Source: Lee Venden: 2007-01-06: "Fuel Crisis"
From WhyNotWiki
Based on: Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV), the parable of the 10 virgins
This message is not so much for nonbelievers as it is for those in the church, those who profess to be Christians.
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[edit] Spiritual life is not transferable
Nobody else can:
- sleep for you. If you're short 4 hours of sleep, I can't help you out by sleeping an extra four hours for you.
- worry for you.
- He told a joke about someone who hired someone to worry for him. His friend commented about how much happier he seemed now that he didn't have anything to worry about. He asked, "so how much does this guy charge?" "$2000 per month," came the reply. "Wow, how do you afford that?!" "I don't know yet," came the reply, without much concern. "That's the first thing I'm going to have him worry about."
- breathe for you.
- drink for you.
- eat for you. If you're planning to skip the next three meals, I can't just eat twice as much today to make up for your lack of eating.
- exercise. My exercising will not have any effect on your muscle tone.
Similarly, in your spiritual life, nobody else can:
- pray in your stead (prayer is "spiritual breathing" [reference])
- "drink" of the living water that God offers to us (John 4:1-26 (NIV))
- "eat" the Bread of Life for you (John 6:35 (NIV))
"You must keep your lamps filled [with the oil of grace]." You can't just fill them once and think that will be enough.
"Go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves." (Matthew 25:9 (NIV))
You can't inherit a spiritual relationship: God has only sons and daughters (Romans 8:14-15 (NIV), 2Corinthians 6:17-18 (NIV), Galatians 4:6-7 (NIV)), not grandchildren!
You can't be saved by your minister's faith, even if what he's teaching is correct. It doesn't matter whether you have been taught doctrines that are theologically sound or not: one is saved through having a relationship, not by just hearing words in church and doing nothing.
[edit] Superficial spirituality won't cut it
Surface Christianity and works won't cut it.
Analogy: plumbing story
- Pastor Venden told a story of when he once attempted to fix some leaky copper pipes. He put some fittings over the leaks and applied solder as best he knew how, but the pipes still leaked! It wasn't until he asked someone with more plumbing experience about it that he learned what his problem had been: he was using the wrong fuel in his torch. The fuel he was using did not get the torch up to a high enough temperature. So it was only heating up the surface of the pipes. It wasn't until he used the right kind of fuel in his torch that he could heat the pipes all the way through so that the solder would flow in enough to make a good seal.
"The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them." (Matthew 25:3 (NIV))
The five foolish bridesmaids were not hypocrites. "They subscribed to the theory..."
It's not as if they didn't bring any lamps or oil; they just didn't bring enough oil.
[Unresolved question/criticism:] It almost doesn't seem fair that the "five foolish bridesmaids" are criticized for not having brought extra jars of oil. I'm not really familiar with the culture and technology of those times and I know that biblical parables typically have just one main point that they're trying to make and should not be picked apart for their every detail, but it just seems strange to me that anyone would expect people going to a wedding to lug around jars of oil with them. I'd be lucky just to have brought a flashlight (or lamp), let alone extra fuel! I guess we can assume from context that the wedding-goers knew in advance that it would be dark and that they should bring their lamps... But how should they have known in advance that the bridegroom would be so egregiously late?? In the world I live in, such an occurrence would be quite rare: the main participants of a wedding are always expected to be quite functional: indeed, early. But again I admit that the culture of that time could have been quite different than it is today: since wedding celebrations of that time were, I believe, multiple-day events rather than just the one-shot, several-hour gala at a well-publicized, predetermined time that they are today, it is quite conceivable that the people in the wedding wouldn't have such predetermined times to show up. But enough nit picking the details--I don't want to miss the message of the parable.
They knew him not. "He replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'" (Matthew 25:12 (NIV))
"know" is a relationship word.
In one survey done of Christians, it was found that on average professed Christians only spend three minutes per day in prayer. What's worse, pastors didn't score much better: only seven minutes per day on average.
Pointed question: How much time do you spend each day communicating, communing, spending time with Jesus Christ? What's preventing you?
What's preventing you?
- not getting up early enough?
- your priorities?
- people?
- doing too many "good works"?
- business?
- pursuing your own selfish interests?
[edit] "Now is the time to seek him."
""In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." (2Corinthians 6:2 (NIV))
[missing other Bible reference]
Every time you hear [a preacher/God] say that you should do something and you don't do it (don't heed the advice), your chances of actually doing it become slimmer and slimmer (this time or next time). The oftener we ignore God's promptings, the weaker their influence on us becomes.
Analogy: Your house is on fire. You go to your local State Farm (or any insurance company) and ask if you can open a policy (for home insurance). They would just laugh at you.
[edit] .
Seen on the billboard fifth,at the drive-in theater in Milton-Freewater: "HAVE A GOD YEAR". They probably originally had "HAVE A GOOD YEAR". But an angel must have been flying by and thought it would be funny to knock off one of the O's.
