It’s about downtime.

And by that I mean be prepared. The Father of the Groom, alone, knew the hour and the day. I was able to use the young woman’s name and ask God to strengthen this family in the face of her tragic death. To put it in the terms of our parable, they weren’t ready, they didn’t bring their lamp. I was riding with the funeral director so I asked him which tent was ours. And do you see how thankful we must be? All we have to do is tend our lamps and be ready. That is gonna be my way to serve.”. In their book, The Collects of Thomas Cranmer Paul Zahl and C. Frederick Barbee observe the following about this collect: The Collect for the First Sunday in Advent achieves an astonishing feat. But then we take Sabbath time, we take time for personal worship and reflection. Jesus came to blaze the trail. All Rights Reserved. WE’RE CALLED TO SHOW UP AND BRING OUR LAMP. We wouldn’t be this far along.

We very seldom ever notice the candles on the altar because David Crocker refeshes them with oil every week.

Sort of like adoption. Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:13-14 “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. We bring our burnt out, dried up lamps to the Savior and we are refreshed.

The Left Behind series of books has sold millions creating a fictionalized account of what they might be like. When I was finished with the service, the Funeral Director walked over, took me aside and said: “I need you to do another graveside.” I asked when. All we’re asked to do is accept that new life and to live prepared. Swell the triumph of his train

An unshakable kingdom! The Bridesmaids were part of the wedding party.

22:12-17, 20) There are more than 50 passages in the Bible that tell us that Jesus is going to return. Check out these helpful resources Jesus told us to be careful how we live and how we walk in our faith journey. Generally what happens is that the candles flicker and go out. Discussion Questions: 1. Here’s the thing. We sit at the foot of the Master and find our spirits refreshed.

I’ve never felt so unprepared and locked out of what was going on in my whole life. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews 12:28 writes: “Do you see what we’ve got?

8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise replied, ‘No! (Hymn 57 in The Hymnal 1982), On that day Jesus Christ, the One who has accompanied you every moment of your life, will indeed “come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead.”. We’re called to live ready. And now for a song reference…As a high school student I spent most of the money I earned from delivering newspapers and mowing lawns to buy cassettes (yes, cassettes, this was in the 80’s), especially Christian rock cassettes. This is a sermon to get people to think about the return of Jesus Christ. The only way that this has been accomplished is through every individual’s involvement at some level. And the bride wouldn’t mind, at first. When we bring plenty of oil, then we’re like this tube here. I remember going to their house and using oil lamps at night. (5 of 15), How to Stay Together While the World Falls Apart, CCPA - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Things didn’t click. I think I know a little what the foolish bridesmaids in today’s parable must have felt like. We don’t know when He’s coming back, so be prepared all the time. And we’re called to be ready and live ready. When we love one another, we reflect that which God created us to be. What if a bell rings and a man yells, “Where do you belong?” and I don’t know? Jesus describes His Second Coming in terms of a wedding. And every moment of this life is accompanied by Him who visited the planet in great humility (3). For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near.