READY OR NOT
Matthew 25:1-13
Are you ready for Christmas yet? It is hard to believe, but the big day is only a little over 5 weeks from now. This can be one of the most frantic times of the year for people. As we busily make preparations for sending Christmas Cards, buying presents, setting up the decorations in anticipation, preparing the meals, and so on, we can become overwhelmed with all that there is to do. Some of us react to this by starting early. I am always thoroughly impressed, and a bit envious, when I meet someone who has joined a Christmas Club, and they’ve already addressed their cards, and purchased most of their gifts. On the other hand I am always amazed to meet some individuals who wait until Christmas Eve to go out and try and scrounge up their gifts. The panic and disappointment they feel each year would give me an ulcer.
In the same way we prepare for Christmas, others are preparing for the return of Jesus Christ. Whether they think He’s coming back as part of the Y2K events, or later, they are busily working to make sure they are ready. But are they?
Was the Lord’s idea of readiness, stockpiling bread and water? Or did He have something entirely different in mind?
Over the last few weeks of this Millennium, we will take a look at how we can prepare ourselves for the second Advent of our Lord as we take a good look at how others prepared themselves for His first Advent.
It is impossible to study the New Testament without finding some rather startling things that Jesus said about His return. Often He spoke in parables and stories that can shake up our theological boxes. One of those stories is found in Matthew 25:1-13.
It is the story of the 10 Virgins or Attendants to the bride.
Theme: Ready or not, here He comes!
1. Outward appearances can never adequately portray what is in the heart!
Notice the similarities between the 10 attendants in this parable:
-all of them were attendants to the bride (she is not mentioned in the story – but
elsewhere in scripture the Church is the Bride of Christ. The attendants were connected to the Church.
-all of them eagerly were waiting to meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom is
symbolic of Christ. There are many people who talk about Jesus, admire Jesus, even eagerly seek Jesus.
-all became drowsy when the bridegroom delayed. The early Church eagerly
anticipated that Jesus would return in their lifetime. Many in our day
believe Jesus will return at any moment. What if He delays? It is
easy in the Christian life to become drowsy. Jesus does not condemn us
(2)
for the natural tendency to fall asleep. Both the wise and the foolish
fell asleep – the difference was in their preparation.
-all trimmed their lamps when His coming was announced. Though they may have fallen asleep for awhile – the members of the church all woke
up to His imminent return.
-all of them had lamps. The lamp was a symbol of light. They all had some light of the gospel within them. They all shone to one degree or another
in their understanding.
-all had some oil. The oil has been understood throughout the scriptures to be
a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. All of these handmaids had a
taste (as the writer of Hebrews put it) of the Holy Spirit. Their was
some light of the spirit within them.
From outward appearances – they all were ready to meet the Bridegroom, to be ushered into His wedding feast. But were they truly ready?
We cannot judge what is in the heart of another. But we must ask ourselves. What is in my heart? Am I ready? Is this Christian thing real to me, or am I just playing around with it? What will be my response when Jesus comes for me either in death or in Rapture?
Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a man he worked alongside of in a machine shop for 4 ½ years named George. George’s job was to sweep and clean out the shavings underneath the machinery. George was a believer who loved to sing the old songs of Christ’s return: “In the sweet by and by” and “When the roll is called up yonder”
Late one Friday afternoon, about 10 minutes to quitting time, Swindoll says he turned to George and asked Him: “George, are you ready?” George smiled, and said: “I sure am”. But it was obvious he wasn’t ready for the day’s work to end. He was all dirty and his uniform was covered in dirt. Chuck says he repeated the question: “Aren’t you ready to go home?” “Yeah, I’m ready.” George said. “But look at you, you’re all covered in dirt. You’re not ready, you need to go get cleaned up.” “No, sir.” George said. “I’m ready. Let me show you something.” And he unzips his overalls and underneath are the neatest, cleanest clothes you could imagine. He was ready as soon as that whistle blew to step out of those overalls and onto the street. To which he then said: “You see, I stay ready to keep from getting ready!”
Some of us are known procrastinators. When it comes to Christmas shopping, that may be OK. But when it comes to meeting Jesus, that won’t do. You have to stay ready, cause you won’t have enough time to “get ready!” You don’t know when He’s coming again!
Outward appearance won’t tell you what’s in the heart! SO . . . . .
Be prepared!
(3)
2. Preparation was the difference between the foolish and the wise!
Notice the difference between the 10 handmaids:
5 of them had more than enough oil to last no matter how long the
bridegroom delayed in coming.
The other 5 only had enough reserve to last a short while. It’s a little like the story of the seed that fell on the rocky ground. They received the news with great joy, but they weren’t able to stick it out for the long haul.
There have been a lot of different interpretations as to what is meant by the oil. Some had supposed that the difference was faith. It is true that if your faith is real, you will stick it out to the end. If not, you will fall away. Some have interpreted it as the good works that show what is in the lamp. If there is fruit, then you’ll be ready. But Jesus also said to those who claimed to do many good things in His name: “Not everyone who cries out to me Lord, Lord will enter, but only those who do the will of the Lord. And in the sermon on the mount, Jesus says to them “Depart from me, I never knew you.”
To others the oil represents the inner spiritual life of the believer. The Holy Spirit’s presence and control over the believers life. The wise virgins had the spiritual reserve to stay ready. They did not fall away, even though they may have fallen asleep for awhile.
It is difficult to know what the difference is in this parable, and we must be careful not to build theology upon parables, because they are stories meant to illustrate.
The point is that 5 were spiritually strong. The other 5 did not have the spiritual reserves to endure to the end.
Readiness does not mean idleness!
Which wife is wiser. The one who sits by the dock waiting for her husband to return from his fishing trip at sea or the one who stays at home, busily preparing the house and a nice warm meal for his return, while occasionally glancing to see if He is near yet.
Too many people in the Church are “just holding on” till Jesus comes back. The parable of the talents has much to say about that!
The great British Statesman, Oliver Cromwell, once tried to help his government during a terrible financial crises, by sending his men to search the Cathedrals of England for silver to make coins. Upon hearing the report that the only silver that remained was in the statues of the saints, he replied: “Well, we’ll melt down the saints and put them in circulation!”
(4)
A little of that needs to happen in our day and age. Will the Lord find us foolish or wise when he returns? The difference is in the oil! How’s your stash?
3. You cannot ride on anyone else’s coattails.
When the call came out – the bridegroom is near! All 10 lit their lamps to greet him, but 5 of them quickly burned out. Notice what they tried to do. You worked hard. You’re better prepared. Share some of your oil with me. To which the 5 wisely said: We can’t! You can’t get in on our oil. You must have oil of your own!
The message in this is clear:
Kids – if you think your parents faith is good enough for you – it’s not!
You must have your own faith. You must have your own spiritual fire
Within. Their must be a spiritual hunger and thirst in your
Own heart. You must burn brightly for Jesus yourself.
Husbands – if you think that your wives spiritual vitality is good enough for you then you are wrong. You can’t ride on your wife’s spiritual coattails. You must have your own vital, dynamic walk of faith.
People – if you think the pastor or the elders spiritual vitality is good enough
For you – you are wrong. Each person is responsible for God. How
Much on fire for Jesus Christ are you? How dynamic is your faith?
How much oil do you have stored up?
In 1952 Florence Chadwick attempted to swim across the Pacific Ocean from California to Catalina Island, some 26 miles off the coast. The day she set out to swim, she swam in horrible conditions. The air was so filled with fog she couldn’t see more than a few yards in front. Sharks pursued her, and had to be chased away by the boats that accompanied her. She swam valiantly, but became so cold and frustrated, thinking she had swum only about 10 miles, she QUIT. She called for the boat near by and they picked her up. But she could not cross the finish line in a boat. Her attempt failed. No one else could help her across. The sad thing is she had made it 25 ½ of the 26 miles.
I think what Jesus was trying to communicate in this parable, is for us to make certain of our own faith, our own spiritual vitality. And to watch that we don’t come up short! And the reason for that is my final point . . . .
4. There will come a time when the door will shut!
Because the foolish maidens were not prepared, and because they had to go to get the oil needed, they missed the very short window of opportunity. By the time they had returned, with or without oil, we don’t know; the door had been shut. And once it is shut, the bridegroom will not open it again.
(5)
It is appointed once for man to die, and after that comes the judgement. You can’t go back and fix it. You only get one chance.
Peter challenges us to “Make our calling and election sure!” We are to be prepared, always alert, ready! Are you ready? We don’t know the day or the hour. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. If you had to see Jesus face to face today, would you be ready? Is there oil in your lamp? Or has the wick died out?
