Stay Alert

Matthew 25:1-13

The Bridegroom’s Delay (vv 1-5) The Bridegroom’s Door (vv 6-9) The Bridegroom’s Declaration (v

13)

“Watch” means being alert and wakeful.“If the master of the house had known what hour the

thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into” (Matt 24:43).

Jesus to Peter: “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?” (Matt 26:40).

We must be alert, for we know not when Jesus shall come.“Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the

angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mk 13:32).

Stay Alert

What is involved in “staying alert”?

One: You save yourself.To many that may sound very odd.

In Scripture, we’re told that many things save us. Jesus had to shed His blood for our forgiveness (Rom 5:9). We are saved through God’s marvelous grace through faith (Eph

2:8). Jesus certainly saves us (Matt 1:21).

This parable shows that we must save ourselves.The foolish virgins could not expect the wise ones to

“save” them.That idea is expressed throughout Scripture.

Peter “bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation’” (Acts 2:40, ESV).

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12).

Saving yourself has two serious elements: One: Making your faith your own. Two: Obeying the word of the Lord.

How do you practically save

yourself?

You need to make your faith your own. Jesus’ example:

In Luke 2, Jesus is in the temple discussing the Law. “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God

and men” (Lk 2:52).Timothy:

“I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Tim 1:5).

How do you have a faith of your own?One: Think about why you believe.

“Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15).

Two: Spend time in Scripture. Jn 20:30-31. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”

(Rom 10:17).Three: Don’t be afraid to question.

“Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God” (1 Jn 4:1).

Two: You are ready.“Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Amos 4:12).You must get ready:

Noah built the ark. Heaven is a prepared place (Jn 14:2) for prepared people. The multitude in heaven had “washed their robes and made

them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14).

Are you ready?

If the Lord were to come right now would you go to heaven?