousness. Who’s on the Lord’s side? It’s time to step up and step out. We’ve got no time to lose. Our long awaited Bridegroom is soon to come. Can’t you sense the urgency? Don’t you feel it in the atmosphere? All creation groans, waiting for the manifestation of the children of God (Romans 8:19) The world at large is waiting for the revelation of the real us. We will continue in Matthew 24 through 25. The objective of this message is to stir us up. To remind us that we don’t have time for pettiness and religious games. This is put up or shut up time. TD Jakes’ favorite statement ”Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!” is appropriate for where we are right now. So are you ready? Let’s continue reading:
Matthew 24:37-51:
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? ( speaking to those who are supposed to be feeding His sheep) It will be good for that servant (pastors)whose master finds him doing so when He returns. Truly I tell you, He will put him in charge of all His possessions. But suppose that servant (pastor/Christian ) is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect Him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
These verses speak to those of us who are believers in Jesus, who have been entrusted with the responsibility of sharing the gospel. But we’ve become preoccupied with our own stuff, forgetting that we’ve been given an assignment. Consider this: If your boss gives you a project, and has given you as much time as it will take you to get it done, but with the understanding that He could request the finished project at any given time- Would you procrastinate Because you told yourself you had all the time in the world? Or would you daily work at completing it so that if He should announce His coming, you’d be prepared to meet Him, project in hand? Ever heard the saying “a watched pot won’t boil?” But walk away from the stove for a second and see what happens. You walk away to do something else, and sometimes forget about the pot. I’ve burned up a few pots doing that very thing. Better to stay in place. It will boil. Stay watchful! He will surely come just as He promised. Acts 1:11
I had the good habit of finishing my projects ahead of schedule. I would also prepare for what I knew was ahead, as it was in my power to do so. I made my job look easy. Consequently when I retired, my replacement was told my job would be a breeze. Little did they know good work ethic made it appear that way. My first replacement almost had a nervous breakdown, she was overwhelmed by all she had to do. She was lied to. Satan is lying to some of you now-Telling you life’s a breeze. Live it up! You have time. My other three replacements have either been fired or quit. So much for being a breeze. I have raised my daughter to be the same way. Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today. The same principle applies to our preparedness or lack thereof, for Jesus’ return. Some of us will be caught with our spiritual pants down. I wrote in an earlier message, that we’re in the right place, but not committed or submitted to Him. In Church, doing church stuff, but never made Him Lord. This will be the biggest disappointment facing the body of Christ If we don’t get our act together. Let’s read to prove my point.
Matthew 25: The Ten Virgins
“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 when the Son of man will come.”
Matthew 25:1-13
The moral of the parable is that they all knew He was coming. What they didn’t know was when. Five made preparation for the unexpected return. The other five did the bare minimum. Isn’t that what we’re seeing today? Some people work hard, others want to show up and take what you’ve worked for. Give me some of your oil! You have too much! You’re supposed to share! That’s what Christians are supposed to do! Not in Jesus’ parable. When it comes to preparation for heaven, you have been taught repeatedly how to get ready to meet Jesus and you take the lazy way out. You’re on your own now. You’ve allowed the enemy to lie to you about how much time you have. There will be no excuses at the throne of judgement. Jesus didn’t let them explain why they were late. It won’t matter why! Live today as though it were your last, it just may be. It is just as important how you live as why you live. See Romans 8:13
The Bible tells us to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12 It’s personal. Doesn’t matter if you were born on the church altar. Doesn’t matter if you’re in church 24/7 volunteering on every committee. That’s works based religion. But are you born again into the family of God? Have you accepted the finished work of Jesus for the atoning sacrifice for your sins? Doesn’t matter that your daddy or mamma is the pastor. This is not by osmosis, YOU are responsible for the choices you make. What have you been doing with the time He’s given you? It wasn’t that He didn’t know them. He knew who they were. The fact that they didn’t care enough to prepare disqualified them.
This is a picture of the Church. Most if not all of Jesus’ parables, were directed towards the religious folks.
The five foolish virgins went to get oil, they knew He was coming, still they were living life on their terms. Knowing what to do, yet refusing to do so got them locked out. They were not prepared. Are you? Prepared, that is, for His unannounced return? The extra oil speaks to anticipation. They, the wise, knew He would come, didn’t matter when, so they prepared. They didn’t take for granted that they were in the right place. They still had to be prepared. Matthew 24 said two were in the field, one taken ,the other left. Why? Preparation.
When my daughter was a sophomore in high school, I asked her this question. “ Why do you serve the Lord?” Her response was very important to me. Why? Because if she was serving Him because of me she was on her way to hell. But if she had made Him her personal Lord and Savior my work was almost done. Almost, because now I had to model for her how to live the “prepared to meet Him” life. Today, her lamp is full and she has reserve oil for whenever the call comes. Jesus says blessed is the man who the Lord finds doing what he is tasked to do. My lamp is full, my reserve is being replenished moment by moment, waiting for the call. I don’t want to be running around trying to find what I should already possess.
When you’re being poured out in service to Him, He sees to it that your reservoir is replenished. When you live covertly, you’ll run dry. We were meant to be poured out, bringing Jesus and His message of salvation to all the world. Jesus is coming soon. Jesus spoke these words: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Luke 21:28 KJV
What things? The things we read about in Matthew 24. The things that point to His return. Don’t think it strange the things you’re witnessing today all over the world and even in our nation. It was already prophesied. Let’s see if you recognize some of the things we’re witnessing today in the following scripture.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:1-5KJV
Sound familiar? That was written over 3,000 years ago, yet here we are looking in the mirror of the manifestation. We’re not getting there, we’ve arrived. Jesus is coming soon! Let’s look at a few other scripture verses to wrap things up.
“According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NIV
“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:1-8, 11 NIV
“And I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them [for this heaven and earth are passing away]. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged according to what they had done as written in the books [that is, everything done while on earth]. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and Hades (the realm of the dead) surrendered the dead who were in them; and they were judged and sentenced, every one according to their deeds.
Revelation 20:11-13 AMP
Friends, we have a lively living hope. Those who look for and long for His appearing will keep our lamps trimmed, and with oil to spare. It doesn’t matter when He comes, we know He’s coming soon. The good news is, while it is still called today, we have an opportunity to get our spiritual houses in order. Don’t let the door be shut and hear the Bridegroom say He doesn’t recognize your voice. Repent and change course. Salvation is still available to all who call upon His Name in faith, believing that He’s able to save to the utmost. I’m speaking to backsliders and the religious folks as well. Lukewarm folks. And even to those of us who are doing well. We cannot let down our guard, not even for a second.He loves us more than we’ll ever know. That’s why He’s warning us, sounding the alarm! Everything you’re doing or not doing is recorded. Our works will be judged. Did you notice that there were books? But Specifically the Book of life? Is your name written there? READY OR NOT, HERE HE COMES! ARE WE READY TO MEET HIM?
Father in Jesus Name I declare I am ready! Ready to say yes to Your will and Way. Ready to trade a life of complacency for a life of purpose and preparedness. Ready to make you Lord of everything so that I will hear you say, enter into the joy of the Lord. Thank you for teaching me the importance of staying ready. I receive your message of hope and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. I’m now one with you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Ready to go, ready to serve, ready to meet my Bridegroom. Jesus my Redeemer. Amen.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9 NIV
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
Revelation 22:7 NIV
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
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