Keep Watch

Sermon Preaching at Nam Seoul Church

Date: Sunday July 6, 2008

Title: Keep Watch

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Memmory Verse: Matthew 25:13.

Introduction

Pray: Dear father, as we gather here to worship you and listen to your words, may your Holy Spirit comes and guide us into all truth. Please touch our heart and open our mind so that we may be freely to receive your words. May the word of my mouth, the meditation of my heart be acceptable before you, oh Lord, my God. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

There are many religions in the world, however there are not so many of them teaching about the end of the age. Buddhist’s teaching about the ending bases on the idea that human life will tranform or will be re-born to another life either in animal or insects or become another human. Life is a circle and it never ends. Hinduism concerns more about the life after death rather than teaching about the end of the world. How to achieve some of the goal in this life, they call the methods or Yogas, the method to achieve happiness in life. Communism does not believe in gods, therefore, they believe the world will never end, it will continue transforming from one form to another. The end of the world can only be found most clearly in Christianity.

The whole Bible reveals that there is a day, that will end the whole world. It is the day that Jesus will return as a second time to save all those who belong to him, to bring them to the kingdom of heaven and he will judge those who are not.

While listening to the teaching of Jesus, the disciples ask him, when that day will come Lord? The previous chapter 23-24 the disciples ask Jesus: What is the time? Jesus replies, “no one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” and Jesus gives a lot of signs regarding about that day, however, the main teaching of Jesus to the disciples is that they need to keep watch. There is only one thing that they need to do that is to continue to get ready or keeping watch.

What is keep watch?

Keep watch / be awake or be alert is the compound verbs expressing the idea of being alert in waiting or to get ready to do something. Have you ever being late? Yes sometimes. But if you have a very important meeting or tomorrow you will go to the State or to have a meeting with the president of the country, surely you have to be careful about the time. We will be very careful, even sometimes we cannot sleep because of that important meeting. Why? because we are afraid to be late. Today I want to preach with the title “Keep watch”, not to keep watch for traveling, or to meet with the president but to keep watch to meet our Lord Jesus Christ. and there only three things that I am going to speak today. These concern about the reasons why we need to keep watch.

1. Keep watch because we don’t know the time

Verse 13. Jesus said, “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” and He tells a story related to the wedding. Do you like wedding? Everybody might say yes. After our wedding, we are so tired because we have to prepare alot lot of things and I said to my wife. “That is enough, darling, no more wedding ok.”

There are different kinds of wedding ceremony in the world. In Vietnam, at first, the groom has to bring many things to the bridal house, they have a simple ceremony, and a simple party, and then the groom brings the bride back to his house and they will have the wedding ceremony and big party. In Korea, along time ago, before the wedding ceremony happens, the groom has to bring many thing to the bridal house such as clothes, money, other valuable things. They all need to wear the traditional dresses for the ceremony. On the other hand, the bride’s family has to prepare the house and the living place for the married couple. In ancient times, weddings were held in the bride's yard or house. The groom traveled by horse to the bride's house and after the wedding ceremony took his wife in a palanquin (cart) to his parents' house to live.

The Jews have their wedding ceremony very differently. The bridegroom will go the house of the bride, after having the ceremony, he will bring her back to his house and they have a feast often lasting a whole week. However, this process of welcoming the bridegroom seems to be very important part of the ceremony.

The story tells us about ten virgins went out to meet the groom. These ten virgins are chosen to become the assistances for the bride. It is a great privilege and honor because they represent for the bridal house to welcome the bridegroom. Their role is to welcome the bridegroom when he is still from a far. In order to have the ceremony running well, these ten virgins have to dress beautifully.

From the bridal house, they will depart to meet the bridegroom at the meeting place, normally it is quite a distance. Tradinationally, the groom will come at night, and these virgins welcome him by their torch, go ahead of him in dancing, and singing leading the crowd to the bridal house.

There are ten virgin, and v.2-3 said “five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however took the oil in jars along with their lamps.” Oil is the big issue in this parable. Because of oil, ones are fool and the others are wise. Some may say that this is not fair. However, if we look at this issue more carefully, we can see that the problem here is not at the oil but at the preparation. The wises are those who prepared. The fools were the unprepared.

V.5 said, “The bridegroom was a long time in coming.” Ten virgins went up to the place and found out that the bridegroom is delayed. Because of the time is uncertain, those who did not bring their oil were called foolish. What message Jesus wanted to say here. “Time”. Neither do you nor I know about the time. Time is uncertain therefore, be watchful or be prepared. Against this teaching, there were many who try to give a date for the returning of Christ.

In Vietnam 1940, there was a pastor who proclaimed the date of the second coming of Jesus. He told his church members to gather together in church because that particular night Jesus will return. Many people believed in him and left their family, say good bye to the neighbors and went to church. There was also a man before he left his house, he wrote in front of the door saying, “This house is given to the homeless.” They all gathered together singing and praying waiting for the Lord until midnight, then 1,2 and three in the morning. The man was worry and rushed back to the house and erased the words. The same story can be found not only in Vietnam but also in Korea, America and everywhere. Oct 21, 2011.

If anyone who predicts the date or time for the coming of Jesus, they are false teachers. “Time is unknown to everybody”. Therefore, we need to keep watch.

2. Keep watch because No one can help us

The second reason why we need to keep watch is that no one can help us.

At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.” The foolish ones said to the wise “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out”.

The foolish encounter big problem now. They don’t have enough oil. The time has come, the bridegroom is near, they need light to welcome him. In the ancient time, there is no street light, there is no battery torch, no electricity. What to do now? The foolish ask the wise, “please give us some.” The wise seems to be sympathized with the foolish. They want to share, however, it may not be enough for everybody for the process. The wise suggest them to go to buy some oil from the seller.

There are two important lessons here. First, Jesus wants to teach that spiritual preparedness may not be transferred from one individual to another. All people are responsible for themselves.

Second, though the oil in this story can be bought from the seller. However, the spiritual preparedness may not be bought from any body. When the time comes, no one can help us. The spiritual preparation can not be shared or bought from anybody. Father cannot help his sons. Wife cannot share to her husband, even though she loves him very much.

In Ezekiel 18:4 said “For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.”

Keep watch because no one will help us.

We have talked about two reasons, we need to keep watch because we don’t know the time, we need to keep watch because no one will be there to help us. Lastly, we need to keep watch because have to see Jesus.

3. Keep watch because we need to see Jesus

V.10 says “but while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. and the door was shut.

The virgins who well-prepared, had a very clear purpose. Their purpose is to meet and welcome the bridegroom. They must see him by whatever reasons. Therefore, they have prepared oil for that purpose.

At the same way, the purpose of Christian life is not to live on earth. It is not wealth and treasure, gold and silver. But to see Jesus. The kingdom of heaven is the ultimate purpose of our life. Why Jesus tell this story? Because, he knows that his disciples might be tempted to this life on earth. Because he knows that there will be teaching against his second coming.

In fact, 2 Peter 3:3 “in the last days, scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our father died, everything goess on as it has since the beginning of the creation.

Today there are many people who are not waiting for the coming of Jesus. Many say that Jesus will not return, kingdom of heaven will be in this world.

There is no second coming of Christ. and etc.

We need to be watchful for in our church today, theology of prosperity is spreading all over the places. Their teaching emphasizes the importance of Christian life on earth. Christian must be rich. Christian must not be poor. The kingdom of heaven is here and now. and They do not teach much about the coming of Jesus.

After going out to buy oil, the virgins came back. It was late. They missed the greeting process. The Bible said, “Later the others also came. “Sir, sir” they said. “Open the door for us”. But he replied, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.”

The door could not be opened because the Owner did not know them.

Jesus said, in the earlier chapter, chapter 7. v.21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons, and perform many miracles?

Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you.” Away from me, you evildoers.

How come? I am been serving you, I have been performed miracles? But Jesus said, “I never knew you”.

In order to see Jesus and to be with him in the kingdom of heaven, we need to keep watch.

4. How to “keep watch”?

Having know why we need to keep watch. Keep watch because we don’t know the time. Keep watch because no one will be there to help us. Keep watch because we need to see Jesus. Jesus said in Rev. 22:7,12 “Behold, I am coming soon”. If Jesus come today, how many among us are ready to go with him? If we are not ready yet, what should we do now?

There are fews things here you and I need to keep watch?

a. We need oil

The song we sing, “give me oil in my lamp keep me burning.” Oil here is the spirit of God. Ask God to pour out his spirit upon us. It is the Holy Spirit will seal us for the day of redemption. To have that in our life.

b. Living a spiritual life

We should live a spiritual life. What it means? It means to live and do the will of the father.

First. Get rid of our sinful life. Am I right with God in whatever I do. To the young aldults, who living in the post modern society, does your light still shining? In the new papers today, Korean young people became more freedom, living together without marriage is common. Sexual immorality is no thing new to the society. To all of my brother and sisters, are you still living a holy and righteous life before God? The lady, do you know where is your husband money come from? Where is your husband go in Sunday? Keep watch because no one can help us and we cannot help any body.

Second, be closed to God. Living a spiritual life aslo means to be with God everyday. Read the Bible, pray and intercession. Does your devotions every morning still there? God is still the focus of your life? Change your purpose of life. Money, fame or any other things.. Many people forgot we need to go home. Life on earth is not our home.

c. To keep watch also means to speak out the gospel to others.

If we know that day is near and we keep silent. Jesus said, we have to be responsible for their blood.

There was a Christian farmer living in the high land of Vietnam. One day while he was going to work in the field, an accident happened. The bull was fallen and cart was pushed upside down hit him and he became unconscious. After three days he recovered and he started to speak. He said, during the last three days, in his dream, God brings him to heaven. It is the most beautiful place that he never ever been before. He was taken to go around and see many things of the kingdom. However, when he stepped into the door of heaven, an angel stopped him. He said to him that, you are not allow to go into this door. He asks why? Because your foot is still not clean yet. He looked down and saw his foot still dirty. He woke up and this dream has changed his life. He became an evagelist and bring so many people to Christ.

Conclusion

The day of Jesus’ return is coming very soon. We hear about wars, we hear about earthquakes, we hear about diseases, we hear about terrible things happened in the world. Israel prepares to attack Iran, and many others countries with wars. Some may be afraid but others may be happy. Because it is the time that the bridegroom will come. The wise will be happy to see him, yet the foolish will fear.

In Rev. 22:20, Jesus said, “Yes, I am coming soon”. and John replied Amen, Come Lord Jesus. John is ready to welcome Jesus. How about you and I this morning. Are we prepared? or not yet? I wish to see all of us in our father’s house. Let no one be left. Keet watch. Amen.