Has Your Lamp Gone Out? Matthew 25:1-13 NIV
“At That Time”
What time?
Matthew 24 the disciples ask, “what will be the signs of your coming and the end of the age?”
These are 2 separate events, His coming and the end.
Here are some major biblical events.
We are focusing on one end time event, His coming.
What are the signs? Listen to the words of Jesus.
Matthew 24:4-14
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
What are the signs? Listen to the words of Jesus.
Matthew 24:37-39
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.
These are signs of HIS coming.
They all pertain to world and weather.
Matthew 25 shows us what the church will look like when Christ returns.
“The Kingdom of Heaven will be like”
This is a picture of the church.
The ten virgins are two categories of Christians.
Let’s look at their similarities.
1. All ten looked the same.
all appeared to be alike. Looked the part on the outside.
5 were real and 5 were hypocrites.
Matthew 23 ultimately leads up to this conversation and in Matthew 23 Jesus talks to the religious people and 6 times call them hypocrites, blind guides, blind fools snakes and a brood of vipers.
These are the same people HE said were white washed tombs, looking good on the outside but empty on the inside.
Hypocrite – actor, to put on a mask. An actor under an assumed character.
2. All ten had lamps.
all had the same opportunity.
Lamp – light, torch, give light, to shine, radiant brilliance.
We all have opportunity NOW to shine and burn for JESUS!
3. All ten became drowsy and fell asleep.
Are you spiritually drowsy or have you already fallen asleep?
1 Thessalonians 5:6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.
Matthew 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
Revelation 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Revelation 16:15 Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
4. All ten woke up and trimmed their lamps.
Roused themselves enough spiritually to convince themselves that they were ready.
They did a little bit of ministry. A little bit of work.
Let me work on my lamp, work on my appearance, container look like its ready but MY LAMP IS EMPTY.
What was the ONE significant difference?
Five were wise. Five were foolish.
WHY?
Five had oil. Five had NO OIL.
Five went in. Five didn’t make it.
Oil is Holy Spirit
Five were full of Holy Spirit and Five were empty.
Holy Spirit makes you burn bright.
Has your lamp gone out?
Have you lost the fuel for your lamp?
Appears that they were unaware or spiritually lazy?
The Bridegroom did come.
Then it was too late.
Give us some of your oil.
Go buy your own
You can’t get in on somebody else’s oil.
You must pay your own price for your own oil.
Give your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, give your everything for OIL.
Has your lamp gone out?
Have you lost your fire, passion, desire, hunger and spiritual life?
If Jesus came back today would He find your lamp burning or empty?
What causes your lamp to go out?
What drains the oil from your lamp?
Coal oil lamps when I was a kid……
1. Cares of this life.
Luke 21:33-36 - Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
2. Trials
1 Thessalonians 3:3 – do not be unsettled by these trials, you were destined for them.
3. Relationships
1 Corinthians 15:33 – do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character.
4. Routine
Galatians 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
5. Religion
Are you going thru the motions, religious but no relationship? Have you been hurt?
6. Sin
Genesis 4:7 - If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Has your Lamp Gone Out?
How do I get oil in my lamp and how do I keep my lamp full?
How do I get oil in my lamp?
1. Repent confess and ask
2. Wake Up do your first works
3. Keep Watch live everyday like foe Jesus like it’s the last day.
The one thing you need to do in the last days is
Keep your lamp full.
How do I keep my lamp full?
1. Watch live everyday like He’s coming back today.
2. Understand understand the times and don’t ignore them. Sons of Issachar.
3. Be ready not afraid no fear excitement
4. Serve and share
5. W.W.W
Worship
Word
Weekly fellowship
The story in the story is Jesus is coming back when we least expect it and we need to stay ready always by being filled up with HIS spirit.
Staged in ancient Jewish wedding
