Series: The Parables of Christ
Topic: A Day Late And A Dollar Short
March 10, 2002
Matthew 25:1-13
Introduction: Pop Quiz
A teacher’s ultimate torture
[use it, or lose it-my interview experience]
-tests how prepared we are, or how well we are preparing ourselves
In Matthew 24 Jesus teaches His disciples that the Day of the Lord is immanent and what signs to expect in preparation for that day. And, He concludes these lessons with four parables; each communicating the same warning: "Be Prepared".
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." Matthew 25:1-13 (RSV)
Explanation: Everyone loves a wedding. The pomp and stance. The decor and dress. The wonder of two people falling in love...
But in early Palestine weddings were much different. In our culture the bride is the center of attention. It is she for whom everybody awaits. But, in early Palestine it was the groom for whom everybody awaited. A day would be set for the wedding. And on that day the groom would go to the father of the bride and negotiate a bride price.
Eastern culture places great emphasis on the act of negotiating even today. It’s more about building a relationship than about the price. I’ve been told that to accept a merchant’s first offer is an insult, so great is the bartering tradition. For the groom to haggle the bride price indicated the value of the bride. If he was willing to haggle to great lengths it indicated his true love for her. For the parents to haggle to great lengths indicated their love for their daughter. Bartering could take hours, thus in our text the bridal party waits for such a lengthy time that they begin to fall asleep. And, the bridegroom doesn’t even show up until midnight.
So, Jesus uses this illustration to warn his disciples to BE READY. Just as the wedding party had to be ready at any moment, so too must we be ready for Christ’s return. But our preparedness is not to be a momentary thing, but rather a lifestyle. On ongoing readiness.
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only...Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." Matthew 24:36, 42 (RSV)
I. Preparedness Requires Perception
Hindsight is 20/20. But to be prepared one needs a capacity to look forward with a great degree of clarity. Not that one can know the future, but it is possible to see the potential for an event down the road.
Foresight –to expect the unexpected; to anticipate the ‘not yet’.
To plan for retirement one must look into the unknown and create the future; building into this future events of notability: illness, Alzheimers, widowhood, perhaps even recession.
Perception is having the capacity to evaluate one’s present situation, one’s direction, and one’s objective/goal.
II. Preparedness Requires Planning
To have a party or other large event one cannot wait until the day and just throw things together. Haphazard planning results in a haphazard event.
Bayfest/ Buccaneer Days
Without planning:
Traffic jams
Restroom problems
Food shortages
Fights over location for booths
Utter chaos
No control over drunkenness/ lack of police protection
Requires planning:
Determine location
Anticipate participation
Determine parking
Reserve and place restrooms
Determine booth locations to avoid congested foot traffic
Food
*requires months of planning
Kingdom of God is no haphazard thing. Christ will return again.
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3
III. Preparedness Requires Patience
Every generation has believed that they were living in the last days.
[the following is attributed to Scott Weber. "Be Prepared." Http://www.sermoncentral.com.]***
A well known Christian wrote, "the last days are upon us. Weigh carefully the times. Look for Him who is above all time, eternal and invisible." That was not written by a modern prophecy expert. It was written by a man named Ignatius about 110 A.D., just a couple of decades after the apostle John wrote Revelation.
Another Christian wrote, There is no doubt that the Antichrist has already been born. Firmly established in his early years, he will, after reaching maturity, achieve supreme power." That was written by an influential Christian named Martin about 375 A.D.
Another early church father, Hippolytus, wrote in the year 236 A.D. that Christ was sure to return by 500 A.D.
The years surrounding the year 1000 were filled with predictions about the imminent return of Christ - to the point where Christians didn’t plant crops for the next year, buildings weren’t repaired and the details of daily life were ignored.
In the 1500’s, Martin Luther wrote, "We have reached the time of the white horse of the Apocalypse. This world will not last any longer . . . than another hundred years."
A little known fact of the life of Christopher Columbus is that he was a student of biblical prophecy. He wrote a volume called "The Book Of Prophecies," in which he predicted that the world would end in the year 1656. He even wrote, "there is no doubt that the world must end in one hundred fifty-five years."
The year 1666 saw an explosion in end times speculation. One pastor wrote in his journal that every time a storm hit that year, his people would go to the church building to await Christ’s second coming.
In the 1800’s a man named William Miller predicted the return of Christ. He laid down the date of somewhere between March of 1842 and March of 1843. The hopes of the Millerites were dashed when it didn’t happen. Their hopes were down but not out. In New Hampshire, in 1844, one of the brothers stood up and declared His return would be in the seventh month of the current Jewish year. More fervently than ever, the Millerites set out to warn the world. October 22 - the end of the world was pronounced. In ten weeks, the great day was at hand. In a Philadelphia store window this sign appeared, "This shop is closed in honor of the King of Kings who will appear about the 20th of October. Get ready friends, to crown Him Lord of all." A group of about 200 left the city. They waited, but the days past and nothing happened. Five years later, another date was set, and another date passed.
It never stops. About 1992, I saw a popular book in Christian bookstores by Harold Camping. The title was "1994." Another date set. In 1993, he wrote another book called, "Much More Evidence That 1994 Could Be The End Of The World." 1994 came and went. Today you can walk into a Christian bookstore and see dozens of books making bold predictions about the return of Jesus.***
Listen to what Jesus, himself, says about his immanent return:
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." Matthew 24:36-42 (RSV)
