SONG: WE HAVE COME INTO THIS HOUSE
GOOD MORNING, DEAR SAINTS OF GOD! WE HAVE COME INTO OUR FATHER’S
HOUSE TO WORSHIP HIM! YES, TO WORSHIP HIM!
MY PRAYER THIS MORNING IS: MAY OUR GATHERING BE MORE THAN A SONG,
MORE THAN GLAZING AT STAINED GLASS WINDOWS, MORE THEN OBEDIENCE
TO THE TRADITIONS OF MEN, SUCH AS MCKINLEY AND JOHN WESLEY.
INSTEAD, MAY OUR PRESENCE, THIS MORNING, REPRESENT OUR LAYING
ASIDE OUR FILTH RAGS OF PREOCCUPATION WITH THE WORLD AND
OURSELVES
REFLECT WITH ME FOR MOMENT ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ENTERED THE
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN-THE KINGDOM OF GOD! THE VERY PLACE WHERE THE
MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD RESIDES! JUST THINK ! THE HOLY SPIRIT IS
WITH US AND WITHIN US! THE RADIANCE OF GOD’S GLORY IS SHINING
BRIGHTLY! LET US GLAZE INTO HIS MAJESTY AND LOVELINESS! O THAT WE
MAY SEE JESUS THIS MORNING.
TAKE YOUR PEW BIBLE AND TURN TO THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, CHAPTER
25. WE WILL BE READING VERSES 1-13. (READ FULL TEXT)
NOTICE OF THE PHRASE “KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” HERE THE KINGDOM OF
HEAVEN MEANS: “THE STATE OR CONDITION OF THE VISIBLE CHURCH ON
EARTH.” WITH THIS DEFINITION UNDER OUR BELT, MAYBE WE CAN EASILY
GRASP HOLD OF THE CONCEPT THAT ‘THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN US.’
BECAUSE WE ARE THE VISIBLE CHURCH HERE ON EARTH! THE BODY OF
CHRIST!
THIS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD AS THEKINGDOM OF
GLORY, FOR THERE ARE NO FOOLISH VIRGINS IN THAT KINGDOM, OR, YET OF
THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM OF GRACE, FOR THEREIN ARE NO FOOLISH VIRGINS
NEITHER!
THIS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, THE VISIBLE CHURCH, HERE, ON EARTH, IS
LIKENED TO TEN VIRGINS, THEIR MISSION IS TO TAKE THEIR LAMPS AND THEIR
VISION IS TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM. THIS SEEMS LIKE AN SIMPLE AND EASY
ENOUGH TASK.TO KNOW CHRIST AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN! LET SEE HOW THE
LADIES WILL ACTUALLY MAKE OUT, AS THE VISIBLE CHURCH ON EARTH!
MATTHEW PAINTS US A CLEAR PICTURE OF JESUS’ CONCERN FOR THE STATE AND
THE CONDITION OF THE VISIBLE CHURCH HERE ON EARTH. HE USES JUST WORDS:
“VIRGINS AND BRIDEMAIDS.” UNDERSTAND! THAT VIRGIN AND BRIDEMAIDS
ARE SYNONYMOUS, BOTH MEAN : PURE AND SET ASIDE FOR ANOTHER.
SANCIFIED AND HOLY! WITHOUT SUCH NO MAN SHALL SEE GOD. SO,THEN
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN –THAT IS, THE CANDIDATES FOR IT, SHALL BE LIKE
VIRGIN BRIDEMAIDS.
BUT, LOOK AT VERSE 2, WE ALREADY HAD A DIVISION - five of them were wise
… five were foolish.
WHAT A DIVISION THIS MAKES IN THE VISIBLE CHURCH OF GOD HERE ON
EARTH! FOR WE SEE, NO LONGER ONE MIND, ONE, BODY, ONE BASPTISM!
BUT TWO GROUPS OF WORSHIPPERS IN OUR CHURCH, IN OUR
DENOMINATION AND ONE HALF: IS WISE! AND THE OTHER HALF: IS
FOOLISH! THE FAITHFUL AND THE UNFAITHFUL! THE PREPARED AND THE
UNPREPARED! LET US HOPE! THAT WE ARE NOT TO GATHER FROM THIS,
THAT AS MANY AS HALF, OF US SITTING HERE, THIS MORNING ARE LIKE
THE FOOLISH VIRGINS! O LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US! MAY WE BE FOUND
FAITHFUL AND NOT BE FOUND JUST PLAYING CHURCH! MAY WE GIVE OUR
ATTENTION AND DEVOTION TO YOU THIS MORNING AND FOREVERMORE!
AMEN!
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
THE FOOLISH TOO THEIR LAMPS, AND TOOK NO OIL WITH THEM! “FOOLISH’ IN
THE GREEK IS ‘MOROS,’ WHICH DERIVES FROM THE ENGLISH WORD, ‘MORON.’
THIS MORONIC ATTITUDE IS DESCRIBED FURTHER IN, REVELATION 3:14-17,
JOHN IS WRITING TO THE LAODCEANS. I KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOU ARE
NEITHER COLD NOR HOT; I WOULD YOU WERE EITHER COLD OR HOT! SO
THEN BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKE WARM AND NEITHER COLD NOR HOT, I WILL
VOMIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH! BECAUSE YOU SAY, I AM RICH, AND
INCREASED WITH GOODS, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING; AND KNOW NOT
THAT YOU ARE WRETCHED, AND MISERABLE, AND POOR, AND BLIND, AND
NAKED!
THOSE, WITH A MORONIC ATTITUDE, IS SPIRITUALLY POOR, BLIND, AND
NAKED. AND DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF SIN IN THEIR LIVES.
BECAUSE THEY HAS NO TRUE VISION OF THE FUTURE, EVEN THOUGH JESUS
HAS PLAINLY SET THE FUTURE INTO MOTION THROUGH HIS WONDERFUL
PLAN OF SALVATION. THOSE WITH A MORONIC ATTITUDE LIVE A SPIRITUALLY
LLKEWARM LIFE NEVER A HOT LIFE! SERVICE AND REVERENCE OF GOD IS
JUST A HABIT RATHER THAN A SINCERE ZEAL. THEY OBEY GOD MINDLESSLY,
TURNING OBEDIENCE,
PRAYER, PRAISE WORSHIP AND CHURCH
ATTENDANCE, INTO ROUTINES, INSTEAD, OF ASKING, SEEKING, AND
KNOCKING FOR LOVE, HOPE, AND FAITH.
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
BOTH THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH CARRIED LAMPS, CARRYING A LAMP IS
NOT A SIGN OF WHO IS PREPARED. SIMILIAR, A PERSON READING HIS BIBLE
IN CHURCH OR CARRYING A BIBLE TO CHURCH DOES NOT SHOW THAT
PERSON HAS BEING PREPARED BY STUDY AND PRAYER DURING THE
PREVIOUS WEEK TO OVERCOME SIN AND PRODUCED SPIRITUAL FRUIT.
NEITHER DOES IT SHOW THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT EXISTS WITHIN A PERSON.
THE WISE HAD OIL IN THEIR LAMPS AND WITH THEIR LAMPS! THE FOOLISH
TOOK THEIR LAMPS, BUT TOOK NO OIL WITH THEM: BUT THE WISE TOOK OIL
IN THEIR LAMPS AND HAD AN EXTRA POT OF OIL WITH THEM. THE WISE TOOK
SUFFICIENT OIL WITH THEM, BUT THE FOOLISH DID NOT. IN TAKING THE
EXTRA OIL, THE WISE VIRGINS PROVED THEMSELVES TO BE INTELLIGENT,
PRACTICAL, CAREFUL, HOPEFUL AND SINCERE. WHILE THE FOOLISH VIRGINS
PROVED THEMSELVES TO BE DULL-MINDED, UNREALISTIC, CARELESS AND
INDIFFERENT. LORD! SAVE US FROM LISTLESSNESS, INDIFFERENCE, AND
DULLNESS. AMEN
ARE WE NOT TO BE KNOWN BY OUR FRUIT OR THE LACK OF IT? ISN’T IT TRUE
THAT OUR UNSEEN ATTITUDE SHOWS OUR INNER PERSON MORE QUICKLY
THEN OUR BEHAVIOR? IT IS MUCH EASIER TO BE AN IMPOSTER AND
HYPOCRISY! THAN TO BE SPIRIT-CONTROLLED. BUT THE REWARD OF THE
SPIRIT-CONTROLLED LIFE IS MORE SATISFYING! AMEN.
TRUE DISCIPLINE OF PRESENCE IS TO ENTER INTO THE LITURGY, WHICH
COMES FROM THE MEDIEVAL LATIN PHRASE MEANING ”THE WORK OF THE
PEOPLE.” IF WE TRULY ENTER IN THE WORK OF WORSHIP WE HAVE AN
SPIRITUAL AWAKENING EVERY SUNDAY!
THROUGH OUR
ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION IN WORSHIP THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HEAL US AND MAKE US
WHOLE. AS WE OFFER OUR BODIES, A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY AND
ACCEPTABLE, UNTO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE, TO HIM. WE
WILL BREAK FREE FROM OUR SELF-CENTERED EXISTENCE TO THE
DISCOVERY OF OUR CHRIST-CENTERED LIFE!
While the bridegroom DELAYED, they all slumbered and slept.
THAT IS, BEFORE THEY WERE CALLED TO ATTEND TO HIM, THEY SLUMBERED
AND SLEPT ALIKE - HAD EASY AND QUIET, THE WISE ENJOYED A TRUE PEACE,
WHILE THE FOOLISH A FALSE PEACE. IT SEEMS THUS FAR, THAT BOTH
GROUPS ARE THE SAME, AT LEAST OUTWARDL. BUT, LET US NOT FORGET
THAT THE UNPREPARED AND PREPARED WILL SIT TOGTHER SEEMINGLY WITH
NO DIFFERENCES. THEY WILL, BOTH, SEEM INTERESTED IN THE SAME THINGS
AND SEEMINGLY HAVE THE SAME CHARACTER.
THEY BOTH MAY
DILIGENTLYGIVE TITHES AND OFFERING AND SERVE OTHERS.
BOTH GROUPS SLUMBERED AND SLEPT. THE WORD ‘SLUMBERED’ IS
ACTUALLY ‘NOD,’ A TRANSIENT ACT, WHEREAS THE WORD ‘SLEPT’ IS
SLEEPING, A CONTINUOUS ACT! HOWEVER, THE WISE VIRGINS HAD INSIGHT
INTO WHAT IT REALLY MEANT TO BE CALLED AND CHOSEN. THIS FACT GAVE
THEM SWEET DREAMS. BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN NOT ONLY CALLED AND
TOLD ABOUT THE WEDDING CELEBRATION. BUT THEY WAS ACTUALLY,
CHOSEN TO BE THE BRIDE! NOW, THAT’S VISION FOR THE FUTURE! AMEN!
THE FACT THAT THE BRIDEGROOM DELAYS HIS COMING IS NO EXCUSE FOR
US TO GIVE UP! FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE FIRST CENTURY CHURCH,
CHRIST HAS DELAYED FOR MORE THAN 2,000 YEARS! NEVERTHELESS, WE
SHOULD NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BECOME SLUGGISH ABOUT HIS
EVENTUAL RETURN. GOD, HELP US BE ALL THAT YOU HAVE CREATED US TO
BE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT DOING FOR US
WHAT WE CANNOT DO FOR OURSELVES. HOW WONDERFUL! GOD IS WITH US!
AMEN.
THEY WERE NOT JUST EXCITED. THEY WERE DEVOTED TO THE ROLE THEY
WERE TO PLAY IN THE BRIDEGROOM DRAMA! EVEN THOUGH, THEY HAVE
CARRED THE EXTRA WEIGHT OF AN OIL CONTAINER, EXTRA
RESPONSIBILITIES – OF INSULTS, OF SICKNESS, OF DISTRESS, OF
PERSECUTION! THEY LOVED WHAT THEY WERE DOING, EVEN IN WAITING. THE
PROMISE HAD BEEN GIVEN, THEREFORE THEIR BURDEN WAS LIGHT! THEY
HAD THE BLESSED ASSURANCE OF HOPE AND FAITH, THAT THEIR EXTRA
PREPARATION WOULD HELP THEM BE READY WHENEVER THE BRIDEGROOM
SHOWED! AMEN.
HERE’S AN INTERESTING THOUGHT ABOUT THE VISIBLE CHURCH ON EARTH!.
SOMETIMES BEFORE THE BRIDEGROOM COMES! THE LORD ALLOWS THE
REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH TO SHOW UP. FOR
EXAMPLE, WHEN ATTENDANCE GET LOW! AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT GETS
SLOW OR EVEN STOP. MAYBE, OUR CHURCHES’ LOW ATTENDANCE AND
SLOW FINANCIAL SUPPORT IS NOT A PROBLEM BUT SIMPLY GOD DURING
SOME GARDENING! PERPHAPS WE NEED TO REJOICE AND PRAISE GOD FOR
HIS PURGING HIS CHURCH OF FOOLISH DISTRACTIONS. AMEN. AMEN.
AND AT MIDNIGHT- AN UNTHOUGHT OF HOURWHEN THINGD HAVE COME TO THE WORST – AT MIDNIGHT- THE COLDEST
AND THE DARKEST HOUR WHEN EVERYONE IS ASLEEP!
There was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
That cry startled everybody; none of the virgins could sleep when once it was
announced that the bridegroom was coming. THE DAY IS OVER, THE WORK IS
DONE! WE ARE TOLD TO WORK WHILE IT IS STILL DAY FOR THE NIGHT IS
COME!
THEY TRIMMED THEIR LAMPS – They examined themselves and prepared to meet
their God.
HOW SAD THAT DAY WILL BE! WHEN SOME WILL FIND THEY HAVE NO FAITH!
HOW SAD!
AS I STUDIED FOR THIS SERMON AN OLD- FASHION DOCTRINE CAME TO MIND:
THE OTHERWORDLY DOCTRINE. THID DOCTRINE TAUGHT THAT WHILE WE
LIVED HERE EARTH WE NEED TO KEEP OUR FEET ON THE GROUND BUT OUR
MIND ON HEAVEN. SOMEWHERE THAT DOCTRINE GOT TWISTED TO SAY: IF
YOUR MIND IS SET ON HEAVEN, THEN YOU CAN BE NO EARTHLY GOOD!
I BELIEVE, THIS MORNING, JESUS IS CARRYING US BACK TO THE OLD
LANDMARKS, THROUGH THESE PASSAGE WE ARE STUDYING. FOR, THE NEW
TESTAMENT SAYS: SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, WHERE YOUR LIFE IS
HIDDEN IN CHRIST JESUS. SIMPLY PUT, WE ARE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY AS
IF WE ARE ALREADY IN HEAVEN. THIS WEEK, ONE OF MY DEVOTIONAL HAD
THIS TO SAY: GODLINESS IS THE DEVOTION OF THE SOUL TO GOD. IT IS
THE HABIT OF LIVING BEFORE THE FACE OF GOD, AND NOT SIMPLY DOING
CERTAIN THINGS. OUR DISCIPLINE OF PRESENCE MAY SEEM IDLENESS. But,
WE ARE NOT IDLE, IF WE ARE DEVOTING OUR SOUL, MIND, AND BODY TO THE
WORSHIP OF GOD. GOD TO FILL OUR LAMPS ANEW WHENEVER, WHEREVER
WE WORSHIP GOD IN FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. AMEN.
THE FOOLISH SAID TO THE WISE, GIVE US OF YOUR OIL; FOR OUR LAMPS ARE
GONE OUT
Ah, me! now the FOOLISH began to value what they had BEFORE despised! They
were foolish enough to think that oil, FAITH AND LOVE was unnecessary; but now they
SEE that FAITH WORKING BY LOVE IS the one essential thing THAT IS NEEDDED
TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM!, SO THEY CRY: GIVE US OF YOUR OIL. LISTEN
TO THEIR DREADFUL REASON: —
For our lamps are gone out.
Our lamps are gone out.’ We, WHO ONCE REJOICED IN THEM. WE, WHO
PROMISED OURSELVES A BRIGHT FUTURE! WE,WHO SAID, ALL IS WELL FOR
THE WEDDING SUPPER! BUT, OUR LAMPS ARE GONE OUT!, AND WE HAVE NO
OIL TO FILL THEM. O I CAN HEAR THE MOURNFUL CRY: WE ARE LOST!
MAY WE LEARN FROM THESE PASSAGES TODAY THE TRUE WISDOM OF THE
DISCIPLINE OF PRESENCE, CONSISTING IN, TAKING CARE TO HAVE BOTH THE
OUTWARD AND INWARD GRACES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
LET US BE DILIGENT TO PREPARE OURSELVES AND WATCH AND GUARD OUR
FAITHFUL HEARTS ALWAYS! AMEN.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you:
but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
O YOU WHO ARE PUTTING OFF YOUR REPENTANCE TO A LATER TIME! YOU
ARE A FOOLISH VIRGIN INDEED! YOUR FOLLY HAS REACHED ITS UTMOST
HEIGHT! DO NOT THINK THAT YOU CAN BORROW SOMEONE ELSE FAITH,
WHETHER MOTHER, FATHER OR GRANDPARENT! JESUS SAYS, I AM THE WAY,
THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, NO MAN COMETH TO THE FATHER EXCEPT BY ME.
TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION. HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS!
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; —
WHILE THEY WAS GOING!
And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was
shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
TOO LATE! THEY COULD NOT ENTER!. THE DOOR IS SHUT WITH FINALITY! THE
VERB TENSE SAYS THE DOOR IS SHUT TO STAY SHUT! THEOLOGY WON’T
WORK HERE. ALL DEBATE ENDED! ALL ANAYLZING STOPPED!
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
I CAN NOT THINK OF ANY WORDS MORE TERRIBLE THAN ”I KNOW YOU
NOT”. MAY HE NEVER HAVE CAUSE TO SAY TO ME OR YOU, DEAR FRIENDS:”I
NEVER KNOW YOU.” AMEN
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man
cometh. THEREFORE, LET US WATCH AND PRAY CONTINUALLY! WITH THE FIRM
DETERMINATION THAT GOD SAID I BELEVE IT!
SO, THE DISCIPLINE OF PRESENCE INVOLVES PERSEVERANCE IN THOUGHT
AND ACTION. PASTOR DAVID’S THOUGHTS FROM HIS EMAIL TO US, BEARS
BEING REPEATED HERE. HE SUGGESTS THAT, WE NEED TO DO ONE OR MORE
OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. PRAY BEFORE LEAVING YOUR HOME FOR WORSHIP
SERVICE. 2. LISTEN TO SPIRITUAL MUSIC WHILE DRIVING TO THE CHURCH
BUILDING. 3. ATTEND THE 8 AM PRAYER SERVICE. 4. MEDIATE ON THE
SERMON SCRIPTURE, SOMETIME DURING THE WEEK. 5. FOCUS ON THE SONG
LYRIC WHEN YOU SING. 6. TAKE SERMON NOTES. 7. LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE
HOME. 8. ENTER WORSHIP WITH EXPECTANCY THAT GOD IS GOING TO SPEAK
TO YOU. 9. TAKE TIME DURING YOUR QUIET TIME TO LISTEN FOR GOD TO
SPEAK TO YOU. 10. OBEY WHAT YOU HEAR.
You have commitment cards given to you in the bulletin. Please fill them out at this time
and pass them to the left- to be picked up by the ushers.
SONG; FILL MY CUP, LORD
TAKING TOO LONG TO COME. HOW CAN WE REALLY TELL WHO IS WISE AND WHO IS FOOLISH, IS NOT