Are You Ready??

This is a sermon I heard one time at church camp, and I thought it was very powerful and that otheres would aslo like it as well!!

You all know the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25: 1-13. It talks about how these 10 virgins are called upon to meet the bridegroom that’s coming. They were asked to bring lamps for it would be at night time. All of them did but 5 of them brought extra oil for their lamps in case they needed it. Unfortunately the bridegroom was going to be late. So everyone ran out of oil. But the 5 that brought extra oil were able to refill their lamps so that they could meet the bridegroom. The others ask for some of theirs but they refused saying there was not enough for everyone. In the end only 5 of the 10 were able to meet the bridegroom. The others weren’t ready. That’s what I want to talk to you all about tonight. Are you ready? A few years back there was a normal everyday church but this Sunday they were having a guest speaker. It was a really old man about 75 or 80 years old. He started to walk to the pulpit and was going very slow. There were two boys sitting in the front row. They saw how pitiful this man looked and even though they were in church they started to make fun of this man and laugh at him. It took the man about 3 minutes to get to the microphone. Once he got there he said I want to tell you a story about someone that wasn’t ready, and this is the story he told the church. Their once was a dad, his son, and his sons friend both kids are 12. One day the dad decided to take them both on a fishing trip. So they got ready got their poles and nets and the bait went a few miles out to sea on the dads fishing boat. The sun was out. It was a perfect day. But in the middle of the trip a storm blew in, and it got real big and eventually the boat tipped. Everyone and everything was thrown out. By this time the two boys sitting in the front row are starting to pay a little more attention. The dad though managed to get a hold on the boat. He got two life jackets, the only ones there. He put one on. There’s only one left though and his son and his son’s friend are two far apart to save both of them on time. So yeah he does what any dad would do he starts to throw it to his son. He’s about to throw it but wait. Stop, press the pause button. He starts to think about what would happen to them both if either of them died. He thinks my son goes to church, he is a Christian, he goes to youth and church activities more often than most other kids, he volunteers for church stuff, and loves God more than anything. I have no doubt that if he died right now he would go to heaven. Then he thought about his son’s friend. He thought he comes to church with us sometimes but doesn’t really like to, he is not a Christian, does really love church or God or believe in him. If he died right now I don’t think he would make it. He thinks about both of these for a second. Then he yells to his son, son I love you then throws the life jacket to his son’s friend. His son dies and he and his son’s friend live. By this time the two boys sitting in the front row have been sitting up straight and have been listening intensively. After this the preacher and the man that spoke give the invitation and both walk to the back to greet people like preachers do after church. The man that spoke was greeting people when the two boys approached him. They said sir we are sorry for being so disrespectful during your sermon and laughing at you but we have one question. Why would that dad let his son drown I mean I know that the other boy wasn’t saved or anything but why would the dad the let his own son drown I mean he was his son. Didn’t God the do the same thing the man answered. He the father gave his son for us Jesus friends so that we may be with him someday. The reason the dad saved the son’s friend is because he wasn’t ready. The man also said I also speak for myself. Do you see your preacher over there? He is the friend of the son in the story I told. I am the father in the story and boys I let my own son die almost 45 years ago so that you all would have preacher, so that their would be one less soul that would have to perish instead of live in heaven with God. But now I think he is ready. The question though I want to ask you boys is Are you ready? That’s what I now want to ask all of you all. Are you ready? Are you the son or the son’s friend? Are you one of the virgins with extra oil or not?