South Roanoke United Methodist Church

There was something about Jesus.  When you met him you just had to make a decision about him.
          He spoke with such authority being of such humble origin;
          He could rebuke every demon yet speak tenderly to every child;
          He kept company with the powerful but never hesitated to call the                 powerful to account for their mistreatment of the  powerless;
          He knew the presence of God among the crowd and in solitude;
          He knew such peace in his heart and spread such joy in the hearts
                of others.
Everybody who ever met Jesus just had to make a decision about him.
          The way he reached out to you in his own humble, inviting way;
          The way he lived every moment of life with justice, mercy, and
                 peace;
          The obvious genuine integrity of the man
Just caused you to look into yourself and to realize how far off your own life is.  When you met him you just had to make a decision.  This man has something that you want, something you need.  And the decision you make about him had to do with the ultimate question of life:   Are you ready?  Are you ready for what he has that he is so anxious to give you?  

Many met Jesus and were ready.  They knew the ultimate question Jesus brought to their lives.  For example  

The one who had leprosy knew.  When he came to Jesus for help, Jesus touched him.  So when he met Jesus, the leper just had to make a decision about this man who so willingly exposed himself to his own uncleanness to help him.  Was he ready?  Was he ready not only to be healed of his leprosy but ready now to live a life where he is actually accepted and loved, no longer ostracized and kept apart?  In his encounter with Jesus the leper faced the ultimate question of his life:  are you ready?  

The tax collectors and sinners knew.  Jesus talked with them, ate in their homes, literally put his reputation on the line in order to be with them.  When this Rabbi came to them when all the others kept their distance, they just had to make a decision about him.  Were they ready?  Were they ready for this life of love, acceptance, and justice?  In their encounter with Jesus they face the ultimate question of their lives:  are you ready?  

So many women in the Gospel story knew
          The woman who suffered a 12-year hemorrhage reached out to touch Jesus’ garment as he was on this way to address the need of the synagogue leader’s dying daughter.  Jesus stopped in the middle of that crowd and asked, “Who touched me?”  Now she really had to make a decision, for if she, whom everybody knows is unclean because of her condition, confesses to touching just the hem of his garment she would be immediately accused of carelessly passing on her uncleanness to Jesus who must then undergo the lengthy cleansing ritual.  When she does confess you can almost hear the gasping in the crowd as they move as far away as they can from this woman and Jesus, both of whom are now unclean.  But Jesus calls her “Daughter,” and by her previous touch, which originally caused her nothing but grief and pain, she is healed.  In her encounter with Jesus she faced the ultimate question of her life:  are you ready?  

The religious leaders knew this too.  Jesus was dangerous—going around touching lepers, hanging around with tax collectors and sinners, carelessly crossing the taboos of the culture.  They knew without a doubt they had to make a decision about him.  They decided to have him killed.  

Are you ready?  This is the question these bridesmaids faced as they awaited the bridegroom in this parable of Jesus.  They were among the invited guests for the great wedding celebration.  In Jesus’ time, you see, the groom arrives at the bride’s home to take her to the ceremony.  The bridesmaid’s come out to greet the groom then accompany the procession with their lamps to light the way—and they always took the longest way possible to the ceremony in order to receive everybody’s good wishes.  Then they arrived for the wedding and the week long celebration held during a huge open house for all the invited guests.  You never knew when the groom was coming.  You had to be ready.  Jesus says 5 of them didn’t have enough oil to keep their lamps lit and by the time they got ready, it was too late and they missed out on everything.  And Jesus says the kingdom of heave is just like this.  

Jesus says the kingdom of heave is like a great open house where love, justice, and peace reign forever.  Are you ready?  Jesus said at the very beginning of his ministry that the kingdom of heaven is a t hand…it is very near.  Are you ready?  The kingdom of heaven:
          Where the hungry are fed
          The homeless have shelter
          Where no one is judged by
                   How old you are or
                   How young you are or
                   By the color of your skin or
                   How you talk or
                   Where you come from.
The question is, are you ready?
Are you ready for a life where the really important things are at the very center; life where priorities are put in their proper order?
          Where relationships are more important than possessions;
          Where love is more important that recognition;
          Where service is more important than power;
          Where consensus is more important than having your own way.  

Are you ready?  Are you ready?  When you met Jesus you just had to make a decision about him, and you are living with that decision you made then right now.  What did you decide?  Are you ready?
          Do you live right now a life of peace, justice, and love?  
          Do you live your life for others, as he did, or do you only look out for your own needs?
          Do you surrender your every care into his capable hands?  

I saw a T-shirt the other day.  On this T-shirt was printed the words:
          This is our LIFE—it is not a dress rehearsal.
          You live your life right now or you miss out.
          You take every advantage of the good things that God places in
                  your path every day or you lose out.
          You use every precious breath of life that God gives you to take in
                  the breath of God or you completely waste your breath.  

Now you would not be here this morning if you had not at one point in your life met Jesus.  When you met him, you already made a decision about him.  The question he raises in you today as he tells you this parable is the same question you first faced:  are you ready?