Jesus’ second coming is getting nearer every day. You must wait eagerly for the second coming of Christ, like a bride who waits for a bridegroom. But it’s a shame that there seem to be very few people in the church who are waiting for Him. There are many people who hope to make a lot of money, to spend as much as they like. It seems to me that there are not many people waiting for Jesus the bridegroom.
The five wise girls waiting eagerly for the bridegroom were escorted inside with him and enjoyed the wedding feast as soon as he came. However, the five foolish girls missed the opportunity to enjoy the wedding feast, as they fell asleep after not taking any oil with them because they were not truly longing for the bridegroom to come. Only the girls who love the bridegroom dearly can go into the wedding feast.
You are going to be in trouble if the Lord rebukes you saying, “Why did you neglect to do work for your soul that will live forever, thinking that was not important, while you cared about the things of the flesh which will perish?” Here is a talent. You ought to have work to show fairly to the Lord saying, “I have worked hard and I have gained more.” This will bring you the honor of meeting the Lord at the last. If you don’t have this honor, you will be taken from him and thrown into the darkness, being rebuked “You wicked, lazy servant”.(Matthew 25:26) Let us be confidently ready, longing to meet the Lord.
We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.(2 Corinthians 5:10) The man who received the one talent didn’t make a loss and he didn’t lose the talent or throw it away. He just didn’t make a profit. But it was taken from him and he was rebuked. This means we have to produce spiritual profit in our life.
Living a life of faith means having to pursue spiritual profit and making spiritual profit every day throughout your life. The Lord warned us that we will be thrown into the darkness, with weeping and gnashing of teeth, if we don’t make profit. Remember that you must be like the five girls who were waiting for the bridegroom; and a servant who needs to make profit from his talents; and a Christian who needs to be ready to meet the Lord.
Pastor Seok-Jeon Yoon
Extracted from Yonsei Newspaper #626
