Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 368
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IMMERSE
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MESSIAH
24:37–25:13
“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In
those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties
and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t
realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all
away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.
“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the
other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken,
the other left.
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord
is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar
was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken
into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come
when least expected.
“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there
will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in
charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants,
partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with
the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their
lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and
five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for
their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is
coming! Come out and meet him!’
“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five
foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our
lamps are going out.’
“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop
and buy some for yourselves.’
“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those
who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was
locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour
of my return.
