Message
Matthew 25:1-13
The Ten Virgins
Let’s turn in our Bible to Matthew 25:1-13 and read the parable there.
A marriage in first century Judea had three stages.
1) The marriage arrangement where families got together to discuss the idea of a son from one family marrying a daughter from another family.
2) The betrothal where the couple make a commitment to get married with the support of both families. The son and daughter would still live with their own family.
3) The marriage when the couple actually start to live together as husband and wife.
Surprisingly, beyond these well-documented stages, there is not a lot of historical evidence available that describes in detail how weddings took place in first century Israel.
We know weddings were celebrated in a household – either the bride’s house or the groom’s house.
We know that, at some point, the groom retrieves his bride to be.
We also know that there was always a lot of waiting involved.
At some point in the evening the groom would turn up. When the groom turned up the celebrations would begin. This celebration would start with some sort of procession, a procession lead by the bridesmaids.
Waiting was expected, it was not unusual.
Being prepared was expected, it was not unusual.
Everyone needed to be ready even when there was a delay.
Ready for what?
Look at Matthew 25:1
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
“At that time” connects this parable to chapter 24, specifically verses 36, 42, 44.
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
The previous section is focussed on the end times – the return of Jesus. Jesus is the bridegroom. His return will happen at an unknown time. His return will be unexpected. It will take place but there is a delay. Let’s read two Scripture passages.
On the day Jesus ascended
Two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:10-11
Jesus will return at exactly the right moment. It might feel like a long delay, but it is a delay with purpose.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
2 Peter 3:8-10
So, the key question being asked by this parable is, “Are you ready to meet Jesus?” As we think about this question we are confronted with a number of spiritual truths.
Spiritual Truth 1.
Spiritual preparation and growth do not happen automatically.
We can never get to a point where … even after we have worked hard as a believer … where we think what we have done is enough. In fact, there are times when we can fool ourselves into thinking we are spiritually OK … but we are not.
You see it happening in our text.
All ten have made themselves available having been chosen to be a part of the wedding feast.
All ten are dressed in similar outfits.
All were expecting the same bridegroom.
When the bridegroom was delayed they all fell asleep.
They all had lamps.
All ten have progressed to a specific part of the journey.
The only difference was the oil. The five foolish bridesmaids had made a life choice – in their case the simple life choice of not getting extra oil – and as a result they end up being locked outside the wedding feast. They were not prepared for the delay.
We need to be prepared for the delay. How do we do this?
That brings us to Spiritual Truth 2.
Spiritual preparation and growth recognises that, just because you look right, that does not mean we are right.
The fact of the matter is that it is possible to look like a Christian, talk like a Christian, carry a Bible and desire to go to heaven like a Christian and yet ultimately be unprepared. The reason these things happen is because we can have a Christianity where we do not allow our relationship with Jesus to penetrate who we are and change the way we live.
Remember the wedding culture … there is nothing unexpected about the delay. No-one could complain about being caught off guard by unusual circumstances. It was an ordinary part of life. Yet, because it was ordinary, it actually becomes the source of the lack of preparation.
We work, we wait and we sleep.
Hospitals need to keep functioning.
Cars need to be maintained.
Babies are born and need to be fed.
Games will be played and the rivalries will continue.
We will live as families.
There will be bills.
Good days and not so good days.
We live in a time when life can make it difficult to make time for activities which will help us in our spiritual formation. There are many distractions. There are many alternatives. There is so much happening that we may not even notice the spiritual oil is missing, until it is too late.
The important point is that we don’t get caught up in the routine of the world and forget our relationship with Jesus.
Where we start going through the motions of faith – without having our heart engaged.
Where we are doing all the Christian activity, but we do it because we are afraid of what people will think if we don’t.
Where we lose sight of the main goal – and the main goal is to be ready to welcome the groom … to welcome Jesus.
You can’t just look right. Somewhere along the line one group of women forgot that their ultimate responsibility was to be prepared when the bridegroom arrived. They were doing good things, but they forgot what was most important.
That brings us to Spiritual Truth 3.
Spiritual preparation and growth is the result of intentionally building Christian disciplines into our lives.
This is how we prepare for the delay.
You cannot just depend on a Sunday morning service to provide all your spiritual needs.
You make it for the long-haul by taking time for prayer and being alone with God; reading God’s Word; acts of service to others; and loving obedience; and living as disciples.
This is how you make sure you have enough oil – the spiritual fuel of life. This is how we overcome the busy-ness of life that seeks to suck away our spiritual fuel.
I’m not saying that we will be saved because of our devotional life and spiritual formation. And it won’t be the habit of Bible reading and prayer which gets us into heaven. But what this parable is showing us is that those who are earnestly waiting for the return of the bridegroom … the bridegroom being Jesus … those who are earnestly waiting for Him will put in place certain spiritual habits which will help them be prepared no matter how long the wait happens to be.
You don’t do it because you want to be saved. You do it because you know you are saved. Knowing you are saved gives you the foundation to get through any delay in the return of Jesus.
In other words you want to make sure you have the right foundation.
That brings us to the final Spiritual Truth we will consider this morning.
When it comes to spiritual preparation and growth no-one else can do it for you.
Lets reread verses 8-9
8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘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.’
That seems a bit mean doesn’t it? Why didn’t they just share? Who would be selling oil in the middle of the night? These may be questions we ask, but that isn’t the purpose of the parable. Remember the bigger question is “Are you ready for the return of Jesus?”
… when it comes to being ready.
… when it comes to saving faith.
nobody else can do it for you.
Just because you were reared in a Christian home or you are in church with other people of faith does not necessarily mean that you have faith.
Faith does not rub off just by sitting next to someone who has a vital relationship with Christ.
You cannot “catch” faith like you catch a cold.
You cannot borrow it from your parents.
You can’t transfer preparedness.
Look at my parents.
Look at my Sunday school teacher.
Look at my church.
Look at my children.
Look at my spouse.
Just look at yourself. Are you ready?
Are you ready?
It is a question that is good to reflect on even when we have been part of a faith community for a long time. Especially as we see the dynamics of the story.
The wise and foolish bridesmaids are almost the same.
It isn’t a parable of contrasts – like the wheat and weeds; or the four very different types of soil.
It is a parable of subtle difference.
In all the organisation of the wedding very few people would have noticed before-hand that some of the bridesmaids had not packed extra oil. Even fewer people would have realised it is a problem.
Not one of the bridesmaids planned to miss the banquet.
There is nothing intentionally malicious or evil about any of their actions.
It was a matter of neglect. And, in the parable, if the groom had come a little earlier, the lack of planning would not have been noticed.
It isn’t until there is a moment of crisis that the lack of preparation is revealed.
Here is the challenge we face. Jesus is going to return and we will see him face to face.
It will happen when Jesus reveals himself in full glory.
Or it will happen when we die.
Either way … it happens once.
So how will we know if we are ready? How will we know that we have fully placed our faith in Jesus? Our readiness is revealed through a crisis.
Who we really are – in terms of where our true hope lies – is revealed in a crisis.
How well we are prepared – and out confidence in those preparations – is revealed in a crisis.
Where we turn – and the true source of our assurance – is revealed in a crisis.
If any year has been a year where we can say “we had a crisis” isn’t it this tear – 2020. which means this year is a gift of grace. Because this year has been a chance to see where our hope is … where our focus is.
Did we fix our eyes on the groom?
Did we find security in our faith?
Did we find peace in our relationship with Jesus?
Or have we discovered something else?
Have we perhaps discovered that we thought we were ok – and so we were not really putting energy and time into spiritual preparation and growth?
Have we perhaps discovered that we thought we looked right – because we were hanging out with other people that looked spiritually like us – but actually we are not right?
Have we perhaps discovered that we have relied too much on what happens at church – and the people we are with – and not enough on our personal walk with Jesus?
If that is what you have discovered – rejoice. Because this is how you keep watch.
If this is what you have discovered – come back to the foundation of your assurance.
Fix your eyes on Jesus. He has endured the cross so that you can be at the feast. You won’t know the day or the hour. But when we are prepared we can know the outcome.
The groom will arrive.
The process will start.
We will be at the banquet.
Prayer
