I. Matthew 25:1-13 We think we have all the time in the world, like the ten virgins. We know that someday we will get serious, but not yet. Not today. Maybe tomorrow. Definitely if I get sick, or am on my deathbed. After all, Matthew 24:43 states that if we know when we are going to meet our maker, we will make sure to be ready, but we do not know. Remember the ten virgins. Someday never comes; we are given right now, over and over again.
A. What would we do if we were to get serious? Read the bible, pray a lot, raise our hands, dance, witness, speak in tongues in public. What would we NOT do? Cuss, drink, smoke, lie, lust, glutton, bad attitude, selfish, mean spirited, boastful, quit wasting time watching TV, spend more time with God in prayer, etc. Do you realize that these are all flaws in our lives that we currently have, that we are waiting on someday so that we can get rid of them.
II. There are very few (percentage-wise) people in the world who are rapists, murderers, child-molesters, serial killers, arsonists, extortioners, etc. Yet most of the world is going to hell. Why?
A. Ephesians 5:27 “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Christ is coming back for those who do not have spot, wrinkle or blemish. This is what he want you to do to get ready. Cleanse you spots.
1. God does care about the little picky things.
aa. For example,Exodus 3:5 God told Moses to take off his sandals for he was on holy ground. This is picky, yet God made Moses do this before he would continue his work.
bb. 2 Sam 6:6,7 tells the story about how the Ark of the Covenant was not suppposed to be touched ever, but someone did to save it, and they died. They brok the rules.
2. Not even a sparrow goes hungry or a hair goes unnumbered. He knows and sees all! No little thing we do goes unnoticed. Why did you start worrying about them when you decided to get serious, if they weren’t important?
3. We notice too. Don’t go pointing out others spots too much though. Luke 6:42 reminds us not to go pointing out others splinters in their eyes when we got logs in our own eyes.
II. Some of us like our spots; we call them beauty marks, yet we have to get rid of them. A. Luke 18:18-23. Remember the rich young ruler. One of his spots was riches, & when he was told that he should get rid of it, he walked away, unwilling (not unable) to get rid of his spot. He did not kill, commit adultery, or steal---and had never done these things, yet he had a small flaw, a spot. His riches possessed him. When asked to get rid of this spot to follow Christ, he just didn’t want to do it.
1. Do we have any of these that we don’t want to get rid of? If I were to say that you need to totally give up everything and spend all your time on God, what would you feel sad about giving up? What would you miss the most? Do you like your spots, or what!
2. Don’t we remember that “God hears not sinners.” When we have these spots in our life, we can’t even pray, much less be of any use to God.
aa. If you aren’t going to give up your old ways, and turn loose of your spots, then just give it all up and go back to Egypt. You give the rest of us a bad name, and we have to explain those to others (See Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert, You, etc.)
B. When we keep out spots, wrinkles, and blemishes, we condem ourselves to being lukewarm Christians. Christians who are not willing to let go of old habits prove that they are not serious. Rev. 3:16 states that if you are lukewarm, he will spew you out of his mouth. He states that you would be better off hot or cold. Are you detestable in the sight of God? You had better take a good hard look.
1. Most of us revel in lukewarmness. We live there and we are okay.We don’t want to give up our favorite ________ that we spend so much of our time on. We enjoy gluttony, wasting time, smoking, drinking, etc. too much. We are watched by others; if we don’t do this, then we won’t fit in.
a. Our lukewarmness in this case will turn others off to Christ. They will see us and not be very impressed. They already got what we got. They don’t need to be a Christian for that.
b. Christianity in moderation is worldliness. Think on that.
III. What causes these spots? Little Foxes.
A. Most of us don’t have giant streaks, gashes, or dents. We have small little spots. Little blemishes. These disqualify us for heaven.
B Song of Solomon 2:15 states that the “little foxes spoil the vine.”
1. The verse also makes the point that “our vines do have tender grapes.” This is our good Christian fruit. The foxes’ main goal is to rob us of our fruit. To keep us from putting forth the fruit we were meant to put forth. After all, the foxes wouldn’t bother us unless we had good fruit. A withered old vine wouldn’t attract any foxes, so we must have value and be alive if we are attracting those little foxes. After all, would you die for something that had no worth?
a. As Christians we are supposed to put forth fruits mentioned in Galatians 5:22 “22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23. gentleness, self-control”;
b. These are the traits of a Christian, and is not just for special occasions; it is for the everyday living.
11. Matthew 12:33 “The tree is known by its fruit.”
aa. If you do not have any (or only some)of these fruits on your vine, then its probably because your little foxes (small sins) have robbed you of them.
22. In Matthew 3:10 it states that “the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
aa. If you do not show the fruits mentioned in Galatians, then you will be cut down as useless and dead, and thrown into the eternal fire.
bb. Remember that in Matthew 21:19, Jesus cursed the fruit tree because it didn’t put forth fruit. Jesus cursed it himself and it died. You could be cursed and die spiritually if you do not keep from these small sins that can get your grapes!
cc. Colossians 1:10 tells us how to walk in our daily Chiristian life. “So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
IV. What should we do?
A. Matt 24:40-42 “(42)Then shall two be in the field; then one shall be taken, and the other left. (41)Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (42)watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” We need to get rid of our spots, watch out for foxes, and get ready as if the rapture were today.
B. In Genesis 8:1- we are told the story of Noah landing on Ararat & beginning a new world, fixing everything they messed up the first time. A “do over.” We are each given at any moment of every day to start anew on our own personal Ararat. We can begin again by turning our back on our past, getting flooded by forgiveness, and beginning to build our world all new. You can do this today. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow--who knows? Today is your chance to get forgiven for your spots, renounce them, and start showing the fruits you were meant to show.
Pick a spot, and choose to eliminate it. Start small. Benjamin Franklin worked through all 13 of his virtues. He decided to conquer one at a time, and never made it far. You must, however. Your eternal future depends on it.
wasting your time,
law breaking,
stretching the truth,
gluttony,
moodiness,
lust,
fault-finding,
being overly critical,
grumbling and complaining,
bad attitude,
fudging on taxes,
not praying without ceasing,
not reading bible enough,
not witnessing,
dishonesty,
anger/temper,
Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
