Biblical Evangelism: Warns Of The Danger Of Delay

BIBLICAL EVANGELISM: WARNS OF THE DANGER OF DELAY

MATTHEW 25:1-13

A MAJOR QUESTION THAT WE ARE OFTEN FACED WITH IS WHETHER OR NOT TO DELAY AN ACTION OR CHOICE. SOMETIMES IT IS BETTER TO WAIT, WHILE STILL OTHER TIMES WAITING CAN BE CATASTROPHIC. TO DELAY MEDICAL TREATMENT CAN LEAD TO DEATH. TO DELAY FILLING YOUR CAR WITH GAS UNTIL THRUSDAY MAY MEAN SAVING A CENT OR PAYING AN EXTRA ONE, NOT THAT BIG IN THE SCOPE OF LIFE.

THERE IS ONE DECISION THAT IF WE DELAY MAKING, COULD HAVE EVERLASTING CONSEQUENCES FOR US, AND THAT IS THE DECISION TO MAKE JESUS OUR LORD, AND ACCEPT HIM AS SAVIOR. OUR LIVES ARE SHORT, LONGEVITY IS NOT FOR CERTAIN, AND THIS DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME. ONCE WE ENTER ETERNITY OUR FATE IS SEALED.

THIS IS THE GOAL OF BIBLICAL EVANGELISM. BIBLICAL EVANGELISM STRESSES THE NEED OF ACCEPTING CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR AND MAKING HIM OUR LORD. IT ACCEPTS THE BIBLE AS THE WORD OF GOD, AND IT TEACHES THERE IS A HEAVEN TO GAIN AND A HELL TO SHUN.

BIBLICAL EVANGELISM TEACHES THAT WE ARE ALL SINNERS, AS THE RESULT OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE, AND AS A RESULT, WE ALL HAVE A DESTINY OF GOING TO HELL, SHOULD WE NOT TURN TO CHRIST.

BIBLICAL EVANGELISM STRESSES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST WHILE ON THIS EARTH AS LORD OF OUR LIVES. IT STRESSES THAT WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT WE WILL HAVE RENEWED RELATIONSHIP WITH OHER CHRISTIANS IN HEAVEN, THAT THE REAL BLESSING OF HEAVEN WILL BE OUR ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.

BIBLICAL EVANGELISM TEACHES THAT THERE IS A LIMITED TIME TO MAKE THIS DECISION.

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-2:

“AS GOD’S CO-WORKERS WE URGE YOU NOT TO RECEIVE GOD’S GRACE IN VAIN. 2 FOR HE SAYS, “IN THE TIME OF MY FAVOR I HEARD YOU, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Z I TELL YOU, NOW IS THE TIME OF GOD’S FAVOR, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.

ONE REASON THAT THIS DECISION IS SO IMPORTANT IS OUR OWN FINITENESS. WE DO NOT KNOW OUR LIFE SPAN. ANOTHER REASON TO MAKE THIS DECISION ARE THE BLESSINGS OF THE RELATIONSHIP WE CAN HAVE WITH CHRIST WHILE IN THIS WORLD.

A THIRD COMPELLING REASON, AND THE ONE WHICH I WILL SPEAK ON TODAY, IS THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT KNOW THE TIME THAT THE LORD IS GOING TO RETURN FOR HIS CHURCH. JESUS SAID THIS CONCERNING THE TIME OF HIS RETURN AND THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

MATTHEW 24:36-42:

36 “BUT ABOUT THAT DAY OR HOUR NO ONE KNOWS, NOT EVEN THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN, NOR THE SON, BUT ONLY THE FATHER. 37 AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH, SO IT WILL BE AT THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN. 38 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; 39 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. 40 TWO MEN WILL BE IN THE FIELD; ONE WILL BE TAKEN AND THE OTHER LEFT. 41 TWO WOMEN WILL BE GRINDING WITH A HAND MILL; ONE WILL BE TAKEN AND THE OTHER LEFT. 42 “THEREFORE KEEP WATCH, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ON WHAT DAY YOUR LORD WILL COME.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WILL COME SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. THE WORLD WILL CARRY ON JUST AS IT ALWAYS HAD, AS THIS PASSAGE SAYS, AND THEN ONE WILL BE TAKEN AND THE OTHER LEFT.

I DO BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A GREAT INCREASE IN EVIL BEFORE THE LORD COMES BACK. IF YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THE PUNISHMENTS THAT GOD INFLICTED ON THE ISREALITES WAS INFLICTED BECAUSE THEY DID EVIL, NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE GOOD. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WORLD IS IN FOR GREAT EVIL, LIKE WE HAVE NEVER KNOWN BEFORE, AND THIS MAY VERY WELL HAPPEN BEFORE THE RAPTURE.

SO AS CHRISTIANS WE MUST BE READY AT ALL TIMES TO PRESENT OUR CASE TO THE WORLD. PREPARATION IS THE ONLY WAY TO DEFEAT UNCERTAINTY. THIS IS WHAT THIS PARABLE IS TALKING ABOUT.

BACKGROUND:

WE MUST CONSIDER THE PARABLE IN THE LIGHT THAT JESUS IS CONTINUING HIS TEACHING ABOUT HIS SECOND COMING IN CHAPTER 24. THE LESSON THAT HE REALLY WANTS PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IS THE NECESSITY TO BE READY FOR WHEN HE COMES BACK. SPIRITUALLY IT DOESN’T MATTER WHEN CHRIST RETURNS IF YOU ARE READY NOW BY ACCEPTING HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR.

THE IMAGERY OF THE PARABLE ACCURATELY REFLECTS TYPICAL CUSTOMS OF FIRST-CENTURY PALESTINIAN WEDDING FESTIVITIES. A WELCOMING PROCESSIONAL ESCORTS THE NEWLY MARRIED COUPLE FROM THE BRIDE’S HOME TO A GREAT BANQUET AT THE BRIDEGROOM’S HOME, SOME UNSPECIFIED TIME AFTER THE LEGAL NUPTIALS HAVE BEEN EXCHANGED. TORCHES LIGHT THE WAY IN THE DARKNESS, SO ALL THE BRIDESMAIDS HAVE TO TAKE ENOUGH OIL TO KEEP THEM BURNING FOR AS LONG AS MIGHT BE NECESSARY.