Care for Creation as Evangelization and WorshipParaugs

Day Five: Five Were Wise

We can’t speak about the destruction of the environment without taking at least a little time to speak about the end of the world! But rest assured that this isn’t all doom and gloom. 

Take some time to read all of Matthew 24:3-25:45, really trying to imagine how the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus will look. Once you’ve got a good idea of that, really pay attention to what Jesus is saying in the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids. 

Are we ready for the Lord’s return? 

Having faith in Christ is of course the most important thing. But do we really have faith if we do not listen to Jesus? 

The church is called to participate with the Lord in this hour in very strategic and functional ways. What He Jesus is saying is that this is an issue of separation. He is calling His people to participate with Him, not just go and wait for Him to return as many Christians do. 

All ten of the bridesmaids were waiting for the bridegroom’s return, but only the five wise bridesmaids were prepared for it. If we are to prepare, we need to take action. 

Jesus then moves on to the Parable of the Talents, which is about stewardship and cultivating the gifts that God has given us. 

At the end of this discourse, Jesus tells us that what we have done to the least of His brothers and sisters, we have done unto Him. Similarly, when we have refused to help the least of His brothers and sisters, we have refused to help Him. 

On the surface, environmental stewardship and creation care can seem to be about recycling aluminum cans or trying to use less plastic or what have you. But the biggest issue is that when the environment goes down, it is the poor – the least of Christ’s brothers and sisters – that goes down first. 

When looking at the environment in light of the poor of this world, we can see that Christ is calling Christians to participate, and as we participate with Him especially among the extreme poor of this world, we are literally doing it unto Him. It is a form of worship. It is a form of true discipleship. It is a matter of not just letting this all go down and saying that it doesn’t matter because I, personally, am unaffected. 

In the end, this is a point of judgement. And that’s a scary place to be. 

But we are promised that those who are blessed by the Father will inherit the Kingdom prepared from the creation of the world. It is with confidence in this that we should live.

Questions for Discussion

1. For many centuries people have been saying that we are living in the end times. Is there any reason to think that we are currently living in particularly apocalyptic times? 

2. What does it mean to be a true disciple of Jesus? 

3. What practical steps can I take to prepare for the Last Judgement?