Participants: Martin Fancher
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000290
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00:31 Welcome to "Faith Chapel" it's my privilege
00:33 to be here today. My name is Pastor 00:35 Martin Fancher. I Pastor at the DeFuniak Springs 00:38 and Fort Walton Beach, Florida Seventh-day 00:40 Adventist Churches. Today, I wanna share with you 00:43 a very important topic from one of my favorite 00:46 Bible passages, it's the passage in Matthew 25 00:50 entitled "The Ten Virgins." Well, we're gonna 00:53 go there in a just few moments. 00:54 First, I wanna tell you a little story. 00:56 It was April 1988, on the evening news it showed 01:01 pictures of skydivers, oh beautiful things that 01:04 they do, they would all jump from the plane and 01:06 they were getting into all these random patterns 01:09 and going together and one man was out there 01:11 filming all of this with his camera right along 01:15 with them. Well, why it was on the news that 01:18 evening was because of what happened next. 01:22 As the news caster relate the story what 01:24 happened after all these formations were made, 01:29 one by one the individuals involved pulled their cords 01:34 and as their chute open they were whisked away 01:36 and finally the last one had pulled his cord when 01:40 the camera man reached to pull his cord and the 01:45 picture went haywire. What had happened? 01:50 The camera man had jumped out of the plane 01:53 and had forgotten his parachute. 01:56 He was so caught up with enjoying the jump, 02:00 he was so caught up with the theatrics of all his 02:04 friends in filming the acrobatics there in the 02:07 air that he didn't even realize until he reached 02:12 that the entire time his life was in jeopardy. 02:18 Well, it's not unlike the story we're gonna look 02:20 at here momentarily because I wonder how 02:23 often you and I are on the brink of losing our 02:30 eternal lives but don't even know it. 02:35 Well, you and I have not yet come to a point 02:38 of no return. There still is a tomorrow. 02:43 We still can make choices today that will help us 02:48 or hinder us tomorrow. Let's take a look at the 02:52 text and read together, Matthew chapter 25 02:54 verses 1-13, "Then the kingdom of heaven 02:59 shall be likened to ten virgins who took their 03:01 lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now 03:05 five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 03:08 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took 03:11 no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their 03:13 vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom 03:16 was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 03:20 And at midnight a cry was heard: 03:23 Behold, the bridegroom is coming; 03:25 go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose 03:29 and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said 03:33 to the wise, give us some of your oil, 03:35 for our lamps are going out. But the wise 03:37 answered saying, no, lest there should not be 03:40 enough for us and you; but go rather to those 03:45 who sell and buy for yourselves. And while 03:47 they went to buy, the bridegroom came and 03:50 those who were ready went in with him to the 03:52 wedding; and the door was shut. 03:55 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 03:57 Lord, Lord, open to us! But he answered and said, 04:01 Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you. 04:06 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day 04:08 nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." 04:12 Wow! What an incredible story? Story of a wedding, 04:16 there is not one of us that hasn't been to a 04:18 wedding I wouldn't believe at least a wedding 04:20 that sticks in our memories, you know 04:24 in order to go to a wedding there has to be 04:27 a bride, there has to be a groom, 04:30 has to be someone who is going to get married, 04:31 we wouldn't all get together in a church or 04:33 a chapel and no one get married and so here 04:38 in this story we have the ten virgins who 04:40 by the way were invited to the wedding. 04:43 So in order to have a wedding you need 04:45 do invite people to come and be witness to 04:47 that wedding, and we're going to look today 04:50 that the way that we work salvation through 04:55 Jesus Christ our Lord is by invitation, 04:58 by preparation and then by wedding. 05:02 The invitation was given. These ladies were 05:05 well-prepared, at least five of them were. 05:08 Now, all ten of them thought they were 05:10 adequately prepared. They believed the 05:13 bridegroom would be right on time, 05:15 they believed he would come along and they 05:18 would move with them into the procession and 05:20 go to the room, the building, the park 05:24 wherever they would going for this special 05:26 ceremony they would all go there together. 05:29 But the Bible story indicates that there was 05:33 a delay, and during the delay all ten slept. 05:40 Now, when Jesus tells a story there are no secrets. 05:43 We know who the story represents and that 05:45 makes it easier to find out the meaning 05:48 of the story, for example, we know that these 05:51 women are called ten virgins, 05:53 virgins that they had not had relationship 05:55 with men that means they were pure women and 05:57 the Bible tells us that pure women represent 06:00 God's pure church where an impure women 06:03 represents the false gospel, 06:05 an impure religion, and so here we have an 06:09 invitation to God's people. Now that does 06:11 make sense, doesn't it? That God would give an 06:13 invitation to people that are called his people, 06:16 not that he didn't give the invitation to 06:18 everyone but only those who loves Him 06:20 respond. If I got a wedding invitation 06:23 in the mail to some couple that I didn't know and 06:25 nobody that I knew, knew them. 06:27 I would probably not go, in fact I probably 06:30 wouldn't even respond I would think it was 06:32 just incorrectly addressed. But here we have 06:36 these women who have received the invitation, 06:38 they know who the groom is, they know the 06:41 bridegroom is coming and they have prepared 06:44 to be a part of the wedding party. Oh! 06:46 What a wonderful story this is. Have you received 06:49 your invitation? Oh! I would like to say you 06:52 have because God's word extends to us the 06:54 invitation that we can all go to heaven when 06:59 we respond to the loving call of Jesus. 07:02 Not only visit my invitation but it's also by 07:06 preparation. Why if you get an invitation 07:08 in the mail to go a wedding you're 07:10 not ready to walk out the door to the wedding 07:12 right then, oh, no, no, no, we've got some 07:14 preparation work to do. There are some things 07:17 to do, there is a wedding gift, there is the change 07:19 of clothes. Ladies for those of you it's an 07:21 opportunity to buy new clothes and be 07:24 prepared for this wedding. It's a big event. 07:26 Why? Under God's way marriage is a sanctified 07:31 act and made Holy to Him so what a celebration 07:36 that it should be, and so we prepare for that 07:40 and usually we get an invitation in advance 07:42 of the wedding, not last minute but within 07:44 a week or so of preparation time. 07:47 So that we can be presented in a manner 07:50 befitting the occasion. Well, God has given to 07:54 each one an invitation and God has given us 07:57 adequate time to be prepared. 08:00 Well, you say how do I get prepared for this 08:01 wedding? Well, if we look at this chapter at 08:06 The Ten Virgins who represent God's 08:09 pure people, God's church then Jesus Himself 08:12 is the bridegroom. The bridegroom is coming 08:16 to take His bride the Bible through many places 08:20 calls His church, His bride, isn't that nice? 08:23 Isn't that sweet? God wants to be married to us. 08:26 He wants that bond, the relationship that 08:30 marriage brings that's why I believe that He 08:33 likens marriage one with another to our 08:35 relationship with Him as we love one another 08:39 we can truly love others as God loves us. 08:43 It's an amazing way that God shares with us 08:46 how He works using human relationships. 08:50 Well, they receive the invitation and they made 08:53 preparation, however, the Bible is pretty clear 08:55 that only five of them were truly prepared. 08:59 They brought extra oil with them. 09:03 Now, can you tell me what oil represents 09:04 in the Bible? That's correct. 09:07 It represents the Holy Spirit, in order 09:09 to be ready for this wedding one must be 09:13 prepared physically and spiritually and God gives 09:18 us in His word that He sends the Holy Spirit 09:20 the comforter to us to lead us and guide us 09:25 into all truth. You don't have to guess what 09:27 truth is, you don't have to guess anything. 09:31 It's right here and God has given to us 09:33 a road map that we can find it. 09:36 If God loves us so much, would He leave us 09:39 in the dark? Absolutely not, and so we go back 09:43 to our story, it says, there was a great cry 09:46 and they awoke from their slumber and when 09:50 they awoke, the Bible says they all trimmed 09:53 their lamps, well, if you left a lamp running 09:55 it kind of gets all the way and they trim their 09:56 lamps and that's when five of them realized oh, 09:59 oh, we don't have enough oil. 10:02 Well, that's easy enough to fix. 10:04 We'll just borrow. Well, what do we know about 10:07 the about Holy Spirit and relationships with 10:09 each of us. Is it possible for me to borrow some 10:11 of the Holy Spirit from you? Is it possible 10:14 for me to gain your entrance into the kingdom 10:17 of heaven? No, nobody gets into heaven on 10:21 anyone else's coat tails we get in by a personal 10:24 living vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. 10:27 When they fell asleep five were poorly 10:30 prepared and when they fell asleep the other 10:32 five were not poorly prepared in fact, 10:35 they were prepared satisfactorily. 10:38 They had what they needed, the extra oil, 10:42 and they could not give them any of their own 10:45 and so they said to the others go and get oil 10:50 for yourselves. Well, now you see under 10:53 a lot of circumstances that's not a bad thing. 10:55 We can find oil, we can find the Holy Spirit, 10:58 we have time to get into a living vibrant 11:01 relationship with Jesus Christ but we have 11:03 to act soon. You see, because the problem 11:06 with the story is it was when they went 11:09 to get oil that the bridegroom came, 11:13 say they did not know that if they left that 11:18 was the time the bridegroom was coming. 11:20 If they had I don't think they would have left 11:23 but they didn't know it was an unknown. 11:26 It was a gamble and you my friend would be 11:29 surprised at how many people gamble daily 11:32 with a relationship with Jesus Christ. 11:36 Don't make that gamble or that mistake for you, 11:41 buy while there is still time, learn the lessons 11:44 that we can find from here, so they went, 11:48 they went to find the oil, doesn't say whether 11:51 they were successful, unsuccessful but they 11:54 came back and the others were gone, 12:00 then they heard somehow God went that the 12:03 bridegroom had already come through that the 12:05 wedding party was already at the destination 12:08 and scripture tells to us that when they were 12:10 ready to go into the wedding it was too late 12:14 for the door was shut. Oh! My friends like 12:19 the man who jumps without a parachute 12:23 so walking daily without a relationship with 12:26 Jesus Christ is just as dangerous. 12:30 No one knows when Jesus is going to come. 12:33 Today is the day that we make that choice. 12:37 Today is the only day we are certain of. 12:42 Well, afterwards these virgins came and said Lord, 12:47 Lord, open up to us, see they even called Him 12:49 by name but He answered to them these 12:53 sad words, assuredly I say to you, 12:59 I don't know who you are. I tell you what, 13:05 some of the saddest words in the English 13:07 language in relationship to a personal walk with 13:12 Jesus Christ would be to hear the words 13:14 from Jesus, I never knew you. Wow! 13:20 You and I don't want to hear those words 13:22 and you and I don't have to hear those words. 13:25 We can be prepared, how? During the 13:28 waiting time, obviously Jesus hasn't come today. 13:32 He didn't come yesterday, don't know if He will come 13:36 tomorrow but I do know that since He hasn't come 13:39 yet I can make preparation right now 13:41 to be there. How do you do that? 13:44 Well, daily Bible study and prayer. 13:48 Oh! If God wants to get close to you then God 13:50 wants you close to Him. And there is no other 13:55 way then to read His word. Oh! It's wonderful 13:59 to fellowship with believers and church, 14:01 it's wonderful to attend the mid-week service, 14:04 it's wonderful to be part of Bible study groups, 14:07 all these things are necessary for a living 14:10 relationship with Jesus Christ. 14:13 Do you want that relationship today? 14:17 The kingdom of heaven is likened to these 14:19 Ten Virgins. You and I are invited to an ultimate 14:26 wedding. We're invited to a party that has 14:29 surpassed all parties. Why the scripture tells us 14:32 that there is rejoicing when one sinner comes 14:37 to repentance. I want to come to repentance. 14:43 I want to have my sins forgiven. 14:47 I want to have a walk with Jesus that draws 14:51 me closer and closer to Him each and everyday. 14:57 Well, the invitation has been given, 15:00 preparation is now being made. 15:04 These individual ladies made some 15:08 of good choice, some of poor choice 15:10 but your future and mine, our preparation 15:14 is still here today. You and I can make that 15:17 preparation and chose the good by having 15:22 Jesus as a part of our lives. 15:24 Well, during the waiting time I don't know 15:26 what happens during the waiting time. 15:28 I believe that Jesus is waiting to come 15:31 and get us because there are some people 15:33 that have not chosen yet. 15:35 With satellite that goes around the globe, 15:39 with Internet, with all of the technology 15:43 that we have today? One would wonder 15:46 if there's anyone who has not heard 15:48 the message that the Bible tells us 15:51 that as soon as the gospel is preached 15:53 to the entire world then and only then 15:56 shall the end come. So my friend, 15:59 are you living that life that will save 16:03 you in the end? Oh! If you answer yes 16:05 to that question be careful because 16:07 there is nothing you and I can do to 16:08 gain eternal life except by allowing 16:12 Jesus to be Lord of our lives. 16:15 Nothing I can do, nothing I can do 16:18 except to allow Jesus in and accept 16:23 His will. All that I do is in direct response 16:27 to what He has done for me. 16:30 I enjoy these new versions of scripture 16:33 that come out from time to time and 16:35 they give me new meaning on some 16:37 of the passage I've come to memorize 16:38 and I really enjoy Romans 12:1 from 16:41 one of the passages that's newer, 16:44 these translations and it says simply this, 16:47 when you consider what He has done for us, 16:52 is this too much to ask and so my friend 16:57 what a simply equation. If you think well what 17:01 has God asked me to do, as I read through 17:03 and I study my Bible and I run across the 17:05 God wants me to pay a tithe then 17:08 my friend when I consider what He 17:10 has done for me, is that too much too ask 17:13 and I answer of course not Lord, 17:14 doesn't even come close I'll tithed. 17:17 And as I continue to study and I find out 17:20 that wow! He says, He is the Lord of 17:22 the Sabbath, do I have a Sabbath in my life? 17:25 Will I take one day, the day that 17:28 He has chosen to worship Him. 17:30 When I consider what He's done for me? 17:33 Is that too much to ask Oh! No Lord 17:36 of course not. Okay, well, I keep reading 17:39 a little more and I run out to where 17:41 it says, love thy neighbor as thyself, 17:44 okay Lord, that's it, that's where you've 17:46 asked too much. Oh! No, no, no my friend. 17:49 Yes, sometimes it seems like He asked 17:51 too much but when we compare it to 17:54 what He has done for us already. 17:58 The shorter list would be what could God ask 18:02 us to do that wouldn't be worth it? 18:05 My friend I will sat down with my own 18:08 pad of paper and I can't come up with 18:11 anything that He could ask including 18:14 allowing me to give my life because 18:18 Jesus has given me more than this world 18:21 has to offered. He has done within me 18:24 and desires to do within you, 18:27 His will and His way to free us from the 18:32 bonds of sin while on this earth in order 18:35 to put on His robe of righteousness. 18:37 Oh! You remember we're talking about 18:38 weddings here that the wedding garment. 18:42 There was wedding and a man invited 18:44 and remember some people were too busy 18:46 I just brought some oxen, 18:47 I want to see how they plow. 18:48 Another one said, well, you know, 18:51 I just got married so I'm going to stay 18:54 home with my wife. People we're not 18:57 accepting an invitation to the wedding and 19:01 in these last days it's going to be the same. 19:04 There are people walking the streets today. 19:07 That will not accept the loving the invitation 19:12 of Jesus Christ. I pray you're not in that 19:15 number and I pray I am not in that number. 19:17 We choose first and foremost Jesus Christ, 19:21 king of our lives. These ladies were 19:25 on their way to the most blessed event. 19:27 They were on their way to a wedding celebration. 19:31 It was a party of all parties in Bible times, 19:34 some wedding celebration lasted 19:36 a week or more. They were wonderful times, 19:39 the family got together, it was an 19:42 exciting opportunity and God tells us 19:45 that the second coming is the same, 19:47 He tells us that it's going to be a 19:49 celebration unlike all celebrations, 19:52 that He is going to prepare a table for 19:55 us in glory that we're going to sit around, 19:58 we're going to be there with all of our 20:00 loved ones, that if chosen Jesus, 20:02 all of our friends were going to meet people 20:05 that we've never seen or met before. 20:07 We will have only one thing in common 20:09 we've some people that is simply this 20:12 we loved the same Lord. Can that be 20:18 said of you today that we love the 20:21 same Lord, that we've invited the same Lord 20:24 into our hearts, may that be our prayer 20:28 each and everyday. We've been invited 20:31 to the greatest wedding of all time, 20:33 the greatest wedding between our Savior 20:37 and His bride His church, you and I. 20:42 If we are right now in the time of preparation 20:46 and in waiting, they go hand in hand. 20:48 We don't know when Jesus will come 20:51 but he will come soon. We know that the 20:54 Bible has promised that, it's share with 20:56 us that Jesus right now John 14 is up in 21:00 heaven preparing mansions for us. 21:02 Our prayer there is a mail box out on 21:04 the street with my name on it. 21:06 I want to be there, don't you? 21:08 This wedding is the only opportunity 21:13 to be with Jesus forever. 21:18 The door was shut when those who 21:21 were not ready, sort out to get ready, 21:27 and scripture told us, watch therefore for 21:30 you know neither the day nor the hour 21:33 that the Son of Man is coming. 21:35 Even I don't know when Jesus is coming, 21:37 but we do know He is coming soon 21:40 and I want to be there. 21:41 The story is told of a young man 21:43 who went to get a job on a farm. 21:47 He was a handy man and He didn't 21:49 have any references but when the farmer 21:53 ask Him some of his traits, one of the 21:55 traits that stuck in the farmer's mind 21:57 was this when he said, I can sleep 22:01 when the wind blows, you can 22:04 sleep when the wind blows? Yes, sir I can. 22:08 Hey, that was interesting and he 22:10 answered the rest of the questions 22:11 of the interview just well and inspite 22:13 of no references the farmer hired him, 22:16 and he proceeded to work. 22:18 Well, it was only a few weeks later 22:22 when a great storm blew up out of nowhere, 22:25 the farmer got up out of bed panicking 22:28 because the wind was strong it was 22:29 going to literally undo and cause dire 22:33 problems on his farm. And he goes out to 22:37 the little place where his worker is living 22:41 and he looks through the window 22:43 and his hireling is sleeping. 22:47 He beats on the door and looks through 22:52 the window. The boy doesn't get up. 22:55 Well, he can't wait for him, he saw him 22:57 stir a little bit so he went to run, 22:59 he had to go, he had to save his farm 23:01 and so he runs around and wants 23:04 to close the protection on the windows but 23:07 they're already shut. He goes to 23:10 move the tractor inside the barn 23:12 and he finds that the tractor is already 23:14 inside and the doors are bolted. 23:18 Why the farm implements have 23:21 been moved next to the barn, 23:23 the hay had been restock, amazingly 23:25 enough everything he went to in order 23:28 to save it, had already been done, 23:31 and then it dawned on him. 23:33 That's what he meant I can sleep 23:38 when the wind blows. My friend can you 23:42 sleep when the wind blows? 23:44 This young man had done his job 23:46 faithfully day by day doing it right going 23:50 the extra mile while the waiting was good, 23:54 while the weather was good, when he could 23:56 have been lazy, he did his job well 23:59 and now when the time's got tough, 24:02 he was ready and he was prepared. 24:06 Are you jumping out of an airplane 24:08 without a parachute? I certainly hope not. 24:12 He only found out when it was too late. 24:16 Living the Christian life is an awful lot like 24:21 these stories we've looked at today. 24:23 We think one thing but reality is another. 24:29 I can say I am saved just as I can say 24:33 I'm a millionaire but that doesn't make it so. 24:37 I can say that I love Jesus but am I willing 24:43 to walk in the path that Jesus has laid 24:46 out for me? Far too often people 24:49 who accept Jesus Christ, accept Jesus 24:52 in their way not having to change your life. 24:55 God will love me just as I am, well, you know 24:59 that's sound good, and God does love us 25:02 just as we are but as a parent parents a child. 25:07 When they disciple them, when they 25:09 discipline them and show them to the 25:13 way to go, most moms and dads 25:16 and grandmas and grandpas expect the 25:19 young one to improve and get better 25:23 because now they know better. 25:25 You and I are like The Ten Virgins here 25:29 in scripture. We've been given this great 25:32 invitation to a one time event, 25:35 the second coming of Jesus Christ. 25:37 Do you want to be there? I know I do 25:40 then we come to the preparation just 25:42 as we prepare for a wedding here on earth. 25:45 We prepare for a wedding up above. 25:48 That day is coming very, very soon. 25:52 I want to be a part of that day. 25:54 During this time of waiting, while we're 25:57 waiting from one day to the next for a sign 26:01 that He is coming. I want to remain faithful 26:05 to Him moment by moment, day by day 26:08 from this day forward, don't you? 26:11 I believe you do. Well then during this 26:15 preparation time while we are waiting for 26:16 Jesus to come, take every opportunity to 26:19 get to know your Lord and savior Jesus Christ. 26:22 Daily Bible study and prayer, meeting for 26:26 mid-week service us, fellow-shipping with 26:29 Christian friends, singing Christian songs, 26:33 living a life that God leads us to live is our 26:39 response to this great invitation of all time. 26:45 I want to be ready when Jesus comes. 26:49 Will you bow your heads with me as 26:51 we ask God to come into our hearts 26:53 this very moment. Gracious Father in 26:56 heaven, we thank You so much that You love us, 27:00 thank you that You send Jesus to die for us 27:03 and thank you for the great invitation to 27:07 attend the wedding, our wedding, 27:09 Your wedding, when You come to take us home. 27:13 May the day of Your coming be soon 27:16 but until that day comes Father, 27:19 help us be prepared so that we maybe 27:23 ready for we do not know the day 27:26 or the hour that you're coming. 27:27 So we want to be able to sleep soundly 27:31 through the night. For these things 27:33 we pray in Jesus name, amen. 27:36 O my friend, may God grant you peace 27:40 that passes all understanding, 27:41 may He give you the strength 27:43 and the courage to take a step for Him 27:48 because it will be the 27:50 greatest step you ever take. |
Revised 2014-12-17