You gonna have another song want us. Now, okay, so then, Philip, we welcome you well, towards the Bible chapel in our congregation.
Good morning, it is a great joy to be here
It's been 3, and a half years since we were in the Us.
And yeah, that's too long. But things like Covid got in the way, other things got in the way.
And so, here we are. December, isn't necessarily my choice.
But That's the way things worked out, and you know driving here, even you see the change that's taking place the landscape looks different over time, new Buildings Wisconsin seems to have developed between when I say, driving here I'm in between Chicago and Milwaukee you see the
Change and of course Australia has gone through rapid change as well one of the things that we've noticed.
Is I suspect you have a bit of this. Here, too, is hostility to Christian. Faith.
When we arrived in Australia a few presented yourself as a Christian as somebody on the street, or in conversation, they would say, Oh, that's great if it works for you, then that's a really good thing, but very few people respond that way anymore.
I think it's because of the sex scandals that have been attached to the Church, and the Church in many ways in Australia would mean the Catholic, Church, the Roman Catholic Church and they've had some serious sex scandals in one of the leading Men one of the
Cardinals was accused of covering up and arrested on charges, eventually of covering up sex scandal.
So He Wasn't directly involved. But that's how people think of Christianity, and so now it's not that's fine, if it.
Works for you, but Christians are viewed as evil. a negative force in society generally, and that's a really marked change.
And obviously it has some impact on the way, we can communicate with people around us, sometimes one of the results of that.
I think is, that where people were comfortable being believers, that's No.
Longer the case and I think there's a drift away from the person who might have been attached to a church but not fully committed.
That person has sort of drifted away in other words.
It's hard to maintain faith in a society that is moving in a different direction.
I think if we're all involved in this, if we all get caught up in Christianity, it's not hard to be a Christian, but when we're the ones that stand out, and we're the outliers it's increasingly difficult and so i'm really concerned about the perseverance.
Of of safe for my children, for people around me, and sadly, even for people who go into full-time, Christian ministry are they going to persevere in faith in a society that's hostile to them, and I think that's a challenge that we're gonna have to continue to deal, with
In one state in Australia, not where I live, which is in Sydney, which is New South Wales, but in another state where there's a lot of pretty good Christian ministry at times They've passed laws, against hate, speech, and I'm sure we have laws, against H speech in various ways in the us
But much of the content of the Bible in that state is now considered hate speech, and so ministers are being taken to court for practically reading out and and expressing the words of Scripture so that's a a mark change and it's happened so fast that it's hard to know how to respond
To these things, haven't said all that so I'm giving you a bit of a missionary report before I get to my sermon. Hope.
You don't mind the doors are still open in various places.
So in New South Wales, they still let people come in and teach Scripture in school.
Now, kids can opt out, or their parents can. Opt the kids out but the door is still open.
So Amy goes into the school, across the street from our Church, on Tuesday mornings and she's allowed to teach.
She has a a class, I think they're Year 4.
I don't fear in my you're. 6 she's teaching your 6 kids, and so there's a regular group that comes in they, hear the Bible taught and that can't be a bad.
Thing But that's something that the government continues to sanction.
It's sort of a concession to the way things used to be, but it's continues it's hard to imagine that will continue for much longer, but while those doors are open we continue to be involved, when I say we I don't mean me but amy's been involved.
In that now for a few years, and it's been a really, I, think, a great thing for her.
I see her growing in her. Engagement with the Scriptures, and also no doubt it's a benefit to those kids.
We also have a ministry called mainly music at church.
It's been going for a long time. It's one of those things, a family who spent some time in the Us Borrowed and brought back and it's a great way to get Community people into the Church and hopefully under the sound, of the Gospel, and under the Sound of Scriptures, It's
Primarily set up as a name implies mainly, music around a music program for preschool, kids.
But you have conversations with the mothers, and we've even at our church for several years.
Now I think it is had a father who comes along where he's the primary caregiver.
So you've got this dynamic where people are hearing the gospel being exposed to at least Christian conversations through these very sorts of ministries.
So that's another one, that's that Amy's been heavily involved in.
And she's also involved in our Friday Night youth, Club, which I think again, is a nice outreach beyond the Church, too.
Many churches have compromised first, I think on what they thought were the little things.
And how do you maintain credibility when you get to the big things, if you've compromised on the little things, not don't know if you see that in the us, but that's one of the realities, that the Church in Australia has to deal with where they've compromised, on the small things they Don't
Have much of a voice when it comes to some of the bigger things that get thrown at them.
Okay, what I wanna do is look at Matthew, chapter 25, versus one to 13.
The Bible that I have is from the library, and it's the only one with the big enough print for me to see it it's a King James version so I'm gonna read that and I hope that sort of consists, with the Bible that you have with you so I'm going to read Matthew
25 versus one to 13, before I do that I'm going to pray
Lord, please grant to us today, to hear your voice, and not hard in the hearts.
We pray your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Please give us courage, perseverance, whatever it is that we need to stand firm in our face in a way that's pleasing to you. And we pray this in Jesus name comment
When I was a seminary student in Deerfield, Illinois, I worked as a security guard from 4 Pm until Midnight.
I arrived shortly before most of the people were leaving for the day and then I took an old D text clock, and I did my rounds, and that meant that every 2 h I walked to predetermined Locations along a set Route to places where a key was an attached to the Wall and
You take that key, and insert it into the clock which had this long strip of paper that advanced at a set time as the minutes ticked by and the Key then left an impression on that piece, of paper, and what this meant is my employer now had evidence that I had been where I was supposed to
Be at the right time, all through my shift at work.
So this of course means that I'm arriving at each of these locations at a predictable time.
So imagine my surprise, when I one day at about 605, entered a room to find an incredibly embarrassed man and woman who really quickly adjusted their clothing and walked out without saying a word, every time I remember that Incident I think they knew I was coming in fact if they
Were at all observant, they even knew when I was coming.
How could they get caught out like that? How could they be found doing something?
So inappropriate let's read from Matthew chapter 25, verse, one, then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto 10 virgins, which took their lamps and went, forth, to meet the bridegroom, and 5 of them, were wise, and 5 were foolish they
that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels, with their lamps, while the Bridegroom Tarried they all slumbered and slapped, and at midnight there was a Cry made Behold the Bridegroom Cometh
go, you out to meet him then all those virgins, arose, and trim their lamps, and the foolish set, unto the wise give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out, but the wise answer saying not so lest, there be not enough for us, and you but go ye rather
to them that sell and buy for yourself, and while they went to buy the bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut afterward came also, the other virgins, saying Lord Lord open to Us.
But he answered, and said, verily, I say unto you, I know you not.
Watch, therefore, for you know, neither the day nor the hour, we're in the Son of Man Come, F.
I think Jesus is trying to teach us something, an answer to those who, ask when he will return, and what it will look like when he returns that's what chapter 20.
4, was about the Disciples, comment on the magnificent Stones of the Temple and Jesus, kind of steps back and says, hang on a second, all this is going to be obliterated the Abomination of desolation is Coming this is all Going to be Destroyed and They say when what will that look
Like. And Jesus answers them. Well, it gives some answers to those questions, but then he has some comments of his own.
And the main point is that he wants us not to get caught out not to be caught out don't neglect the things that you should be doing during the time before Jesus comes.
So let's talk just for a moment about the background.
In chapter 24, verse 3, he's sitting on the Mount of Olives, and the disciples come to Him privately, saying Tell us, when will these things be what will be the sign so the when in the sign of the end of the world and Jesus Answers those specific questions when will this happen what will it look
Like chapter 24 goes on at length to talk about these things, versus 5 to 35, talk about.
When it will happen, it will be deceptive, dangerous, distressing, dramatically, sudden and discriminating.
But you can't know when
Then the next versus 36, to 44. Talk about signs.
It will be disruptive, it will demand vigilance.
But you can't read the signs to discover when
So, if you can't know when what do you meant to do at this point, Jesus imposes his own concerns, and he tells the disciples his answers he already said that it demands vigilance in verses 42 to 44 then in 45.
To 51 we're getting to the end of Chapter 24.
He demands, actions of those who are waiting for his return are we waiting for his return.
He demands actions of those waiting for his return and then in the story, of the 10 Virgins, sorry after the Story of the 10 Virgins Jesus, Will speak of Talents, Chapter 25, and the Master who goes on a Long Journey and Settles, Accounts, when he Returns after a Long time, yes.
See, the stress of this in Matthew, after a long time we're in that long time.
Maybe we're even tired of the long time, maybe We're struggling, to persevere during this long time, Jesus is defining this in terms of a long time, so with that in mind Let's, turn to these verses where Jesus reiterates much of what he has said in a previous discussion and what he'll say in
The rest of chapter 25, so what we have in front of us is a story of 5 foolish waiters, and 5, Wise waiters only we Can't really call them waiters, because we use that word for something else but we should stress that Jesus speaks.
Of this long Delay, and the activity of his followers.
One, they wait for his return. So we've just been told that we need to be watchful verse 42 of the previous chapter, therefore keep watch it's pretty direct.
Faithfulness and wisdom is reflected in watchful deeds of obedience, that's the second thing we're told so we're told to be watchful we're told that faithfulness, and wisdom is reflected in this and the third, thing is this long time, being a key
Feature to the entire discussion one of the things that Jesus wants us to really absorb, is that the delay is so long that it would be ludicrous to try to predict his return.
And again, he relates this to to the disciples question of when that gives shape to the whole discussion.
So chapter, 25, versus, one to 6. Jesus will arrive at an unexpected hour, maybe you're in the business of Predicting when he Will.
Return. I'm sure we can all name a book that predicts when Jesus will return.
Jesus wants us to know that He will return at an unexpected hour
Verse, one, then sometimes translated as at that time the kingdom will look like this, so Jesus now looks ahead to when he will return from his long time away to fully establish his kingdom, and many will have misread or ignored the signs of the end others will have failed to keep watch
And it is to say, grown weary or lost faith, because of this long delay.
And so he compares his return. In these verses to a wedding the Bible doesn't speak in terms of us being in heaven, or harps and choirs instead it speaks of Jesus, returning here so that we can so that he can establish his Kingdom, and he regularly
Uses, the image, of a wedding feast, of Rejoicing of reveling in the presence of God Himself in the Person of the Lord Jesus, and in a Jewish wedding, the Groom, goes to the Bride's House and formalities are Conducted at the Bride's House and then
There is an after dark procession that conveys the bride to her new home, which will be with the groom, and that's where the Week-long wedding reception takes place so the friends of the bride, would be Waiting Outside the grooms, House with a view to going out to him, and
Ushering him and his bride into his house, now, since it's well passed dark, each member of this procession would be expected to carry a torch or lamp, or something like that to Light the Way.
To be without one suggests that the person is a gay, crasher or worse.
Somebody who's trying to get in in the commotion of the wedding to rob the house
So, the lamps aren't meant to be interpreted allegorically.
They simply indicate who belongs and who doesn't, but belonging is a big deal in Jesus, parables
Especially as parables of the kingdom, the Gospel is less, a story of a universal celebration than of sins, forgiven of a relationship with the Lord through faith and a life of obedience that receives that reward in eternity sometimes we we might hold it hard we might find it hard to
Hold together obedience with our message of salvation through faith alone.
Yet both sides are present throughout the Scriptures
As we read this wedding story, we find that the Groom has been delayed, verse 5. While the Bridegroom, Tarried King, James Way of Saying, has been delayed
And we don't know why. Perhaps he's preparing the home that he's going to share with his bride.
We simply don't know what we can know is that the 10 young girls, all become drowsy, which again, is a reminder that this is a long delay.
This isn't the Occasional Yawn, or the Bobbing of Heads, that you sometimes notice when you're Preaching a sermon they all Fall Asleep
And it's tempting at first glance to think of falling asleep as a problem in the next Chapter Matthew, Jesus asked 3 of his Closest, disciples, in get 70.
To stay and keep watch with him, and he's disappointed when he comes back and he finds him over dozing off and he says couldn't you watch with me for 1 h but this story isn't about praying and it certainly isn't about 1 h together with other parables, teachers again.
That the delay is long, so long that many find themselves wavering, and in some cases even doing foolish things, and it's clear enough that both the wise and the foolish virgins are both sleeping in fact because it's so late I suspect the versions, Assumed that's the Groom.
wasn't going to arrive until the next day. We don't need to worry about dwindling supplies of oil, because surely, he isn't going to rise this light.
Nothing to worry about, but verse, 6, at midnight there was a cry made here, he is to add to that sense of delay in case you've missed it to this point, we're told that the cry rings out at midnight now we should bear in mind I suppose that neither the groom
Nor Matthew was wearing a watch.
So we should probably understand midnight, not as 12 o'clock, but as the middle of the night.
If you knock on my door at 3. Am I gonna say, what do you want?
It's the middle of the night more realistically I'm gonna roll over and turn to Amy.
And say, I don't believe it it's the middle of the night.
When this, groom shows up it is a late night appearance.
It's not just an unexpected hour, you might say it's an awkward hour, and it exists things that people don't necessarily want to be exposed so versus 7 to 12.
The point of this Section. Is, it will be too, late for those who aren't prepared.
Then all the Virgins, Arose, and Trim, their lamps.
And the Fooler said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out, but the wives answered, no
Then there won't be enough for us and you, but go buy, some.
Go to those people who sell, oil, and buy. Some. So verse, 7, they all wake up, because all were sleeping.
And this is what they've come for they trim, their lamps, that's what it says in verse 7, they trimmed their lamps, some translations say, trim, their wicks, because otherwise they're, not getting in without the light, that they've, come to provide and so I looked
Up what does it mean to trim your wick, and apparently, when you trim, the wick of a candle, it lets the flame burn more brightly more, clearly it's more vivid but Jesus Doesn't?
Hear speak, of candles and wicks. A more direct translation might be something like they prepared their lamps, these are oil Burning Lamps, or torches, and so they require oil that's.
What Oil Burning lamps require now all time, of them, had oil, but the wise ones had enough, While the Foolish Ones didn't their first task may be their only task certainly the First Task was to Light the way, for a Wedding Procession, to have no Oil means you can't do the very thing you're
There, to do.
From verse 8, onward, then we hear the foolish ones talking and the response they receive the foolish ones, speak twice, and both times, their told no in verse 8, they say to the wise, ones and why are they Wise because they're, prepared they ask them for some oil, in verse 9, the
Wise, ones, say no, they refuse to share. Now that might strike us as a bit, uncaring and even harsh doesn't, the Gospel call us to share what we have but the fact is the only task and trusted to the 10 that we know of lighting the Way, as Part of this
Procession cannot be performed. If they don't have the necessary oil, so the wise ones say, no let's none of them are able to light the way
Verse 9, They tell them, Go and buy some oil. So the wise 5, tell the foolish, 5, to go, and do some shopping now there's some things to bear in mind first, the focus, isn't really on Oil It's on those who Don't have it now many Images, would work just as
Well, if you're driving in the desert, you ought to at least have a bit of water, and maybe a can of gasoline with you.
There's no need to discuss what gasoline stands for in that little story in this story the 5 foolish virgins had oil.
But not, enough. That means oil isn't an allegorical standard for salvation, or the Holy Spirit, or even Good Works.
It simply points to being prepared in the delay being prepared during the delay next thing to observe, verse, 10, while they went to Buy the Bride Group.
Came, so they are out shopping, and the groom arrives.
He has been announced, and now he is present, and where are the 5 foolish virgins?
Now you might think. The answer is that they've gone to Woolworth's or is it.
K-mart to buy the oil, but of course not.
Do you think that the villages and towns of first Century Israel had late-night shopping.
So when we lived in England, it was hard to find anything that was open after business hours.
So I Googled the other day, or what time do shops in Sheffield close and apart from the restaurants.
Now this is 2022 it is 22, right?
Now apart from the restaurants, the latest answer that came up was 5 30 Pm.
Except on Sundays, when they close at 4
So. Don't imagine that in a bustling metropolis like Jerusalem, with its 20 or 30,000 restaurants, that they had oil shops that are open.
At midnight, or 3. Am these 5 foolish virgins had to leave the sight of the wedding to purchase something that they wouldn't be able to find until the next day.
They could now contribute nothing to the wedding. They're gone they're off the same, and they're not getting back to contribute anything to this wedding celebration so as the story Reaches, its conclusion the groom has arrived the 5 Wise, Versions, are admitted and the Door is Closed and the Foolish 5
Are not getting in. And again, this might strike us as a strange sort of security system.
Surely people didn't live in fear of 5 young girls, but virtually every time Jesus speaks of the wedding Feast he speaks of the Door being Closed.
The door is closed, and he speaks of the people on the outside looking in in some cases desperately wanting to enter, but being excluded because the Door has been locked the point isn't that these Girls are to be feared but that they're too late when it was time to Spring into
Action, these girls weren't prepared so that when it was time to enter the wedding feast, these girls sprang into action.
The result was that they missed everything
First you afterward they to arrive at the wedding, and they say, Lord, Lord, open to us so the shopping spree is finished, they arrive and the door is shot and the groom says I don't know each do.
You think Jesus, loves everybody.
Do you think he loves everybody. The same way
I don't really know what that would mean. If it tells some I don't know you
And now it's daylight, so the problem isn't that the groom can't see the girls well enough and They're Probably Friends of At Least the Bride, if not the Groom maybe his point is the Wedding's Underway, I'm Not I'm Not Getting, Up from the Banqueting
Table. In any case, Jesus says more or less, the same thing in Matthew, 723.
To people who prefer miracles in his name.
Then to the Sermon on the Mount Jesus talked about people who perform miracles in his name but don't quote do the will of the father in heaven. What does Jesus say to people who do miracles, but don't do the will of his father in heaven, I don't know you
Just like the Room, at the Wedding, Like, the wise girls who wouldn't share their oil.
So now the groom says no to the foolish girls, he will not admit them to the wedding.
These are girls, he presumably invited to the wedding, but he says he doesn't know them.
These are girls, who are anything but lazy, as they go to buy some oil, and then return to the wedding.
These are girls who are invested to the point that they've bought oil at least twice, and possibly also purchase the lamps to burn it in and these are girls who call out sir, sir, with the same words transferred almost everywhere.
As Lord Lord, I don't know what your translation says.
King, Jones, Lord Lord, including in Matthew, 7, 21 where Jesus says, not, everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven.
These are girls who seem to have it, all, but they cannot enter the feast.
So what distinguishes the wise from the Foolish even before we answer that in terms of the Oil we need to answer in terms of the Bridegroom's Delay the Delay of the Lord's Return, is what Distinguishes between the Wise and the Foolish
And it causes many to fall in this drive
Because of the delay. Many people state is not done.
This is not an unfeeling rejection of those who built their lives around the hope of entering the kingdom is the rejection of those who, look like they are ready but in fact.
They haven't made preparations for Jesus. Return. They haven't persisted living in hope of Jesus. Return.
In other words, they look just like us
Verse, 13, therefore
Watch, therefore, in chapter, 24, verse, 36, Jesus had said, No.
One knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father, then in chapter 24, verse, 42, He says, therefore keep watch keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will, come, and after He spoke for 7, verses, of the faithful, and Wise, Servant, and
Then he speaks of these, 5 wise virgins. All of this is held together by the fact that Jesus followers need to be faithful and wise in the time. We wait for his return we need to keep one
So what's, the point of all this I've heard versus like this been used to say, Don't be caught doing something.
You shouldn't at the moment when he returns. Will you be ashamed at his appearance.
One, John first, John 2, 28, says, and now dir children continue in him so that when he appears, we may be confident and unashamed before him, at his coming now, despite my opening anecdote about 2 people, being caught out doing things, they shouldn't
That's probably not the main, point the language of shame, and is coming isn't so much about being embarrassed when he arrives, as it is about the shame of being judged and found wanting when the Judge of all the earth our Lord Jesus appears to set up, his throne and judge all
Of humanity don't be found.
Wavering in faith, don't stray, from the lower don't give up
I once was door knocking in a community where we're Doing mission and I talked to Miss May.
She was 91, she had decided in in the last year, 18 months, that there was no God, she no longer believed anything 90 years old 90 years of I guess a life of faith or something like that anyway, you she no longer, believed let's not be found out, let's not be caught out when Jesus returns
As somebody who's faith has grown cold. The point of it is that the delay will eventually be over, and when it is the time of preparation ends with it it will be too late to rush around getting ready Jesus offers.
No hope that we'll get in at that point don't presume upon the kindness and patience of God.
These girls, these 5 foolish girls have an assurance that they are not entitled to they seem to think that if they get the Oil and Shop, at the door, they'll be let in Jesus stands at the Door and knocks.
Is he always let in his time of standing and knocking, and waiting will come to an end.
And then the door will be closed. These girls may have enjoyed a prominent position for weeks, or months, and to lead up to this wedding, but it is all worth nothing.
Why, the Wedding begins, and they find themselves excluded.
So we'll you grow weary of Doing Good and Staying Alert or will you persevere in faith and obedience, both of which are tied to wisdom throughout Jesus, teaching, be prepared as the scripture, say therefore keep watch you don't know the hour, but you do know that he's
Coming? So what does he want you to do in the interim, the Surrounding Parables kind of give shape to that don't, they but even more the entire Bible teaches us how to live in the like of the Coming King Don't grow Weary Galatian 6.
9. Let us not grow weary in doing good for at the proper time.
We will reap a harvest, anybody know how the verse continues, we will repa harvest.
If we do not give up
The Scriptures call us to persevere in 5 and so I wonder what is God calling you to do?
Are you growing weary, as you do it. Don't give up
Don't give up!
This isn't merely theoretical. The Christian life is wonderful, and it offers us peace and the Christian life is full of challenges in turmoil in all things.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, and run with perseverance.
The faith, the race, that's been set before you persevere in doing good and in faith, safe, in what faith in Jesus, faith in Jesus, I don't know if I have time for a bit of a digression this story is about waiting for Jesus for him, not being, here, but matthew starts by saying he'll be
called Emmanuel, with which means God with us, Matthew, 28, the end of the book is I am with you always.
So we wait we long for his presence, but he's right here.
He's right here today. How do we hold those 2 truths together, and how do we live out the life of faith, in the Midst of those 2 truths, in the tension that they generate, for us.
Jesus is here. And when we send even our secret sense, the king is right there, and when we give him glory, and when we live in hope, the king is right.
There he is here with us, and still be long for his return, but we know that he's here with us today.
Let's live in accordance with that. Let's pray father, we pray that you refresh those who are struggling today, that you encourage those who are discouraged or downtrodden pray that you, would lift up those who need that encouragement, and we know that ultimately our words our even kindnesses.
Don't mean all that much, but your presence and your working through us can be life changing and so we pray that you would buy your spirit equip us to serve you and to love your people, well, thank you that we're gathered together, today as your people knowing that we're waiting for our king but the
King is present, and we thank you for those truths and Gee.
This night, not man.
The schools are number by by 4,
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I can't hear
Some Matter with them
Yeah, somebody is not doing their job. If the recording is still on to