Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
James 1:22
Are you ready for the Bridegroom?
Sunday services on April 17th
Are you Ready for the Bridegroom?
Matthew 25, and Matthew 27
CIT: Jesus Tells a parable that is applicable for the end times and was applicable to the people of Israel before Jesus was sentenced to death
CIS: We are must be aware and on guard when Jesus calls, we are called to prepare ourselves for the coming of the King
SO: To encourage ROLC to prepare themselves for the coming of the king, and to not be left outside wanting. MO: Devotional
Intro: This Easter Sunday we have a lot to celebrate and we are grateful and glad to be worshipping in the house of God, and honoring Jesus and his victory over death! There is a sense of anticipation and joy that is to be expected when we take a backward look at the resurrection and remember what it truly means!
Hallelujah!
However, we cannot forget this all-important fact. Jesus is coming again. Jesus is not constrained by time or space, nor is he some distant fairy tale, he lives forever and ever!
Jesus the Messiah is coming back!
The people of Israel were waiting for the Messiah too, they were excited and were longing and desiring their king to come and rescue them. However many of the people of Israel missed Jesus the first time. They were anticipating him, but he wasn’t what they expected.
This morning I want to open with a parable. (A hidden story) Jesus taught his disciples that I think has two meanings. One for the people of the day; and one for us today here in 2022.
The second coming of Christ is nearer now than ever before.
Let’s Read Gods word
T/S:
“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 25:1-13
1. The bride
Exp: Jesus likens his church to a bride and for good reason, the church is called the bride of Christ. Jesus is the bridegroom. This parable isn’t placed in the gospel unintentionally, There is a marked difference between the ten virgins here in the story. The first five virgins were ready!
They trimmed their lamps, they made sure they had enough oil, and they were ready and willing and excited for the coming of the bridegroom. Both the wise virgins and the foolish virgins slept.
They lived their lives, they rested, they went to work, they flitted about their daily life, but they were prepared and alert and on watch, they were about their father's business.
The foolish virgins were also asleep, but they were not about the father's business. They had the appearance of readiness and the appearance of anticipation, and an appearance of readiness. Yet they were fooling themselves!
When the bridegroom came he didn’t recognize him. The foolish trimmed their wicks but had no oil!
Ill: Marriage ceremony! I was marrying someone as a minister, they were married in the late summer around the 1st of august end of July. It was outdoors and in the sun. I had a full suit on, and they were dressed in their best clothes. I placed my I pad on the pulpit (This one) and took some pictures and finally returned to the pulpit when it was time for vows I pulled out my tablet and it had a tiny message written on it.
(Show Picture)
Mind you she was literally walking down the Aisle, and the music was playing!
I quickly pulled out my phone and immediately swished up my email and was miraculously delivered. Needless to say, I print all my notes now.
I was unprepared for the bride and the bridegroom
App: Church doesn’t be unprepared for the bridegroom. Israel was unprepared for Jesus, Jerusalem welcomed him as a conquerer or as a reliever from Roman Rule, but when Jesus came to lay his life down, they were willing and ready to kill him and crucify him. They expected something else; or someone else.
What are you expecting?
Are you holding a lamp? Do you look Christian? Do you look religious? You may be holding a lamp, but is there oil in that lamp?
Is there oil in your lamp?
Is Jesus and the cross tired to you?
Can we taste again the agony of the Crucifixion?
2. Jesus on the Cross
33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
Exp: Jesus didn’t drink the pain reliever, he instead drank the wrath of God all the way down. God isn’t messing around with sin. The Death of Jesus was simultaneously the greatest moment in history and the worst thing that ever happened. Jesus drank to the dregs the wrath of God.
15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.
Jer 25:15
For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. Psalms 75:8
Jesus took and accepted the full wrath of God.
35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
They took his possessions and gambled and spread them among themselves. How profound, the maker of all things and they took the clothes off his own back. Certainly prophetic and poignant symbolism of the depravity of humanity.
37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Matthew 27:37
How Ironic the very thing they demanded was hanging before the world on Calvary.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
Matthew 27:45-50
Jesus drank the cup to the dregs. Then he died.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Matthew 27:51-54
1. Temple veil Torn in two (access to the throne room of God)
2. Literal resurrection on the spot! (Death gives way to life)
3. Massive earthquake and realization that Jesus was truly the son of God. (The ultimate question answered)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 3:36
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
2nd Peter 3:9-10
Are you ready?
Jesus lives forevermore! (Response)
