My Pastor (who I might add is my favorite man in the whole world), challenged me a couple of weeks ago with new insight into a passage. I love it when he does that. It is a passage that I have looked over several times since and I am convinced that many people don't truly understand it for what it is!
The passage that his sermon was preached on was Matthew 25:1-13. You may know the passage commonly referred to as the Parable of the Ten Virgins. It is a familiar parable.
In summary, there are 10 virgins who are all waiting on the bridegroom to come. He comes unexpectedly in the middle of the night and 5 virgins are unprepared for his coming and need more oil. As a result of their unpreparedness, they are left out of the wedding feast.
It may also not be a surprise to you that this bridegroom is referring to Christ and when He returns for his people!
That all makes sense to me and I've heard it time and time before, but here is the part that was new, at least in my ears - and yet makes perfect sense!
If we go back to the beginning of chapter 24 we will see that Jesus is answering His disciples with this question. The disciples want to know, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?" (vs. 3).
Jesus uses several parables in the next few chapters to explain different aspects of this question. So He is talking to the disciples and therefore talking to believers about the End Times or His Second Coming.
Now go back to chapter 25 and the 10 virgins. Those 10 virgins don't represent just anyone, they represent the Church! They represent Believers! He is talking about 10 Believers!
See all 10 Virgins were waiting on the Coming of the Bridegroom. They knew Jesus return was coming. None of them knew when and yet only 5 were prepared.
This chapter tells us very clearly that there will be those "churched people" who do not enter the Wedding Feast (Kingdom of Heaven). There are those who have grown up in the church and are still not prepared.
We can't just "play church" and expect to be taken into Glory when our Lord returns. We must be prepared!
See, we can Know that Jesus is coming back. We can Be Ready for His coming, we can even Be Watching, but if we aren't Prepared we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven! We will not join the Wedding Feast, we will be on the outside and when asked for the door to be opened. The reply will come, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you."
WOW!
Unprepared!
You might ask, how can we be prepared? Discipleship is a way of being prepared, simply seeking others for accountability, knowing the Word, Asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand and absorb His Word! Seek Him in order to be prepared!
"Jesus, help me to be prepared! I know you are coming and I am anxiously waiting. Help me to be prepared for your return!"
What a difference a year can make. Our Football Buckeyes didn't have such a great season, this year, but we are still fans! And just look how good our O-H-I-O is!
