Waiting is dangerous. Toward the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, He illustrated the call to vigilance between advents of redemptive history by way of parable. The parables of the 10 virgins and the talents (Mat 25) communicate proper orientation for disciples who find themselves called to faithful gospel service in the time between Christ's visitations. Peter echoes these admonishments to the churches in his charge at the end of his own ministry in his epistles addressing the “elect exiles” (his readers). Peter likewise warns the churches that the suffering and trials attending this “little while” between Jesus' ascension and the 2^nd coming are harrowing. Without intentional preparation and equipping, the confessing church will not survive. Peter himself has experienced the dangers of following Christ even unto death. Underestimating the serious nature of the call of discipleship, he denied his Lord 3 times. The apostle knows the dangers of the Christian walk first hand. John Bunyan powerfully allegorized these themes in his enduring classic: “Pilgrim's Progress”. Time and again the Christian faces danger, peril, and sword within and without as he journeys toward the celestial city. Bunyan understood what Jesus and Peter had spoken to the church. The path to glory is paved with suffering, nevertheless, the Word of God is sufficient to prepare us to endure and more. Indeed just as the darkest hours of Christ's own earthly calling proved His most powerful moments in defeating the enemy – we can be assured that in Him we will be victorious through suffering as well. To do so we must heed the words of our text today...