Preparing for the Lord's Day
Thy Kingdom Come
Waiting for the cousins to arrive has become an annual tradition in our home each Christmas season. My sister’s family lives in Atlanta, Georgia and each year they drive up to Lynchburg to spend a few days following Christmas. Bringing five extra people into our home means that we must prepare. We must switch around rooms, get out fresh linens, and buy extra food. It also means that our kids spend the whole day anxiously waiting for their cousins’ arrival. They look out the window and ask, “When are they going to get here? Why is it taking so long?” Inevitably, the wait is too long for them to sustain their alertness. After a few hours of waiting, they find something else to fill their time. Then when they least expect it, their cousins pull into the driveway.
In our passage for this Sunday, we have a parable about waiting. The parable is about ten young women who are waiting for a wedding party to begin. However, there is a delay. As they waited it became evident that five of them came prepared to wait and five did not. When the party finally arrived the five unprepared women missed out. And what Jesus is teaching us through this story is that as we wait for his arrival we must keep watch and be prepared. While his return might seem delayed it will come when we least expect it. To come prepared for worship take time this week to read and meditate upon Matthew 25:1-13, Matthew 24, Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, and Revelation 16:15.
As we gather this third Sunday of Advent, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Joy to the World”, the Acclamation of Praise “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates!”, and the Hymn of Response “Angels from the Realms of Glory”. Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!
Sermon Information:
Text: Matthew 25:1-13
Title: Kingdom Readiness
Outline:
- There is a Mystery to Christ’s Advent (vv. 1-9)
- There is a Reward to Christ’s Advent (v. 10a)
- There is a Finality to Christ’s Advent (vv. 10b – 13)