Welcome to the Only Once In Eternity Sermon By Pat Hart. This message was given at the Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian church on Sabbath, 10 August 2019 by Pat Hart.
It’s August. We have not even had Labor Day yet, but do you think we can find a little Christmas spirit this morning? Let us turn back to our scripture reading to help us out.
Birth of the Messiah
Luke 2:17
Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Just think what an awesome privilege it was to get to see Jesus in the manger and to be the very, very first to tell the world the Messiah had been born and where to find Him!
Have you ever wondered how one qualifies for such an honor? Were the wise men just lucky? Were they just handy? Were there other people that had the same opportunity but missed it?
Let us think about the time of the birth of the Messiah. It had been 4,000 years since God had promised Adam and Eve one of their descendants would come to crush evil. The hope had been kept alive from generation to generation among God-fearing people. Prophets had given hundreds of specifics about when and where to expect Him. But after thousands of years. God grew silent because, so few listened anymore.
However, God suddenly aroused fresh attention to the old prophets when a priest was struck speechless while on duty in the temple. Everyone heard the news that an angel appeared to him and said his barren wife would have a son and they should call him John!
Luke 1:15-17
For He will be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
This news spread far and wide because this was the first time in hundreds of years a major supernatural event had occurred among God’s people! You would think this preparation message would have turned everyone’s attention to the scriptures. You would think everyone would have come to attention trying to figure out what was going on, and eagerly preparing ‘for the Lord’. But that isn’t the way it was at all.
When the angels gathered to bring ‘good tidings of great joy’ for “All People” just a few months later, indifference pervaded the land of Israel. Hearts selfish and world-engrossed were untouched by the joy that thrilled all heaven. Only a few were longing to behold the Unseen. To these, heaven’s embassy was sent. Desire of Ages page 44.
Friends just think how many of God’s people missed the opportunity to share this once in eternity privilege with the shepherds! Just think how disappointed and amazed God’s universe was to see His people indifferent about Him!
I am bringing this up because the universe is very interested today to see how God’s people are preparing for the next once in eternity, glory-to-God-good-will-to-men event.
There were Three Angels sent from heaven with messages specific to the second coming of Jesus over a hundred years ago now. Does the universe see excitement or indifference among God’s people? How many of God’s people do angles find thrilled with these preparation messages and eagerly longing, I mean aching to behold the Unseen?
Jesus let us know that not all of us are prepared to see Him or to widely make known the sayings which have been told us concerning Him. Some of us are not prepared to cause people to marvel at these things. Only some of us are not prepared to glorify and praise Him for all the things that we have heard and seen about Jesus.
Let us turn to Matthew 25:1-13
Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight a cry was heard. ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us! But He answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Let us clarify what the role of the virgins was. It must have been more than lighting the road to everyone who could see which way to go. Surely the foolish virgins would not have gotten lost if they had just kept their eyes on the lights held high by the wise and followed closely along.
What they could not do though, without oil, was help celebrate the bridegroom! They could not spot light Him. They could not draw attention to Him. They could not help to awaken the sleeping world to His glory or this spectacular event. they could not bring people to their windows to see what was going on so more could join the party!
So, they missed out on a once in eternity opportunity. They missed out on associating with Him, being with Him, and making memories of Him on one of the greatest days of His life!
The only, but critical difference between the foolish and the wise was the wise had oil in their vessels and the foolish had empty vessels. If you know your role is to shed as much light as possible on the bridegroom, then would not having plenty of oil be uppermost in your mind? The fact that you neglect to fill your vessel with oil is a dead giveaway that you are more interested in being chosen than in being useful.
I do not want to be like that. You do not want to be like that. We want to be like the wise virgins. So, let us turn our attention to them.
The first thing to note is that their story is part of Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question about signs of the end. So, it is important to point out that when the wise virgins awaken the world to the glory of the Bridegroom, it will be the greatest sign that His coming is imminent.
This sign is singular. There have always been earthquakes, false prophets, pestilences and war. It is even possible for stars to fall and the moon to turn blood red and the sun to be blocked from sight more than once. But it will only take once for the world to be illuminated with the glory of the Bridegroom to eliminate the Valley of Decision.
Consider carefully what having vessels full of oil says about the wise virgins.
Ellen White said, “Now is the time for the careless to arouse from their slumber. Now is the time to entreat that souls shall not only hear the word of God, but without delay secure oil in their vessels with their lamps. That oil is the righteousness of Christ. It represents character, and character is not transferable. No man can secure it for another. Each must obtain for himself a character purified from every stain of sin.” Testimonies to Ministers page 233.2
This reminds us that when Moses asked to see His Glory, God said: “I will make My goodness pass before you.” Exodus 33:19
Now is the time for the world to see God’s goodness! Let us continue with Only Once In Eternity Sermon By Pat Hart.
Ellen White said this over 100 years ago. Surely some of God’s people have secured oil and obtained a character purified from every stain of sin. But we know most of us have not. So far most of us have missed the opportunity to glorify the Bridegroom just as most of Gods people missed the once in eternity privilege of being first to announce His birth!
God in His great mercy has promised to send a fourth angel to revive and reinforce the messages of the first three who flew more than 100 years ago. He assures us this time the whole world will be illuminated with God’s glory and His Goodness!
Revelation 18:1
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with His glory.
This time a critical mass will have secured oil and developed characters purified from every stain of sin! This time the wheat will be ready for harvest. His bride, His church will be without spot or blemish.
“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. when the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own”. COL page 69
The wheat was not ready for the sickle in Old Testament times. The bride was not ready for the wedding in New Testament times, or in Reformation times, or Millerite times or since. But God’s word is sure. He will have a people who illuminate the world with the beauty of His character. His righteousness will be revealed through humanity despite everything the enemy can do. There can be no doubt. God has spoken
His investment in lost, broken, wretched humanity is certain to pay off! He will be able to present to the universe not only redeemed but restored characters washed whiter than snow in His own blood. This was the joy that was set before Jesus in His agony on the cross. It was enough to keep Him there to the bitter end.
How will this ever happen when it has never happened before?
“It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.” COL page 69
The final message that ripens the harvest is an everlasting truth that humanity has been slow to comprehend. It is the Sabbath message. It is the message that celebrates God’s power to create and recreate as humans’ consent to become totally dependent on Him. it is the opposite of achieving goodness. It is the message of receiving Him, welcoming Him and celebrating what only He can do! It is the message of the faith of Jesus Himself lived and died by.
God planted the seed of this message in human hearts with His first promise to a couple in Eden who desperately tried to fix their shame problem with fig leaves. It took time for the gospel seed to germinate and sprout, but He faithfully cultivated it through many droughts and storms over the centuries. He will send a final rain to ripen the crop. He will be delighted to present to the universe a bountiful harvest of fat, golden wheat.
God has been developing and maturing His church through the ages of growing pains as a father pities his foolish children. He will be delighted to present her without fault or blemish as a worthy bride for His Son.
How will this happen?
Back to the shepherds. They were more interested in a Savior than most. They listened and responded to messages from heaven. They went to see Jesus for themselves. They enthusiastically, joyfully reported the miracle of what God had done!
Friends their generation had a once in eternity opportunity. They took it when others did not.
God offered our great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents a chance to experience the once in eternity privilege of illuminating the world with His glory. But like the saints in old Jerusalem, they missed it.
It is sad to say, but it is a fact. “If every soldier of Christ had done his duty, if every watchman on the walls of Zion had given the trumpet a certain sound, the world might ere this have heard the message of warning. But the work is years behind. While men have slept, Satan has stolen a march upon us.” 9T, page 29
It is our turn. But character development takes time and time is shorter today than ever before.
Who wants to commit themselves to a serious quest to buy oil – for His sake? Who wants to believe that if Christ could be born a helpless human and live by faith in Power from above Him? He can give His purifying, victorious faith. Who wants to believe He can wash every stain of sin from us and reveal His beautiful glory in our character? I do.
Who will stand with me and pray for this?
We have an awesome opportunity. We must not miss it.
Hope you have enjoyed reading Only Once In Eternity Sermon By Pat Hart. I pray we are all ready. You can read more posts in our Spiritual Messages Category by clicking the link below:
Spiritual Messages
Closing Hymn is #595
Let Every Lamp Be Burning