WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.760 We'll be focusing in chapter 25. 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:05.200 You can begin opening in your Bibles to that section. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:11.039 And just a word for those that may be new here to New Hide Park or maybe you're visiting with us. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:20.640 What you will notice kind of right away about uh our fellowship here is that we typically preach through entire books of the Bible verse by verse. 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:27.600 And for about the past three years now, uh our church has been studying the gospel of Matthew together. 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:42.159 Specifically over the past couple weeks, we've been looking at uh an extended section in this book which records for us a discourse or a sermon that Jesus spoke to his disciples outside of Jerusalem. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:50.560 And our particular passage this morning from chapter 25, uh, this is really coming towards the end of that discourse. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:57.200 And it's a parable, it's a short story which serves as a sort of sermon illustration. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:04.719 So if you're already there, uh allow me to pray for us once again, and then we will get started into our text this morning. 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:11.680 Heavenly Father, we come to you in the name of Jesus, and we ask that you would have your way with us this morning, Lord. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:22.159 We ask that you would uh allow the Spirit to move in power and to impress upon us, Lord, to convict us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:29.280 Lord, we ask that you would uh direct and motivate us to live more for your glory, Lord. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:40.480 That we would, having heard the word of God this morning, that we would leave and apply it to our lives, and that we would be that much closer to shining brightly in a world of corruption and sin. 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:46.159 Lord, for those that are faint-hearted, we pray that this word would bring strength and encouragement to them. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:58.000 Lord, for those uh that that are struggling in an area of their life with sin and discouragement, we ask, Lord, that you would lift them up and that you would make known to them the forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:12.319 For those, Lord, that that that have difficulty in their witness, I pray, Lord, that today's message would move powerfully in their life and that they would be be drawn into thoughtful self-reflection. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:19.280 Lord, we ask all of this in Jesus' name, knowing that your word is mighty. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:20.479 Amen. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:29.280 I'm gonna give a sort of extended overview of the previous teaching thus far. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:46.080 And the reason is is because this parable in chapter 25 is serving as a sort of sermon illustration at the end of a longer discourse, I want to have fresh on our minds the main idea of the sermon that we've been hearing for the last couple weeks. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:53.120 If you remember chapter 24, where the discourse begins, Jesus is answering a question. 00:02:53.120 --> 00:03:02.960 His disciples ask him when the temple will be destroyed, what will be the signs of his coming, and what will be the signs of the end of the age. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:15.840 Now, if you were with us uh over the past previous weeks, you would have heard Pastor Doug and Pastor Micah highlight the fact that Jesus' answer to the disciples' question, it wasn't exactly clear. 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.800 Uh, it wasn't direct and to the point, or at least not in a chronological sense. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:33.360 Jesus' response to the disciples uh follows some of the prophetic style that we see in many other parts of the Old Testament that sort of blends the immediate and the far off. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:49.120 And his purpose in this was not to give the disciples a timeline of the future, but to help bring their thoughts and their assumptions, their hopes and desires into a greater conformity with the will of God. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:53.599 And so he gives them both purpose and perspective. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:55.919 Here's what I mean by perspective. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:04:06.560 Jesus tells the disciples that before they die, there will be much deception, false prophets, wars, famines, natural disasters, and persecutions. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:11.360 We see this in chapter 24, in verses four to seven. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:15.439 Jesus replied to them, Watch out that no one deceives you. 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:20.399 For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Messiah, and they will deceive many. 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:23.360 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of war. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:27.519 See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:29.360 But the end is not yet. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:36.160 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:45.360 And then again in verse 9, he explains, There will be tribulations, betrayals, and some of the disciples will be murdered. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:50.480 Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:54.560 You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:57.199 How's that for perspective? 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:14.639 Jesus is telling them that all these things, the deceptions, uh, the false teaching, the wars, the intrigue, the persecutions, this is the context and the setting in which the disciples are to live out their faith until they die. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:21.839 In verse 34, Jesus tells the disciples, they will experience all these things. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:34.879 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place, meaning all these tribulations and sufferings that surround the temple destruction in 70 AD. 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:45.759 Now we understand from history, and even more importantly, we understand from the book of Acts that Jesus was absolutely correct. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:57.279 All of those things marked the context and the setting by which the disciples lived and eventually died, awaiting Christ's return. 00:05:57.279 --> 00:06:14.720 But these same tribulations, these same persecutions, these same earthquakes and famines and wars, those are things that also characterize the time after the disciples. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:29.279 It characterizes the time beyond the disciples, and it leads many of us to understand that, like much of the Old Testament prophetic literature, there's a bit of an and both in what Jesus is revealing. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:47.680 And so the context that surrounds the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, it becomes rather emblematic or typological to what would define the ebb and flow of all history before the time of Christ's return. 00:06:47.680 --> 00:07:00.879 This means that Jesus was not only offering uh the disciples some needed perspective, but that he was also providing this same perspective for all of his future disciples, including us. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:15.920 Deception, false teaching, wars, intrigue, famines, natural disasters, persecutions, betrayals, and even the murder of God's people. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:23.839 This is what defines the environment in which the church will serve out her purpose until the end. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:29.199 We all need perspective, not chronology. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:35.920 It's God's will that his people should suffer and endure for his name's sake. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:37.759 Philippians 1 29. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:45.759 For it has been granted to you on Christ's behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him? 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.000 That's perspective. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:52.879 And in addition to perspective, we have purpose. 00:07:52.879 --> 00:08:04.800 And so we should ask the question: why does Jesus leave his bride, the church, to endure such tribulation and hardship before the end of all things? 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:13.360 Well, why do we have 2,000 years of church history and wave after wave of suffering, martyrdom, tribulation? 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:16.639 What's the purpose of it? 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:30.480 I thought that if you love somebody, that you are supposed to keep them safe, that you're supposed to keep them comfortable, and you're supposed to make sure that they avoid hardship and difficulty and suffering. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.799 Isn't that what love is? 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:40.559 Well, thank God that the father's love is not so narrowly defined. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:47.840 We are told in a number of scripture passages that the father loves the son. 00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:59.200 Yet in love, he sends the son to suffer and die so that rebel sinners might be brought into the father's love. 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:02.799 That's deep. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:06.000 God also loves his people. 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:10.960 Jesus loves all whom the Father has given to him. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:18.559 Love is behind the sending of the Son, and love is behind the Son's going to the cross. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:33.679 And in turn, according to the mystery and infinite wisdom of God, the suffering and death of God's beloved people, it serves a purpose that actually magnifies and deepens their experience of his love. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:45.279 It does this by joining them to the Son and joining them to the Son's purpose to redeem sinners from every tribe and tongue and nation. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:54.639 We can see this good purpose of God to manifest his love through suffering, alluded to in chapter 24, verse 13 and 14. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:55.840 Have a look. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:10:08.960 But the one who endures to the end will be saved, and this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.039 Did you see that? 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.600 Did you see the connection that was there? 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:18.320 This gospel will be proclaimed in all the world to all nations. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:21.279 That's not a command here, that's a fact. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:23.279 God will do this. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:43.440 But that gospel proclamation will come through the multitude of God's faithful elect who willingly bear witness to his excellencies and worthiness by holding fast to his word in the face of suffering and tribulation and hardship, even unto death. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:53.039 The gospel will extend to all peoples and places, and it will be extended through people that look like their savior. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:59.679 The one who endures to the end will be saved. 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:01.200 What end is that? 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:03.840 He's talking about their death. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:16.720 Because his people have first received God's love, they hold fast to his word to the end, and this becomes the testimony to the world of God's love. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:30.799 The Lord calls his people to join him in his redemptive work in all the world by demonstrating the power and beauty of his love in the face of suffering and hatred. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:48.799 And so from the ascension of the Lord to his glorious return, the name of Jesus Christ will be magnified in all the world, but it will be done through a suffering people who bear his image. 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:55.360 I mean, anyone can worship a God who gives you health and wealth and fame and reputation. 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:56.879 That's easy. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:01.279 Wow, a new car, that million-dollar house. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:02.080 Thank you. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.600 You're the best God ever. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:21.600 But the testimony of God's people throughout all of church history is that you can beat us, you can slander us, you can persecute, you can enslave, we can be stripped of everything. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:25.279 And we will still praise him. 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:35.840 We will still delight in our God who loved us and by his death granted us eternal life in his presence. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:38.399 That's our testimony, church. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:52.159 The good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ, in him, we have already received something the world and no false God and no false gospel could ever offer. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:56.480 In Christ, the love of the Father has sent the Son. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:00.799 The love of the Son took our sins into himself. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:06.799 The sins that we deserved to experience wrath for. 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:42.159 And he opened our eyes and he made known to us this grace. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:52.399 And our testimony then on earth is that in Christ alone we already have everything. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.039 That's the gospel. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:14:09.279 And it's this gospel that shines brightest in a world where people faithfully endure suffering and hardship and even death with the words on their lips, He is worthy. 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:13.519 Beloved, that's purpose. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:20.559 His beloved people displaying his glory in all the earth. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:39.279 And over the past couple weeks, Pastor Doug and Pastor Micah have repeatedly exhorted us to turn our eyes away from seeing this sermon of Jesus as some kind of future prediction to decode and instead to look at it as an application for us to heed. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.279 Last week, Pastor Micah gave three points of application. 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:44.879 They're worth repeating. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:52.080 As we wait for Christ's return, we are to be anchored in his word. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:58.480 We are to be alert to his coming and we are to be active in his service. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:09.840 Now that that's a very long introduction here, but but I think that is going to help us to best feel the kick of this parable from Jesus. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.559 And the parable has one main point. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:17.840 Christ's return will expose kingdom impostors. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:33.519 Christ's return will expose kingdom impostors who are not anchored in his word, who are not alert to his coming, and who are not active in his service. 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:43.200 Jesus is informing us through this parable of the reality of the kingdom of God as it exists between his ascension and his return. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:48.799 That right now there are many who profess to be Christian and are not. 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:55.200 Let's look at our first verse in this text, chapter 25, verse 1. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:16:02.799 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:08.159 Verse 2 five of them were foolish and five were wise. 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:13.919 Now Jesus is building on his previous statements that we've gone over here. 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:25.840 He's explaining that at that time, at the time of his return, when the Son of Man returns at an hour which you do not respect, this is what the kingdom will be like. 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:31.279 There will be kingdom citizens and there will be kingdom imposters. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:35.679 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:41.120 And we have here an imagery of a bridal party. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:48.159 These virgins or bridesmaids, they had a serious responsibility. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:54.559 They were invited to the wedding and they were given the task of being put on display. 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:57.759 They were to be a beautiful procession. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:07.680 And so their respect and their honor towards the groom's invitation is going to be revealed by their preparedness for this task. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:14.640 Their job is to make the wedding celebration known to all the people in the community. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:26.720 Now, in saying that there's ten of them, there may be some intention here by Jesus to highlight the sense of completeness of this group, right? 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:31.200 Ten can be often be used in scripture in a figurative way. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:35.759 There's ten commandments, that's sort of uh the the gist of the law. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:38.240 You have ten plagues in Egypt. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:41.039 Uh, that was really their complete undoing. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:56.319 You have uh Daniel asking the Babylonian captives for 10 days where he'll eat the grain and avoid uh the pagan food, and 10 days is sort of the complete time for which uh that testing would be revealed. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:07.119 So there may be some intention here to say uh that here is a picture of all the people who appear or claim to be God's people. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:10.000 Just something to consider. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:16.640 In our day, there are many people that say they follow Jesus, there are many people that say they follow God. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:32.799 We have Roman Catholics, Jehovah's Witness, Mormons, Jews, even Muslims, and of course, there are many so-called evangelical Christians. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:36.559 Are they all God's people? 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:40.480 How do we know who is really in Christ? 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:44.160 How do we know who are the real God followers? 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:54.079 Well, we learn in this parable that it will be revealed in the end that Christ's return will expose kingdom imposters. 00:18:54.079 --> 00:19:04.880 Earlier in Matthew's gospel, he records Jesus speaking this phrase in Matthew 11 19 wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:07.920 All will be revealed in the end. 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:18.640 Now we're still in verse 1, and it's important to note here that all ten of these bridesmates are active, they're not just sitting around. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:27.839 And this is helping to hammer home one of the key points earlier in Jesus' message about being active in service while waiting. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:32.000 And yet, five of them are imposters. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:35.039 Don't be deceived. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:40.799 Not everyone who is active in service are genuine kingdom citizens. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:46.319 Not everyone who does Christian things are necessarily Christians. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:49.279 Verse 3. 00:19:49.279 --> 00:20:00.079 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn't take oil with them, but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:07.759 When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:10.720 Jesus has the bird's eye view here. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.920 Jesus knows what's going on. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.599 This is his story. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:19.039 And he knows right away who the wise ones are and who the foolish ones are. 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:23.599 And yet, within the story itself, there's no hint or suspicion. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:27.440 The wise bridesmaids are not suspicious. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:32.720 They're not obviously aware that these other ones are foolish. 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:34.799 It's not clear to them. 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:42.559 Additionally, the big question I think everybody wants to know is what does the oil symbolize? 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:50.400 The difference between the impostors and the genuine bridesmaids is this oil. 00:20:50.400 --> 00:21:01.200 The oil burning brightly in the lamps was necessary for the bridal party to be distinct, to be noticeable, to be beautiful. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:05.119 It was what made them faithful to their responsibility. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:15.680 They are a procession to be on display and to bear witness to the beauty and the significance of the wedding, as well as the importance of the groom. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:19.599 So this goes back to the purpose that we spoke of earlier. 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:26.559 True believers not only have a purpose, but they are prepared and they are equipped for that purpose. 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:28.640 They have ample supply. 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:38.640 What do we need to faithfully fulfill our purpose and demonstrate the honor due to our Lord in a corrupt and hostile world? 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:41.039 Well, we need many things. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:47.440 We need courage, we need boldness, we need patient endurance, we need wisdom. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:49.119 The list could go on and on. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:58.400 And the point here is not to try and assign one thing to the oil, but to highlight the fact that the foolish bridesmaids lack. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.759 They are not. 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:04.640 Concerned with the purpose or the honor of the groom. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:09.119 They're not concerned with endurance. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:13.920 They're not concerned with extended faithfulness. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:24.559 And church, we know where to get the kind of courage and strength and endurance that is needed to fulfill our purpose, don't we? 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:26.319 We get it here. 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:28.400 In this word. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:35.759 This is where we find our strength to fulfill our purpose, to endure to the end. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.720 Amen. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:44.960 How sad that these five virgins care so little about that purpose given to them. 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:54.720 They sure want to be seen as part of the bridal party, but they want things to be wrapped up quickly. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:56.960 They don't want to be burdened. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:00.240 They want to avoid inconvenience. 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:04.079 They just think too little of the groom. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:07.759 They have some oil. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:19.920 They would rather masquerade and look the part for a short time than to confess their true lack and go back to the source. 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:24.799 Friends, this book will mess you up. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:27.759 This will mess up your life. 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:36.480 Many people who claim to be Christians or claim to have God in their life, they don't understand this book. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:44.240 You can twist it, you can bend it, you can make the Bible say just about anything you want it to say. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:55.200 But to go back and to humbly read it, to apply yourself to understand it and to sit under its authority is uncomfortable. 00:23:55.200 --> 00:24:05.200 It will shipwreck all the lovely dreams and plans that you had for an easy and comfortable life and wonderful retirement. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:09.279 Because this book is primarily not about us. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:21.759 It's about Christ, it's about his glory, it's about his majesty, not ours. 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:42.799 And when we are gripped by this word, when we have been so humbled by it that it drives us to not just live for ourselves, but to live for this purpose that He has given us, that He has given us His life and blood in order that we should fulfill this purpose. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:25:01.039 And when we humbly submit ourselves to this word, we accept that purpose and we joyfully endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they too may know Christ, that they may see the glory of the groom in our lives. 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:04.880 But that's a stumbling block for many, isn't it? 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:16.799 Because we live in an age where many would rather wear the name of Christ, but flee from any chance for bearing the stars and the sufferings which conform us to his image. 00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:30.000 Imposters have no courage, no boldness, no seriousness to the call to shine brightly in a fallen world and to put themselves on display. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:35.440 Many take the passive view of what it is to be a witness for Jesus. 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:41.519 You'll hear things like, well, you know, if the Lord brings suffering, I hope to endure it. 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:43.519 Is that our approach? 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:45.680 To pursue comfort? 00:25:45.680 --> 00:26:01.839 But if consider Paul's command to Timothy as an example for the community in Ephesus, he writes this in 2 Timothy 1.8 don't be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:07.920 Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. 00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:11.599 Share in the suffering. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:18.000 He's not suggesting that Timothy go off and do street preaching in Saudi Arabia. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:20.240 That's the extreme. 00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:28.480 But he's not suggesting the passive approach where you just sit back and pursue comfort. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:32.400 And maybe if suffering walks through the door, we address it. 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:43.119 He's talking about being intentional in ordering our lives in such a way that our witness bearing results in some degree or another of backlash. 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:45.599 Let me say it another way. 00:26:45.599 --> 00:27:03.599 If the choices that we are making with our lives, where we invest our time, our money, our energy, if those choices don't distinguish us from the world in such a way that outsiders take notice and maybe even offense, then we are not part of the bridal procession. 00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:20.000 There's a point at which we can know great theology and we can recite wonderful confessions of the faith, and we can call ourselves by his name and yet be about ourselves, our image, our comfort. 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:26.160 Brothers and sisters, the true Christian is not suffering averse and comfort-oriented. 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:35.920 The only distinction that we see here between the wise and the foolish are that the wise ones take oil. 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:41.839 They are taking the groom and their purpose seriously. 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:45.119 Verses 6 to 8. 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:48.079 In the middle of the night there was a shout. 00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:52.160 Come out to meet him. 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:55.519 Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 00:27:55.519 --> 00:28:02.160 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out. 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:08.160 The wise ones answered, No, there won't be enough for us and for you. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:12.640 Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves. 00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:16.960 The groom appears, and all is revealed. 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:20.640 Christ's return will expose kingdom impostors. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:23.920 The wise virgins cannot help. 00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:27.759 It's not that they're unwilling or that they're stingy. 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:30.559 The point is that it's too late. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:36.799 You can't give away what you need in order to be faithful and remain faithful. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:45.440 We can't remain faithful if we give away the very essence of that faithfulness. 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:49.119 But we can tell people where to go. 00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:53.359 And I'm just gonna add this here. 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:57.759 Brothers and sisters, we need to keep telling people where to go. 00:28:57.759 --> 00:29:05.359 We need to keep telling everyone that we love, whether they're Christian or non-Christian, that they need to go to God's word. 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:10.880 They need to go to Christ, they need to trust in this word and this word alone. 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:18.240 And please don't ever give up letting them know where the source is. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:23.519 Verse 10. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:33.200 When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:39.680 Later, the rest of the virgins also came and said, Master, Master, open for us. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:43.519 He replied, Truly I tell you, I don't know you. 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:46.960 That's the kick, isn't it? 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:53.119 The permanence of this parable is meant to be shocking. 00:29:53.119 --> 00:30:04.319 The time for the foolish ones to go and buy oil and to be anchored in God's word, to confess their sin, to repent, that time for them has finished. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:07.519 It's past. 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:17.920 Now we don't know how long this bridal procession was walking and how long they were sleeping, but it gives us an indication that there was time. 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:20.640 There was time for them to go back. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:28.319 But they pressed on. 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:32.000 They just pressed on. 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:35.200 Maybe they they were hoping that no one would notice. 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:36.720 Maybe they felt embarrassed. 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:38.799 Maybe it was pride that destroyed them. 00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:39.920 I don't know. 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:51.440 I imagine it's not easy to stand up and say to a congregation, you know, I've been coming to church for 20 years, or I've been volunteering and helping out in ministry my whole life, but you know what? 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:54.720 I don't really take God's word that seriously. 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:57.119 I'm just kind of living for myself. 00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:59.440 I'm checking a few boxes. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:03.359 That's not easy. 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:11.920 Or maybe they had the feeling of, you know, I'm just not really looking to suffer and do this whole enduring witness thing. 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:13.359 I like Jesus. 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:19.440 I don't want to go to hell, but I'm not willing to make my whole life about it. 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:23.839 Every part of my life. 00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:32.240 But this is certain Christ's return will expose kingdom impostors. 00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:37.279 This message is for those who sit in churches. 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:45.519 Right now, there are many who profess to be Christians and yet are not known by Christ. 00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:52.559 This isn't a message for those outside of the church. 00:31:52.559 --> 00:32:00.880 There are those that claim to know the groom, but the groom doesn't know them. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:06.799 These foolish virgins, uh they're not unbelievers outside of the church. 00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:12.880 They look like Christians, they talk like Christians, they may even serve in ministry. 00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:17.599 They have some oil. 00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:29.200 You want to know how far you can get in looking like a Christian and yet be unconverted and be unsaved and unknown by the groom? 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.720 You need look no further than Judas. 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:39.359 On the night he was betrayed, Jesus said, One of you will betray me. 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:45.200 Not a single disciple was like Judas, totally Judas. 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:48.960 They went around one by one. 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:50.319 Surely not I. 00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:53.039 Surely not I. 00:32:53.039 --> 00:33:02.319 Judas was among those, if you remember, who Jesus sent out to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. 00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:10.400 On that day, many, many will say, Lord, did we not proclaim the gospel and cast out many demons? 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:13.119 And Jesus will say, I never knew you. 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:15.920 Depart from me, you doers of iniquity. 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:17.920 That's heavy. 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:20.880 Let me close with this. 00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:27.119 To those of us who profess to be Christian, are you in Christ? 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:30.400 Are you in Christ? 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:39.200 Are you prepared for his coming in that you take seriously the honor of the bridegroom and the purpose with which you have been entrusted? 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:50.480 On the day of his return, will you, as a result of your faithful witness, have endured suffering and tribulation of some degree or another for his name's sake? 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:55.279 Now again, I'm not saying everyone needs to be a blood martyr. 00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:59.519 Some will endure more, some will endure less. 00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:20.559 But will you have testified to the magnificent love of God by holding to his word in a fallen and corrupted world to such a degree that persecution, slander, mockery, and evil of some kind has entered into your life because you have followed Christ. 00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:28.639 Throughout the New Testament, faithfulness to God's word is inseparably tied to suffering. 00:34:28.639 --> 00:34:31.119 Second Timothy 3:12. 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:38.480 In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:43.840 So I asked you again: are you in Christ? 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:49.920 What occupies and defines your whole life? 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:58.639 Are you caught up in the deceptions of the age, the culture wars, the conspiracies, the false hopes, the messiahs, the politics? 00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:00.480 Is that what you're about? 00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:16.320 Or are you equipped by and anchored in his word and active in the purpose so that by your death or at his return, you will be found shining brightly and on display in the procession? 00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:19.519 Are you anchored in his word? 00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:22.239 Are you active in his service? 00:35:22.239 --> 00:35:24.159 Are you awaiting his return? 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:28.159 Are you shining brightly in the procession, beloved? 00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:35.920 And I know many of you, and you are doing exactly that. 00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:40.320 You shine brightly. 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:44.000 Thank you for that. 00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:50.000 Thank you that we come home and we can see the procession here. 00:35:50.000 --> 00:36:05.679 You keep going because you are beautiful, and Christ sees you, and the groom is honored, and they mock you, and and your and your marriage suffers, and it's hard. 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:20.320 And there are hardships that you endure in order to be faithful and anchored in His Word, in this culture, in this place, and beloved, you are beautiful for that. 00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:32.079 It takes wisdom to shine, the wisdom to see before us in all of the options and choices of our life. 00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:40.480 How can we use everything that we have to make the groom known and to make the glory of the wedding known to all around us? 00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:41.440 It takes wisdom. 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:42.639 It's hard. 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:46.480 How do we use our money and our time? 00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:48.559 Where do we choose to live? 00:36:48.559 --> 00:36:50.960 What do we choose to do for recreation? 00:36:50.960 --> 00:37:01.360 It takes wisdom to know of all of our life's choices and all of the options before us, which of those will bring most maximum glory to Jesus Christ? 00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:07.679 Which of those will put us on display as those who can say he is worthy of all things? 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:10.800 And here's a good test for us. 00:37:10.800 --> 00:37:14.960 Somewhere between those two extremes I talked about, right? 00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:17.840 Right, we're gonna go and street preach in Saudi Arabia. 00:37:17.840 --> 00:37:18.960 Don't do that. 00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:27.440 And somewhere between, I'm gonna I'm gonna sit and I'm gonna be comfortable and I'm gonna pursue comfort and I'm just gonna wait for suffering to come battering down my door. 00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:31.519 Somewhere between those two extremes, we are to live. 00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:46.159 And here's the test if in your witnessing for Christ you are pursuing self-promotion or attention, your lamp is not shining. 00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:55.920 And on the other hand, if self-preservation and comfort is what's driving your lifestyle choices, friend, you ain't shining. 00:37:55.920 --> 00:38:02.079 Now I I'm I'm struggling for illustration here. 00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:10.639 Because I don't want anybody to think that that that Pac Kevin, sorry, that's what they call me in Indonesia, Pat Kevin, Pat Kevin is not judging anybody here. 00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:13.840 But I'm picking an illustration here. 00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:34.639 If you have the means to buy a brand new car and you have a choice between, you know, the souped up, super safe, you know, expensive $70,000 car or the beater, what's driving your decision between the two? 00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:36.719 Is Christ part of that? 00:38:36.719 --> 00:38:40.880 Is the honor of the bridegroom part of that decision making? 00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:48.880 Is his desire that you would shine brightly in this world part of that decision-making process in your life? 00:38:48.880 --> 00:39:01.440 Because I can tell you, as one who grew up in this culture, the top of the list for my decision making for many years was what's most comfortable, most efficient, and safest. 00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:05.760 Friends, those are anti-gospel categories. 00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:26.320 What would it look like if we called one of the elders to sit down with us and have us walk through our personal budgets and finance in order that our financial lives would be better aligned with a kingdom focus? 00:39:26.320 --> 00:39:27.280 Ooh. 00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:34.320 Kevin, you're crazy. 00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:36.239 That's private. 00:39:36.239 --> 00:39:39.199 What are you asking us to do? 00:39:39.199 --> 00:39:43.440 Uh sort of act like children and call an elder and go through our finances? 00:39:43.440 --> 00:39:45.119 Maybe. 00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:53.199 But maybe that's an expression, a way in which we take serious our purpose to glorify the groom. 00:39:53.199 --> 00:40:01.440 Maybe we need outside eyes to help us, to guide us, to put their finger on things in our life and say, hey, have you considered this? 00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:03.039 Hey, maybe this. 00:40:03.039 --> 00:40:06.400 That takes real humility. 00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:17.280 And we live in a culture that seeps its way into our thinking and doing at every turn. 00:40:17.280 --> 00:40:26.960 We need help, brothers and sisters, from one another because the culture around us is constantly trying to get us to be more like them. 00:40:26.960 --> 00:40:34.960 But he has appointed us to be on display. 00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:37.039 Are you in Christ? 00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:41.920 And look, maybe some of us here, uh, you're not in Christ. 00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:45.039 And you're here this morning and you don't claim to be a Christian. 00:40:45.039 --> 00:40:47.760 First of all, I'm so glad you came. 00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:50.400 And I want to point you to Jesus. 00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:57.599 I want you to know that following Jesus is really hard, but it's worth it. 00:40:57.599 --> 00:41:05.920 And you can experience in Christ a love and a peace that is beyond anything that this world can offer you. 00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:10.559 So come and talk to me or pull aside one of the elders of the church after service. 00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:16.880 Let us share with you more about what it means to repent from your sins and to trust in Jesus Christ. 00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:21.760 I promise you it is glorious and it is painful. 00:41:21.760 --> 00:41:27.920 Or maybe there's some sitting here today that profess to be Christian. 00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:36.559 But in the hearing of this message, in the hearing of these words from Jesus, it's got you thinking, maybe I'm the foolish virgin. 00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:38.239 Maybe that's me. 00:41:38.239 --> 00:41:46.079 If I'm being totally honest, maybe I'm not all that serious about Jesus or the calling of a disciple. 00:41:46.079 --> 00:41:48.400 Look, I want you to know something. 00:41:48.400 --> 00:41:52.079 No one in this building will condemn you. 00:41:52.079 --> 00:41:55.119 You will not be ashamed. 00:41:55.119 --> 00:42:00.320 You will be lifted up, you will be loved. 00:42:00.320 --> 00:42:09.920 You can expect to be surrounded by people that love you and want to point you to Christ and want to celebrate your confession. 00:42:09.920 --> 00:42:19.519 Don't wait until Christ returns to examine and to confess the condition of your heart. 00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:21.440 Don't wait until it's too late. 00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:25.360 Christ's return will expose kingdom impostors. 00:42:25.360 --> 00:42:36.480 Brothers and sisters, God has ordained that his church endure and await for his coming in a world full of corruption and hardship. 00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:44.159 If we are truly in Christ, we will share in those sufferings to some degree or another. 00:42:44.159 --> 00:42:49.119 And if we are faithful to his word, we will be moving in that direction. 00:42:49.119 --> 00:42:54.000 And so we wait. 00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:58.000 And while we wait, we are to be anchored in his word. 00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:04.000 We are to be alert to his coming and we are to be active in his service. 00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:09.679 I'm going to pray for us in just a moment, but I want to read for us this verse 13. 00:43:09.679 --> 00:43:16.079 And I want us to listen carefully to the final words of this parable. 00:43:16.079 --> 00:43:25.360 Therefore, be alert because you don't know either the day or the hour. 00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:26.800 Let's pray. 00:43:26.800 --> 00:43:38.079 Lord, your word is powerful, and your spirit does bring conviction of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. 00:43:38.079 --> 00:43:40.480 Thank you for Jesus. 00:43:40.480 --> 00:43:45.840 Lord, I pray that you would take this word this morning and that you would seal it on our hearts. 00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:54.960 That we would not be the same, Lord, that we would desire to move in the direction of more brightly shining for your glory. 00:43:54.960 --> 00:43:59.519 I pray, Lord, that we would move into the direction of displaying. 00:43:59.519 --> 00:44:22.400 The riches and glory of the sun all around us, that we would take seriously, Lord, our calling as witnesses, and that we would take seriously that we shine brightest when we are being pressed and stripped and harassed. 00:44:22.400 --> 00:44:27.119 And yet we still cry, worthy is the Lamb. 00:44:27.119 --> 00:44:31.440 Create in us, Lord, hearts that are pure. 00:44:31.440 --> 00:44:35.519 Show us the power of the resurrection. 00:44:35.519 --> 00:44:42.000 Allow us, Lord, to enter into the fellowship of his sufferings. 00:44:42.000 --> 00:44:44.079 Do this for your glory in Jesus' name. 00:44:44.079 --> 00:44:45.039 Amen.