Prepared Watchfulness (Matthew 25:1-13)

the sermon for the 23rd week after pentecost is from the gospel of saint matthew chapter 25 verses 1 to 13 the sermon is entitled prepared watchfulness grace mercy and peace from god our father and our lord and savior jesus christ amen watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation mark chapter 14 verses 38 be sober minded be watchful your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour first peter 5 8 be watchful stand firm in the faith act like men and be strong first corinthians 16 13 but watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down by or with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap but stay awake at all times praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the son of man luke chapter 21 verses 34 to 36 and finally in our gospel reading this morning watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour yes the question is what are you watching in this time and place what are you fixating your eyes upon what are you meditating upon what are you preparing for what is it you are preparing for now watchfulness is an important theme in our parable of the ten virgins another kingdom of god parable which shows us how god well how he works who he is and what is to happen when he is to come but also a time to prepare for his coming the scene is set with ten virgins who were awaiting the bridegroom the picture of us the church is christ is our bride five identified as what foolish while the other five described as wise and what was the difference what was the distinction between the foolish and the wise in our parable well obviously it says the foolish did not bring the oil for their lamps while the wise brought extra flasks in order to prepare to be prepared for that very lamp to endure and when midnight came what happened who was ready for the bridegroom the wise well they were their eyes their watchfulness was prepared because it's all about watchfulness as we wait in the now and then not yet for us faithful christians in the scriptures we we read so many stories about people's watchfulness whether it is wise or even foolish right i mean the israelites their eyes were open not to god in his word but to their stomachs to their flesh to their grumbling and complaining and for joseph his wisdom was what his eyes were on the word and promise of god for the pharisees what was their watchfulness their own way their own holiness their own self sufficiency and yes how foolish this is so what are you watching this day ask yourself that really sincerely humbly what are you focus focusing upon this day what is the apple to your eye that is an idiom by the way isn't it cindy the apple to the eye that's a idiom i think i think for the world we know their view of foolishness and wisdom is vastly different than our view of foolishness and wisdom isn't it it's interesting to think about foolishness and wisdom you think that all of us humans would think in the same way about what this foolishness and wisdom is but that is not so for the world what is their wisdom what is their prepared watchfulness it's everything of the here and now in this world confined to this world where wisdom is defined by this world thus the world what will they do in their perceived wisdom they will prepare preparing their own security and the focus upon the very things that will fill their cup and there are so many apples to the eye aren't there the world sees these very things these idols as their source of wisdom an inevitable path of self-trust in one's own perspective opinion and feeling and yes the world will puff out their chest with great pride saying i can do this myself the foolishness is one who does not depend on self that foolishness is the cross foolishness is the christ and his word his law and his gospel i want no part of that because that is all foolish or sow the flesh in the world and the devil will tell you yeah go write your own book go write your own way your own law and gospel this is wisdom according to the world yes our old adam the pride of self we love our own watchfulness our own disbelief our own idolatry how we love to be so self-sufficient all of us but for us today here we are really seeing what true foolishness and wisdom is according to god in his word you know the law is written on our hearts we very well know that foolishness is one who trusts in self foolishness is one who seeks refuge in the idols of this world foolishness is one who seeks security in man rather than god foolishness is one who lives by a compromised word of god picking and choosing rather than simply submitting to what the word of god says sorry and this is the great temptation isn't it tension is there constantly as we as christians endure in the face as we run the race watchful being alert being on guard staying awake it's during this pandemic how easily our eyes close as we fall asleep to the word of god now this is the struggle and the devil works non-stop he he's distracts and turns us from the living word of god closing our eyes to this very word and soon enough we tell ourselves i have all the time in the world i am going to live as i please right now god can wait i'm too busy with all of my priorities in life and those things i'm watching but yet when it comes to god and his word well i'm going to do what i desire i think for all of us we are guilty of this because it's so easy to fall to this way because we're sinners there's no way around it is there how our eyes veer so impatient so fickle so panicky so quick to fixate on everything but god's word and for what it says for those that are at home i ask you as well where do your eyes fixate i think similar to our children's message this morning well i guess i wrote here we are so quick to prepare for emergencies i guess that wasn't the case i don't know if i should say that in my kind of ruin my point here but uh hypothetically speaking uh we are so quick uh to prepare for emergencies aren't we i mean for the pandemic for disasters we we see the toilet paper flying off the shelves i don't every time i go in the store they always show you a list of what is kind of low on the supply and you are reminded how people are starting to prep prep and prep more well because that's what their eyes tell them to be watchful and prepared i think that's how we are too in this world we're so keen on the things of this world and we too fall to that whole path and thus we see in the parable those that were ready were invited in and those that were scurrying in the end to find more oil what happened the door shut the lord said i do not know you we do not know the time and place friends i don't know and you don't know we need to ask ourselves in this precarious time where here where are your priorities what are what are you really preparing for are you storing up grain houses so that at the end of the day you can eat drink and be merry what are you preparing for are you throwing up all your works all these merits to solidify your place in god's kingdom what are you preparing for are you bowing down to the idols that control you and dictate your line leading you away from christ and his word are you spinning your wheels as you simply live in this world i ask these questions because we know our flesh jesus says watch and pray lest you fall into temptation the spirit is willing but what the flesh is weak it is in our weakness that we live in these gray and latter days where they're in faith we are vigilant watchful faithfully discerning every breathing moment the word and that's why here and right now all of you who are here all of you who are at home it is such an important time to receive to receive the word of god not just any word but the word that points to you what prepares you and that is christ noise of the world the noise of the world is there the wisdom is being thrown about in your hearts and minds to distract and turn you so chaotic it becomes that in the midst of all of its foolishness here we are together in god's word as we hear hear and receive in our heart and mind our ears and all of our senses as we are redirected back to what our true watchfulness is and that is christ hebrews 12 looking to jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of god as we hear the word we are looking to jesus because this is what the word is there is no other to which we look because he is the one who gives us the abundant gift of salvation hearing and receiving jesus not just any jesus but the christ the cross who gives to you the blood sacrifice who washes away your sins and purifies you and reconciles you to god the word that points you to that watchfulness of that very cross nor the lens no other word points you to the lamb of god but only god and his word and here we find our wisdom not in self not in platitudes not in the world but rather in the midst of our own sin it's in the one outside of us his very word who took upon the shame and sorrow the burden and guilt and all of your sin that's what that's what it's so great to hear god's word i don't know about you but after a long week to get together and to hear what is true through all the foolishness to receive and meditate the joy of what christ has prepared for you in his finished work who has delivered you the forgiveness of sins just think about that because nothing of this world no matter how much you watch in this world nothing can prepare you in this way but only calvary only our lord who is faithful to the end to his death to his empty tomb and here we have the victory where the grave has lost its sting and by his very word by his very promise we are here victorious in the resurrection yes prepared watchfulness time and time again through all things we flee to god's word to hear and receive the comforting words that jesus is the christ the son of the living god that indeed he is your victor we have the victory we have the crown of life all by the righteousness that has been given to you this world will not tell you this but god's word does watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour this is true who knows the day nor the hour but what we do know is the christ this is our faithful watch what he has done for you what he has accomplished for you what he has defeated for you what he has won for you is who you are forgiveness your salvation your keys to eternal life all given to you by the word of god how blessed you are you are prepared don't you see your eyes are wide open as god is with you he's always with you all by his very word amen may the peace of god which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in christ jesus amen please rise as you're able as we him seeing him number eight hundred and five

Channel: Faith Lutheran Church

Views: 37

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: worship service, christian, lutheran, church, moorpark, pentecost, sunday

Id: F8yXCsqcOj4

Length: 17min 15sec (1035 seconds)

Published: Sun Nov 08 2020