Pastor Elwin Ahu
December 28, 2008 - W0852

Sometimes it seems that we live in a culture that preaches being prepared, but are we really?  Take yesterday’s blackout for example.  Were you prepared?  What about the current economic crisis?  Are you prepared for that?  And for everything we know about health, do you exercise and eat right as you should?  So often it seems that we know the importance of preparation and being prepared but we don’t.

Yet God knew our weakness.  In fact, He talks about it in a parable about a wedding.  Keep in mind that in the Middle East, unlike in the western world, weddings are centered around the groom, not the bride.  The wedding has three parts or phases.  The first part is the religious ceremony.  The second part is a small celebration at the bride’s home.  And the third part is a week long celebration at the groom’s home.  In those times, it was always the groom who was late to the party.  The groom was customarily late to the wedding because he was negotiating for gifts for the bride’s parents.  In fact, the later the groom was to the wedding, generally the more flattering because the gifts given to the bride’s parents were a representation of how valuable the bride was.

“The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.” (Matt. 25:8-10)

This parable talks about two types of people – the prudent and the foolish – and an opportunity.  In the story, the bridesmaids are waiting at the party for the groom to arrive however he takes such a long time that they’re waiting into the night.  Some of them (the foolish) actually run out of oil for their lamps and have to leave the party to get more.  While they are away, the groom arrives and the door to the party is shut.  Here they were at the doorway of a prime opportunity but the door is shut.

This story of missed opportunity is something that we should pay close attention too because it is similar to the opportunity we’ve been presented with Jesus’ second coming.  And if we’re not careful, we could end up as the foolish ones!  So what lesson can we learn from the parable of the wedding that we can apply to our lives?  Well, what was the difference between the foolish and the prudent maidens?  The difference is that the foolish maidens were not prepared for what happened while the prudent maidens were. 

The maidens knew the customs of the time.  They knew the groom would be coming to the party but they didn’t know exactly when.  In fact, they suspected that there would be a delay in the groom’s arrival but they didn’t know exactly how long.  They should’ve been prepared to wait; some of them did and some of them didn’t.  It is the same for us.  We know that Jesus is coming   back for us but we just don’t know when.  We need to be prepared so that we don’t get shut out.  So the first thing for us to remember in preparing for our future is…

1.      DON’T IGNORE WHAT YOU KNOW TO BE IMPORTANT.

The difference between the prudent and foolish maidens is that the prudent maid knew what they needed and they prepared for it.  Think of it this way:  Foolishness is knowing what to do but just not doing what we know we should do.

“Wise thinking leads to right living; stupid thinking leads to wrong living.” (Eccl. 10:2 MSG)

It’s not rocket science:  Foolishness is not doing what you know you should be doing.  We know what’s right from what’s wrong; the problem is postponing what we know God wants us to do.  For example with forgiveness, oftentimes God has prompted us to forgive but for our own reasons, we postpone doing what God has asked us to do.  However when we do that, we actually prevent God from doing what He wants to do for us; we prevent Him from doing what’s best in our lives.

Much of the problem seems to be the fact that we tend to live in the here and now, not necessarily with the expectancy of what God has in store for us but listen to what the scripture has to say:

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10 NIV)

“Therefore be patient…until the coming of the Lord.  The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.  You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” (James 5:7-8)

Live with the expectancy that God has something in store for you but you have to prepare now!  So here is the second thing to remember about preparing for our future:

2.      PREPARATION IS A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

No one can do it for you.  You need to do it for yourself.  In the wedding parable, when the foolish maidens asked the prudent ones for some oil, the prudent ones declined because they did not know when to expect the bridegroom and they knew they needed to hold onto their oil so they were prepared for what was to come.

We all love to live vicariously off of others but buying Tiger Woods golf clubs won’t make us swing like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan shoes won’t make us play basketball like Mike.

“And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matt. 3:9-10 NIV)

This passage urges us to take responsibility for our own actions.   Your spirituality doesn’t just develop because of your funny, good-looking pastor.  You must take responsibility for yourself!

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” (1 Tim. 4:7 NIV)

Train yourself.  What do you need to do in order to fix your relationships or your finances?  What do you need to do to fix your job?  We need to take responsibility for our lives and futures and this week’s handouts include two items to help you do that.  The first is a Spiritual Growth self-assessment checklist of things we’d like to encourage you to do within your first a year as a Christian.  (If you’re beyond your first year, you are still encouraged to review the checklist to see what else you may want to consider doing.)  The second handout is our Devotions or Bible Reading bookmark to help you with a reading plan that will get you through the bible in a year. 

You need to take personal responsibility for growing yourself and making personal connections.  You need to find a place of community where you can fellowship with others in the Lord.  It is through these personal connections and community that God can nourish, grow, and bless us.

Then the third and last reminder about preparing for our future is…

3.      AN OPPORTUNITY DELAYED IS AN OPPORTUNITY DENIED.

Just as Foolishness is knowing what needs to be done but not doing it, Wisdom is anticipating what is ahead and preparing for it now.  In the wedding parable, the foolish maidens got the extra oil that they needed but it was too late; the door had already been shut. 

“Later, when the other five bridemaids returned, they stood outside calling, ‘Lord!  Lord!  Open the door for us!’ But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.” (Matt. 25:11-13 NLT)

Picture the best life that you can for your marriage, home, work, family, and relationships – God has something better than that for you.  But where does growth start?  You need to choose to get involved.

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.  For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Heb. 2:1-3 NIV)

If we postpone or delay what God is asking us to do, we’re going to miss it!

2008 wasn’t great for a lot of us with the economic crises and other things going on in the world however my prayer as we look upon this New Year is that we will be able to say at the end of next year, “2008 wasn’t that great but 2009 was fine!”  As we look “back to the future” to the lessons taught to us through this wedding parable, we must remember not to ignore what we know to be important, to take personal responsibility for preparing ourselves for all that God wants for us, and that an opportunity delayed may be an opportunity denied if we don’t do what God is asking us to do now.

Don’t risk not receiving all that God has in store for you.  If you have not said yes to Jesus yet, do it now.  It’ll be the most eternal decision you’ll ever make.  Look over the Spiritual Growth checklist and see how you can get more involved and prepared through classes, water baptism, a discipleship group, daily devotions, or even a ministry.  Do daily devotions and spend time with the Lord each day so you grow close to Him and He can breathe His words into your life and heart.  There is so much in store for you this year.  Let’s make it a year in which we can say, “2008 may not have been great but 2009 is fine!”

DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

1.      What important things have you been ignoring?

2.      Why have you been ignoring those important things?  What must you overcome?

3.      What does it mean that preparation is a personal responsibility?

4.      What can you do to take personal responsibility for your future?

5.      Share of an experience you may have had where an opportunity delayed ended up as an opportunity denied.  What did you learn from that experience?

6.      What are you going to do to ensure that you do not miss out on the opportunities God has for you because you hesitated, delayed, or simply disobeyed?