At first glance, the passage from Mark is full of doom and gloom. The disciples asked for signs of the end times, and Jesus told them that the end times would be full of danger. Is this really the way for us to start the season of Advent? Isn’t Advent supposed to be a time of hope and preparation? The answer to both questions is yes. Advent isn’t about preparing for Christmas. It’s about preparing for the coming of Christ. Advent always begins with preparing and waiting for Christ to come again. Just as the first coming was an event of cosmic proportion, so will the second coming be.

The passage from Mark is not meant to frighten us. It is meant to comfort us, especially as we face life’s trials. When people are suffering, we must acknowledge their pain, grief and obstacles. When we see the problems that will accompany the end times, it isn’t a sign that the Kingdom is late or has been derailed. We don’t know when it will come, but nothing can stop it from coming.

Jesus said that only God knows when Christ will return. Although Jesus was fully God, when He became human He voluntarily restricted the use of certain divine attributes. He didn’t use them unless God told Him to. He showed his Godlike character on several occasions, but He restricted the use of His divine attributes to those things God wanted Him to know during His time on earth.

Power and glory belong to God and to those who know Him and share the fellowship of His sufferings. As proof, He will send His angels to gather His elect from every corner of the earth. Just as summer arrives in Israel soon after fig trees start to blossom, so Jesus will return at the very end of the Great Tribulation, in power and glory, to set up His millennial kingdom-His 1,000-year reign on a restored earth. This should not be confused with the Rapture, the catching up of the saints that will occur before the Tribulation begins.

The Lord did not say the things in verses 32-37 to prompt speculation on when He might return. The Christian’s responsibility is to remain watchful, pure and ready. Jesus assures the disciples and us that God is in control of the universe. He assures them and us that their faith (and ours) will be rewarded with salvation.

We are impatient people. That’s one reason why it’s so hard for us to obey Jesus when He tells us to watch for His return. It’s not part of our nature. We want what we want, and we want it now. If we can’t have it right now, we’re going to do something else. Yes, it’s hard for us to wait for Jesus, but we ought to do it. Why?

1. Because Jesus asked us to be prepared for that unknown hour.
2. Because we will be released from the testing and temptations of this sinful place called earth.
3. Because when Jesus returns, all those who believe and have been granted forgiveness are going to be given a life which makes the best offerings of this world seem second-rate.

The promise of the permanence of the phrase, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away,” has sustained Christians throughout history. Jesus came through times when His enemies tried to attack and trap Him. They failed, and so will everyone who tries to find flaws in anything He says. He proved that His words are true. He can now say they are eternally sure.

The passage portrays the application of vigilance. Being on guard, being alert and watching, means more than expectant waiting. It means standing ready and being prepared for the Messiah’s return. Christ’s return is a forceful incentive for faithful discipleship. Our faithfulness is determined by our faith in Christ. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. We must rely on Christ all the time.

What will Jesus find when He returns? Jesus has charged us with the responsibility for the household of faith. If we fall asleep so that the household misses His coming, God will hold us responsible. Christ warned us to always be alert. We as believers don’t have in ourselves sufficient resources to be alert to spiritual dangers that can so easily surprise us.

God gives each of us our own work to do. He expects us to faithfully carry out the duties He has given us in Jesus’ absence. Things will get worse before they get better. Properly understood, waiting for Christ’s return should help us live vigorously as we do God’s work in our world. Our lives will be very different if we live in the continual awareness of His coming. Being awake to Jesus gives meaning to our lives.

The Bible is still relevant today. It tells us about God, and God never changes. Because God doesn’t change, we can depend on His Word and turn to it for the guidance and help we need. Also, human nature has not changed. Just as God’s Word spoke to generations past, it still speaks to us-rebuking us, guiding us and turning us toward God.

If we don’t prepare ourselves ahead of time for Judgment Day, we won’t have time to prepare on that day. Either we will be ready, or we won’t. On that day we will acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, or we won’t. On that day we will have been forgiven of our sins, or we won’t. Jesus is coming, and we have to make sure that as many people as possible are prepared for that day.

Whether Jesus comes again in our lifetime or not, we would do well to be prepared. Whether or not we will be alive to see the end of the world as we know it, we will see the end of our own lives. We need to be spiritually prepared for the Second Coming, but we also need to be spiritually prepared for our own death. We can be prepared by reading our Bibles daily.

God’s Word doesn’t merely show us our sins; it also cleanses us. It shows us the problem and then gives us the solution. By reading God’s Word daily, we will reap its benefits. We can’t simply skim through our favourite passages when we need a pick-me-up. We must devour every page and glean every truth.

We need to keep our eyes fixed on the cross and the Saviour’s empty tomb. It was there, as well as throughout His life, that Jesus paid the price that won our salvation. If we look at Jesus’ sacrifice and if we continue to pray for deliverance and assistance, the Holy Spirit will help shut our souls to that which is sinful.

During the season of Advent, the church calls the world to look again at stories that have somehow become comfortably innocuous, to rediscover the disruptive signs that someone has been here moving about these places we call home, to stay awake to the startling possibility of his nearness in this place even now. Considering all the problems in the world today, Advent presents a unique opportunity for the church to stand in the gap and proclaim the Good News of Christ Jesus through word and deed. Now is the time to be diligent in proclaiming the Good News in word and deed.

God has prepared something wonderful beyond our world and time. Is that more difficult to believe than the resurrection? Shouldn’t we believe that God will redeem the world?

The passage from Mark should make us eager for what is to come. Christ’s death and resurrection have assured us of our future. That future has been made present in and through us. We yearn to see the promised future now. The self-centered, careless values of the world will be replaced by new values. The reality of Jesus’ return is greater than the reality of shadows cast by our world. When we travel over life’s troubled seas, we have hope because Jesus will bring peace and calmness. When we feel captive by life’s problems, we have hope because Jesus will set us free.

The theme of the First Sunday of Advent is always this: be alert, be always ready to meet God because suddenly the end of history is going to be here. How can we be ready?

1. Live with the assurance that as children of God, we will be with Jesus when we die.
2. Show God’s love to everyone we meet.
3. Do the tasks God has given us to do. Our watching implies that we are faithful to our task and calling, even during opposition and life’s trials. Watching takes on the shape of expectancy.
4. Be loyal to Jesus Christ.

During this season of Advent, we are waiting for Christmas, but we are also waiting for something else. We are waiting for Jesus’ return. He told us that He would come again, and He told us to watch and be ready for Him. What should we do while we are waiting? We should worship and praise Him, love and serve Him, and share His love with others. When we do these things, we will be ready for His return, and we will find joy in the waiting place.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1368-1369)
2. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 263-266)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Not Even Ten Minutes.” Retrieved from www.lhn.org
7. Rev. David Mainse, “Watch!” Retrieved from www.100words.com
8. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Waiting for Jesus.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org.
9. Jill Carattini, “Like a Thief.” Retrieved from slice@slilceofinfinity.org
10. The Rev. Timothy G. Warren, “Reading the Signs on Our Journey.” Retrieved from www.epipscopaldigitalneetwork.com
11. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for Mark 13:24-37.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
12. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Power of the Word.” Retrieved from www.ltw.org
13. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Looking Good.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org
14. The Rev. Dr. Edward S. Gleason, “In the Time of This Mortal Life.” Retrieved from wwww.day1.org
15. Rick Morley, “Star Gazing-A Reflection on Mark 13:24-37.” Retrieved from www.rickmorley.com
16. Pastor Edward Markquart, “Suddenly.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com
17. The Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson Jr., “Two Minute Warning.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
18. “The Waiting Place.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com

Nate closed his eyes and sighed in frustration. For the first time, Wyatt had accepted an invitation to go to Bible club. The teacher explained that people are lost in sin, and Jesus came to find and save them. But Wyatt didn’t understand. “I don’t get it,” he said as he and Nate walked home. “It doesn’t make sense! A perfect God wouldn’t search for people, because He wouldn’t need them for anything–especially not people who keep messing up all the time.” Nate didn’t know how to explain it any better than their teacher had.

“I’ve had enough God talk,” added Wyatt. “Wanna stop at my house for a while?” Nate nodded.

When the boys arrived at Wyatt’s house, his little sister, Rosalie, ran up to them. “Wyatt!” she called. “Ranger’s missing!”

“What?” Wyatt began to panic.

“I looked all around the neighborhood for him, but I can’t find him,” said Rosalie. “Can you go look for him, Wyatt?”

“I’ll help,” said Nate, and the boys took off in different directions, calling the dog’s name and whistling for him.

Nate circled the block, and when he got back to Wyatt’s house, he found Wyatt throwing sticks for the dog. “Ranger heard me call and came to me,” said Wyatt with a grin. “I think he wanted to be found!”

That gave Nate an idea. “Why did you have to go look for Ranger?” he asked.

“Because he was lost,” said Wyatt, looking puzzled. “Besides, I didn’t have to look for him–I wanted to! He’s my dog–he belongs with me.”

Nate grinned. “Right,” he said, “and you know what? God didn’t have to look for us, either. He wanted to because He made us, and we belong to Him. God loves you, Wyatt, even more than you love Ranger. God wants to find you, and He can–but you have to want to be found.” Wyatt looked a bit startled. “Come over tomorrow night and we can talk about it some more,” said Nate. “Okay?”

Wyatt watched Ranger chew the end of a stick. “Maybe,” he said thoughtfully. “I’ll think about it.”

The reading from Ezekiel describes God’s search and rescue operation. God takes the initiative in restoring the lost and broken. National and personal recovery is possible because of God’s infinite mercy, but mercy takes sides. It may embrace everyone, but those who have profited at others’ expense must face the consequences of their injustice as a prelude to reconciliation.

The good King’s focus is always on the people’s welfare. That King, that Good Shepherd, always protects the flock from their curious roaming. That Good Shepherd, that King, made God’s loving kindness present among the people, brought healing to the infirm in the flock, bound up wounds, and led to good pastures and flowing water.

The passage from Ezekiel is a prophecy about the Israelites’ rejection of God and His plan to bring them back to Him. It envisions three things:

1. Israel’s increasing degeneracy and failure to obey God’s laws.
2. God’s punishment of His people by conquest and exile and the many miseries involved in those events.
3. Eventual restoration of the people to a better relationship of true faithfulness to God.

Ezekiel 24 follows this plan. It demonstrates four things:

1. Israel’s past failures under irresponsible leaders. Of the 43 kings from 1051 BC to 586 BC, only David, Hezekiah and Josiah were solidly, consistently loyal to God in their leadership of the nation. Eight or nine of the other 40 did some good. The majority were evil and selfish.
2. God the Good Shepherd taking over.
3. God judging His flock and putting Jesus in charge.
4. The resulting blessed new age of the covenant of peace.

Through Ezekiel, the Lord gives another promise that He will one day “search for…seek out” and gather the people of Israel from all the places He has scattered them and bring them back to the Promised Land, where He will care for them and make them prosper. He will do for them what their failed shepherds refused to do. This prophecy began to be fulfilled when the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, was born in Bethlehem and shepherds celebrated His arrival. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus ministered to the crowds, who were like wandering sheep with no shepherd.

Faithful shepherds of God’s flock pay special attention to the weak sheep among them and so take appropriate action to tend to their unique needs. The New Testament instructs us to “comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” A leader with a servant’s heart looks out for others and shepherds their flock well.

Verses 23 and 24 promise that God would send the Messiah to shepherd His people, Israel, and that this Good Shepherd would care for them and provide for their needs. The phrase “my servant David” refers here to the Messiah, the Promised One who would come from the lineage of David and restore Israel’s security. Contrary to the failed shepherds of Israel, Jesus not only cared for the sheep but put them first by laying His life down for them.

God will eventually take over the nation of Israel. He will bring the Israelites back to their homeland. He will take care of them and make them prosper. He will revive His people and destroy their enemies.

Ezekiel’s message was a message of hope for the Israelites, and it is still a message of hope today. God is still following this plan. He does what He does for our benefit. He feeds us what He knows will give us spiritual health and physical health. He makes us lie down and rest when we would rather keep moving. He is the Good and Great Shepherd.

The passage from Ezekiel is a metaphor of the Parable of the Lost Sheep. It encourages those who have been pushed and shoved by events beyond their control. If we feel secure we will be less likely to abuse other people.

God will also judge abusive members of the flock as to their true spiritual state. It anticipates the judgment of the people given by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46. The ungodly are known because they trample the poor. God can sort out the true from the false and will do so when He establishes His kingdom on earth. Wherever life and people threaten to pull us under, we as believers know that we have a divine rescuer-Jesus. This is God’s assurance, and it is also Ezekiel’s assurance to the Israelites. All we have to do is hold fast to God and His promises.

Once we have been rescued, it is natural for us to go back to business as usual. We want to forget the hopeless, horrifying moment when we were lost in darkness. Going back there to warn others is hard work. It sounds risky. Why do we fear the lost? Is it because they are needy and desperate? Are we afraid that they will latch on to us and beg for things? Are we scared because they are so different from us-different in lifestyles, language, clothing styles, food and music preferences or sense of humour? For the desperate, the hungry, the oppressed, for those in pain, no rescue can come soon enough. When they call to us for rescue, God demands that we be willing to help them.

We need to follow God out of the throne room, and we need to confess our reluctance to go. Many churches are really comfortable staying where they are. It is a place where everyone looks like us, where we aren’t threatened, where it’s clean and beautiful and safe. We like the safety of the throne room, but if we want to live in God’s kingdom and obey His will for our lives, we must join God in the search and in the great shepherding work. As someone once told me, “Do what you fear, and the fear will go away. “

God is in charge. Despite appearances, confusion and the miserable condition the sheep are in, the prophet speaks for God. He assures them they will return from exile. God will shepherd them back to their own land and restore them to God’s ways. Jesus fulfilled the promise God made to the Israelites. Jesus did this humbly, as he said in Matthew 20:20, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.” He taught his disciples to do the same, and He urges us to do the same.

On this the Reign of Christ Sunday, it is unusual to have the reading from Ezekiel about God not as King, but as a Shepherd. In reality, it is not unusual because for Israel God was seen as a ruler who was a shepherd and who would protect, lead and defend the people with gentleness and compassion. God assures us that He is in charge. He will do what He promises to do. He will shepherd us. He is still faithful.

The Lord God is critical of what seems to come naturally to sheep – pushing with flank and shoulder, butting each other with horns. Maybe the same is true for us. When push comes to shove we would prefer to not be on the receiving end. But God as shepherd prefers lean sheep to fat ones and promises to bring back the strayed, bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. The image of God as our shepherd is for the encouragement of all who have been pushed and shoved by events beyond their control so that rescued from the clouds and thick darkness of despair, well-watered and fed on the good pasture of hope; we would no longer be ravaged by doubt and fear. And if we feel secure we might be less likely to push and shove and scatter others to preserve a place for ourselves, which would be pleasing to the shepherd and sheep alike.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New Kings James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1094-1095)
2. “Ranger.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org
3. Stuart, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 20: Ezekiel (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989; pp. 307-315
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New Kings James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Patricia Rayburn, “God Our Rescuer.” Retrieved from donotreply@email.rbc.ogr
7. Rick Boxx, “A Shepherd’s Heart.” Retrieved form Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Christ the King (A).” Retrieved from firstimpressions@lists.opsouth.org
9. Justin Lynd-Ayres, “Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
10. Christine Caine, “Seeking the Lost.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@s.biblegateway.com
11. Ben. H. Colvert, “Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
12. The Rev. Sue Haupert-Johnson, “God Has Left the Building.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
13. Margaret Odell, “Commentary on Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2188
14. Walter Brueggeman, “Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24: Failed Kings and the Good Shepherd.” Retrieved from www.huffpost.com/ezekiel-34-christ-the-king-sunday-on-sctipture­_b_1097125.
15. Bruce Epperly, “The Adventurous Lectionary-Reign of Christ Sunday-November 22, 2020.” Retrieved from www.patheos.com/blogs/livingaholyadventure
16. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Christ the King (A), November 22, 2020.” Retrieved from firstimpressions@lists.opsouth.org

She wore her characteristic Indian sari with the blue border that represented the Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded in 1949. Her years on earth had bent her already small frame, but there was nothing small about Mother Teresa’s presence.

Who would have ever thought that this small Albanian woman would be an agent for change? She was shy and introverted as a child, and she was in fragile health. She was one of three children of a generous but unremarkable businessman. Yet somewhere along her life’s journey, she became convinced that Jesus walked in the “distressing disguise of the poor,” and she set out to love him by loving them. In 1989, she told a reporter that her Missionaries had picked up around 54,000 people from the streets of Calcutta, India and that 24,000 or so had died in her care.

None of us can help everyone, but all of us can help someone, and when we help them, we serve Jesus. When we do, we will hear the words of Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”.

This coming Sunday marks the end of the church year. Next week, we will celebrate the beginning of the Advent season. It is a season of preparation for the coming of Christ, and not just his first coming as an infant in that stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. We will also remember that he will come again at the end of the age to set up his kingdom here on earth. No one knows when it will happen, and Jesus warned us not to try to predict when it will happen, but we must always be ready because it can happen at any time.

When he comes to earth to judge the people, he will judge them by what they have done for others and by what they have shared with others and not by what they know or who they know or by their church membership. We see Jesus through the eyes of compassion, and we can see that compassion in the work done by health care workers or emergency personnel such as police officers, paramedics or fire fighters.

The story of the last judgment in Matthew 25:31-46 is the minimum standard of behaviour that applies to all of us. Christ sees what we do because he is the recipient of our acts of kindness and mercy, no matter how big or small they are. It is about the acts of compassion, justice and gentleness which we do without having to think about them. What we do for others, we do for Jesus. Then we will receive God’s mercy and love.

The acts of compassion we do for others are within the reach of all of us. When we do these things, we tell others about Christ through our actions. The judgment identifies Christ with the underprivileged, so that anything we do for them is a deed of love for Christ.  We must live like we take Jesus’ statement in Matthew 25:31-46 seriously. What we do with the Good News of Jesus has enormous consequences because the punishment of those who reject Jesus is just as eternal as the reward of those who serve him. Failing to show compassion for others condemns us to eternal damnation. Every person who receives Jesus Christ as their Saviour and shows compassion will receive rewards individually. Our service to others reflects the condition of our hearts. When we respond to God’s call to serve, we know that we are ministering to Jesus himself.

Do we sometimes look at those who are in need and refuse to help them because we think they deserved what happened to them? While it is true that some are in their particular situation because of their own actions, we are not to judge them or condemn them. Only God can do that, because his standards are perfect and higher than ours. Our job is to show Christ’s love by showing compassion for them, because when we do, we become Christ-like.

The story does simplify the basis on which God’s judgment is made. It has to do with how each person responds to everyday opportunities to help others in need. Jesus judges injustice instead of perpetuating it. Life in God’s kingdom is not about what we have or who we are, it’s about what we do. Random acts of kindness and serving the less fortunate in the community are powerful ways of authenticating the gospel. Jesus calls us to witness through our generosity. In the words of the Golden Rule, we are to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”

We must be prepared to minister to the poor wherever God calls us to minister to them, whether it is in a nursing home or the local food bank, around the corner or around the world. Parceling out this kind of compassion will not result in loud whistles or applause. In fact, the best acts of compassion will never be known to most people, nor will large sums of money be dumped into our laps because we are committed to being helpful. Normally, acts of mercy are done in obscurity on behalf of unknown people. Those who would be greatest in God’s Kingdom are those who make themselves the least.

The good deeds commended in verses 25 and 26 are the result of our salvation. They are the criteria that God will use for judgment, because they are the evidence of our saving faith. We are to use our uniqueness and our unique gifts to do God’s work in the world. The good news is that Christians throughout the centuries, in response to the challenge of this passage from Matthew’s Gospel, have tried to help people in need, and in the process have made a better world. We, and they, will reap the reward of our earthly actions on the Day of Judgment, when Christ will look at us and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants”.

Bibliography

1. Max Lucado, “Outlive Your Life”. Retrieved from www.ChristianityToday.com
2. Kelly McFadden, “Fill the Need”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
3. Dr. Robert Heerspink, “Before the Bench”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
4. Diane Singer, “The Human Touch”. Retrieved from www.colsoncenter.org
5. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, “The Good Samaritan”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.cc
6. Charles Swindoll, “Restoring Compassion”. Retrieved from www.insight.org
7. Lucado, Max: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 2010)
8. Augsburg, Myron S.; Ogilvie, Lloyd J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publisher, Inc., 1982)
9. MacArthur, John: MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 2006;2008)
10. Stanley, Charles F., Life Applications Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 2006;2008)
11. The Rev. Dr. Wiley Stephens, UYMC, “Heaven’s Audit of One’s Soul”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
12. The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter, UMC, “Our Spiritual Bottom Line”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
13. The Rev. Deborah Fortel, PCUSA, “If Only We Had Known”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
14. The Rev. Dr. Thomas Lane Butts, UMC, “Dear God, Where Are You?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
15. Exegesis for Matthew 25:31-46. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
16. Selwyn Hughes, “The Great Peril of the Saints”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
17. The Rev. Ken Klaus, “No Surprise Here”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org
18. Dr. Michael Youssef, “While We Wait”. Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
19. Dr. Charles Stanley, “The Final Exam”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
20. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 9 Bible software package.
21. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 9 Bible software package.
22. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, the Reign of Christ-November 20, 2011. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org/archives/the-reign-of-christ-november-20-2011
23. Dr. Greg Garrett, TEC, “If Christ is King, What Does That Mean?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
24. Daniel Clendenin, PhD., “The Judgment of Injustice: The Feast of Christ the King”. Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus,net/index.shtml?view=print
25. The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, “Will We Have Any Idea When the End is Coming?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/religionandspirituality/billygraham/s-970982?print
26. MacArthur, John: MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006, 2008)
27. Stanley, Charles F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006, 2008)
28. Augsburger, Myron S.; Ogilvie, Lloyd J. : The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982)
29. Fr. Anthony Axe. O.P., “Not of This World”. Retrieved from www.torch.op.org

“I was shivering, and you gave me clothes…”

Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier and a Christian. One cold winter day, as he was entering a city, a beggar stopped him and asked for money. Martin had no money, but the beggar was blue and shivering with cold and Martin gave him what he had. He took off his soldier’s cloak, worn and frayed as it was; he cut it in two and gave half of it to the beggar.

That night Martin had a dream. In it he saw the heavenly places and all the angels and Jesus in the midst of them; and Jesus was wearing half a Roman soldier’s cloak. One of the angels said to him, “Master, why are you wearing that battered old cloak? Who gave it to you?” Jesus answered softly, “My servant Martin gave it to me.”

We do not have to do big things to help the poor. There is a saying- “big things come in small packages”. Even the smallest things we do can make a big difference in the lives of the poor. For example, any time my mother and I had extra clothes that we wanted to get rid of, we donated them to the Canadian Diabetes Association. In return, the Association sold these clothes to Value Village stores. These stores, which are similar to Salvation Army Thrift Stores, sell clothing and other household items to people at affordable prices.

There are other things we can do as Christians. For example, our Mother’s Union group gathers items for needy families. A few years ago, the group sponsored a local family by providing them with clothing, useful personal items and household items at Christmas time. My church’s women’s group sponsors a foster child. My parish supplied boxes of Christmas gifts for the Mission to Seafarers in the Port of Halifax. In our wider community, the Salvation Army’s Thrift Store provided clothing and other assistance to the needy until it closed earlier this year. Every fall there is a Warm Winter Clothing Exchange where people can donate winter clothing that they no longer need and the poor can get winter clothing at no charge.

Speaking of the Mission to Seafarers, this worldwide organization, which started as a mission of the Church of England in the 1850s, also serves the poor by providing support, emergency assistance and a friendly welcome to ships crews in over 250 ports worldwide. This support ranges from caring for the victims of piracy to caring for seafarers who are stranded in foreign ports to providing warm clothing, personal care and sundry items to the crews of ships to providing Internet access so seafarers can keep in touch with loved ones at home.

There are things government can do to ease poverty, especially since government decisions sometimes cause poverty. A few years ago, a report came out that criticized the Nova Scotia government for not dealing with high taxes and its inability to control energy prices. Double-digit hikes in electricity rates and high heating oil prices took a bite out of household budgets, and that led to an increase in the number of people seeking social assistance. That same year, the Salvation Army’s Good Neighbour Energy Fund was fully depleted for the first time ever, largely because the provincial government reduced its annual contribution, but because the fund was depleted, the government had to contribute extra money.

In January 2011 the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada and the National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada sent a letter to the Canadian government urging it to adopt the recommendations of a House of Commons committee for reducing poverty in Canada. It urged the federal government to support broad measures to improve living standards for impoverished Canadians. Across Canada, committed Anglicans are dealing with the poverty issue at many levels and in many ways. They are asking for sweeping forward-looking measures that will address the root causes of poverty in the years to come. Others are continuing with traditional charitable work—soup kitchens, shelters, drop-in centres, food banks and clothing giveaways—to help the needy now.

When we serve the poor, sometimes we serve angels in disguise, and sometimes we can be rewarded by them. For example, one time the Missions to Seafarers centre in Halifax received a donation from an ex-seafarer who had stopped at the centre in the 1960s. During that visit he lost his shoes. The chaplain at that time bought him a new pair of shoes. The ex-seafarer never forgot the chaplain’s kindness.

When we help the poor, we are answering God’s call as written in Isaiah 25:4 and Isaiah 58:6-11 to reach out to others in His name. When we do, we not only respond to God’s call, but we salt our communities with the preserving influence of the Gospel. Solving the causes of poverty requires large-scale government and non-profit action as well as the church’s compassion and social activism.

The Canadian Christian community has long been a leader in caring for the less fortunate in Canada. From church groups inspired to serve sandwiches on a local street corner to those offering a place of refuge in extreme cold or heat or the operation of multi-million dollar addictions rehabilitations centres, hostels and food service programs to conducting clothing drives for the needy or operating Salvation Army Thrift Stores, love is shared in practical expressions that meet human need. Faith-based charities such as local food banks, the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, or Chalice (which is the Roman Catholic Church’s equivalent of the Primate’s Fund) have the infrastructure and expertise to multiply the effect of government funds in the delivery of service. As a service provider to poor and homeless people, faith-based charities and their communities offer a significant experience-based resource to the government. In doing so, they also advance religion.

Why does God allow so many of his children to be poor? After all, he could make all of them rich if he wanted to, and that’s the key phrase….if he wanted to. But he does not choose to do so. He allows them to suffer and want. Why is this? One reason is because he wants to give those of us who have plenty an opportunity to show our love for Jesus. If we truly love Christ, we will care for those who are loved by him. Those who are dear to him will be dear to us as well.

What are the best ways to fight poverty? That depends on what we mean by poverty. If by poverty we mean the inability to access financial, social or political resources, then it is essential that we help the poor overcome their poverty. At the same time, we must be careful not to do for them what they can do for themselves.

If, on the other hand we mean spiritual poverty, and if restored relationships are essential to overcoming poverty, then Christ-centered, church-based community development is the foundation of sustained change. This is an example of what the church is called to do-walking with the lost and broken while embracing and restoring the whole person in Christ to reach their God-given potential. We are called to be compassionate, to love, and to carry each other’s burdens.

The criteria for judgment are deeds of mercy-food, drink, welcome, clothing, nursing care and visitation. Acts of kindness are simple and concrete. They are indiscriminate and uncalculating. They are also transforming in the lives of the recipients. Remembering acts of kindness we have received keeps us humble, makes us grateful and helps us to be more compassionate toward others in need. When we serve, our focus shifts from self to selfless.

When Jesus says that we serve him when we serve others, he is saying that when we see a hungry or thirsty person, someone in prison or without adequate clothing, someone who is sick and has no one to take care of him or her—in other words, someone not like us—when we see someone who needs what we have in us to give, we have to see that person as the presence and embodiment of Christ even if that person does not act like us. Jesus is in soup kitchen lines. Jesus is waiting at the Salvation Army to get a coat. Jesus is in the hospital, or more likely, suffering, because He cannot afford to go to the hospital (especially if the hospital is in the United States). Jesus wants us to be out in the world every day, looking to find Him in the heartache and pain that surrounds us. Church is the place where we come to feed and nourish our soul for this work, the work that calls us to minister to Him in very real and tangible ways. (Pause)

It is hard to see people as the presence and embodiment of Christ when we have to deal with people who have an attitude where they expect us to help and get angry when we don’t. It is hard to see Jesus in people like that, but then we must try to put ourselves in their place, and when we do it becomes easier to see Christ in them. We can’t do anything but help, and we do so not because we feel guilty, but because we know that God loves them just as much as God loves us, and God needs us to show that love to them.

There are people who hear stories on the news about suffering and go back to their normal everyday activities after they hear the stories. Others choose to act. In an article that appeared in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald newspaper a few years ago, someone wrote the following words:

None of them worked alone. As they went along, their circles of influence moved outward, inspiring more and more people to act in concert.

Interestingly, religion or faith is not often mentioned in connection with their acts of charity, a word used here in the old-fashioned sense, meaning love. These are people who do God’s work and, it appears, they humbly accept their roles. Helping others has become more than their volunteer activity; it’s an obsession and vocation.

The rest of us can watch, marvel, learn — and then follow suit. When we can’t initiate something ourselves, we can support the efforts of others. There is a lot of work that needs to be done — in Nova Scotia, in Canada and throughout the world. There may be no wages, but it pays off.

God does watch the way we live our lives, and the way we live our lives matters. There will be a day when each of us will stand in line as God points the way to eternity. Some will be directed to the right, and they will spend eternity in heaven. Others will be directed to the left, and they will spend eternity in hell. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment in life is serving Christ. His call to serve is unique for each and every believer. He will give us the situation, the words and the ability to do what He wants us to do. He is the one who makes a difference. We are tools to be used by Him.

Bibliography

1. Franklin Graham, “Focus on Solving the Poverty of the Soul”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95689
2. Richard Stearns, “Christians Really Do Reduce Poverty”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95688
3. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Answering Isaiah”. Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
4. Stephen Bauman, “What Do You Mean by Poverty?” Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95690
5. Grey Fourney, “Poverty Has Many Enemies”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95693
6. LeAnn Rice, “Caring for the Overlooked”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
7. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, “2012 Federal Pre-Budget Submission”. (Ottawa, ON; The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada; 2012)
8. Dr. Randy L. Hyde, “The Scavenger Hunt”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
9. Pastor Steve Molin, “What the Saints Do”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
10. The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “Wholesale or Retail”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
11. The Rev. John Bedingfield, “Seeing Christ in Everyday Faces”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
12. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “The Gift of Chesed”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
13. Kelly Regan, MLA, “NDP’s Energy and Economic Policies Putting a Squeeze on Nova Scotians”. Retrieved from www.nsliberalcaucus.ca
14. Diana Swift, “The War on Poverty’. Retrieved from www.anglicanjournal,com
15. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
16. Jamieson-Fawcett-Brown Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
17. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
18. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
19. Jim Burns, “You Serve Jesus by Serving His Children”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
20. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, “The Good Samaritan”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.cc
21. Luann Prater, “What Did You Do With What I Gave You?” Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
22. Charles H. Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotionals. Retrieved from http://www.bible gateway.com
23.  Monica Graham, “There’s Plenty of Good Work to be Done, Now Do It”. Retrieved from http://thechronicleherald.ca/religion/74657-there-s-plenty-good-work-be-done-now-do-it

“I was homeless and you took me in…”

As the worshipers arrived for church in a small town one Sunday morning, they were met by a rather disturbing sight. An apparently homeless beggar sat on the front steps of the church, wearing tattered clothing, a wool cap pulled down over his eyes, and clutching a bottle in fingerless gloves. They had never seen anything quite like this in their town.

Most worshipers simply walked around the man, or stepped over him, as he sat there. Some muttered words of disapproval, and others suggested that the man move to another doorway before the Sunday school children arrived. One member told the man, in no uncertain terms, that the Salvation Army was a more appropriate place to sleep it off. At one point, a kind woman brought the man a Styrofoam cup of hot coffee, but not one person asked the man to come in out of the cold, and certainly nobody invited him in to join them in worship.

Imagine, then, the people’s surprise during the entrance hymn, when their homeless friend made his way into the pulpit and took off his cap. The people recognized that it was their pastor! The pastor began his remarks that morning in this way: “I didn’t do this to embarrass you or to poke you in the eye. I did it to remind us that this is a person that Jesus loves, and he has called us to love him, too.”

There is much that we as Christians can do to ease the plight of the homeless. One of the main causes of homelessness is war and strife that forces people to flee for their lives. They often end up in refugee camps where the conditions are not always ideal. Throughout history, Christians have responded by welcoming refugees into their homes and countries. For example, several years ago a local church sponsored refugee families from Vietnam on a couple of different occasions. While these families did eventually leave the area to settle in larger centres to be closer to people from their own country and culture, the members of the church can take some pride in the fact that they did what they could to help.

Sometimes dealing with refugees and the victims of conflict involves personal sacrifice. A good example is the life of Raoul Wallenberg. He was a Swedish diplomat who is credited with saving the lives of at least 100,000 Jews in Budapest, Hungary during World War II. He did this by issuing fake Swedish protective passes. Because Sweden was a neutral country during the war, these passes were recognized and accepted by the Nazis even though they had no real value under international law.

Raoul Wallenberg paid the ultimate price for his actions. In January 1945, after the Soviet Army liberated Hungary, he requested and received permission to visit the Soviet military headquarters.  He never arrived, and he was never seen again. To this day his disappearance remains a mystery. The official Russian position was that he was arrested on suspicion of being a spy for the United States. The Russian government even claimed as late as 2001 that he died of a heart attack in 1947 in prison in Moscow. Other stories state that he was executed.

If you drive through the low income areas of any community, the lack of affordable housing becomes apparent. There are homes that are neat and well-kept, but there are also homes that are in a state of disrepair because the owners are either unable and/or unwilling to have the necessary repairs done. If they are unable to have the needed work done, it is often because they can’t afford to do so. While there are government programs available that are designed to assist with housing repairs, often times low income homeowners are either unaware of them or they can’t understand the paperwork involved or they can’t navigate the “red tape”.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian ministry that puts God’s love in action by bringing people together to build low-cost, single family housing. Several years ago Habitat for Humanity International’s CEO Jonathan Reckford wrote:

The sum of our work is truly greater than any one part of our equation. In building homes and communities, Habitat welcomes all partners—churches, civic groups, corporations, governments, and individuals. From securing property rights for homeowners to encouraging the provision of the necessary infrastructure to build shelter, Habitat works with governments around the world. Habitat also strives to deepen existing relationships and initiate new partnerships with local churches, denominations, and faith organizations. We believe that adequate housing is foundational for improving the lives of families and that housing is as important to community health as it is to individual health. One of our strengths is the ability to bring together the public, private, and nonprofit sectors—including the church—to change lives and transform communities.

Programs like Habitat for Humanity do help, but they can only do so much. The various levels of government also have roles to play, but at the same time they can only do so much because their resources are not limitless.

God calls us to honour our fathers and mothers, and he is not referring just to our biological parents. He is referring to all of our elders, especially our senior citizens. Seniors deserve to live with dignity in their golden years, and one way they often choose to do so is by selling their existing homes, especially if it is costly for them to live in their existing homes because of fixed incomes. In addition, a larger home is no longer necessary once adult children have left home.

There were plans to create a retirement community in the area where I live, but so far these plans have not become a reality. In the meantime, the situation has to be addressed. Some seniors have solved the problem by having adult children living with them, and my mother was no exception. I lived at home for most of my adult life because of my mother’s age-related health issues. While having adult children living at home or having live-in caregivers is a solution, it is not without its own set of problems, such as the stress involved in caring for elderly parents. Thank goodness some nursing homes and retirement homes have recognized this and offer respite care and adult day care programs.

So what can we as Christians do to address these issues? Lobbying our elected officials for more retirement homes and affordable housing is a start. Such initiatives would also go a long way toward easing the employment situation in the area, both in the short term and the long term. We can also help in other ways. For example, we can help low income homeowners understand the paperwork involved in applying for government grants to make repairs to their homes. We can also offer to spend time with senior citizens who have adult children as live-in caregivers so that the children can have a much-needed break. We can also volunteer on a Habitat for Humanity home-building project or donate money or other resources.

These are just some suggestions-the possibilities are endless. Whatever we do, we serve God.  When we serve those who do not have adequate housing, we serve God, and when we serve others, the focus shifts from self to selfless. Jesus himself said, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me”.

Jesus’ command to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth has never been withdrawn — nor will it be withdrawn until He comes again. His final words to his disciples in Mark 16:15 were absolutely clear: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation”. Missionaries today carry out Christ’s command in many ways, not only by preaching the Gospel but by demonstrating Christ’s love and compassion to those in need. Jesus said in Matthew 10:42 that we serve Him even when we give “a cup of cold water to one of these little ones”.

God asks us to give our lives to him and serve him by serving others. We say to them, “God loves you and so do I”. We can reduce poverty. On Judgment Day, we will be judged by how we lived our lives and whether or not we loved others like Christ loves us. If we are currently showing God’s love to others, we must continue what we are doing. If not, we must change our ways. There is an old saying- “shape up or ship out”. If we don’t shape up, God will ship us out-and we won’t like the place he will ship us out to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bibliography

1. Sheila Schuller Coleman, “Got a Dime to Spare?” Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
2. Pastor Steve Molin, “What the Saints Do”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
3. Jim Coleman, “Eliminate Negative Thinking”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
4. Dr. Robert Heerspink, “Finding Jesus”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
5. Diana Swift, “The War on Poverty”. Retrieved from www.anglicanjournal.com
6. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
7. Jamieson Fawcett Brown Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package
8. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
9. Jonathan Reckford, “We Can’t Do Everything”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html?id=95691
10. Jewish Virtual Library, “Raul Wallenberg: 1912-? “. Retrieved from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/wallenberg.html#efforts
11. Rachel Oestreicher Bernheim, “Raoul Wallenberg: A Hero for Our Time”. Retrieved from www.raulwallenberg.org/raulwallenberg_aheroforourtime.htm.html
12. Billy Graham, “Why Do We Still Need Missionaries?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/religionandspirituality/billygraham/s-1097039?print

“For I was hungry and you fed me…”

In 2000 it was estimated that 925 million people worldwide suffered from hunger, which was caused in part by a spike in global food prices…and you only have to go to the local grocery store to see how high food prices are! Hunger is also the result of the current worldwide recession. In Nova Scotia, food bank use has increased since 2008. The number of working Nova Scotians who are using food banks is also rising because of rising power, fuel and food costs and the lack of affordable housing. People are spending money that would normally go to groceries on necessities such as heat, housing and medication.

The statistics are just as startling locally, and I’m speaking from experience because of my work with the local food bank. It currently serves approximately 400 clients ranging from single people to large families. Now we do not serve all of these clients every week, and except for emergency situations clients are not supposed to come more than once every three weeks. Even so, the list is not getting smaller

So why am I involved in the local food bank? Well, there are two main reasons. First, licensed lay ministers in our Diocese are encouraged to become involved in issues such as parish administration and social justice. Second, and more important, is that I am involved with the local food bank is because I believe in Jesus’ words from Matthew 25:31-46. This passage is an example of the Golden Rule- “Do unto others…” Christ calls us to love one another just like he loves us. One way we can show love for our brothers and sisters in Christ is by feeding the hungry, just like Christ fed the multitudes with 5 small loaves of bread and 2 fish. We are called by Christ to speak the gospel plainly while at the same time caring for the poor. If the Salvation Army can successfully do both of these tasks at the same time, so can we. We need each other, and thus we fulfill the love of Christ. We can be heroes by doing what God wants us to do—and what he wants us to do is to do everything we can to help the poor. God does not ask us to give out of what we don’t have, but he does ask us to give out of what we do have.

We must be prepared to minister to the poor and hungry wherever God calls us to minister to them. Whatever we do for the poor will determine our eternal destiny. When God judges us, he will be looking for the answers to three questions:

1. How much truth did he or she know?
2. How many opportunities did the person have to use that truth?
3. What did he or she do with those opportunities?

Jesus is so identified with the poor that he takes our treatment of them as our treatment of him. If we want to call ourselves true followers of Christ, we must act on our ethical teachings, including the teachings related to feeding the hungry. Failing to do good things is just as damning as doing bad things. Our teachings include doing God’s work in a humble manner without expecting anything in return.

In his address to the 2012 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., former United States President Barack Obama made the following comments:

I think to myself, am I willing…to give up some of the tax breaks I enjoy? For me, as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’ teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.’ It mirrors the Islamic belief that those who’ve been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and consideration for others.

President Obama went on to speak about his administration’s work with faith-based groups such as World Vision. If the most powerful man in the free world is willing to do what he can to relieve poverty, and if the most powerful country in the free world is willing to do what it can to relieve poverty, surely we as ordinary people can do what we can to ease hunger.

A few years ago my parish priest made reference in his Lent and Easter message to the economic situation in this area. In particular he wrote:

There is a connection between our worship lives and our witness and social action. The food bank came into being through the action of the local Association of Churches. It was an outgrowth of our Christian faith and commitment, and as our community faces its crises and future, we as Christians will be there and involved.

Paul goes on to echo the same comments in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 when he urges us to “command (the rich) to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age…” In other words, Paul is telling us to use our money on earth for the things of God.

The kindest Christians are those who show kindness without any ulterior motives. Compassion usually calls for a willingness to humbly work in obscurity on behalf of the unknown. Truly compassionate people take risks most people would never take. They give away what most of us would hold onto at all costs. They reach out and touch when most of us would stand back with our arms folded across our chest. Their caring brings them up close where they feel the other person’s pain and do whatever is necessary to demonstrate true concern.

We don’t have to do big things to serve the poor. Little things can help just as much. A kind word or a listening ear can help someone in despair. Helping a stranded motorist change a flat tire can redeem his or her day. The possibilities for mercy are limitless, just as human needs are limitless. The key is to do what we can and do as much as we can. This includes donating food and/or money to the local food bank if we aren’t donating anything at all, or by increasing the amount of our donations to the extent that we are able to do so.

There is a five-stage process that moves someone from being a mere observer to an active participant:

1. We must notice that something is wrong.
2. We must realize that people need help.
3. We must take responsibility to help them.
4. We must choose a form of helping.
5. We must implement that help.

God calls us to share in the suffering of others as we love and support our suffering neighbours in Christ. By doing this, God uses us in our limitations to extend his love for our suffering neighbours. We will be held accountable for our actions or lack of actions. It doesn’t matter if the neighbour is a close friend or someone we have never met. It doesn’t matter if the neighbour is our best friend or our worst enemy. For example, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, it was the Samaritan who stopped and helped the Jewish man who was beaten and robbed—and the Samaritans and Jews were bitter enemies at that time. If a man could help his bitter enemy when his enemy needed help, surely we can help even our worst enemy.

What do hunger, poverty, illness and despair have to do with righteousness? What do they have to do with Jesus? They offer the opportunity to encounter Jesus in acts of mercy, kindness and justice. If only we viewed others the way Jesus sees others every time we look into the eyes of our fellow man. Instead of seeing poverty, hunger, homelessness and imprisonment as social problems to be avoided, we are to see them as gifts to a hungry world, because in their faces shines the face of Jesus. As we serve others, we serve Jesus. As we meet the needs of others, we meet the needs of his surrogates-the ones he loves. Our service to others is a reflection of the condition of our hearts.

Lent involves prayer, works of piety, charity, self-denial and fasting. Christian fasting obtains its full meaning when we deprive ourselves of food in order to be more open to sharing in the suffering of the hungry and to save money to give to the poor. There are those who believe that the hungry are hungry because they deserved to be hungry. We are not to judge them or condemn them. That is God’s job, not ours, because his standards are perfect and higher than ours. Our job is to show Christ’s love by showing compassion for them, because when we do, we become Christ-like.

Mother Teresa once wrote, “When a poor person dies of hunger, it happened not because God did not take care of him or her. It happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.” If we want to love and serve the God we cannot see, then we must serve and love the neighbour we can see. She went on to paraphrase Matthew 25:40: “Jesus made it very clear. Whatever you do for the least of my brethren, you do it for me. Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little child, you receive me”.

As I mentioned earlier, the possibilities to serve “the least of these” are limitless. There are so many people who are in need. All we have to do is keep our eyes open to see those opportunities to help people—and to keep our hearts open to respond. The more we share God’s comfort with others, the more it will come forth from our own hearts.

We must address the needs of those at our doorstep and in our local community, but we can’t be nearsighted. We can’t ignore the desperate needs of the poor worldwide. There is an old saying, “Think globally, and act locally”. We can never eliminate hunger by ourselves, but that should not stop us from doing what we can to help the hungry.

Bibliography

1. Kelly Regan, MLA, “Housing Costs Drive Food Bank Increases”. Retrieved from www.nsliberalcaucus.ca
2. “Hunger and Poverty Facts”. Retrieved from www.bread.org/hunger/global/facts.html?print=t
3. Margaret Manning, “In the Face of Jesus”. Retrieved from www.rzim.org
4. Dr. Robert Heerspink, “The Way of Prosperity”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
5. Os Hillman, “Your Ministry to the Poor”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
6. Ron Hutchcraft, “Steve Jobs and God”. Retrieved from www.hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-most-important-relationship/steve-jobs-and-god
7. Jozy Pollock, Dear Mad, Crazy, Insane World”. Retrieved from www.assistnews.com
8. Rabbi Marc Gellman, “Why do the Righteous suffer?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com
9. Dr. Greg Garnett, “If Christ is King, What Does That Mean?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
10. Selwyn Hughes, “Every Day Light”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
11. Dick Donovan, “Exegesis for Matthew 25:31-46”. Retrieved from www.sermonwwriter.com
12. Barnes Notes on the New Testament. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
13. Jamieson Fawcett Brown Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
14. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
15. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
16. Diane Singer, “Rescuing the Least of These”. Retrieved from www.colsoncenter.org.
17. Robin Dugall, “Doing for the Least of These”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
18. Dr. Charles Stanley, “The Final Exam”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
19. Charles Swindoll, “Restoring Compassion”. Retrieved from www.insight.org
20. Pastor Ken Klaus, “The Obvious Challenge”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org
21. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “While We Wait”. Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
22. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Christ the King (A)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
23. Sarah Pulliam Bailey, “The Similarities and Differences in Eric Metaxa’s and President Obama’s Prayer Breakfast Addresses”. Retrieved from www.christianity.com/ct/article_print.html?id=95230
24. Stanley, C.F., “The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV” (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing: 2006;2008)
25. MacArthur, J: “The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB” (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers: 2006;2008)
26. Augsburger, M.S. & Ogilvie, L.J., “The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 24: Matthew” (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.: 1982)
27. Dr. Robert Heerspink, “Pass It On”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
28. Rev. Donald Lawton, “A Message from Our Rector: Lent and Easter 2012”
29. Bobbye Brooks, “Money Issues”. Retrieved from www.dailydisciples,org

Predictions about the end of the world and Christ’s return have been made since Christ returned to heaven. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Paul spoke to the Thessalonians, some of whom concluded that Jesus would return any day. Some of these people stirred up excitement and/or quit their jobs to await the event.

Paul was not happy when he heard about this. His opening sentence in 1 Thessalonians 5:1 was a reprimand. He told them on several occasions that Jesus’ return would be like a thief in the night. He was like our parents when they told us when we were children, “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times…”. Jesus even said in Mark 13:32, “But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Saviour, but only the Father.”

Jesus’ return will be a surprise to everyone, especially to those who are doing business as usual and who place their hope in the world instead of in God. Jesus will find them deep in sinful indulgences. Will He find us as Christians doing His work?

What Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 is a continuation of what he wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In that passage Paul gave us some details about what Christ’s return will look like. We must be ready for Christ’s sudden return. Waiting for Christ is what we do as believers. We see God’s work as the Gospel works in people’s lives throughout the world. Some meet Him for the first time, and others take a second look and see that their lives are changing as the Holy Spirit moves them to repentance and a thirst for the living water that only Jesus can provide.

The Day of the Lord includes everything that happens from the Rapture all the way through the Tribulation and the Millennium. It is a time of judgment that will begin when we least expect it-like a thief in the night-and set off seven years of unparalleled distress, warfare and plague that will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon. After that, the Lord will return to set up his glorious kingdom, ushering in the earth’s golden age.  

The Day of the Lord will entail judgment not because God chooses to be judgmental, but because His holiness is destructive to whoever and whatever is unprepared to be close to it. That is the rationale behind Paul’s concern for holiness of life among the communities he served. He prepared his communities to be in the presence of pure holiness when Christ returns. Paul is also concerned that Christians today be prepared for God’s holiness when He returns.

We also have to be prepared for Christ’s return by putting on the armour of God, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 6. This armour is God’s strength made manifest in us. It is everything that keeps us grounded in both gratitude and God’s goodness, It is everything that helps us remember who we are. It is everything that allows us to see ourselves and others with compassion. It is everything that equips and empowers us to bear the light of Christ into the world and to live out our promises as Christians.

The cry of “Peace and safety” is likely an allusion to Jeremiah 6:14, where some people had a false sense of security that they would escape divine judgment. Paul compares the sudden destruction of the day of the Lord to the labour pains of a pregnant woman-it is an inevitable yet unpredictable event that will come suddenly. And like childbirth, it will be a time of intense pain for those who do not believe.

The phrase “to watch and be sober” means being morally alert and active as the Day approaches. As “sons of light and…of the day” Christian men and women are the light of the world and their deeds should not only be done openly-as in daylight-but also give light to others.

The call to be sober literally means “not be intoxicated,” but in verse 8 it means being alert and watchful. It means to be clear-headed by being mentally and spiritually prepared for the coming of Christ. This is no time for spiritual lethargy! Christians put on the breastplate of faith and love to protect their desires and affections and the helmet of salvation to protect their thoughts.

The Thessalonians did not have to worry about judgment at the Second Coming because they were destined for salvation rather than wrath. Similarly, believers will not have to worry about Christ’s return because they have been removed from spiritual darkness. They will escape God’s wrath. Those living in darkness are portrayed as sleeping and as being drunk. In this case sleep and drunkenness picture someone who is not in touch with or in control of his or her own life. When we are asleep, we are pretty much out of touch with the world around us, except for our dreams. The drunk has lost control of his or her ability to make wise decisions and to coordinate responses. People who do not live in expectation of Christ’s coming are likened to sleepers and drunks-not really in touch with present or ultimate reality. The words “wake” and “sleep” are allusions to the images in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 for life and death. At the Second Coming, both living and deceased believers will enjoy life with Christ.

There are metaphors for sleep and drunkenness in our modern society. We can be swept up in behaviours, attitudes, value systems and politics which are destructive and not even know it. Paul encourages us to stand back and recognize differences. People need to keep awake today because we are being constantly bombarded and manipulated by subtle strategies of persuasion and “spin.”

We might look like we are strong and stable believers, but we can’t survive apart from relationships with other believers. When adversity happens, we need each other. When we are confused and don’t know which way to turn, we need the counsel, the perspective and the listening ear of a friend.

For example, one of the first businessmen in the United States to be paid one million dollars per year was Charles Schwab. He was hired in 1921 to lead the United States Steel Company. When he was asked why he was paid such a big salary, Schwab replied, “I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among my people the greatest asset I possess, and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement. “

Part of doing God’s work involves showing compassion. If we show compassion to everyone we meet, they will find that we are not harsh and judgmental toward them. In return, we will find them willing to listen to the truth. Jesus never accepted sin, but He was and is a friend to sinners, just as He was a friend to the woman who was caught in adultery in John 8. If we view people with compassion as Jesus did, it will be easy to reach out in love rather than condemning them. We will be obeying God’s instructions to encourage, strengthen and build up each other.

How can we better show compassion and encourage people? The first step is to ask God to help us be less self-focused and be more sensitive to the needs of others. Then we need to ask His wisdom in knowing how to encourage our fellow Christians. Then we will have to start challenging other people to see their own potential.

The gift of encouragement is important in our lives. Encouragement is a gift in the home, the workplace, the church-wherever we find ourselves. We can come alongside other people and be there for each other. We can listen, comfort, console and affirm. It is a way of living out the command to love one another.

We can also encourage each other and build each other up by being both a disciple and a discipler in the context of our Christian relationships. We have the privilege and responsibility both to be a teacher and a learner of what it means to be in Christ, walk in the spirit and live by faith. We may have roles in our families, our churches or Christian communities which give us specific responsibility to others, such as spouse/parent, minister, Sunday School teacher, Bible study leader, etc. Even as an appointed discipler, we are never not disciples who are learning and growing in Christ through our relationships. Conversely, we might not have official responsibilities to disciple anyone, but we are never not disciplers.  We have the chance to help our children, friends and other believers grow in Christ through our caring and committed relationships with them.

When faith in Jesus and love for God and neighbour are our guiding affections, our hearts will not be easily distracted from God’s priorities or overcome by doubt. When salvation protects our minds like a warrior’s helmet protects his head, we won’t be susceptible to every wind of doctrine that passes by and entices us to doubt the Gospel and believe the ways of the world.

There is an urgent need for a great spiritual awakening in our volatile world. There is an urgent need for God and the need to live in harmony with His will. There is no hope for lasting peace and an end to hatred and violence without God.  The closer we come to the Day of the Lord, the more urgently we need to put on the armour of God. This is no time for spiritual lethargy. We must put on the breastplate of faith and love to protect our desires and affections, and the helmet of salvation to protect our thoughts.

We are here to keep watch and observe ourselves with honest eyes. We are encouraged to admit what we have done and left undone in the short time we have. God’s call on our lives, the gifts He has given us, and His demand that we do some good work in the world in the time before He returns will bear fruit when He returns-unless they have been wasted, squandered or hidden. God’s gifts are meant to be used to do His work in our world, and there is an urgency to this truth because God’s reign has arrived in the here and now, and it will be reinforced when Jesus returns.

We who are faithful will be fully alert to the global events that will signal the return of Jesus. We don’t need to be assured of the day or hour of Christ’s return to make sure we are ready to meet Him. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us, so today is the best time to surrender to Christ’s keeping. If we are holding anything back or clinging to any stubborn sin, we should place it in His hands now. If we give Him our lives, and when we finally see Him face-to-face, He will give us a crown of glory and exclaim, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New Kings James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1698)
2. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
3. Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984; pp. 85-89)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: the MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Bobby Schuller, “Get Right with God.” Retrieved from ww.hourofpower.org
7. Dr. Paul Chappell, “Edify and Encourage.” Retrieved from www.dailyintheword.org
8. Dr. Neil Anderson, “The Definition of Discipleship.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
9. Doug Fields, “Affirming ‘What Could Be.’” Retrieved from www.homeword.com
10. George Vink, “Encouragement.” Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
11. Joni Eareckson Tada, “We Can’t Survive Alone.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
12. Rick Boxx, “Arousing Enthusiasm.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
13. Dick Innes, “Walking Where Paul Walked, Part II.” Retrieved form www.actsweb.org
14. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Armor Up! Pressure of the Times.” Retrieved from www.davidjeremiah.org
15. Rick Warren, “Be and Encourager at Work.” Retrieved from www.pastorrick.com
16. T.M. Moore, “Guarding Heart and Mind.” Retrieved from www.ailbe.org
17. Jane Lancaster Patterson, “Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3472
18. William Loader, “First Thoughts on Year A Epistle Passages from the Lectionary-Pentecost 23.” Retrieved from www.staff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/AEpPentecost23.htm
19. “Talents and Time.” Retrieved from https://lovingchurch.org
20. Paul Schreiber, “God’s Thief.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org/dailydevotionsprt.asp?date=20201111
21. The Rev. Dr. Donna S. Mote, “The Right Armor is Light Armor.” Retrieved from https://day1.org/weekly-broadcasts-5fa176676615fb5a6700001b/donna-mote-the-right-arnor-is-light-armor

Have you ever been afraid to use your gifts, talents or skills? Have you ever thought that your skills and talents were not appreciated by other people? If the answer to either one or both of these questions is “yes”, then you can probably sympathize with the third slave in the Parable of the Talents, which is in Matthew 25:14-30.

The word “talent” represents all of the opportunities God has given his people to serve him. Talents include wealth, abilities and learning. The parable teaches us to invest everything God gives us for his glory. If we want to be faithful servants of Christ, we must use what he gives us to spread the Good News. If we are faithful stewards in this life, we will be rewarded with even greater responsibility in the next life. The reward will be in proportion to the tasks we have accomplished.

Sometimes when we do God’s work, we will not feel appreciated. When we feel that what we are doing for God is not appreciated here on earth, all we have to do is pray to God. When we please him, we are doing our daily job. The greatest reward God can give will go to godly people who have laboured faithfully without any earthly recognition.

We are encouraged to be better than average. We are encouraged to excel. So why don’t we excel? Why don’t we try?  The answer is fear. Fearful servants are afraid of God. They see him as a harsh taskmaster. They do not see the meaning of the term, “fear God” as “total reverence.” They take the term “fear God” quite literally, and therefore they never multiply the gifts God gave them.

To know God, as the moral slave knew, is to be afraid. To really know God is to agree that he does indeed make his rain to fall upon the just and the unjust alike. To know God is to acknowledge, as the fearful slave acknowledged, that he’s a tough man, playing by rules we can easily question and often find deplorable. Such knowledge would make almost any thinking person afraid, and thus it was that the unprofitable slave took up the shield of playing it safe in order to hold his fear at bay.

God is both a generous rewarder and a strict judge. He evaluates our stewardship on the basis of how well we administer the responsibilities and talents he has given us. He evaluates our stewardship based on how well we have kept His priorities instead of our own.   If we use his gifts to spread the Good News, we will be rewarded. If we don’t, we will be punished by being separated from him for eternity.

We must master and receive the gifts God gives us, including the gift of time. No matter how old or how young we are, we can still use the gifts God gave us. Even when we are sick, God can still use us. If we master and use the gifts God gave us, we will have plenty of time to grow in faith and spread God’s Kingdom here on earth.

One of the most important gifts we have is our salvation. Sometimes we take it for granted, and sometimes we treat it like one of our most prized possessions. Sometimes we treat it with reverence and respect when we are first saved, but sometimes over time we take it for granted. That is the wrong attitude to have. The gift of salvation is a gift from God, and we are to use it just as we use all of the other gifts he has given us.

Another one of the gifts God has given us is the Gospel. He gave us that gift not so that our ability to spread it can be put to good use, but so that our inability is exposed and God is glorified. We can’t, but God can.

Christ demands faithfulness. If we are faithful we will produce results. If we do not use what God gave us, we will lose everything. We are to dedicate ourselves and all we have been given to Christ so that he can multiply those gifts.

Jesus seems to imply that there will be a long period of time between his first coming and his second coming, but the delay does not mean that he will not be coming. We are duty-bound to expand God’s kingdom in his absence regardless of how long we have to wait for him to return.

God sees everything from the beginning to the end, even if we can’t understand things. He sees our motives. He sees how we handle even the smallest of things, and our future depends on the little things. Contrary to what a popular saying says, we must “sweat the small stuff.”

So how can we know what God wants us to do? It’s simple. We have to read the Bible. If we do, we will discover that God does not want us to play it safe. He wants us to take risks. No risk, no reward. We have to risk living the life Jesus taught us to lead instead of the life the world wants us to lead.

There are lots of lessons to be learned from the Parable of the Talents:

1. Be good stewards of your abilities. Use them or lose them.
2. Don’t be afraid to try.
3. Never say, “I have so little, my contribution won’t matter.” Every little bit helps.
4. People may not be equal in talent but they can sure be equal in effort.

The faithful servants gambled with the master’s goods in pure blind faith, and that was really what he meant for them to do. They yearned so completely, in other words, that they believed his intentions–his spirit, if you will–as they understood it, and they gambled themselves on fulfilling it. They loved the master with all their hearts and souls and minds, for this is the first and great commandment, and all the others are secondary unto it.  The only proper response to such stories as these is to pray that God may give each of us such grace and faithfulness in our times as he gave to those faithful servants in their storied ones.

We are getting closer to the end of the church year. In fact, as I deliver this message, in less than three weeks’ time we will be starting the season of Advent. Advent is a time to remember Jesus’ birth in the stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. It is also a time to prepare for his Second Coming, and Matthew 25 talks about being prepared for the coming kingdom.  When God comes to judge us, will we be afraid that we will be cast into the fires of hell? Are we being too cautious when it comes to serving God?  Are we afraid of failure? Are we afraid of taking the chances that discipleship requires? The Parable of the Talents encourages us to take bold, risky action.

The Parable of the Talents is about trust. God trusts us to use the gifts he has given us to spread his kingdom here on earth. He calls on us to return the favour by acting on the gifts he has given us out of trust. God has blessed us so much that we can’t lift our bushel baskets on our own. God only asks that we use, spend and grow our resources, including our talents. He only asks that we love him enough not to hoard or hide our resources. We can trust him. Can he trust us?

Winston Churchill once said that “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”  Albert Schweitzer said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” On Judgment Day, we will be called on to give a personal report to God. That report will be based on the choices we make here and now. We can make any changes we want to here and now. It will be too late to make them when we stand before God.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
3. Augsberger, M.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
4. Sheri Rose Shepherd, “His Perfect Gifts.” Retrieved from www.e.biblegateway.com
5. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Rewards.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
6. Joni Eareckson Tada, “The Legacy of Mary Rose.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
7. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Little Things.” Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
8. T.M. Moore, “A Parable for Our Time.” Retrieved from www.colsoncenter.org
9. Dave Brannon, “Still Working.” Retrieved from www.rbc.org
10. Joe Gibbs, “Who’s the Boss?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
11. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Faithful over Few, Ruler over Many.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
12. Richard Inness, “The Choices We Make Make US.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
13. James Howell, “Trojan Horse.” Retrieved from www.religion-online.org
14. Phyllis Tickle, “The Story of Two Parables.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
15. The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “Trust, Not Fear.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
16. The Rev. Dr. David E. Leninger, “The One in the Middle.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
17. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “What Are You Afraid Of?” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
18. Exegesis for Matthew 25:14-30. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
19. Fr. John Boll, O.P., “Volume 2: 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Nov. 16, 2014” Retrieved from volume2@lists.opsouth.org

It’s not hard to tell that we are getting closer to the end of the church year. In fact, in a little more than four weeks’ time we will be celebrating the First Sunday in Advent. The Gospel readings for these last few weeks of the Season of Pentecost talk about what God’s judgement will be like. They talk about the separating of the faithful from the unfaithful. Matthew 25:1-13, which is known as the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids, emphasizes the important of being prepared for Christ’s return.

Jesus described preparations for a wedding.  Weddings provided much needed relief from the humdrum and hard work of daily life.  Usually women took care of children and performed household chores.  They looked forward to any small distraction, such as their daily visit to the village well where they could visit with other village women. 

But, occasionally, their tedium was broken by the great events of village life––weddings, births, and bar mitzvahs––even funerals.  Of these, weddings involved the greatest celebration.  At a wedding, the couple was the center of village life for days on end.  After the marriage ceremony, there was feasting, dancing, and revelry, which could last for several days.  For the couple, it was “the gladdest week in all their lives”.  It was a glad week for their friends as well––an event not to be missed!

An important part of the wedding ceremony was the procession from the home of the bride’s parents to the couple’s new home.  As the bridegroom escorted his bride to their new home, their pathway was lit by wedding guests holding aloft flaming torches, probably sticks wrapped with oily rags. 

A wedding was a great joy for all the members of the community, but especially so for the young women invited to serve as the bride’s attendants.  It was an honor to be asked to participate, and those who agreed were expected to do so enthusiastically and responsibly. The young women were expected to be ready, because the bridegroom’s coming signaled the beginning of a great and joyous festival––something that promised to be one of the highlights of these young women’s lives.

Many of you know what it is like to be prepared for something. If you lived on a farm, you prepared for the winter months. If you went on a trip, you had to prepare first. Some of you even prepared for the day when you would be in a nursing home. The most important thing we can do is to prepare for Christ’s return.

Matthew wrote his Gospel a half-century after the resurrection. He struggled with the issue of the delayed Second Coming.  Many first-generation Christians believed that Jesus would return in their lifetimes, but by the time Matthew wrote his Gospel, many years had passed since the Resurrection, and many Christians were beginning to wonder how long it would take for Jesus to return. In this series of parables, Matthew encouraged the church to maintain its vigil, even though the people were weary of maintaining an “alert status.” 

In this parable, the oil represents the Holy Spirit. The foolish virgins are those who have not truly been saved. Believers can’t just impart the Holy Spirit (i.e. share the oil) to unbelievers. Each person must receive salvation for himself or herself before it’s too late. God’s judgment is unequivocal and irreversible. We can’t know Christian assurance without the Holy Spirit.

The bride in this parable is the church. In fact, the church is referred to in Scripture as “the bride of Christ.” Just like a bride and groom have to be ready for the wedding, the church as the bride of Christ has to be ready for him when he comes. As Christians we are part of the church, so we have to be ready for his return. We have to keep our lamps fed with the oil of the Holy Spirit. We must see that we are continually growing in the love of God and service to others.

What does it mean for us to keep our lamps fed? Being prepared––having oil––means working faithfully for the Lord. It means practicing good stewardship––good ecological practices––careful management of time and money––generosity to those in need––proclamation of the Word––the possibilities go on and on. Jesus makes it clear that he has expectations regarding our behavior––standards that we must take seriously––obedience to which we must aspire.  In this parable, he also makes it clear that there is a time for repentance and a time when repentance will be too late. 

We are called to be faithful to God and obey him. Being faithful is the meaning of waiting for the Lord to come. There will be no second chances when Christ returns. The Lord of the household-aka God-is not being rude when he denies entrance to the foolish virgins. He assumes those who really want to join in the festivities will come prepared. We must always be prepared for the Lord to return, because he could return at any time. We do not know the exact date and time when he will return, but we do know that Christ has promised great joy to those who are prepared for his return and grave consequences for those who are not prepared.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible Software package.
3. Augsberger, M.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 23: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
4. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2010)
5. Exegesis for Matthew 25:1-13. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
6. Pastor Dave Risendal, “Five of Them were Foolish, and Five Were Wise.” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com

What is the one thing that both the church and society need today?

The answer can be summed up in one word-revival. Not only will a revival bring us and society back to God, it will also allow us to remember what God has done for his people in the past, what he is doing for them now, and what he will do for them in the future.

The message of Psalm 107 conveys what God has done for his children and how lovingly he has dealt with them. God withholds punishment (which is deserved) and gives mercy and grace, which are not deserved. The psalm gives thanks for God’s enduring, steadfast love. He is willing to forgive his people even when they are unfaithful.

The psalm begins with a call to praise, followed by a warning to confess our sins. The psalm is concerned with the entire community giving thanks, but individual members of the community also give thanks. Specifically, they gave thanks to God for saving them from slavery in Egypt and guiding them to the Promised Land. The wanderers in verses 4 to 9 also represent those lost in a desert of loneliness, routine futility and affluence that never satisfies. They, like the Israelites, search without hope and without help, unable to find their way home until they return to God.  It nudges us to move from our comfortable lives to imagine the hearts and lives of refugees, wayfarers, pilgrims and others who are coming to the cross from all over the world. They were in bondage and are now free. Since we were also bound by sin, we will naturally have compassion with these pilgrims.

Like the people of Israel, we wander in spiritual darkness and are rebellious, fearful and wicked. We are easily distracted by the world, and this is understandable. The world is so attractive to us that it overwhelms us to the point where we neglect our relationship with God. In the end we are humbled by the consequences of our disobedience. We turn back to God who forgives us, but then we become complacent and find ourselves back in darkness. This is a never-ending cycle. In spite of this, God’s love is steadfast. He never turns us away when we return to him.

Today, we and the church need to return to God. We need revival. Many churches, including my own, have seen a decline in membership and attendance. Society needs to pray to God that he will restore the church so that it can evangelize the people. Society needs to pray that God will pour out his Holy Spirit with a message of repentance and godliness. Society needs restoration and freedom from bondage. God was faithful to his people in the past, he is faithful to his people today, and he will be faithful to his people in the future. His faithfulness opens a gateway to repentance and revival.

There is a spiritual thirst in the world today. Both the world and the church need revival. They need to heed the words of the old song, “That Old Time Religion”:

 Give me that old time religion

 give me that old time religion

 Give me that old time religion

 It’s good enough for me

 Makes me love everybody

 Makes me love everybody

 Makes me love everybody

 It’s good enough for me

 It has saved our fathers

 It has saved our fathers

 It has saved our fathers

 And it’s good enough for me

 It was good for the prophet Daniel

 It was good for the prophet Daniel

 It was good for the prophet Daniel

 And it’s good enough for me

 Give me that old time religion

 give me that old time religion

 Give me that old time religion

 It’s good enough for me

 It was good for Hebrew children

 it was good for Hebrew children

 It was good for Hebrew children

 And it’s good enough for me

Revival can only begin when we claim God’s mercy. It will restore a proper vision of who God is, his goodness, his moral perfection and his mercy. If we trust that he is merciful, we will experience his mercy.

Adversity often forces us to admit our need for God. For example, the Israelites were wanderers in the desert with no home. They suffered from spiritual and physical hunger as well as physical and spiritual thirst. In their time of need, they returned to God. They had no illusions of grandeur or superiority. In contrast, sometimes the church lives under the illusions of power, money, traditions and rituals. God often uses adversity to bring us back to him. He wants us to rely on him instead of relying on ourselves. He wants the longing in our souls to drive us to him. He wants to satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst. He wants to give us hope for the present and the future. He wants to give us vision and direction. When we approach our situations with gratitude, it takes our focus off of our problems and puts it onto God.

Adversity often leaves scars, and all of us have them. We have received these scars in one of two ways: because of what has been done to us by others and because of what we have done to ourselves. These scars are nothing to be ashamed of if we are Christians. They are an invitation to share Christ’s healing power with the world, just like the psalmist showed the scars of the Israelites. If we are not ashamed of our scars, people will recognize Jesus, especially when we tell our stories of emotional, physical, spiritual and relational healing. If we are true children of God, we will say so publicly and not be ashamed of it. We will gladly tell everyone about God’s unfailing love, how he changed our lives and how he can change their lives.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN; Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 777-778)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989, pp. 276-277)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 810-812)
6. Sharon Janes, “The Power of Your Story.” Retrieved from www.girlfriendsingod.com
7. Rick Boxx, “A Walk of Gratitude.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Scott Schauf, “Commentary on Psalm 107:1-3,23-32.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2490
9. Lisa Nichols Hickman, “ON Scripture: Immigration: Journey to a New Life.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
10. Houston, David: “Old Time Religion.” Retrieved from http://www.metrolyrics.com/old-time-religion-lyrics-david-houston.html
11. Craig Condon, “Memories, Faith and Forgiveness.” Retrieved from the author’s personal library