Readiness for the Bridegroom’s return

Main Text

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. (Mt 25:1–5).

⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ 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 for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Mt 25:6–13).

THE CONTEXT:

Before we get to the parable, we would do well to remind ourselves of the context. In response to the disciples’ request to know what sign would signal our Lord’s coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3), Jesus spoke to them about the last days.

He made it clear that the end would not come immediately, but only after considerable time and troubles (Matthew 24:4-31). Our Lord issued various warnings (Matthew 24:4-5, 10-11, 23-28), because during these troubled times there would be many interlopers, who would seek to turn men’s attention and affections away from Jesus, the true Messiah.

In verses 32-51 of chapter 24, Jesus speaks of what His disciples can and cannot know, and on the basis of both, He gives some specific words of instruction regarding the last times.

MESSAGE:

This parable instructs us to be ready, when Jesus returns to this earth (compare Matthew 24:42, 44, 50; 25:13). This parable is consistent with the rest of this discourse in that it indicates that the Lord’s return will not be nearly as soon as the disciples suppose. While the people were listening to these things, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately (Luke 19:11). “When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep” (Matthew 25:5; compare 24:6, 48).

This parable portrays the return of Christ as sudden and unexpected (compare Matthew 24:37-41, 43, 50; 25:5-6). In part, it is unexpected because so much time has passed. This parable is based upon the premise that we do not know the day nor the hour of our Lord’s return: “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:13; compare 24:26, 42-44, 50). This parable indicates that the Lord’s coming will distinguish one group of people from another (compare Matthew 24:37-41, 45-51; 25:1-12, 31-46).  The one group enters in with our Lord, to enjoy fellowship with Him. The other group is kept out, and assigned to eternal torment

This parable indicates that this distinction between believers and unbelievers, between those who will enter the kingdom of heaven and those who will be confined in hell, may not be apparent until the coming of Christ. It is at the second coming, when men stand before our Lord, that their true spiritual status (and thus their destiny) is known.  Several times in the Gospels, Jesus makes it clear that there will be some surprises (regarding who is in the kingdom and who is not) when He returns.

“In the parable,” we are told, “all the ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom.

All had lamps and vessels for oil. For a time there was seen no difference between them. So with the church that lives just before Christ’s second coming. All have a knowledge of the Scriptures. All have heard the message of Christ’s near approach, and confidently expect His appearing. But as in the parable, so it is now. A time of waiting intervenes, faith is tried; and when the cry is heard, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,’ many are unready. They have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. They are destitute of the Holy Spirit.”³

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEEN BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND BEING WISE: Notice that Jesus didn’t say that five of the bridesmaids were “knowledgeable.” He said that they were “wise.” There’s a great difference between these two words. WISDOM HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH APPLYING THE KNOWLEDGE IN ONE’S LIFE AND LIVING ACCORDING TO THE CLAIMS OF THE GOSPEL

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEEN BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND BEING PREPARED: All ten bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable apparently knew exactly what they needed to know to be prepared. Mere knowledge wasn’t enough. Even those described as foolish knew all they had to know, but they hadn’t been transformed by what they knew. The Second Coming is something to look forward to because our knowledge of the Second Coming has had a transformative effect on our lives, on the way we conduct ourselves in our workplaces, our schools, with our families—even in our times of complete solitude.

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEEN BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND BEING PREPARED:   “Many profess to be wise but the important question to ask is “have they the Holy Spirit? As a people, we profess to know the truth, but of what avail will this be if we do not carry out its principles in our life?”⁸ Knowledge, in Scripture, goes beyond mere facts. As the familiar hymn goes, “The love of God is broader than the measure of man’s mind.”⁹ Jesus went on with His parable: “ ‘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’ ” (Matt. 25:10, NLT). How could this have been? How could there have been such a large portion of the wedding party who were unprepared, even when they knew how to be prepared? Yet knowing the objective facts that biblical prophecy has provided us about His return becomes only a part of our being prepared. There is more.

“Without the Spirit of God,” Ellen White reminds us, “a knowledge of His word is of no avail. The theory of truth, unaccompanied by the Holy Spirit, cannot quicken the soul or sanctify the heart. One may be familiar with the commands and promises of the Bible; but unless the Spirit of God sets the truth home, the character will not be transformed. Without the enlightenment of the Spirit, men will not be able to distinguish truth from error, and they will fall under the masterful temptations of Satan.”¹⁰ Our readiness for Jesus’ return—for the Bridegroom’s return—transcends the merely factual. Of course, we must know such information so that we will not be deceived. But we must also know Jesus personally. Preparation for His return cannot be bought or borrowed at the last minute. It is not a commodity. We must each have a personal, living relationship with our Savior

Our readiness is relational—based not only on what we know, but on who we know.

Notice what the bridegroom says when those who were unprepared returned after the door was shut: “ ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you’ ” (v. 12, NIV). There was no relationship. When Jesus does return, our lamps must be well filled with the oil of the Spirit. Then we will be prepared to go home with Him—forever! This “forever” will mean a completely different kind of existence than any we’ve known before. It will be a return to the Eden that we lost so long ago. It will be a time and place where “ ‘there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ ” (Rev. 21:4, NIV).

REVIVAL AND REFORMATION WHILE WE WAIT: God’s desire is that “everyone” will “come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NIV). Though we cannot do the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to repentance, we are called to reach them with the message of salvation, which, if accepted, will lead to repentance. We, too, as church members; need to be in an attitude of repentance. Repentance is part of the process of revival and reformation. Revival means to come back to life, to be renewed, and to be restored. Reformation means to be reshaped, reformed—to be a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). . . .

Matthew 25:1-13 can be referred to as a “how should we wait” passage. The text illustrate conditions and outcomes of revival and reformation. For example, all ten virgins needed to be revived, awakened out of sleep. . . . The foolish virgins needed to increase their capacity for the Holy Spirit in their lives. When we humble ourselves, die to self, unselfishly pray, study God’s Word, and lovingly share it with others in word and loving deeds, we increase our capacity for an infilling of the Holy Spirit in latter-rain power. However, it is possible to study the Bible for hours and still be a selfish person. We could pray for revival and the latter rain but selfishly want it only for ourselves. Revival always leads to unselfish concern for others. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be reformed into passionate, mission-and service-centered disciples.

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? LETS FIRST FOCUS ON What being filled with Spirit is not: Being filled with Holy Spirit is not JUST being filled with emotion.

Humans are emotional creatures, and their emotions can overtake them. After listening to Jesus, people in Nazareth were furious (“filled with wrath” [thumos, Luke 4:28]), and tried to kill Him. Jesus healed a man during the Sabbath, and Jewish leaders were furious (“filled with rage” [anoia, Luke 6:11]) and began to plan what to do to Him. They also saw the work of the disciples and were filled with jealousy (“indignation” [zēlos]) accompanied by hostility (Acts 5:17) and arrested them. In Ephesus a riot broke out, and the whole city was in uproar (“filled with confusion” [Acts 19:29]).

At other times people were filled with good emotions. Jesus healed a paralytic and everyone was awed (“all amazed” or reverential fear [phobos, Luke 5:26]). Peter healed a crippled beggar and people were filled with fear (“wonder” [thamboia]) and astonishment (“amazement” [ekstasis, Acts 3:10]). These examples suggest that when humans are filled with an emotion it controls them and leads them to particular actions. The stimulus comes from outside and changes their inner state and outward behavior.  With the exception of the riot in Ephesus, the different emotions were provoked by the proclamation of the message of Jesus and His disciples. The gospel seeks to fill the inner life with that which is good, but if rejected it is filled with hostility and self-destructive emotions. Reactions of awe and amazement keep the door open for being filled with the Spirit.

2. Filled With the Spirit: Zacharias was told that his son, John the Baptist, “will also be filled with the Holy Spirit” from the womb of his mother (Luke 1:15)— expressing ideas of election, guidance, and service. Elizabeth saw Mary and, filled with the Spirit (verse 41), recognized that Mary was bearing the Messiah. Zacharias and Paul prophesied when they were filled with the Spirit (verse 67; Acts 13:9). At Pentecost the disciples were empowered to speak in different tongues (Acts 2:4); and from that moment on, filled with the Spirit, they boldly spoke about Jesus (Acts 4:8, 31; 9:17-22). The church was a spiritual space within which the Spirit was active, filling it with His presence. EVIDENCE OF A SPIRIT FILLED LIFE IS: A CHANGED/TRANSFOMERD LIFE; ABILITY TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL MATTERS; ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN SHARING CHRIST’S LOVE; ENGAGING IN ACTS OF SERVICE; HOLY ZEAL AND SPEAKING BOLDY ABOUT JESUS; AND A LOVE FOR THE WORD OF GOD.
3. Significance of the Infilling of the Spirit: BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SIGNIFICANT: First, humans are emotional beings in whom Satan is ready to fill with evil emotions (Acts 5:3; 13:8-10) that rule over them and lead them into wickedness and to oppose the work of the Lord. Through their actions their characters and dispositions are revealed. Second, the Lord wants to fill our inner beings with the presence and power of the Spirit, who comes as gift to those who know Christ their Savior. Third, the indwelling of the Spirit transforms us, makes us good persons, and strengthens our faith (Acts 11:24). With Him we obtain divine wisdom and spiritual discernment that allow us to recognize God’s activity (Acts 6:3). Fourth, the presence of the Spirit in our lives is visible through transformed lives of service to God and others.

Fifth, the Holy Spirit empowers Christ’s followers to witness, to do something for the Lord. Not all are prophets, because the infilling of the Spirit is according to His will for each one. Sixth, being filled with the Spirit does not necessarily entail miracles. This element is present, but it is subservient to the mission of the church. Paul’s being filled with the Spirit was not accompanied by a supernatural manifestation. He was empowered to preach (Acts 9:17-22). Healing and signs added some effectiveness to what was the most important manifestation of being filled with the Spirit: being guided by the Spirit and fulfilling the mission of the church (Acts 4:29-31).

What should you do in this coming new week: The foolish virgins needed to increase their capacity for the Holy Spirit in their lives. When we humble ourselves, die to self, unselfishly pray, study God’s Word, and lovingly share God’s Word with others in word and loving deeds, We increase our capacity for an infilling of the Holy Spirit in latter-rain power. So unselfishly pray this week; study God’s Word and lovingly share it with others and engage in acts of service toward fellow men. Is it your desire to do this; pause for a moment and ask God to equip and empower you.

Readiness for the Bridegroom’s return

Main Text

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. (Mt 25:1–5).

⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ 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 for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Mt 25:6–13).

THE CONTEXT:

Before we get to the parable, we would do well to remind ourselves of the context. In response to the disciples’ request to know what sign would signal our Lord’s coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3), Jesus spoke to them about the last days.

He made it clear that the end would not come immediately, but only after considerable time and troubles (Matthew 24:4-31). Our Lord issued various warnings (Matthew 24:4-5, 10-11, 23-28), because during these troubled times there would be many interlopers, who would seek to turn men’s attention and affections away from Jesus, the true Messiah.

In verses 32-51 of chapter 24, Jesus speaks of what His disciples can and cannot know, and on the basis of both, He gives some specific words of instruction regarding the last times.

MESSAGE:

This parable instructs us to be ready, when Jesus returns to this earth (compare Matthew 24:42, 44, 50; 25:13). This parable is consistent with the rest of this discourse in that it indicates that the Lord’s return will not be nearly as soon as the disciples suppose. While the people were listening to these things, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately (Luke 19:11). “When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep” (Matthew 25:5; compare 24:6, 48).

This parable portrays the return of Christ as sudden and unexpected (compare Matthew 24:37-41, 43, 50; 25:5-6). In part, it is unexpected because so much time has passed. This parable is based upon the premise that we do not know the day nor the hour of our Lord’s return: “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:13; compare 24:26, 42-44, 50). This parable indicates that the Lord’s coming will distinguish one group of people from another (compare Matthew 24:37-41, 45-51; 25:1-12, 31-46).  The one group enters in with our Lord, to enjoy fellowship with Him. The other group is kept out, and assigned to eternal torment

This parable indicates that this distinction between believers and unbelievers, between those who will enter the kingdom of heaven and those who will be confined in hell, may not be apparent until the coming of Christ. It is at the second coming, when men stand before our Lord, that their true spiritual status (and thus their destiny) is known.  Several times in the Gospels, Jesus makes it clear that there will be some surprises (regarding who is in the kingdom and who is not) when He returns.

“In the parable,” we are told, “all the ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom.

All had lamps and vessels for oil. For a time there was seen no difference between them. So with the church that lives just before Christ’s second coming. All have a knowledge of the Scriptures. All have heard the message of Christ’s near approach, and confidently expect His appearing. But as in the parable, so it is now. A time of waiting intervenes, faith is tried; and when the cry is heard, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,’ many are unready. They have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. They are destitute of the Holy Spirit.”³

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEEN BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND BEING WISE: Notice that Jesus didn’t say that five of the bridesmaids were “knowledgeable.” He said that they were “wise.” There’s a great difference between these two words. WISDOM HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH APPLYING THE KNOWLEDGE IN ONE’S LIFE AND LIVING ACCORDING TO THE CLAIMS OF THE GOSPEL

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEEN BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND BEING PREPARED: All ten bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable apparently knew exactly what they needed to know to be prepared. Mere knowledge wasn’t enough. Even those described as foolish knew all they had to know, but they hadn’t been transformed by what they knew. The Second Coming is something to look forward to because our knowledge of the Second Coming has had a transformative effect on our lives, on the way we conduct ourselves in our workplaces, our schools, with our families—even in our times of complete solitude.

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEEN BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND BEING PREPARED:   “Many profess to be wise but the important question to ask is “have they the Holy Spirit? As a people, we profess to know the truth, but of what avail will this be if we do not carry out its principles in our life?”⁸ Knowledge, in Scripture, goes beyond mere facts. As the familiar hymn goes, “The love of God is broader than the measure of man’s mind.”⁹ Jesus went on with His parable: “ ‘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’ ” (Matt. 25:10, NLT). How could this have been? How could there have been such a large portion of the wedding party who were unprepared, even when they knew how to be prepared? Yet knowing the objective facts that biblical prophecy has provided us about His return becomes only a part of our being prepared. There is more.

“Without the Spirit of God,” Ellen White reminds us, “a knowledge of His word is of no avail. The theory of truth, unaccompanied by the Holy Spirit, cannot quicken the soul or sanctify the heart. One may be familiar with the commands and promises of the Bible; but unless the Spirit of God sets the truth home, the character will not be transformed. Without the enlightenment of the Spirit, men will not be able to distinguish truth from error, and they will fall under the masterful temptations of Satan.”¹⁰ Our readiness for Jesus’ return—for the Bridegroom’s return—transcends the merely factual. Of course, we must know such information so that we will not be deceived. But we must also know Jesus personally. Preparation for His return cannot be bought or borrowed at the last minute. It is not a commodity. We must each have a personal, living relationship with our Savior

Our readiness is relational—based not only on what we know, but on who we know.

Notice what the bridegroom says when those who were unprepared returned after the door was shut: “ ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you’ ” (v. 12, NIV). There was no relationship. When Jesus does return, our lamps must be well filled with the oil of the Spirit. Then we will be prepared to go home with Him—forever! This “forever” will mean a completely different kind of existence than any we’ve known before. It will be a return to the Eden that we lost so long ago. It will be a time and place where “ ‘there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ ” (Rev. 21:4, NIV).

REVIVAL AND REFORMATION WHILE WE WAIT: God’s desire is that “everyone” will “come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NIV). Though we cannot do the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to repentance, we are called to reach them with the message of salvation, which, if accepted, will lead to repentance. We, too, as church members; need to be in an attitude of repentance. Repentance is part of the process of revival and reformation. Revival means to come back to life, to be renewed, and to be restored. Reformation means to be reshaped, reformed—to be a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). . . .

Matthew 25:1-13 can be referred to as a “how should we wait” passage. The text illustrate conditions and outcomes of revival and reformation. For example, all ten virgins needed to be revived, awakened out of sleep. . . . The foolish virgins needed to increase their capacity for the Holy Spirit in their lives. When we humble ourselves, die to self, unselfishly pray, study God’s Word, and lovingly share it with others in word and loving deeds, we increase our capacity for an infilling of the Holy Spirit in latter-rain power. However, it is possible to study the Bible for hours and still be a selfish person. We could pray for revival and the latter rain but selfishly want it only for ourselves. Revival always leads to unselfish concern for others. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be reformed into passionate, mission-and service-centered disciples.

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? LETS FIRST FOCUS ON What being filled with Spirit is not: Being filled with Holy Spirit is not JUST being filled with emotion.

Humans are emotional creatures, and their emotions can overtake them. After listening to Jesus, people in Nazareth were furious (“filled with wrath” [thumos, Luke 4:28]), and tried to kill Him. Jesus healed a man during the Sabbath, and Jewish leaders were furious (“filled with rage” [anoia, Luke 6:11]) and began to plan what to do to Him. They also saw the work of the disciples and were filled with jealousy (“indignation” [zēlos]) accompanied by hostility (Acts 5:17) and arrested them. In Ephesus a riot broke out, and the whole city was in uproar (“filled with confusion” [Acts 19:29]).

At other times people were filled with good emotions. Jesus healed a paralytic and everyone was awed (“all amazed” or reverential fear [phobos, Luke 5:26]). Peter healed a crippled beggar and people were filled with fear (“wonder” [thamboia]) and astonishment (“amazement” [ekstasis, Acts 3:10]). These examples suggest that when humans are filled with an emotion it controls them and leads them to particular actions. The stimulus comes from outside and changes their inner state and outward behavior.  With the exception of the riot in Ephesus, the different emotions were provoked by the proclamation of the message of Jesus and His disciples. The gospel seeks to fill the inner life with that which is good, but if rejected it is filled with hostility and self-destructive emotions. Reactions of awe and amazement keep the door open for being filled with the Spirit.

2. Filled With the Spirit: Zacharias was told that his son, John the Baptist, “will also be filled with the Holy Spirit” from the womb of his mother (Luke 1:15)— expressing ideas of election, guidance, and service. Elizabeth saw Mary and, filled with the Spirit (verse 41), recognized that Mary was bearing the Messiah. Zacharias and Paul prophesied when they were filled with the Spirit (verse 67; Acts 13:9). At Pentecost the disciples were empowered to speak in different tongues (Acts 2:4); and from that moment on, filled with the Spirit, they boldly spoke about Jesus (Acts 4:8, 31; 9:17-22). The church was a spiritual space within which the Spirit was active, filling it with His presence. EVIDENCE OF A SPIRIT FILLED LIFE IS: A CHANGED/TRANSFOMERD LIFE; ABILITY TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL MATTERS; ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN SHARING CHRIST’S LOVE; ENGAGING IN ACTS OF SERVICE; HOLY ZEAL AND SPEAKING BOLDY ABOUT JESUS; AND A LOVE FOR THE WORD OF GOD.
3. Significance of the Infilling of the Spirit: BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SIGNIFICANT: First, humans are emotional beings in whom Satan is ready to fill with evil emotions (Acts 5:3; 13:8-10) that rule over them and lead them into wickedness and to oppose the work of the Lord. Through their actions their characters and dispositions are revealed. Second, the Lord wants to fill our inner beings with the presence and power of the Spirit, who comes as gift to those who know Christ their Savior. Third, the indwelling of the Spirit transforms us, makes us good persons, and strengthens our faith (Acts 11:24). With Him we obtain divine wisdom and spiritual discernment that allow us to recognize God’s activity (Acts 6:3). Fourth, the presence of the Spirit in our lives is visible through transformed lives of service to God and others.

Fifth, the Holy Spirit empowers Christ’s followers to witness, to do something for the Lord. Not all are prophets, because the infilling of the Spirit is according to His will for each one. Sixth, being filled with the Spirit does not necessarily entail miracles. This element is present, but it is subservient to the mission of the church. Paul’s being filled with the Spirit was not accompanied by a supernatural manifestation. He was empowered to preach (Acts 9:17-22). Healing and signs added some effectiveness to what was the most important manifestation of being filled with the Spirit: being guided by the Spirit and fulfilling the mission of the church (Acts 4:29-31).

What should you do in this coming new week: The foolish virgins needed to increase their capacity for the Holy Spirit in their lives. When we humble ourselves, die to self, unselfishly pray, study God’s Word, and lovingly share God’s Word with others in word and loving deeds, We increase our capacity for an infilling of the Holy Spirit in latter-rain power. So unselfishly pray this week; study God’s Word and lovingly share it with others and engage in acts of service toward fellow men. Is it your desire to do this; pause for a moment and ask God to equip and empower you.