This sermon encourages Christians to actively prepare for Christ's return and labor for His kingdom, rather than procrastinating and risking spiritual poverty.
Greetings, beloved family in Christ! Isn't it a wonderful blessing to gather together in His name, to seek His wisdom and guidance, to immerse ourselves in the living waters of His word? As we gather in this sacred space, we are reminded of the words of the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, who once said, "Visit many good books, but live in the Bible." Indeed, we are not mere visitors to the Bible, but dwellers in its life-giving truths. We live in the Bible, and the Bible lives in us, shaping us, molding us, guiding us towards the path of righteousness.
Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the wisdom found in Matthew 25:1-13 and Proverbs 14:23. Let's read these passages together. Matthew 25:1-13, "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.' But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.'" And, Proverbs 14:23, "In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty."
These passages, rich in wisdom and instruction, invite us to reflect on our own lives. Are we like the wise virgins, prepared and ready for the coming of the bridegroom, or are we like the foolish ones, unprepared and left outside the door? Are we laboring for the Lord, or are we merely talking, leading ourselves to spiritual poverty?
Before we further consider these profound questions, let's bow our heads in prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for gathering us here today. We thank You for Your word, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. As we ponder on the wisdom of Your scripture, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to Your truth. Guide us, Lord, in our understanding. Help us to apply Your teachings to our lives, to be prepared for Your coming, to labor for Your kingdom. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen.
Transition. Today, we will consider the power of procrastination, the pursuit of purpose over procrastination, and practical steps to prevail over procrastination. May the Holy Spirit enlighten our understanding and empower us to live out these truths in our daily lives.
In the parable of the ten virgins, we see a clear illustration of the consequences of procrastination. The five foolish virgins, who failed to bring extra oil for their lamps, found themselves unprepared when the bridegroom arrived. They had procrastinated, thinking they had plenty of time. But when the bridegroom came, they were left in the dark, scrambling to find oil. Their procrastination cost them dearly. They missed out on the wedding feast because they were not ready.
This parable serves as a warning to us. It shows us the power that procrastination can have over our lives. When we procrastinate, we are like the foolish virgins. We put off what needs to be done, thinking we have plenty of time. But just as the bridegroom came at an unexpected hour, so too can the opportunities and challenges of life catch us unprepared.
The first aspect of procrastination's power lies in its ability to deceive us. We often think we have more time than we actually do. We tell ourselves that we'll start that project tomorrow, or we'll begin that diet next week, or we'll start reading our Bible daily next month. But the truth is, tomorrow may never come. The bridegroom may arrive when we least expect it. And if we're not ready, if we've been procrastinating, we'll be left in the dark.
Next is its ability to rob us of opportunities. The foolish virgins missed out on the wedding feast because they were unprepared. They had the opportunity to be part of the celebration, but they lost it because they procrastinated. In the same way, when we procrastinate, we miss out on opportunities. We miss out on the chance to grow, to learn, to serve, to contribute. We miss out on the blessings that come from being prepared and ready.
The third aspect of procrastination's power is its ability to create stress and anxiety. The foolish virgins must have felt a great deal of stress and anxiety when they realized they were unprepared. They had to rush out in the middle of the night to find oil. Their procrastination created a crisis. Similarly, when we procrastinate, we create unnecessary stress and anxiety for ourselves. We rush to meet deadlines, we scramble to finish tasks, we worry about the things we haven't done.
The fourth aspect of procrastination's power is its ability to hinder our spiritual growth. The foolish virgins were not just unprepared for a wedding feast. They were unprepared for the coming of the bridegroom, a symbol of Christ's return. Their procrastination had spiritual consequences. Likewise, when we procrastinate in our spiritual lives, when we put off reading our Bible or praying or serving in our church, we hinder our spiritual growth. We miss out on the opportunity to draw closer to God, to grow in faith, to become more like Jesus.
Proverbs verse. In the book of Proverbs, we are reminded that "In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty." This is a powerful reminder that action, not procrastination, leads to profit. When we labor, when we take action, we profit. But when we merely talk, when we procrastinate, we lead ourselves to poverty.
Transition. The power of procrastination is a force that can deceive us, rob us of opportunities, create stress and anxiety, and hinder our spiritual growth. But we have the power to overcome procrastination. We have the power to be like the wise virgins, prepared and ready for the coming of the bridegroom. We have the power to labor for the Lord, to take action, to profit in our spiritual lives. Let us not be deceived by the power of procrastination. Let us be wise and prepared, ready for the opportunities and challenges that life brings.
Our attention now turns to the pursuit of purpose over procrastination ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
Sermon Central
