Series A – Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, November 12, 2017 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough
| Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough: |
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:29 | the holy Gospel According to Saint Matthew chapter 25 verses 1 through 13. |
| 0:35 | Jesus said the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps |
| 0:41 | went to meet the bridegroom five of them were foolish five were wise for when the |
| 0:46 | foolish took their lamps they took no oil with them but the wise took flasks |
| 0:51 | of oil with their lambs as the bridegroom was delayed they all became drowsy and slept but at midnight there |
| 0:58 | was a cry here is the bridegroom come out to meet him then all those virgins Rose and trimmed their lamps and the |
| 1:06 | foolish said to the wise give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out but the wise answered saying well since |
| 1:13 | there will not be enough for us and for you go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves and while they were going to |
| 1:20 | buy the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut |
| 1:26 | afterward the other virgins came also saying Lord Lord open to us but he |
| 1:32 | answered truly I say to you I do not know you why watch therefore for you not |
| 1:37 | know neither the day nor the hour this is the gospel of the Lord in the name of |
| 1:43 | Jesus the end of the world creates all kinds |
| 1:49 | of anxiety and people especially if you like listen to or watch prophetic |
| 1:54 | YouTube channels I mean this year alone there was a great big solar eclipse here |
| 2:00 | in the United States and apparently on September 23rd the great sign of |
| 2:05 | Revelation 12 appeared in the heavens but no one was able to see it because it was the middle of the day but it’s it’s |
| 2:12 | all important stuff and when we think about the end of the world we think about well you know the rapture we think |
| 2:17 | about the Beast the dragon the of the seven mountains and it creates all |
| 2:22 | kinds of right it does |
| 2:28 | in fact one of the Bands I listened to still listen to back in the 80s the |
| 2:34 | prophetic culture band known as REM they had lyrics to a song that went like this that’s great it starts with an |
| 2:41 | earthquake Birds snakes and airplanes and Lenny Bruce is not afraid I have the |
| 2:47 | hurricane listen to yourself turn World serves its own needs don’t miserve your own needs speed it up a notch speed |
| 2:53 | grunt no strength the latter starts to clatter with a fear of height it’s the end of the world as we know it |
| 3:00 | and I feel fine you’re thinking what on Earth is Pastor |
| 3:06 | doing there’s no Clarity here there’s just confusion I don’t know if you guys noticed this but our texts seemed to be |
| 3:13 | a little confusing today did you notice that Amos was saying why are you looking forward to the day of the Lord well the |
| 3:20 | Apostle Paul writing to the church in thessalonica says comfort each other with these words talking about the end |
| 3:26 | of the world and there’s Jesus talking about virgins what diversions have to do with anything this is all really |
| 3:32 | confusing and it’s creating anxiety I don’t know what to do well let’s walk |
| 3:39 | back through our texts shall we I think we’ll get a little bit of clarity and we’re going to understand that the end |
| 3:45 | of the world is not one of these things that really should create anxiety in |
| 3:50 | anybody if you understand what God’s word says there are a lot of people out there who Miss speak and teach falsely |
| 3:58 | regarding the end of the world thinking that they’ve cracked some kind of eschatological code have finally once |
| 4:04 | and for all solved the great Mysteries and riddles of the Book of Revelation and they sell lots and lots of books but |
| 4:11 | really create all kinds of anxiety and you’re going to find that our text today actually creates some comfort |
| 4:16 | so Amos chapter 5 it begins at Verse 18 in our text today woe to you who desire |
| 4:23 | the day of the Lord why would you have the day of the Lord it is darkness and not light |
| 4:28 | as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him wow that’s an interesting picture by the |
| 4:35 | way I mean that’s like some really good comedy right there some fellows walking down a path he’s out in the wilderness |
| 4:41 | somewhere and out comes a lion and of course he whoofs it runs for his life barely gets away from the claws and the |
| 4:49 | teeth of the lion and no sinner does he think whew I’m in safety he turns the |
| 4:55 | corner and runs smack into a grizzly bear and thus perishes that’s what the day of the Lord is like |
| 5:02 | at least how Amos is describing it but we better ask ourselves this question |
| 5:07 | to whom is Amos writing to whom is he writing because you’ll |
| 5:14 | notice that the day of judgment the day of God’s return is being described in terms of Calamity for whomever Amos is |
| 5:22 | writing to well let’s back up just a smidge in the context shall we verse 11. |
| 5:29 | of chapter five same chapter the Lord speaking to the prophet Amos to errant |
| 5:35 | Israel writes therefore because you trample on the poor end you exact taxes of grain from him |
| 5:42 | you have built houses of hume’s stone and have not dwelt in them you have planted Pleasant Vineyards but you shall |
| 5:49 | not drink their wine for I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins you who afflict the |
| 5:56 | righteous you who take a bribe and turn aside the needy in the gate |
| 6:03 | hmm that’s who is being written to fellows who are impenitent believers in |
| 6:10 | penitent Sinners is a better way to put it impenetent Sinners who well they’re |
| 6:16 | wealthy they care nothing about the poor they |
| 6:21 | oppress the righteous you also learn from previous chapters that they are idolaters and syncretists people who are |
| 6:29 | this way even though they go to church should not expect that the day of judgment will go |
| 6:36 | well for them remember we’re all sinners and we are here to hear God’s law to |
| 6:42 | convict us of our sins to hear the good news that Christ has bled and died for our sins and trust in him for our |
| 6:49 | salvation and bear fruit in keeping with repentance and good works towards each |
| 6:55 | other there are it is not a good work to oppress the righteous to withhold help |
| 7:01 | from the needy and so this is a prophecy of judgment God has had enough I mean |
| 7:08 | you know it’s like when your mother remember when your mom would say I have had enough I knew I was in trouble when |
| 7:16 | my mom would belt out those words or use my middle name whichever came first if the two were together I’m doomed right |
| 7:23 | Christopher Michael rosebro I have had enough right |
| 7:29 | then you want you’re looking for a closet to hide under the dirty laundry and not show your face for a long time |
| 7:36 | see God has had enough in our text in Amos with these Israelites who although |
| 7:41 | they are religious people by showing up to the different feasts and things like that they have absolutely no faith they |
| 7:49 | are impenitent they are wicked Sinners and they continue to oppress God’s |
| 7:55 | people that’s the context so woe to you who desire the day of the Lord why would |
| 8:00 | you have the day of the Lord God is asking them it’s darkness and not light and you can say it’s darkness and not |
| 8:06 | light for you as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him or went into the |
| 8:11 | house and leaned against it leaned his hand against the wall and a serpent bit him is not the day of Yahweh darkness |
| 8:17 | and not light and Gloom with no brightness in it well answer to the question is depends it depends |
| 8:25 | then God says these terrible words to these impenitent Sinners I dis I hate I |
| 8:33 | despise your feasts now keep in mind they aren’t their feasts their God’s |
| 8:39 | feasts are they not God is the one who commanded Israel to observe certain feasts like the Feast of Passover the |
| 8:44 | Feast of booths the Feast of Pentecost things of this nature and God is saying those aren’t my feasts those are yours |
| 8:53 | because you’re coming and you’re going through the motions but you have no faith in your impenitent and you’re |
| 8:58 | Wicked right he says I take no Delight in your solemn assemblies but God is the one who’s commanded these assemblies and |
| 9:05 | even though you offer me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings I will not accept them and the peace |
| 9:13 | offerings of your fat and animals I will not even look upon them |
| 9:20 | wow as you all like to say ufta this is a mess |
| 9:27 | take away from me the noise of your songs the Lord says to these people to |
| 9:32 | The Melody of your Harps I will not listen this is so bad that these people |
| 9:39 | when they get together and sing their praises remember scripture says that God is enthroned on the Praises of his |
| 9:45 | people but these people are not God’s people they don’t believe in him they |
| 9:50 | don’t trust in him they haven’t repented they are self-righteous Rich lazy oppressors and God says even when you |
| 9:58 | your your praise band gets up and starts singing I’m not even gonna listen to it have nothing I’m going to change the |
| 10:04 | channel and then he says these words let Justice roll down like Waters |
| 10:09 | and righteousness like an Ever flowing stream the thing that they can depend on |
| 10:15 | on the day of the Lord is God’s justice God’s saying to them depart from me I |
| 10:22 | never knew you harsh words and yet that reveals again God’s |
| 10:30 | disposition towards Sinners who are impenitent who arrogantly believe that |
| 10:37 | they can just go through the motion Skate On by just go to church throw a little money in the offering plate and |
| 10:43 | have done their religious Duty and then go out and oppress the poor engage in |
| 10:48 | their own idolataries and adulteries and wickedness and things like this as if Christianity isn’t really about |
| 10:56 | penitent Sinners being forgiven who then bear fruit in keeping with repentance |
| 11:01 | who mortify their sinful flesh and its passions and do good works for other |
| 11:07 | people to other people and for other people for their sake is living sacrifices words of warning |
| 11:15 | indeed now the Apostle Paul changes complete Direction and it might seem |
| 11:21 | contradictory but all you have to do is consider the audience to whom was Paul writing first |
| 11:28 | Thessalonians he was writing first Thessalonians to |
| 11:33 | penitent baptized Believers in Jesus Christ who confessed their sins |
| 11:42 | were baptized had their sins washed away who came to the Lord’s table to receive |
| 11:47 | Christ’s body and blood broken and shed for them for the Forgiveness of their sins and bore fruit in keeping with |
| 11:54 | repentance in good works for their neighbors this is whom Paul is writing to he’s writing to Christians for real |
| 12:00 | Christians and so you’ll note that Paul’s tone is completely different than amos’s and here’s what Paul says |
| 12:08 | but we do not want you to be uninformed Brothers about those who are asleep |
| 12:15 | and over and again the New Testament and Jesus himself refers to those who die in |
| 12:21 | the faith who die believing that they have fallen asleep in fact we’ve got a |
| 12:28 | bunch of beds out there and a bunch of sleeping Saints right outside the church they’re all just sleeping waiting right |
| 12:37 | so we don’t want you to be uninformed about those who are asleep so that you may not grieve as others do |
| 12:43 | who have no hope in other words you do have hope for since we believe that |
| 12:48 | Jesus died in Rose again even so through Jesus God will bring with him those who |
| 12:56 | have fallen asleep and so you’ll note all of the Saints who’ve fallen asleep |
| 13:02 | who are resting peacefully out there with Christ and when he returns he’s |
| 13:09 | going to bring them back with him that’s where they are they are with Him presently and if we should fall asleep |
| 13:15 | like they have before Jesus returns we shall not worry because we know that we |
| 13:20 | will be with him and that when he returns he will also bring us with him right for this we declare to you by a |
| 13:28 | word from the Lord notice this goes all the way to the top God himself is the one Speaking that we who are alive who |
| 13:35 | are left until the coming of the Lord and yes there will be Christians alive on planet Earth when Jesus returns that |
| 13:42 | they will not proceed the ones who on Earth will not precede those who have fallen asleep for the Lord himself and |
| 13:49 | watch the details here the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of |
| 13:55 | command and with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God |
| 14:01 | pause there for a second you have a DVR we’d hit the pause button and everything |
| 14:07 | would freeze right there I want you to note that you if you pay attention to |
| 14:12 | these trumpet blasts this trumpet blast itself here that’s mentioned you can use |
| 14:18 | this trumpet blast to figure out when the Rapture happens you said in the |
| 14:23 | Rapture yes it’s taught in scripture did you not know this the Rapture now you’re thinking well I’ve read the Left Behind |
| 14:30 | books and things like that they haven’t got the details of the Rapture really worked out well because they weren’t |
| 14:37 | paying attention to the trumpets but if you align the trumpets you can figure out when the Rapture happens and we’ll |
| 14:43 | let scripture Define it for us so with that I would like to go back into the context in Matthew chapter 24. and |
| 14:51 | you’ll note that Matthew chapter 24 is the chapter that precedes Our Gospel text today so it provides for us the |
| 14:59 | immediate context of what Jesus is talking about about regarding those virgins and so let’s start at Matthew |
| 15:05 | chapter 24 verse 1. here’s what it says Jesus left the temple was going away |
| 15:11 | when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple but he answered them you see all of these do |
| 15:17 | you not truly I say to you there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down now I’ve |
| 15:25 | noted before and I’ll say it again that the disciples at this point thinking well if the Temple’s destroyed that’s where the Forgiveness of sins happens |
| 15:32 | the destruction of the temple has to be the end of the world that’s the way they’re thinking and in some sense |
| 15:39 | they’re right in other sense they’re wrong the destruction of the temple in 78 he is a type and Shadow of the end of |
| 15:45 | the world and God’s judgment and so Jesus doesn’t correct them he just pull answers their questions because they’re |
| 15:52 | multiple questions with one big long discourse which is called from this text the Olivet discourse and it’s called |
| 16:00 | that because of where Jesus gave it here’s what it then says so as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives the disciples |
| 16:06 | came to him privately saying tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the |
| 16:12 | End of the Age all right there it is it’s the end of the age Jesus is second coming what’s all of this mean well here |
| 16:19 | we go Jesus answered see that no one leads you astray |
| 16:26 | a little bit of a note here in the ancient world when somebody would give a lecture or answer a question the first |
| 16:33 | thing they said is the most important thing now we don’t always do this like |
| 16:39 | you know pastors oftentimes will give sermons and they give three points I like at least 50. but |
| 16:45 | Mark got it okay but if you give three points oftentimes when a pastor gives |
| 16:51 | three points point one is is an important point but point two is a little bit more important and then point |
| 16:56 | three is the really big one right before the conclusion that’s not how the Ancients worked first thing out of your |
| 17:02 | mouth is the most important one and watch what Jesus says here so he’s answering their questions first thing |
| 17:09 | see that no one leads you astray and here’s the reason why the end of days |
| 17:14 | are deceitful for many will come in my |
| 17:20 | name that’s right there’s going to be deceivers who come to churches in the |
| 17:25 | name of Jesus not in the name of Buddha or in the name of the devil or Abalone or anything like this they’re going to |
| 17:32 | come to you in the name of Jesus saying I am the anointed one |
| 17:37 | uh-huh right and they will lead many astray many |
| 17:43 | and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars now Everyone likes to focus in on the wars and rumors of War stuff like |
| 17:50 | have you ever sat down and thought boy I’ve got to figure out the eschatological end time significance of |
| 17:56 | the current Brewing conflict and growing conflict between the United States and |
| 18:01 | North Korea if you want to know what the conflict between the United States and North |
| 18:07 | Korea means biblically nothing it means nothing and Jesus is |
| 18:13 | kind of making that point you’re going to hear of wars and rumors of wars and watch is kind of non you know |
| 18:19 | non-alarmist answer see that you’re not alarmed for this must take place the end is not yet |
| 18:25 | in other words wars and rumors of wars have nothing to do with it right Nation will rise against Nation Kingdom |
| 18:31 | will rut against Kingdom and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places all of these things are about the |
| 18:36 | beginning of birth pains so all of that stuff tsunamis eclipses earthquakes |
| 18:42 | hurricanes yeah that’ll that all that stuff already happens all the time no big deal right |
| 18:48 | then though Jesus says they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to |
| 18:54 | death and watch these words and you will be hated by all Nations |
| 19:02 | you see in the days leading up to the return of Jesus there will not be one |
| 19:08 | nation on planet Earth that will be safe for Christians to dwell in to preach in |
| 19:15 | to live in or anything like that every nation will as a policy hate and |
| 19:23 | oppressed and tribulate Christians notice Jesus said all nations |
| 19:30 | will hate you right you’ll be hated by All Nations for my name’s sake and then many will fall away which makes |
| 19:39 | perfect sense there are many Christians today who are like well the the parable |
| 19:46 | that Jesus told regarding the different soils right there was some seed that fell on the rocky soil |
| 19:52 | or the weedy or the weedy soil and they were choked out in the tribulations of |
| 19:58 | this world caused their faith to not mature and they died out that’s the kind of the idea here there are some people |
| 20:04 | who are in the church today and the reason they go to church is in order in order to make their lives better so that |
| 20:10 | they can experience their best life now and they didn’t sign up to go to church |
| 20:15 | in order to be persecuted and hated and so as a result of that persecution many |
| 20:20 | will fall away and in the falling away they will end up betraying one another and hating one another |
| 20:27 | and many false prophets will arise and Lead many astray and because lawlessness |
| 20:35 | will be increased the love of many will grow cold but the one who endures to the end will |
| 20:42 | be saved so how do you endure |
| 20:47 | if you’re saved by grace through faith alone how do you endure you keep believing |
| 20:54 | you keep believing if it becomes illegal to gather in this building to hear God’s |
| 21:01 | word to receive an Absolution or to baptize somebody or to receive the |
| 21:06 | Lord’s Supper who cares it doesn’t matter that this building has been on this property for a hundred and |
| 21:12 | something years it doesn’t matter we can gather somewhere else maybe we can gather in somebody’s |
| 21:17 | basement maybe we’ll have to find a way to surreptitiously just have Pastor go and visit people privately in secretive |
| 21:24 | ways in the middle of the night in the dark who knows right you just keep believing and keep on keeping on you |
| 21:30 | know Christians throughout the centuries when they have been persecuted they have held Church even in catacombs places |
| 21:37 | where people’s bones are right it’s a good place to be so because of |
| 21:42 | lawlessness will be increased the love of many will grow cold the one who endures to the end will be saved and this Gospel of the Kingdom will be |
| 21:49 | proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to All Nations and then the end will come |
| 21:55 | now the next part is rather interesting because Jesus switches to the topic of |
| 22:01 | the destruction of the temple but you’re going to note that it’s Blended also with the end of the world so when you |
| 22:08 | see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the Prophet Daniel standing in the Holy place let the reader understand |
| 22:14 | then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let the one who is on the housetop go down to take what is in his |
| 22:21 | house let the one who is in the field turn not back to take his cloak and alas |
| 22:27 | for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on a Sabbath for then there |
| 22:34 | will be Great Tribulation a little bit of a note here Jesus has two things in mind he’s |
| 22:40 | talking about the destruction of the temple and he’s also talking about the end of the world blend them together fascinating and what’s also interesting |
| 22:47 | is is that when the Roman Imperial expeditionary Force landed in Judea in |
| 22:53 | order to finally put down the Jewish Insurrection in their own Empire that |
| 22:59 | the Christians remembered the words of Christ and skedaddled got out of Jerusalem they |
| 23:06 | lived the Jewish zealots stayed in Jerusalem and died keep that in mind |
| 23:11 | okay but here the abomination of desolation also is referring to that end |
| 23:16 | times fellow known as the man of lawlessness all right and so little Jesus is putting |
| 23:23 | a little bit of that all together and here’s what he then goes on to say there will be great tribulations such as |
| 23:31 | has not been from the beginning of the world until now and never will be |
| 23:38 | and if those days had not been cut short no human being would be |
| 23:45 | saved think of it this way go back to the Garden of Eden the devil clearly heard the Lord say to |
| 23:52 | Adam and Eve or say to Adam the day you eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil you will surely die the |
| 23:58 | Temptation then resulted in Adam and Eve eating of the tree that they were not supposed to eat from they were made in |
| 24:05 | the image of God and so what the devil was basically doing was trying to engage in a murder to murder Humanity nip it in |
| 24:13 | the bud and have God be the instrument of the murder that didn’t work |
| 24:19 | it didn’t work so now the devil’s ultimate goal is to |
| 24:24 | create an environment here on planet Earth that will result in no joke |
| 24:29 | the suicide of the human race if those days had not been cut short no |
| 24:36 | human being would survive would be saved |
| 24:42 | can’t get God to kill you I’ll get you all to kill yourself collectively that’s where we’re heading |
| 24:49 | I don’t know if you’ve noticed the world seems to be getting a little bit Crazier by the day this is where we’re heading |
| 24:56 | and if God doesn’t take those days at the very end of all of this where everything unbuckles unhinges and goes |
| 25:03 | completely squirrely it would literally result in all of humanity all seven billion people on |
| 25:10 | this planet dead that’s what would happen that’s what Jesus is saying but then he says this |
| 25:17 | for the sake of the elect for the sake of you those days will be cut short |
| 25:23 | so then if anyone says to you look here’s the Messiah or there he is do not |
| 25:29 | believe it when Jesus shows up he’s not going to be giving interviews on CNN or Fox News or the Trinity Broadcasting |
| 25:35 | Network so you can know that if they’re going to be interviewing Jesus that that’s not him right for false christs |
| 25:42 | and false prophets will arise perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray if possible even the elect and oh |
| 25:49 | yes these false prophets and false christs will perform signs and wonders which means signs and wonders are not |
| 25:55 | the proof that somebody is legitimately from God right got to listen to their doctor see |
| 26:02 | I’ve told you beforehand so if they say to you look he’s in the wilderness don’t go out if they say look he’s in the |
| 26:09 | inner rooms don’t believe it if they say look he’s on CNN turn the channel for as the lightning comes from the East and |
| 26:16 | shines as far as the West so will be the coming of the son of man wherever the corpses there the vultures will gather |
| 26:21 | as well in other words if you have any doubts that that’s Jesus it’s not Jesus |
| 26:27 | you get it right and then Jesus goes on to talk about how well let’s take a look |
| 26:34 | immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened the moon will not give its light the Stars |
| 26:41 | will fall from Heaven the powers of the heavens will be shaken then will appear in heaven |
| 26:47 | the sign of the son of man and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and |
| 26:53 | they will see the son of man coming on the Clouds Of Heaven with power and great glory and he will send out his |
| 26:59 | angels with a loud and there it is trumpet call |
| 27:05 | all right so now we’ve got two passages with trumpets right you can now chronologically sync |
| 27:13 | them together what day is the day when the trumpet is blasted |
| 27:20 | it’s the last day now we know when the Rapture takes place because you’ll see it in the text so he |
| 27:25 | will send out his angels notice Jesus is returning he’s sent out his angels they |
| 27:31 | will have a particular assignment they will gather his elect from the Four Winds from the from one end of Heaven to |
| 27:39 | the other so trumpet blast Angels go out and they find Marilyn they snatch her up |
| 27:46 | and take her they find Mark and they take him they see Mike and say yeah no |
| 27:52 | maybe not [Laughter] I’m joking right |
| 27:57 | and they gather us all up the angels are doing the rapturing right because the |
| 28:03 | angels are doing it so he sends his angels they will gather his elect from the Four Winds from one end of the |
| 28:08 | heaven to the other now the next few verses are basically saying pay attention to the signs because you know |
| 28:15 | when you start to see these things happening that Jesus is right at the doorstep but let’s fast forward then to |
| 28:20 | verse 36. but concerning that day and hour which day the day of Jesus was |
| 28:25 | returned no one knows not even the angels of Heaven nor the son but the father only in other words anyone tells |
| 28:33 | you we know for a fact that Jesus is returning next Thursday they don’t know what they’re talking |
| 28:39 | about right and everybody who says no no we figured it out they’ve been wrong because we’re still here right so no one |
| 28:46 | knows for as were the days of Noah so will be the coming of the son of man for |
| 28:51 | as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day when |
| 28:57 | Noah entered the Ark could you imagine some couple in love |
| 29:02 | planned their wedding day for the day that the flood broke out all right they’ve they’re looking at |
| 29:08 | each other with those eyes and the bride is dressed wonderfully and they say I do and you may now kiss the bride and no |
| 29:15 | sooner have they done kissing each other they look off into the Horizon and see the tsunami of the flood coming |
| 29:22 | which is foolishness because they should have known better Noah preached for a hundred years that |
| 29:28 | that flood was going to come and they refused to listen to him and they were unaware until the flood |
| 29:34 | came and swept them all away so will be the coming of the son of man and then here it is then two will be in |
| 29:42 | the field one taken one left why angels |
| 29:47 | are sent out what day is this the last day two women will be grinding at the |
| 29:54 | Mill one will be taken one left two Baristas will be at Starbucks |
| 30:01 | one making a cappuccino and the other a vanilla bean Frappuccino venti with |
| 30:08 | double whip right one will be taken another left therefore and watch what Jesus says stay |
| 30:15 | awake for you will not you do not know on what day your lord is coming but know this that if the Master of the |
| 30:24 | House had known in what part of the night the thief was coming he would have stayed awake and would not have let his |
| 30:29 | house be broken in Terror into therefore you must be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect |
| 30:37 | so when’s Jesus coming I don’t know but how do you get ready |
| 30:43 | do you try harder do gooder right well our next |
| 30:49 | text answers this question and it’s all about the oil let’s review Matthew 25 |
| 30:57 | Jesus says the kingdom of heaven then will be like ten virgins who took their |
| 31:02 | lamps and went to meet the bridegroom five of them were foolish five were wise |
| 31:09 | let’s use the Book of Proverbs definition of wisdom and foolishness and you’ll find it fits perfectly here |
| 31:16 | it is the fool who says in his heart there is no God |
| 31:21 | that’s foolishness yet Proverbs also teaches that the fear |
| 31:27 | of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom true fear of God requires us to realize |
| 31:35 | that we are sinful that we are ungodly that we have deserved God’s Wrath and |
| 31:41 | eternal flames of fire in the fires of hell for each of every one of our sins that’s true fear of God but also the |
| 31:49 | wisdom then comes in knowing that we are forgiven that God makes good on his promise to be |
| 31:54 | merciful and kind abounding in love and forgiving and pardoning iniquity so |
| 32:01 | think of it this way the wise trusted Jesus the foolish |
| 32:08 | not so much right for when the foolish took their lamps |
| 32:13 | they took no oil with them who does that who takes a lamp with them with no oil |
| 32:20 | in it or in our case they had a flashlight but didn’t put any batteries in it that doesn’t make any sense and |
| 32:26 | you’ll note that the oil helps us out here but the wise they took flasks of oil with their lamps and as the |
| 32:33 | bridegroom was delayed they all became drowsy and left |
| 32:40 | they all died that’s what the sleep here is referring to death right |
| 32:46 | remember Gary sanus he fell asleep on November 3rd and now he too is a virgin |
| 32:53 | sleeping right but he took oil with him I know this right |
| 33:00 | so they all slept and at midnight there was a cry here’s the bridegroom come out to meet him then all those virgins |
| 33:07 | Resurrected I think that’s a good way of translating Rose there they all resurrected |
| 33:12 | everybody resurrected now you’re going to note after the you know that everybody goes to sleep they’re virgins |
| 33:18 | they wake up they’re virgins and you’re sitting there going how can that be because Jesus’s death on the cross was |
| 33:23 | for the sins of the whole world but just because Christ is bled and died |
| 33:29 | for you doesn’t mean you’re saved all right so there they are all these |
| 33:35 | virgins have risen from the grave and The Virgins and they Rose and they trim their lamps and the foolish said to the |
| 33:42 | wise give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out well no duh you didn’t bring any oil with you |
| 33:49 | you just have a wick that ain’t gonna work but the wise answered saying well since |
| 33:56 | there will not be enough for us and for you go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves |
| 34:03 | hmm midnight people selling oil |
| 34:08 | that doesn’t sound like it’s going to work that sounds just about as foolish as falling asleep without any oil in |
| 34:15 | your lab it’s kind of that’s the point you see this is all just foolishness all around |
| 34:21 | and you’re going to note then that the foolish cannot get the faith |
| 34:27 | of the wise faith is an individual thing you can’t give your faith to somebody else you |
| 34:33 | can’t believe for them each of us has to stand before God Alone |
| 34:39 | and that’s the point so what do we do with this oil thing what is the oil well you can think of it as Faith but another |
| 34:45 | thing you can think of is since Faith always has an object you can think of it as Jesus think of it this way Jesus was |
| 34:53 | there on a Friday afternoon outside the Gates of Jerusalem being pressed in the |
| 34:59 | olive press of God’s Fury and wrath against sin |
| 35:05 | being punished in our place Jesus the big Olive being squished in God’s Wrath |
| 35:16 | and the oil that flows from him is the oil of forgiveness and mercy and Grace Jesus is our oil |
| 35:25 | right because Jesus is the object of our faith and there’s those foolish virgins |
| 35:32 | looking for somebody selling oil at midnight think of it this way I know an oil |
| 35:38 | Merchant here in Oslo you’re looking at him right here they call me crazy Chris right and I’ve got a deal for you let me |
| 35:45 | tell you this oil I’m going to give it to you for free I’ll give it to you for |
| 35:51 | free today I’ll give it to you for free next week and if the Lord tarries as many days as I have to continue to offer |
| 35:58 | this amazing oil of Jesus for you for free |
| 36:04 | but when Jesus shows up sorry the shops closed I’ve got a wedding I’ve |
| 36:10 | got a dress for you see |
| 36:16 | this is where the oil is sold and it’s only being sold today because |
| 36:22 | we don’t have tomorrow we really don’t today is the day of salvation and how |
| 36:29 | foolish it would be to go to sleep without the oil of Christ |
| 36:37 | the wise answered since you will there will not be enough for us and for you go rather the dealers buy for yourselves |
| 36:42 | and while they were going to buy the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage |
| 36:50 | and the door was shut afterward the other virgins |
| 36:55 | also saying came saying Lord Lord open to us and he answered I say I to you I |
| 37:02 | don’t know you watch therefore you know neither the day nor the hour |
| 37:10 | so brothers and sisters watch pay attention listen to what your |
| 37:16 | pastor’s saying Listen to Crazy Chris there’s no point in going to sleep |
| 37:21 | without the soil because this oil is here for you for free today this oil covers all of your sins |
| 37:29 | anoints you and makes you holy and righteous |
| 37:35 | it’ll fill your lamp up and make you ready and there’s nothing you have to do except for receive it |
| 37:42 | and even the receiving is given as a gift from God so repent of your sins trust in Jesus |
| 37:51 | this is how you watch and are ready for Jesus’s return the olive who was pressed |
| 37:58 | for you in the theory of God’s Wrath on the cross now takes the oil from him and |
| 38:04 | gives it to you freely at no cost in the name of Jesus |
| 38:10 | amen |
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