Introduction

Good morning, everyone! It's a joy to be with you all today. I'm so glad to see each and every one of you here. We're here to chat about something that is not only important but also deeply personal. It's about being ready, being prepared, and most importantly, about being awake.

Before we start, I want to share some wise words from the renowned Christian author, A.W. Tozer. He once said, "God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity we plan only the things we can do by ourselves." That's what we're going to focus on today: the impossible things that God can do, and our role in preparing for those things.

Let's take a look at the scripture we're going to be talking about today. It's from Matthew 25:1-13.

Now, let's bow our heads for a moment of prayer.

Dear God, we thank You for this day. We thank You for the opportunity to gather together in Your name. As we discuss Your word today, we ask that You open our hearts and minds. Help us to understand the lessons You want us to learn. Guide us to be always ready and prepared for Your return. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

In the heart of this parable, we find a group of ten virgins. They are all waiting for the bridegroom, but their approach to this waiting period is what sets them apart. Five of them are wise, and five are foolish. The wise ones brought extra oil for their lamps, while the foolish ones did not. This simple act of preparation, or lack thereof, is what distinguishes the wise from the foolish.

Now, let's think about these lamps and the oil. The lamps can be seen as our faith, the light that guides us in our spiritual journey. The oil, on the other hand, can be seen as the spiritual nourishment that keeps our faith burning bright. Without this oil, our lamps, our faith, can easily burn out.

The wise virgins understood this. They knew that waiting for the bridegroom might take longer than expected. They knew that their lamps would need extra oil to keep burning. So, they came prepared. They brought extra oil. They were ready for the long haul.

On the other hand, the foolish virgins were short-sighted. They brought their lamps, but they didn't bring any extra oil. They were not prepared for the long wait. They were not ready for the unexpected. When the bridegroom was delayed, their lamps started to go out.

This brings us to the first sub-point. The importance of preparation. The wise virgins were prepared. They had extra oil. They were ready for the unexpected. This is a lesson for us. We need to be prepared. We need to have that extra oil. We need to be ready for the unexpected. We don't know when the bridegroom, Jesus, will return. But we need to be ready. We need to keep our lamps burning.

The second sub-point is about the consequences of unpreparedness. The foolish virgins were not prepared. When their lamps started to go out, they asked the wise virgins for some of their oil. But the wise virgins couldn't share their oil. There wasn't enough for everyone. The foolish virgins had to go and buy more oil. But while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived. The door was shut. The foolish virgins were left outside.

This is a sobering reminder for us. There are consequences for being unprepared. If we're not ready when Jesus returns, we might find ourselves left outside, just like the foolish virgins.

The third sub-point is about the importance of personal responsibility. Each virgin was responsible for her own lamp. The wise virgins couldn't share their oil with the foolish ones. Each of us is responsible for our own faith. We can't rely on others to keep our lamps burning. We need to take personal responsibility for our spiritual nourishment.

The final sub-point is about the urgency of the message. The bridegroom can come at any moment. We don't know the day or the hour. But we need to be ready. We need to be prepared. We need to keep our lamps burning. This is an urgent message for all of us.

Preparation for the Second Coming

As we reflect on the story of the ten virgins, we are drawn to the stark contrast between the wise and the foolish ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO