Printer Friendly VersionMatt. 25:1-13, Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, I Th. 4:13-18
Her name was Kathie and she was battling cancer. After all possible
treatments were exhausted she decided to go home having been given just a
few short months to live. During one of her hospital stays I sat at her bed
side, took her hand, anointed her with oil and we began to pray. That day
Kathie put her trust in Jesus knowing that she would not be long in this life
and she wanted to be with him in the next.
She left the hospital prepared for hospice care and looked forward
to the few months ahead. Even with the knowledge of her impending death the
words of Jesus in today’s gospel burn in our ears, because Kathie never
needed the hospice care. Within a week she left this earth and had gone home
to be with her Lord! She was prepared. Although I was not there when she died,
I was told by her daughter and son-in-law that it was the most spiritual experience
they had ever witnessed. While lying on her bed, Kathie calmly called her
daughter over to her side and said, “He’s come for me. He’s
here. It’s time for me to go. Don’t worry it’s beautiful. I
love you.”
I just simply want to ask all of you, are you prepared for the
day of your death when you will meet Jesus?
Three weeks ago we dealt with the great wedding feast of God
in heaven, you remember? At the end of the sermon there was the invitation
to join Him at a feast that we prepared in his honor. Today’s Gospel
lesson has a similar invitation with one glaring difference. Three weeks ago
although there would come a day when God’s invitation would no longer
be extended to the great wedding feast, that day had not yet come and his
gracious invitation is still being extended. Then we were given the opportunity
to r.s.v.p.
Today, however, that same invitation has been rescinded. IN
today’s gospel lesson the hour of reckoning is upon us and there are
some people (bridesmaids) who missed it. So again I want to ask you...
Are you prepared to meet your maker? If so, how do you know?
I wonder if one way to get at the answer is to review what the
Bible had to say today through the prophet, Joshua. In that 24th chapter God’s
people are being asked to do a “heart check” on their relationship
with God. One way that we know if we’re prepared to meet the Lord is
by regularly reviewing our relationship with Jesus.
Let’s just use some of the Biblical language…Joshua summons all
of us in verse one and we come and present ourselves to the Lord.
“Honor the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away
forever the idols that others worshiped…serve the Lord alone.” (v.14)
“If you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today
whom you will serve. Would you prefer other gods? As for me and my family,
we will serve the Lord.” (v.15)
“We would never forsake the Lord and worship other gods. For the Lord
our God is the one who rescued us…he performed mighty miracles before
our eyes…he preserved us.” (v.16-17)
“We too, will serve the Lord, for he alone is our God.”
(v.18)
Okay, it sounds like you’re prepared. However, accountability
was at the back door of this story and thus it must be for people like you
and me. Simply, “are you checking the oil in your lamps” on a regular
basis? You don’t want to be unprepared.
“And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. The, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. So comfort and encourage each other with these words” (I Thess. 4:13-18).
