MATTHEW 25:1-13
Introduction: Jesus Christ is coming again, that is certain. The midnight call may be heard at any moment. And when that call takes place we will be going home. But sadly very few Christians are thrilled about the imminence of his return. Why aren’t more believers excited about the second coming of Jesus Christ? Why do so many Christians not want Christ to come back just yet? Let me give you several reasons why.
I. They are at completely comfortable in this world.
A. Amos 6:1 “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion…”
B. We Americans are blessed to live at this time and in this place. We have such incredible luxuries and wealth, and we often take for granted all that we have.
C. We’ve become too comfortable in our materialism. All of our toys make us happy.
D. We’re not excited about heaven itself because too many of us are so at ease in this life that heaven sounds like a boring place.
E. Matthew 24:44 “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
F. 1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul”
G. Consider Lot – Genesis 19:1 tells us that Lot had become so complacent in Sodom that he sat in its gates and when destruction was coming had to forced to leave the city.
H. Genesis 19:15-16 “When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.”
I. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
II. They are not ready to give an account to Christ
A. Romans 14:10 – 12 “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
B. I once read a good illustration about how we need to set priorities. A college professor set a large jar on his desk in front his class. He took handfuls of big rocks and began filling the jar. When they reached the very top, he asked the class if the jar was full. The class responded “yes.” The professor then took some smaller pebbles and started pouring the pebbles into the jar. The pebbles fell in between the much larger rocks. When the jar was filled to the top with the pebbles, he again asked the class if the jar was full. The class caught on quickly. “No,” they said. And the professor then began to take some sand and pour it into the jar, filling the jar to the top. He then asked the class, “What do you think I was teaching you by this demonstration?” The class replied, “That there is always room for more.” “No,” the professor responded. “What I am trying to teach you is that you have to put your biggest things in first or there won’t be room for them later on. You can squeeze your smaller things around your bigger things, but you can’t squeeze your bigger things around your smaller things. There’s always room for the smaller things in life, but not always room for the bigger things if you’ve already put the smaller things in first.” Because we have a limited amount of time to accomplish things in this life, we need to make sure we have our priorities set on doing what we can for the Kingdom of God. Instead of being focused on the rock of Jesus Christ, most people are concerned with the sand of earthly desires.
C. 1 Corinthians 3:10, 12-15, ""For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad... If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
III. They are oblivious to things of God with little or no spiritual desire.
A. Matthew 15:8 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”
B. Many church members have grown far too comfortable to receive "milk" and have little appetite for spiritual "meat."
C. 2 Timothy 3:4 “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”
D. 1 Corinthians 3:1 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.”
E. What is carnality? According to the Greek dictionary, it means to have the nature and characteristics of the flesh (or more simply, it means “fleshly”). What, then , is the flesh? Sometimes it refers to the whole material part of man (1 Corinthians 15:39; Hebrews 5:7), and based on this meaning, carnal sometimes relates to material things like money (Romans 15:27) or to the opposite of our weapons of spiritual warfare (2 Corinthians 10:4). But the word flesh also has a metaphorical sense when it refers to our disposition to sin and to oppose or omit God in our lives. The flesh is characterized by works that include lusts and passions (Galatians 5:19-24; I John 2:16); it can enslave (Romans 7:25); and in it is nothing good (Romans 7:18). Based on this meaning of the word flesh, to be carnal means to be characterized by things that belong to the unsaved life (Ephesians 2:3). - So Great Salvation, Charles Ryrie, Victor Books, 1989
F. Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
IV. They are enjoy their pet sins too much and don’t want to give them up.
A. This angel named Carruthers was called in to the heavenly front office and informed by St. Peter that he had been picked for a special assignment—to go down to earth and make a list of all the people who had misbehaved. Two months went by. Then one afternoon the angel came flapping wearily through the Pearly Gates and collapsed on a golden stool by St. Peter’s desk. “Sir,” he said, “you don’t know the magnitude of this job. I’m going to need some help.” Impossible,” St. Peter replied tersely. “We’re shorthanded up here as it is. You’ll have to go it alone.” The angel struggled to the door. Then, suddenly, he was struck with an idea. “Saint Peter, suppose I made a list of all the people who didn’t misbehave. It would be much shorter and I could finish it in a week.” “Good thinking,” said St. Peter. The angel returned to earth and, as promised, he was back in a week with his list. St. Peter studied it and passed it on up the chain of command. Shortly, an order came down to write a letter to everyone on the list, commending them for their good behavior. At this point, the fellow telling the story turned to his friend. “You know what else the letter said?” he asked. “What?” replied the friend. “AHA! So you didn’t get one either.” - James Dent in Charleston Gazette
B. Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
C. Addressing a national seminar of Southern Baptist leaders, George Gallup said, “We find there is very little difference in ethical behavior between churchgoers and those who are not active religiously...The levels of lying, cheating, and stealing are remarkable similar in both groups. Eight out of ten Americans consider themselves Christians, Gallup said, yet only about half of them could identify the person who gave the Sermon on the Mount, and fewer still could recall five of the Ten Commandments. Only two in ten said they would be willing to suffer for their faith. - Erwin Lutzer, Pastor to Pastor, p. 76
D. 1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
V. They want more time for others to be saved.
A. Some of the greatest soul winners had a desire to see people to be saved but still yearned earnestly to be with Christ.
B. Paul – 2 Corinthians 5: 2 “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven”
C. John – Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
D. Peter – 2 Peter 3:10-13 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
E. C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.
F. This may be the only legitimate reason wishing for Christ’s delay. But unfortunately it more often than not just a smokescreen. If this is your concern how many doors have you knocked on this past week, month, year? How many of your loved ones have you witnessed to this week, this month, this year?
G. A few years ago it was estimated to require one thousand laypersons and six ministers one year to lead one person to Christ. It was also estimated that 95 percent of the Christians today never lead a soul to Christ. - Darrell W. Robinson, Total Church Life, (Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville; 1997)
