Sermon | Minister Musa Yende | The Wise Church (gets the best seats in heaven)

Devotional

Day 1: Heaven’s Invitation and Our Yes

Heaven is populated by invitation, not force. Jesus the Bridegroom calls, and we respond with a clear yes—born again and then faithful to live that yes. Your decision matters, and so does your follow-through in daily faith, worship, and fellowship. Come as a welcomed guest, and keep walking as one who belongs. Hold your invitation close and make choices that honor it. [03:03]

Matthew 25:1–2 — God’s kingdom is like ten young women who took their lamps to meet the Bridegroom; five were wise and five were foolish.

Reflection: Where is Jesus inviting you to say a fresh yes, and what one steady habit this week will help you keep that yes alive?

Day 2: Oil of Readiness: Life in the Spirit

Two groups stand side by side: foolish and wise. The foolish had access to wisdom but did not seek it; the wise carried extra oil and kept their flame alive. Readiness looks like a praying life, steady faith, walking in love, peace with God, hope that refuses to quit, and living by grace. These are the quiet ways the lamp stays bright in a dark hour. Choose to prepare today so you do not scramble tomorrow. [12:27]

Matthew 25:3–4 — The foolish brought lamps without oil, but the wise carried flasks of oil with their lamps, prepared for the wait.

Reflection: What is one concrete practice you will add or restore this week—such as a set prayer time or Scripture reading—to “carry extra oil” for your soul?

Day 3: Faithful in Delay, Awake at Midnight

The Bridegroom delayed, and all became drowsy—wise and foolish alike. Then came the midnight cry: the gospel call that wakes the church, “Come out; the Bridegroom is here.” Midnight represents trial and pressure, yet it is also the hour of proclamation. The wise rise ready; the foolish wake unprepared. In this last-days moment, be brave to say no to what dims your flame, and yes to what keeps you close to Jesus. [32:31]

Matthew 25:5–7 — While the Bridegroom was delayed, they all fell asleep; at midnight a cry went out, and they rose and trimmed their lamps to meet Him.

Reflection: From what distraction or pattern is the Spirit inviting you to “come out” this week, and what will your first practical step be?

Day 4: Grace Runs Faster Than Shame

If you have drifted far, remember the son who “came to himself” in the distant land. He returned, and the Father ran, embraced, and restored him before he finished his speech. God is not too busy for you; He is already moving toward you. A repentant heart is enough; grace outruns shame and clothes you with belonging. Come home, and let intimacy replace distance. [41:13]

Luke 15:17–24 — When the son realized his ruin, he went back to his father; the father ran to him, embraced him, received his repentance, and celebrated his return with full restoration.

Reflection: If you sense distance in your heart, what specific act of return will you take today—prayer of repentance, a conversation for accountability, or rejoining fellowship?

Day 5: Best Seat: Intimacy With the Bridegroom

Those who were ready entered the wedding celebration, and the door was shut. There is a season to hear and respond, and there is a moment when opportunities end. The wise bride carries the Spirit’s oil, hears the cry, and keeps close to Jesus. The best seat in heaven is intimacy with the Bridegroom—life with God, not just knowledge about Him. Choose readiness today so that when He comes, you are found within, not outside knocking. [46:58]

Matthew 25:10–13 — While the unprepared went to buy oil, the Bridegroom arrived; the ready entered with Him, the door was closed, and the warning was given to stay awake, for you do not know the day or the hour.

Reflection: How will you pursue intimacy with Jesus this week—name one specific rhythm (for example, 20 unhurried minutes in prayer and Scripture, a simple fast, or limiting media) and when you will do it.

Sermon Summary

Heaven is entered by invitation, not force, and that invitation is received by new birth and then kept by a life of faithful follow-through. Drawing from Matthew 24–25, the teaching moves from the disciples’ three questions about timing, signs, and the end, to Jesus’ insistence that no one knows the day or hour. God chose the image of marriage to reveal his love and heaven’s order, and the parable of the ten virgins to reveal the difference between people who are in the same community yet live with different levels of preparedness. All ten are “virgins”—set apart and within the household of God—yet only five bring extra oil, showing a deeper life of readiness.

The foolish have access to wisdom but neglect it, live in the age of knowledge yet reject counsel, obey selectively, and give up easily. They squander mercy and treat fellowship lightly, attempting to walk alone. The wise walk by faith, love, and peace, maintain prayer and ministry faithfulness, hope in the Lord, and display the fruit of the Spirit. Their lamps keep burning because their inner life with God is tended. When the bridegroom delays, both groups sleep; delay exposes drift. Like the prodigal, distance and famine are often God’s merciful interventions to awaken the heart. Grace runs faster than shame; a repentant heart finds the Father running to embrace, restore, and clothe.

At midnight a cry goes out—the gospel proclamation that awakens the sleepers. The danger is not sleeping, but waking unprepared. “Come out” means separation from whatever dulls desire for God. When the foolish ask to borrow oil, the wise refuse, not from coldness but from integrity: intimacy cannot be loaned, and character cannot be transferred. The shut door warns that grace, in this form, will have an end. Those with “extra oil” live filled with the Holy Spirit; when Christ gathers his own, they are caught up because the indwelling Spirit is their readiness. The best seat in heaven is intimacy with God. Pursue not merely to belong to the bridal party, but to be the wise bride—prepared, Spirit-filled, and faithful.

Key Takeaways

1. Readiness in delayed seasons forms character. Delay reveals what daily habits have formed. Both wise and foolish can grow weary, but only those who tend their inner life wake with oil to spare. God often uses delay to purify motives and deepen dependence. Lean into the season; it is shaping you for the moment that matters. [32:31]
2. The gospel cry awakens sleepers. Midnight is the hour of trial and pressure, yet it is also the hour of proclamation. God uses the preached word to rouse hearts, calling for decisive separation from what compromises love. Hearing is not enough; the cry summons action, movement, and rearranged priorities. [41:58]
3. Extra oil means Spirit-filled readiness. Oil signifies an ongoing life with the Holy Spirit—not a one-time experience but a sustained fullness. This inner supply cannot be borrowed at the last minute; it is formed through daily surrender, prayer, and obedience. Those filled with the Spirit are ready whenever the Bridegroom appears. [46:58]
4. Holy boundaries guard bridal intimacy. The wise learn to say “no” to what drains their devotion. Refusing compromise is not unkindness; it is stewardship of a relationship that must be guarded. Intimacy with God grows where boundaries are honored and lesser loves are denied. [44:50]
5. Intimacy is the reward of preparation. The “best seat” is not about status but closeness to the Bridegroom. Prepared hearts enjoy deeper fellowship now and are ready for the feast to come. Eternity confirms what daily choices have been building all along—love that lasts because it was tended. [47:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:04] - Matthew 24 sets the backdrop
[07:41] - Temple to be torn down
[10:57] - Signs: war, shortage, lawlessness
[11:39] - Unknown day demands readiness
[12:27] - Marriage explains God’s love
[14:14] - Ten virgins: the church preparing
[18:49] - Two groups: wise and foolish
[28:28] - Marks of the wise: faithful, prayerful
[32:31] - Delay exposes drift and desire
[39:13] - Grace outruns shame; return home
[40:43] - Midnight cry: gospel awakens sleepers
[44:50] - Refuse compromise; door will shut
[46:58] - Extra oil: life in the Spirit
[49:25] - Bride and tribulation saints contrasted

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

- Matthew 25:1–13

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”

“No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.”

But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

Later the others also came. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us!”

But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.”

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Observation questions

In Matthew 25:1–13, who are the two groups among the ten virgins, and what is the main difference the passage highlights between them?
When the bridegroom delayed, what happened to both groups, and how was this season described as revealing drift and desire? [32:31]
What happened “at midnight,” and what was the content and effect of the cry? [41:33]
According to verses 8–10, what did the foolish ask for, how did the wise respond, and what was the stated reason for that response? [43:50]

Interpretation questions

If “oil” pictures an ongoing life with the Holy Spirit, why can’t this be borrowed or transferred from someone else? What does that teach about personal responsibility in faith? [46:58]
If both wise and foolish slept during the delay, what actually made the difference when they woke up? What does that suggest about daily habits during “waiting” seasons? [32:31]
“Come out” was a call to separate from whatever dulls desire for God. What kinds of compromises might this mean today for a believer who wants a clear, burning lamp? [43:07]
The “shut door” shows that a certain form of grace will end. How should that shape the way a person listens and responds now? Is that urgency healthy or heavy-handed? Why? [45:33]

Application questions

Delay reveals what daily habits have formed. What one small daily practice will you begin or restore this week to tend your inner life with God (for example, fixed prayer time, Scripture meditation, quick repentance before bed)? When will you do it, and who will ask you about it? [32:31]
Where is the “midnight cry” calling you to rearrange priorities? Name one concrete change you will make in your calendar, budget, or phone habits to respond to the gospel call this week. [41:58]
“Come out” means stepping away from what dulls love for Jesus. What is one specific entertainment, relationship, or hidden habit you need to separate from? What boundary will you set to guard your heart? [43:07]
The wise were brave to say “no.” What do you need to say a loving “no” to in order to protect intimacy with Jesus—an extra commitment, a draining conversation pattern, a late-night scroll? How will you say it, and to whom? [44:50]
Grace runs faster than shame. Where do you feel distant from the Father? What is your next step of returning—confessing to a trusted friend, praying a simple prayer of repentance, or showing up in worship? Do it this week. [39:13]
Extra oil points to a Spirit-filled life. What is one practical way you will seek to be filled daily—praying in the Spirit, obeying a nudge, fasting a meal, or serving someone quietly? Choose one and set a time. [46:58]
Walking alone is risky; fellowship keeps lamps burning. Who are two people you will invite to check on your faith, love, and peace this month? Send the text and set the dates. [27:38]

Sermon Clips

The disciples asked these three questions. Lord. Master. When will this thing happen? When will this thing happen? Question number one. Question number two. What will be the sign of your coming? They want to ask you. They want to know. Third question. It is a question. About the end of the world. Remember. The other question. When is your coming? the last question the end of the world three questions the end of age they're asking these three questions [00:08:52] (76 seconds) #questionsOfTheReturn

i love it the five virgin who these do not walk by sight but they walk by faith these are faithful virgin these are the one that made a vow foot by a screen they are faithful these are the ones that are faithful in ministry they are not here today they there there there there are there there are the ones our ministries has a prayer life do ministries the they pray they dedicated time because these are the wise virgin these are the one that chooses to stay prepared [00:28:11] (78 seconds) #faithNotSight

he is not busy for you he is knocking open the side do i see his garment do i see his likeness is coming and he lent to him so the father lent to embrace him the father said the son said father i have wronged you he repented but the father did not even give him time to complete that's how much god is ready for you you don't have to explain yourself and repentant heart is enough but with willingness already you have received your blessing [00:39:13] (51 seconds) #prodigalGrace

praise god i want to reveal to you that grace runs faster and it runs faster than shame and it stores you complete [00:40:04] (21 seconds) #graceRunsFaster

the wise virgins they were brave to say no are you brave to say no the wise virgins they don't compromise they don't allow anything to affect their relationship these are the ones that are content the bible then say the bible the shout will end grace will end one day grace will end you will not be able to hear the word of god this is a midnight hour where you are hearing the word of god one day because the bible says the door was shut [00:44:50] (57 seconds) #noCompromiseFaith

that's why the bible says let those who have ears hear what the spirit is saying are you hearing the word of god let those who have ears hear it means both virgins they both have ears but one is able to hear while the other doesn't that's why the foolish remain outside [00:45:54] (37 seconds) #haveEarsHear

those who are able to go in has an extra oil these are the ones that have the holy spirit in their life this is what when christ comes you will be caught up with him because the spirit of god will be taken let him be taken with me but if you are not filled you are not prepared [00:46:36] (55 seconds) #filledWithSpirit

of christ the wise bride gets the best seat in heaven this means the best seat in heaven is intimacy with god the wise bride enjoys intimacy with god the son had a good relationship there's one thing he didn't have there's good benefits one thing he didn't have intimacy with god and this is what god gives to his bride just like he used this analogy of ten virgins and the parable to explain wedding marriage and wise bride when the bride groom enjoy intimacy in other ways when enjoys intimacy with you you become complete [00:47:33] (72 seconds) #intimacyWithGod

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Sermon | Minister Musa Yende | The Wise Church (gets the best seats in heaven)

Devotional

Day 1: Heaven’s Invitation and Our Yes

Day 2: Oil of Readiness: Life in the Spirit

Day 3: Faithful in Delay, Awake at Midnight

Day 4: Grace Runs Faster Than Shame

Day 5: Best Seat: Intimacy With the Bridegroom

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Sermon | Minister Musa Yende | The Wise Church (gets the best seats in heaven)

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