(CFRA broadcast date: Sunday, June 3rd, 2012)
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http://proxy.autopod.ca/podcasts/chum/6/7161/Good_News_003_June3.mp3
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| Rev. George Sinclair |
Rev. George
Sinclair is the Pastor of Messiah Church in Ottawa:
Today’s broadcast starts with a conversation between Good News Christian Ministries Founder, Rev. Dr. Allen Churchill, and Rev. George Sinclair, the second of four new pastors who will be presenting on CFRA’s “Good News in the Morning”, on a regular basis.
(Here is
a poster for an upcoming event in Ottawa, Ontario, to introduce all four of the
new pastors:
http://accm.ncf.ca/poster22jun12.pdf)
http://accm.ncf.ca/poster22jun12.pdf)
Broadcast Notes:
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Today’s
Message is from MATTHEW 25
Matthew 25 - (English Standard Version Anglicised)
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25:1 “Then the kingdom of
heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the
bridegroom. 2 Five
of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took
no oil with them, 4 but
the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became
drowsy and slept. 6 But
at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
7 Then all those
virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some
of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will
not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for
yourselves.’ 10 And
while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready
went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterwards the other
virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I
say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day
nor the hour.”
1.
As a member of Christ's
welcoming team, I need to live each day preparing for His arrival at the Great
Wedding Feast.
This is not a story about cause, but a story of evidence. In
other words, it is not that the foolish virgins lack of oil caused the bride
groom to exclude them. It was the case that their not bringing oil revealed
what they thought of the bride groom.
In verse 1, we see that all ten knew that the groom was
coming. They all knew they were to greet him and light his way.
In verse 3, some did not bring oil. They did not forget.
They just did not have oil. They could afford oil, but they did not bring oil.
In verses 5 – 7, note that they slept and were not blamed.
The story of someone offering to lend you a car to drive to
the airport – and then when you arrive, they tell you there is no gas in the
car – what does that reveal of how they value you or think about you.
The next story gives more context on how to live in light of
Jesus' coming again.
Read verses 14 – 30.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who
called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To
one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to
his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at
once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two
talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and
dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those
servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came
forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five
talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant.You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter
into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came
forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two
talents more.’ 23 His
master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been
faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your
master.’ 24 He
also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you
to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you
scattered no seed, 25 so
I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what
is yours.’ 26 But
his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap
where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have
invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received
what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him
who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and
he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will
be taken away. 30 And
cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
2.
As Christ's steward, I
need to work and invest and risk for His glory.
In verse 14, the three men are clearly stewards (they manage
something they do not own) and not owners.
In verse 15, a talent is approximately 20 years of wages for
the average person. The point is that even the person with only one talent is
given plenty of resources.
The story is about evidence not causality. The one talent
man's actions reveals he does not know the Master.
The great failure of a Christian is not failure. The great
failure for the Christian is failing to risk for Jesus.
The texts to date and the text to follow all make clear...
3.
I need to remember that
Heaven and Hell are real.
Hell is not a symbol or a metaphor but a reality – as is
Heaven. It is Jesus Himself who provides the strongest warnings about Hell.
Read verses 31 – 46.
The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all
the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before
him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the
sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was
thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I was naked and you
clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
37 Then the righteous
will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or
thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome
you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and
visit you?’ 40 And
the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the
least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,
you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For
I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 I was a stranger and
you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and
you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when
did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,
and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say
to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to
me.’ 46 And
these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal
life.”
4.
As Christ's brother I
need to stop living as a 'lone ranger' and be involved in a local church.
This is not a story about helping the poor. There are other
texts about helping the poor in the Bible – but this is not a text about
helping the poor. It is a text about relating to our 'brothers and sisters in
Christ' (note verse 40, where Jesus calls them his 'brothers' – a word reserved
for his disciples).
This is a story about evidence, not cause. It shows evidence
of us aligning with others who love and follow Jesus. It is about evidence that
we are aligned with Jesus in His saving work upon the cross.
The story points forward to the cross – in two days time,
who will be imprisoned? Who will be hungry? Who will be thirsty? Who will be
naked? Who will be in need of medical help? Who will be treated like a
stranger? It is a description of Jesus' saving death upon the cross. The three
stories of Matthew 25 all point forward to a saving death upon the cross that
we by grace can (and must) receive.
Have you trusted Jesus as Saviour? Why not do so today
To listen to the above broadcast, click on the following link:
http://proxy.autopod.ca/podcasts/chum/6/7161/Good_News_003_June3.mp3
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Rev. George
Sinclair is the Pastor of Messiah Church in Ottawa:
Bio: Rev. George Sinclair was ordained in 1985 in the Anglican Church of Canada. For three years he served as an assistant at Christ Church Bells Corners and then spent seven years looking after churches in Eganville, Killaloe, Tramore and Clontarf. In 1995 he came to St. Alban's in Sandy Hill. In 2008 the church separated from the Anglican Church of Canada and is now called the Church of the Messiah, meeting at the Ottawa Little Theatre. George was the Chair of Essentials Canada for many years. He is a regular speaker at the Parliament Hill Christian Fellowship. George is married to Louise and they have nine children and five grandchildren.
WELCOME ABOARD REV. SINCLAIR!
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