This sermon emphasizes the importance of being spiritually prepared for the second coming of Christ. It highlights the need to have a hidden life filled with the Holy Spirit, love, and faithfulness, rather than just focusing on external religious activities. The message stresses the significance of being spiritually awake, faithful, and wise in serving others, especially fellow believers, as a key aspect of readiness for Christ's return.

We have been looking at the last days and the coming of Christ in these days and you know like it says in 1 Corinthians 15, there's a verse in 1 Corinthians 15 which says that if we only had hope in this life of Christ then we are of all men most miserable. Verse 19 1 Corinthians 15 19 if we have hoped in Christ in this life only we are of all men most to be pitied. In the same way if Jesus had gone from heaven to heaven after his resurrection and we never knew what is going to happen thereafter we wouldn't have a hope. What are we looking forward to? So just like it says in 1 Corinthians 15 that if our hope in Christ is only in this life then of all the people in the world we are most to be pitied because why in the world do we have to live so faithful and all that if this life is everything. In the same way if we don't have a hope of the second coming of Christ burning in our hearts it can hinder our Christian life. I want to show you a verse in 1 John chapter 3 and there you will see the reason why many Christians who say that they have the hope of Christ coming you'll see there don't really have it. They think they have it but you know everything is known by its fruit. So here is the evidence that you have the hope of Christ's second coming. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2 what he's saying there is we are already children of God. I mean that's happened already because we have received Christ but it has not yet appeared what we shall be. The time is going to come when we're going to be completely different. I mean our body is going to be different and our personality and everything because when Jesus Christ appears when he returns we shall be like him because we shall see him just as he is and everyone who has this hope now many people if Christians if you were to ask them what is the blessed hope they will say our blessed hope is the return of Christ to this earth but here if you read carefully many Christians don't read the Bible carefully what is the blessed hope? The blessed hope is that we shall be like him when he returns. If he returns from heaven and I'm going to be just like I am today I'm going to be pretty disappointed with my body and my spirit and everything but the hope we have is that when he appears we'll be like him and here is the proof that this is your hope you will purify yourself until you reach his level of purity that's the meaning of that verse that means day by day by day by day you will keep on cleansing yourself of everything that the Holy Spirit shows you is unlike Christ in your life because nobody else sees your thought you know most of the areas where we are most unlike Christ are our thoughts which nobody can see our attitudes to people which nobody can see and the motives with which we do good things bad motives with which we do good things which also nobody can see bad motives with which we speak which others can't see so who can show you those areas in your life only the Holy Spirit and you can know whether you have the hope of the second coming of Christ by the simple test are you allowing the Holy Spirit to show you every day areas of unchristlikeness in your actions words thoughts attitudes motives and as you as he shows you those areas are you repenting and saying Lord I want to give up that I want to give up that wrong attitude to that person I want to stop speaking like this these words I want to really fight against these thought patterns in my mind which have like fortresses I've got to demolish them in Jesus name and my whole life Lord I want my whole personality to become like Christ I want you to it won't happen overnight but I purify myself when do I stop if you have stopped purifying yourself you are imagining that you have already become like Christ you know some people accuse us who don't know what we teach and who never listen to our messages they say these people speak as if they are perfect I say no I say look what's written in the front of our pulpit let us press on to perfection which is the clearest testimony that anyone who stands behind this pulpit is saying he's not perfect I said it's you guys who don't preach let's press on to perfection who must be imagining that you're perfect I mean who's the one who doesn't take a bath or a shower the one who imagines he's already clean who's the one who says well in this hot climate I probably need to take two showers a day the one who recognizes that he's unclean so it's the one who recognizes he's unlike Christ who's gonna really long for the Holy Spirit to show him and he'll cleanse himself this is the primary primary way in which we are going to be ready for the coming of Christ it's very important for me to say that because we have whole lots of multitudes of denominations and groups in Christianity who study about the last days in the second coming of Christ they'll have a big chart showing the various dispensations which are all man-made ideas don't you believe all that about how this is going to happen this is going to happen this is going to happen and at the end of it all I remember I used to study that when I was in the Brethren Assembly when was that 45 years ago and I studied it so well that I could teach it to others they took a Bible study on it and exactly according to the Brethren books but I found at the end of it all the people who heard this wonderful Bible study and all these charts and everything I had charts they they were still living in sin means they were angry they were bitter they loved money they fought with one another they everything I mean there wasn't that much pornography those days but if that was there they'd have been into that too and then I realized what's the use of all this study was use of studying about the last days just to satisfy our curiosity you know for our understanding for God's Word when you listen to God's Word right now you're listening with your ears and through your ears it goes to your mind now if it stays in your mind you will never be spiritual it's like putting food into your mouth and keeping it there even if it goes down into your stomach and stays there it'll never make you healthy it'll make you sick so when we receive truth into our mind is one of the biggest mistakes that Christians have made they receive truth into their mind and they keep it there picture that as putting food into your mouth and keeping it there and you keep on stuffing your mouth with food and since you can't keep too much in your mouth you spit something out and take something more and that's how Christians get knowledge they forget something else they've heard then they put something in they never become strong because it's not digested now how can I get truth that I've got into my mind down into my heart it's a very difficult process even though it's a short distance we have to meditate on what we have heard or read and obey it through meditation and obedience truth comes down from mind to the head so when we hear about the second coming of Christ don't let it remain in your mind I must warn you about that because there are multitudes of people who leave it just there I want to show you one verse from Psalm 119 before I move on to the study this is just a little warning because so many people study about the last days and they don't get any spiritual benefit out of it see what you learn from these two verses Psalm 119 verse 99 and 100 Psalm 119 verse 99 and 100 I have more insight than all my Bible teachers how do you get more insight than all your Bible teachers because I meditate on your testimonies first step I meditate I have more in insight than even the elder brothers how did that happen because I obeyed your word it's very simple meditation and obedience if you do that you'll have more insight than Bible teachers who just have it all in the head you'll have more insight than even older brothers who've been in the Lord and the older sisters who've known the Lord for years more than you who don't let it sink into their heart one more verse in Psalm 119 at the beginning of that chapter verse 11 thy word I have treasured in my heart so that I might not sin against thee so there we see that keeping God's Word in the mind doesn't help us it's keeping God's Word in the heart that keeps us from sin and you're wondering why after so many Bible studies so many challenging messages so many times you've determined and take decisions at conferences and meetings why you're still falling into sin I'll tell you because the devil fooled you to keep those truths in your mind you never meditated on what you heard you never obeyed the little things God told you to do and so it never sunk into your heart the food came into your mouth and was spat out or it came into your stomach and it was vomited out that doesn't help you it's as good as not eating food it's as good as not going to a meeting it's as good as not attending a conference so I want to encourage you that because of the reason I say that particularly in relation to this study is because I have been in numerous meetings where they study about the last days in the second coming of Christ and every time it is details about this and that you know our curiosity is such we'd like to know is the Antichrist born yet what's gonna happen what's gonna happen what's gonna happen brother if that challenges you to live a godly life great but if it's just information and worse of all if it's just information which you want to preach to others then you're in a bad shape so please remember that because on no other subject have I found so much interest in knowledge and curiosity as in relation to the last days in the second coming of Christ now I want you to return to Matthew 24 and see what Jesus himself said we've been looking at that chapter in relation to the last days and see what Jesus said in Matthew 24 and 25 those two chapters he was speaking in answer to the question the disciples asked when will your view be returning what will be the sign of your coming and I'll come to that in a moment but after he did say one thing he said in verse 32 learn the parable from the fig tree Matthew 24 32 when its branch is tender and puts forth its leaves you know that summer is near even so you too when you see all these things which I've just talked about happening you can recognize that he that this is the Lord is near right at the door he's near right at the door or it is near the coming of the Lord is near right at the door so some of these things which he mentioned we are the generation that's seeing it for example what did he mean you said this this verse 33 is in the immediate context of verse 32 when you see these things what are these things when the fig tree puts forth its leaves now in the Old Testament the fig tree is a picture of Israel and in the New Testament the vine is a picture of the church Jesus said I am the true vine and my father is the gardener and you all are branches in the vine and in the Old Testament you read about expressions like in the day of when Jesus reigns on earth everybody will be sitting under his own fig tree under his vine so the fig tree is a picture of Israel and the vine is a picture of the church that's just general as you study the scripture you never read about Israel as a as the vine it's always a fig tree even in the book of Jeremiah if you study the Old Testament you read about God showing Jeremiah a basket of figs good figs bad figs he was showing up them about good Israelites and bad Israelites and even Jesus one said about a man who planted a fig tree and he came again and again to that big tree and that's Luke 13 6 a certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on it he didn't find any that's Jesus coming to Israel Luke 13 6 looking for fruit not leaves leaves are religious activities reading the Bible praying fasting going to meetings all religious activity are leaves fruit is character love joy peace purity humility gentleness goodness etc so we must distinguish it in fig tree that has only leaves in the fig tree that has fruit came looking for fruit and he did not find it and he said to the vineyard keeper that three years Jesus was had a ministry for three years and then three and a half years I have come looking for fruit on this big tree and I haven't found anything Israel just rejected Jesus cut it down get rid of Israel let's finish with Israel and then the man said leave it alone let me try one more year and then if it doesn't bear fruit cut it down so Jesus ministered part of another year there was still no fruit and then you know that Israel was rejected so that you see another example of that in the parable of not parable you know we read that Jesus was once going to Jerusalem and on the way he saw a fig tree you know that story I don't need to turn for turn to it and he came it says looking for leaves and he didn't find any leaves I sorry he came looking for fruit and he didn't find any fruit he saw leaves and it says he cursed it now many people think why in the world did Jesus curse a fig tree because he didn't find any fruit in it and the reason was that the fig tree was a pic was a picture of Israel he was teaching something to the disciples here is a fig tree it's a picture of Israel I come looking for fruit character godliness love for God love for one night I don't find it what do I find plenty of activity plenty of sermons in the synagogues fasting praying but they don't care for the widows they don't care for the poor they don't keep their inner life pure only leaves he says that type of religion is cursed he cursed it and we read later on when he came by there next day the disciples saw the fruit had withered the tree had withered completely didn't whether the it started withering that moment a little later it withered completely and that's what happened to Israel you know Jesus said how the temple would be destroyed 40 years later the temple was destroyed and Israel was the big tree Israel dried up because it was cursed by God because they got sent his son for three and a half years inviting them to turn that they wouldn't receive him they killed him and so God turned away and they were scattered throughout the four corners of the earth or the every part of the earth then Jesus said but one day this cursed fig tree is going to come up again not producing fruit no Matthew 24 32 it'll come forth and only put forth leaves again it'll be a nation of Israel nation of Israel will be born but there won't be spiritual and do you know when that happened that happened on the 15th of May 1948 in fact two weeks ago they celebrated their 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel now that never happened for 2,000 years always the nation of Israel was ruled by other countries when even when Jesus was there the Romans ruled Israel subsequently others different times the Muslim Empires ruled that area which they called Palestine for many years and then in the 90 years ago after the First World War the British took over they ruled it for about 30 years they promised to give the nation to the Jewish people but they didn't do it they went back on their promise and it is when they went back on their promise that this great Britain that ruled the world suddenly became little Britain thereafter God takes it seriously when you don't keep your promises and then God himself arranged in an amazing way for the children of Abraham to come back to the land of Israel now that is a promise that he made to Abraham years ago God keeps his word so the fig tree put forth leaves now we're not saying those people are children of God or they're going to heaven or that's not a saying I'm talking about God's promise to Israel was an earthly promise even in the Old Testament and he fulfilled that earthly promise he said this land is yours and he gave them that land it's the most amazing miracle that is that never happened in the history of humanity where a whole nation is scattered for years I mean imagine even Indians migrate to other countries but after some time they don't want to come back to India I mean you don't find multitudes of people wanting to come but they are happy where they are and same thing with Africans and South Americans they all go to different countries and but the Jewish people they wherever they went they remained as Jews they were unique and they finally came back and started a nation from scratch in this 20th century it's never happened I've heard of one king in Europe some two three hundred years ago asked his parish priest give me one proof that the Bible is true and he said the Jew the fact that they never get assimilated into any nation they remain unique is the proof that the Bible is true and we see that in our generation now the only thing is interested to see I'm not I'm not talking I'm not up into politics I'm not here to support Israel versus the Arabs or that's not my point at all you got to understand this I have only one enemy that's the devil I don't have any earthly enemies and I don't believe you should have either and we are not into politics we are not in on this side against that side against one nation for another nation or against nation no so I'm not talking about anything political here you got to understand that we're just taking about certain facts that God gave a nation to Abraham not God didn't favor a nation he he blessed a man and there's a law in God's economy that if you follow the Lord you and your children will be blessed I mean that applies to you as much as it applies to Abraham it applies to anybody and if I follow if you and I follow the Lord our children and our grandchildren will be blessed there's no doubt about it well God chose Abraham and the law was fulfilled his children his grandchildren were blessed and God promised him a nation a land and he gave them that land is a very small bit of land and he gave them that land and all I'm saying is that the Lord said when that fig tree starts putting all those leaves when people come back into that land watch out for that you see what he said even so when you see these things verse 33 recognize something recognize that the coming of the Lord is near so even though Israel got back that land in 1948 the most important part of Israel without which Israel was not complete Israel was the city of Jerusalem and they never got that in 1948 they got that nearly 20 years later in June 1967 June 1967 is just about 40 years ago 41 years ago and that's when they really felt on now we're a nation because we got back our old capital to to the people of Israel Israel is not Israel until you get Jerusalem and Jesus said in relation to Jerusalem also and Luke 21 I want you to notice this in Luke 21 Jesus said verse 24 he's talking about you know immediately after you know I told you that the temple would be destroyed 40-year temple destroyed 40 years after Jesus was crucified and at that time he's talking about that time in Luke 21 20 when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies that happened in 70 AD about 40 years after Jesus was crucified recognize that our desolation is near then those who are in Judea you better run all the Jews were told to run flee to the mountains and those in the midst of the city better go because those in the country and city better leave because those are days of vengeance I believe for the crucifixion of Christ you know that all the things that are written may be fulfilled woe unto those are with child you know if you're pregnant in those days you're talking about 70 AD those who are nursing babies it'll be very difficult because there'll be a great distress and wrath upon this people you're not talking about Christians he's rocking on this people who were going to crucify him and they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations and that happened it's happened for 2,000 years the Jews were scattered into all the nations of the world and then he said Jerusalem it's talking about Jerusalem now will be trampled underfoot by Gentiles means Jerusalem will be ruled by non-jewish nations for I mean hundreds of years but nearly 2,000 years until until what the times of these non-jewish nations is over you know when that happened 1968 67 sorry 1967 June 67 that's when Israel got possession of Jerusalem what did Jesus say when you see these things happen you know that he is near Matthew 24 33 right at the door verse 34 I say to you this generation this is Matthew 24 34 will not pass away until all these things take place that means the generation that sees these happening before their eyes will not pass away till everything is fulfilled now if our interpretation as you have heard it this morning is true I don't know how long a generation is is it 70 years 70 years from 1967 we're not here to put dates but all I say is where Jesus told us you'll never know the day or the hour when I return but he said you will know verse 33 when he is near and I don't know about you but I believe the coming of the Lord is very near now tell you something that doesn't make me live a holy life I would live a holy life even if Christ's coming was a thousand years from now that doesn't make any difference to me I mean if I know that Jesus Christ were coming tomorrow or he's coming a thousand years from now I wouldn't live any differently today or tomorrow if you feel Oh Christ were coming tomorrow I got to set certain things right brother you'll never be ready for the coming of Christ if you live like that because you don't hate sin you hate being caught when Christ returns you know like many people say the Jews had ten commandments but many Christians have only one commandment you know what it is thou shalt not get caught that's all you can sin but thou shalt not get caught you ask yourself whether that is the commandment you live by you're afraid when you're doing something if somebody catch you oh that'll be terrible but as long as you don't get caught oh I'm okay well I tell you the Jews are better because they had ten commandments so those who live by the commandment thou shall not get caught you can frighten them by saying hey Christ may come tomorrow oh I better not get caught I better get ready see they're not afraid of sin Jesus came to make us hate sin what if Jesus is not going to come for a thousand years you see telling me to commit sin is like saying brother Zack you're permitted to lick the floor if you want thank you but I don't want to do it or worse you're permitted to lick the commode in the toilet thank you sir but I'm not interested you can do that if you want if you don't see sin like that if you don't see sin any type of sin dirty thoughts anger pornography like licking the toilet if you don't see it like that I would say to you you don't have a clue why Jesus died on the cross so I don't believe in scaring people out of sin by saying Christ may come any moment I don't believe that's a valid reason I mean you just scare people but I don't personally believe that Christ will come any moment because I believe we go to got to go through the Great Tribulation before Christ comes so you have seven more years to do what two options to sin or to purify ourselves as he is pure I feel that after nearly 50 years of being a believer I'm so far from being Christlike that I say Lord please give me time boy if I ever know I only seven years left I'm gonna work hard because I want to be ready for the coming of the Lord that's the most important thing when you see these things happening know that he is near and if he is near what should I do Jesus said here verse 36 even though he's near of the exact day and hour nobody knows not even the angels of heaven not even the son of man it's amazing when Jesus was on earth he limited himself in his mind to be like a man that he did not know the date of his own second coming of course he knows it now because he went back to heaven and he took back his powers as God now but when he was on earth he limited his powers as God that's why he had to come near a fig tree to find out if it has fruit as God knows from the other side of the earth whether there's fruit on a fig tree he slept he was tired he was thirsty and he limited his mind that he did not know the date of his own second coming but he knows it now and then he said it's going to be like this you know verse 42 men will be working in the field or in an office one will be taken the other will be left two women will be grinding at the mill one will be taken the other will be left be on the alert because you don't know which day your Lord is coming if you don't know which day your Lord is coming what should you do be on the alert verse 42 that means be awake spiritually the most important preparation to for the coming of the Lord is to be awake spiritually you know when you're awake it's easy to avoid dangers do you see a pit in the way you don't go into it but if you're asleep like some people walk in their sleep they walk right into that pit when you're asleep you don't know whether somebody's stealing your things from your room when you're awake you know it you're alert when you're that that's what it means to be spiritually awake I know the devil is coming to steal something from me I know somebody's coming to harm me the devil I mean how many means bring me into sin I'm alert I'm awake we had to be spiritually awake that's the meaning of be on the alert but you don't know and he says be sure of this verse 43 if the head of the house knew exact time of the night when a thief was coming he would have been on the alert but the thief doesn't announce saying hey I'm coming at 130 tomorrow morning no if he knew it he'd be alert at least from 115 onwards but he says you don't know you don't know when he'll come for this reason again he says be ready verse 44 for the son of man is coming at an hour when you do not think and what should he be doing who then is that faithful and sensible servant verse 45 faithfulness and wisdom are the most important requirements in the last days who then is that faithful slave not clever not gifted there are many clever gifted people who won't be ready but faithful means which the little God gave you you use faithfully for him God will never ask you why didn't couldn't didn't you go around preaching like brother Zack he'll never ask you that question your answer would be Lord if you had given me that gift I could have done the same thing he's not going to ask you he'll only ask you well okay forget you didn't have the gift somebody else had but with the little I gave you were you faithful with that I mean he's not going to ask you why you didn't give millions to the Lord's work like some other millionaire did I didn't have millions that's fine or somebody else could have a lot of time to serve the Lord you may not have had so much spare time mother with children doesn't have much time he's not looking for all that he's looking for faithfulness with whatever God gave you are you faithful that's the important thing and second is are you wise wise is different from clever a lot of clever people are not wise spiritually and there are a lot of people who don't get good marks in maths and science who are very wise spiritually I don't think Peter came first in his class but he was wise spiritually so who then is that faithful and wise slave whom his master will put in charge of his family I want to tell you this in relation to the last days my dear brothers one of the great sorrows in my heart as I've seen different churches over the last 33 years God's raised up including our church here is that there are so few almost you can count on the fingers of one hand those whom the Lord read verse 45 whom the master can put in charge of his family to give them their food at their proper time imagine if you were an irresponsible father or mother you had children and you never fed those children at the proper time because you were busy watching television or going to the movies or you know doing up your hair and dressing your face and going to the beautician and all that you ignored your children whatever mother would you be neglect your children but I don't think any of you parents do that you give your children right from day one their food at the proper time think of mothers who are working who resign their jobs what for you ask why are you resigning your job you're earning a lot of money the answer is I've got to take care of my children children are more important and there's 50,000 rupees a month you're getting yeah sure I've got to give my children food at the proper time I wish there were more people like that in the churches who say Lord will you give me a hunger to study your word so that I can give something of your God's Word is the food to the people who are younger than me in this church brothers or sisters the Bible says even sisters can prophesy in the last days that means share God's Word with others many of you have been in this church for so many years I want to ask you how many times have you given some spiritual food to people younger than you how many times have you looked out for people who are coming newly to the church and sought to encourage them have you just left it to the two elders to handle all that I've been to I went to a home once where somewhere in Europe where a father and mother had about 15 children and you'd think that a mother would be a nervous wreck if she had 15 children right I mean some people are nervous wrecks just with two children leave alone more than that 15 children the mother must be a nervous wreck far from it the mother would sit there like a queen she didn't have to do anything the one daughter would do the floor one daughter would do the washing one daughter would do the cooking and one son would go and work and earn the money another son would go and work and earn the money and some other daughter or son would change the diapers of the little baby and the father and mother just sit as kings and queens doing nothing they're not nervous wrecks they would have been nervous wrecks if their older children were irresponsible like a lot of brothers and sisters in our churches think if those 15 children the 25 year old son was lazy sitting at home earning nothing and the 23 year old girl was lazy never doing any cooking never doing any washing never and the others nobody would help with the changing the diapers of the babies and the mother had to run around doing this and that and the father had to run around earning the money for the house boy they would have both been nervous wrecks they'd have probably died before that time and would have served those children deserve those children would have deserved it to become orphans I tell you this we have a lot of people like that in our churches who sit there saying I can't do anything it's like this 25 year old son sitting at home just eating sleeping watching TV going to bed saying I can't do anything I can't I can't feed anybody who then is that faithful and wise slave I want to ask you brothers and sisters you want to be ready for the Lord's coming he's talking about his coming verse 44 be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you don't think he will come who then talking about being ready for his coming whom his master will put in charge and say here take care of my family and he doesn't have to be an elder of a church God can give you two three people who are like your spiritual children God puts a burden on your heart to encourage some yeah there are teenagers here we're drifting around going to internet pornography and all types of things who could have been protected if some older brothers had just become a little friendly with them and help them when the older brothers are busy making money 101 other things the cares of this world choked out the word and the result is two elder brothers have to run around like father and mother do everything under the Sun I'm not talking about physical things I believe in physical work that's required in this church this church is absolutely unique so many people to volunteer to do so many things at conference time and other times but I want to ask you all of you who are so hard-working for all the physical activities cleaning the floor doing this that and the other do you feel that is the most important thing are we a sort of a club where only the physical things are important the club must look neat and all the arrangements must be great I'll tell you honestly I'd rather have a home where all the furniture is in disarray and every room is messed up but with God fearing children rather than a home which is all neat and tidy with worldly children any day the same thing with a church I would not I don't want a church which looks also neat and nice and everybody sits quietly there and listens and listens and listens but nobody taking spiritual responsibility I'd rather have a little hut or a thatched roof or something with people who have a sense of responsibility who take this seriously I want to be ready for the coming of the Lord and I want to be one of those is going to take a responsibility blessed first 46 is that man or woman whom his master finds so doing when he comes I don't know about you but I'll tell you I had that desire when I was 21 years old I read that and I said Lord I'm not a great preacher I can't preach for nuts I'm just born again two years ago and got baptized six months ago but I give myself to you when I started reading the Bible whatever little I know I will teach to those who don't know because I wanted to give food to somebody and there were a lot of people around me without food what I mean is there were people around me who are not born again I didn't know how to handle the Hindus and Muslims so I didn't I left them alone but I met some nominal Christians and I'd go to them and say listen can we have a sort of half an hour Bible study in your home once a week Bible study means what what did I know I knew how to be born again that's all so I would a little bit I knew I shared with him we'd sit together and after some time they got so interested that they'd call somebody else and it wasn't great food that I gave just a little bit a little bit of milk most of the time but it helped them they grew one of them finally grew up born again and left the Navy and served the Lord and went out and started radio program and I think boy if I hadn't gone there and done that when I was 21 years old think of how many other people he brought to the Lord we should have been missed out if I didn't do that part when I was 21 do you know that a that the Lord is expecting you to serve food to others only with what you have received none of you can say I don't know anything you know even a first standard student can be a teacher not to a second-standard student but to a kindergarten student and even the kindergarten student can be a teacher didn't the one in the slums who don't even know ABC so if you're born again you're at least in the kindergarten definitely don't say well the elders never gave me a responsibility you don't know elders in the church I was in would give me a response I was too young I just looked around myself to see if there was some hungry person and decided to give him some food share some of my food with him and if you're faithful in those little things God will give you much more dear brothers and sisters use the little you've given you've got share it with somebody so blessed is that man whom the Lord finds doing that when he comes but if that servant says oh well Jesus is not going to come for a long long time I can relax and what does he do he doesn't just relax he beats his fellow slaves you know there's some preachers like that who hit people with verses don't don't ever do that I used to do it once upon a time I'm ashamed to confess it but I used to hit people on the head with verses like it was worse than a hammer you take a verse and try to hit them with it and the fellow gets crushed under it depressed discouraged I finished with that ministry long ago I discovered it was an old covenant ministry don't ever use a verse to hit anybody on the head with don't go to your wife and say see what it says wife submit to your husband's that's what I mean by taking a hammer and hitting your wife on the head you're a helmet before you do that protect our head the master of that servant verse 50 will come on a day when he does not expect him and an hour which he does not know and what will he do cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites I don't want to be in that crowd then he spoke again in relation to being ready for his coming now remember this is all in relation you've seen the fig tree put forth its leaves you know he's near and this is how you should live the kingdom of heaven is compared to ten virgins virgins means their external life is good and they all had lamps that means their testimony the lamp is the external testimony it's talking about Christians who've got a good life and a good testimony who come to church they went out to meet the bridegroom these are Christians who eager to meet Jesus five of them were wise and five were foolish what is it that makes a difference it in a wise Christian and a foolish Christian I told you it's not how much you get in maths and science it's something completely different if you want to know what's the difference between a wise Christian and a foolish Christian is not what rank they got in their school some of your children didn't get very high ranks in school and probably didn't do too well in your exam doesn't matter you're not clever you can be wise and this is the way to be wise the foolish had lamps burning but never thought they needed more oil but the wise verse for they took oil with them that means somewhere in the pockets of their gowns they had little flask of oil they had the lamp plus the far flask of oil hidden in their pockets the foolish virgins they just had the lamp what does this mean the lamp is our external testimony let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works that is the external light you know you're coming to the meetings you're being so nice and looking so holy in the meetings you never shouted your wife in Sunday morning in the church anyway and you never yell at anybody you're so patient you don't turn on the internet and watch pornography on Sunday morning here no you wouldn't do such things you are some of the holiest people on earth on Sunday morning let your light so shine before men good the hidden flask of oil is the hidden life that part of your life which nobody can see a flask full of oil oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit and in our life which is controlled by the Holy Spirit that's the difference between a foolish virgin and a wise virgin so many people glory I'm a virgin spiritually and I got my light burning Pharisees were like that their life was pretty good before men the outside of the cup Jesus said was clean they didn't go around with dirty cups no it was clean the inside was muck that's one characteristic of a Pharisee his external life is so good his light burns as people see his good works and say boy what a wonderful Christian you look inside his heart we can't but if we could it's absolute muck you look into his private life he pretends to love God with all his heart but he look into his private life he's loving something else such people are not ready for the coming of the Lord that's what he was trying to say here then while the bridegroom was delaying they all got drowsy and began to sleep now this is physical sleep not spiritual sleep physically we all sleep we get tired we got it do so many things in the world but while they were asleep also the lamps were burning that's the point the bridegroom delayed and delayed and delayed and at midnight verse 6 there was a shout saying behold the bridegroom this is the coming of the Lord come out to meet him then all the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps and now you know that the foolish did have some more lamps burning give us some of your oil verse 8 because our lamps are going out it's going out it was burning but it's going out please give us some oil can you give me some of your hidden life brother see how can I keep you my hidden life I wish I could but I can't so that's what they said give us some of your hidden life verse 8 and they say no go to the dealers and get some for your buy some for yourself there are dealers who can lead you to a godly life and the dealers are those trying difficult circumstances and temptations that you face every day do you know that those temptations are like shopkeepers who can give you a hidden life if you are faithful in those temptations in areas of your life that nobody can see say Lord when you when you face a difficult situation tomorrow or some other day you say Lord this is a time for me to buy some oil I want to get a life in the spirit through this trial or I can react in a bad way and get a lot of muck no those wise people had gone to the dealers earlier paid a price and acquired oil you don't get it free salvation is free forgiveness of sins is free but an inner life if it were free we'd have all got it it takes time to build up an inner flask full of oil what is the message of this story I want to have an inner life full of the Holy Spirit when Christ comes again an inner life full of love you know the Holy Spirit floods our hearts with love it says in Romans 5 verse 5 so flask full of oil is a flask full of love for God full of love for my enemies and those who hate me and those who speak evil of me and my fellow believers and I don't want to complain against them or judge them my heart my flask is full of oil I want to ask all of you sitting here today is your flask full of oil you're the one who decides God will give it to you but you throw some of it out when you hate somebody you throw some of that oil out see I don't want it or you have a bitterness against someone you throw some more oil out you keep going like that one day your flask is empty there's nothing there we're throwing out the oil God's trying to give us we're despising that's why I say listen to the promptings of the Spirit what does it mean to be ready for the coming of the Lord is not a question of understanding charts and about ten headed beasts and seven headed beasts and ten horns and the Antichrist know what's he is knowing all that if your flask is not full of oil I'll tell you something else even if you don't understand any of those things in relation to the second coming of Christ if your flask is full of oil you'll be ready put first things first thy word have I treasured in my heart and I might not sin against thee that's how we're supposed to live and so while they were going away it is too late at that time to go and dry and suddenly get an inner life Christ has come and now we're trying to run away try and get an inner life not possible the bridegroom came and the door was shut later on this others came Lord please open to us I don't know who you are what's the message verse 13 of Matthew 25 be on the alert you know how many times Jesus said that in relation to the last days but you don't know the day or the hour when he will come and he told another story a man who went on a long journey called his own slaves and gave them certain gifts to one he gave ten to another to one five to another two to another one and said please use it you know God has given us different abilities he hasn't given us all the same don't look at somebody who's got five and say I've got only one doesn't matter you've got to be faithful with one that fellow's got to be faithful with five you got only produce one more he's got to produce five more and it says after a long time verse 19 is the coming of the Lord he comes to settle accounts do you know that when Jesus comes going to settle accounts he's not going to ask you did you produce as much as that brother were you faithful with the one I gave you and those who were faithful they got a reward same reward for the man who produced five and the man who produced two same reward because they both produce hundred percent it's not according to give this question of how much did God give you you got to be faithful with that but there's one man who buried his talent in the ground it says he said to the Lord I see I was afraid so I took your talent and hid it in the ground you know what's the meaning of that the meaning of that if God's given you something you none of you can say God's given me nothing at least he gave you 24 hours a day he gave you health he gave you a tongue maybe he gave you a house there's so many things you look at it that God's given you that you could use to bless other people with what did you do with it whatever God gave you you took it and spent it all on the earth that's the meaning of buried it in the ground you live for earthly things buried it spent all your life only living for earthly things and say here it is and the Lord says cast him out verse 30 into outer darkness I gave him something and he just despised what I gave him and then you know the three stories here one is about the vice-virgins the other is about the talents and the third story is about how we treated those who are needy around us and it could be spiritual need could be physical need he says when the Lord comes he's going to separate people like sheep and goats and he's going to say to some in verse 34 come you who are blessed of the Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat I was thirsty and you gave me something drink I was a stranger and you invited me in naked and you clothed me I was sick and you visited me I was in prison you came to me know a lot of people who take this passage and say ah this is social work this is what we're supposed to do hang on just read the whole story read the Bible carefully the righteous will then say Lord when did we see you hungry when did we see a stranger and do all this for you when did we see you sick listen to this verse 40 the King will answer I say to you it to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine how many of you believe that every human being is a brother of Jesus Christ that every human being is a brother or sister of Jesus Christ I'm sorry I don't believe that because I believe the Bible Jesus once said who are my brothers these who hear the Word of God and do it he said he defined it himself so I know who the brothers of Jesus are and I need it's my attitude to the brothers of Jesus if you read this story carefully it's very exact it's my attitude to the born-again brothers and sisters of Jesus that this whole thing is about Jesus did not say listen to this what did you say all men will know you're my disciples when you love them right right or wrong all men will know you're my disciples when you love them doesn't that sound more reasonable logical that that guy will know that I'm a disciple of Jesus when I love him no Jesus is wiser he said all men will know you're my disciples when you love one another that means the disciples love one another Galatians 6 10 says do good to all men by all means but especially to the household of faith now I'll tell you this Christian work has been ruined in India by a lot of people who have you know degraded it to social work the social work important yeah I mean if you're calling is like Mother Teresa you should do it fine but if you just help a person and take care of him and give him food clothing and send him to hell you haven't really done very a lot of good to him it's like stitching up his clean shirt and not healing his cancer you give him a good shirt okay you took away his torn shirt and gave him a good shirt but he died of cancer what's use of that I'd rather treat the cancer if I could then give him a new shirt let him have his old torn shirt but let him be healed of his cancer that's why I say the spiritual is more important than the physical I'm not saying we shouldn't care for the physical but the spiritual is more important very important for us to understand be ready for the coming of the Lord I want to be ready when Christ comes again having done what I could I want to invite all of you to think about whatever God has spoken to you today dear brothers and sisters we're pretty close to the coming of the Lord I don't know when it is we'll discuss more about that in our next study but we're pretty close to it and I'm excited the Bible says when he comes again all those who died in Christ will rise again we who are alive will be caught up to meet with him what a day that'll be what a day I'm looking forward to it let's bow our heads in prayer let's bow our heads and close our eyes children everyone let's think seriously about what God spoke to you this morning be ready for the coming of the Lord even if you didn't understand much about the last days and all those things the important thing is are you ready in your heart it's not a question of the mind it's a question of the heart if your heart is right it doesn't matter what your mind is even if you don't understand 10% of things about the coming of the Lord say Lord I want my heart to be right I want to purify myself as Christ is pure I want to take more responsibility spiritual responsibility in the church for my younger ones to give them some food somebody whom I can help Lord there are many hungry people around me I want to help them God will give you the food if you're serious about helping others God himself will give you the food that's his responsibility you say Lord please help me I want to be available to you to do whatever you want me to do thank you father I want to be ready for your coming Heavenly Father we commit ourselves to you give us grace to be ready for the coming of Christ thank you help us to be aware of the times in which we live we pray in Jesus name Amen