Week 168 - Matthew 25: 1-13 - The Parable of the 10 Bridesmaids

8/18/02

FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net

RAY RUSS - PASTOR-TEACHER

MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 168

TITLE: THE PARABLE OF THE 10 BRIDESMAIDS

TEXT: MATTHEW 25:1-13

INTRODUCTION: (1) IN THE DAYS OF CHRIST ON EARTH, A JEWISH WEDDING WAS THE MOST CELEBRATED SOCIAL EVENT, THEE EVENT ON A SOCIAL CALENDAR.

* THE REASON BEING VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN A VILLAGE OR IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OF A LARGE CITY WOULD BE INVOLVED AS A PARTICIPANT AND A GUEST.

** IT WAS A TIME OF GREAT HAPPINESS AND FESTIVITY.

*** NOW A TYPICAL JEWISH MARRIAGE WAS A THREE PART EVENT SPREAD OUT OVER MANY MONTHS.

**** STEP 1 WAS A LEGAL ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT, USUALLY ARRANGED BY THE PARENTS AND SEALED WITH THE PAYMENT OF A BRIDAL PRICE, A DOWRY.

(2) AND NORMALLY THIS ENGAGEMENT WAS ARRANGED BY THE FATHERS OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM, AND THE ENGAGEMENT AMOUNTED TO A CONTRACT OF MARRIAGE IN WHICH THE COUPLE HAD LITTLE, IF ANY INVOLVEMENT.

* AND MY RESPONSE TO STEP ONE IS LET’S BRING IT BACK, AS A FATHER I LIKE THE IDEA!

** NOW STEP 2 WAS THE BETROTHAL PERIOD, LAUNCHED BY A PUBLIC CEREMONY WHERE VOWS AND GIFTS WERE EXCHANGED IN THE PRESENCE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

*** AND BETROTHAL COULD LAST FOR AS MUCH AS A YEAR, AND DURING THAT TIME THE COUPLE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE MARRIED AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP COULD BE BROKEN ONLY BY FORMAL DIVORCE.

**** NOW DURING THIS TIME THE NEW HUSBAND WAS RESPONSIBLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE COULD MAKE A LIVELIHOOD.

***** HE ALSO USED THE BETROTHAL PERIOD TO BUILD A HOME WHERE THE COUPLE WOULD START THEIR LIVES TOGETHER.

(3) IT WAS A TIME OF TESTING AND EVEN THOUGH THE COUPLE WAS CONSIDERED MARRIED, THE PHYSICAL UNION WAS NOT CONSUMMATED. (AN ILLUSTRATION OF THAT BEING MARY & JOSEPH, READ MATTHEW 1:18&23.

* MARY & JOSEPH WERE CONSIDERED HUSBAND AND WIFE, THEY WERE BETROTHED AND HAD NOT CONSUMMATED THEIR MARRIAGE PHYSICALLY, WHICH WHEN MARY WAS FOUND TO BE PREGNANT, JOSEPH WAS GOING TO PUT HER AWAY PRIVATELY. AGAIN THEY WERE BETROTHED AND JOSEPH INITIALLY THOUGHT MARY HAD NOT BEEN FAITHFUL.

** NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, STEP 3 WAS A WEDDING BANQUET, HELD AT THE END OF THE BETROTHAL PERIOD.

*** THE BANQUET WAS USUALLY HELD AT THE BRIDE’S HOME. AND ONLY AFTER THE WEDDING BANQUET DID THE BRIDE RETURN TO HER HUSBAND’S HOUSE, AND THEN THE UNION WAS FINALLY CONSUMMATED.

**** NOW THE CEREMONY DESCRIBED IN OUR TEXT TODAY IS THE WEDDING BANQUET, THE FINAL STAGE IN THE MARRIAGE FESTIVITIES.

(4) AND AT THE START OF THE WEDDING BANQUET, THE BRIDEGROOM AND HIS GROOMSMAN WOULD GO TO THE BRIDE’S HOUSE.

* HIS ARRIVAL WAS A CEREMONIAL EVENT, HERALDED BY THE BRIDESMAIDS, WHO WOULD COME OUT TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM AND ESCORT HIM TO THE BRIDE’S HOUSE.

** HOWEVER, ON THEIR WAY, THE WHOLE WEDDING PARTY WOULD GO THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE COMMUNITY PROCLAIMING TO ALL THAT THE WEDDING FEAST WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

*** AND SUCH CEREMONIES WERE OFTEN HELD AT NIGHT; SO THE BRIDE’S ATTENDANTS CARRIED TORCHES, AND THESE TORCHES BOTH LIGHTED THE WAY AND ADDED TO THE PAGEANTRY OF THIS SPECIAL CELEBRATION.

**** NOW GET THIS! OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IF THE BRIDEGROOM WAS COMING FROM A DISTANCE, THE PRECISE TIME OF HIS ARRIVAL COULD NOT BE KNOWN IN ADVANCE.

(5) EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD KNOW THAT A WEDDING FEAST WAS IMMINENT, BUT WAITING FOR THE BRIDEGROOM COULD BE A DRAWN OUT AFFAIR.

* WHICH REMINDS US OF THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE PARABLE WE ARE GOING TO STUDY TODAY, AND THAT IS, CHRIST IS COMING!

** AND HE MAY DELAY LONGER THAN WE EXPECT, SO WE NEED TO MAKE PREPARATIONS AND STAY ALERT, EVEN IF THE HOUR SEEMS LATE.

*** FOR IN REALITY, WHEN HE DOES ARRIVE, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER DELAYS AND NO SECOND CHANCES.

**** BELOVED, TRUE READINESS FOR CHRIST’S RETURN INVOLVES NOT ONLY THE HOPE THAT HE WILL APPEAR SOON, BUT ALSO THE PATIENCE TO WAIT FAITHFULLY, WITHOUT LOSING HOPE, SO THAT NO MATTER HOW LONG HE APPEARS TO DELAY, WE REMAIN FAITHFUL, ALERT AND EXPECTANT.

(6) AS I SAID LAST SUNDAY, WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING. FOR ONE DAY JESUS WILL RETURN.

* WHICH LEADS TO OUR PARABLE TODAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO STUDY, WHICH I’VE SIMPLY TITLED, “THE PARABLE OF THE 10 BRIDESMAIDS”.

** AND IN OUR STUDY OF THIS PARABLE WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS: NO. 1 THE BRIDESMAIDS, VV. 1-5; NO. 2 THE BRIDEGROOM, VV. 6-12; AND THEN NO. 3 THE BEHAVIOR THAT SHOULD RESULT IN APPLICATION OF THIS PARABLE, V. 13.

*** AND BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER TODAY, LET’S GO TO OUR FIRST POINT TODAY BEGINNING IN V. 1, THE BRIDESMAIDS. LOOK AT MATTHEW 25:1 PLEASE.

I. THE BRIDESMAIDS, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW FIRST OF ALL THE WORD “THEN” REMINDS US THAT THIS PARABLE TIES IN WITH JESUS’ WORDS ABOUT HIS RETURN IN CHAPTER 24 AND CONNECTS US TO CHAPTER 24.

* THE THEME CONTINUES ABOUT THE RETURN OF CHRIST AND BEING READY, BEING PREPARED FOR HIS RETURN.

** IN FACT, THE KEY TO THE PARABLE THAT WE ARE STUDYING TODAY AS IN THE PREVIOUS TWO PARABLES OR ILLUSTRATIONS WE STUDIED LAST SUNDAY, LIES IN ITS OFFERING A CONTRAST, BEING PREPARED AND BEING UNPREPARED.

*** AND WE’LL SEE THAT UNFOLD IN OUR TEXT TODAY, 5 BRIDESMAIDS WERE PREPARED, 5 BRIDESMAIDS WERE UNPREPARED.

**** NOW WITH THAT CONNECTION, IT SAYS AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE ON IN V. 1, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS COMPARED, WILL BE LIKE, HAS SIMILARITY TO THE VIRGINS.

1. IN OTHER WORDS, SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM WILL BE COMPARABLE, IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE PREPAREDNESS OF TEN VIRGINS WHO SERVED AS BRIDESMAIDS AT A WEDDING.

* AND AS WITH ALL OF JESUS’ PARABLES THE MESSAGE OF THIS ONE IS SIMPLE AS IT UNFOLDS.

** IT IS MEANT TO ILLUSTRATE TRUTHS HE HAS JUST BEEN TEACHING: THAT HE IS COMING AGAIN, THAT HE WILL JUDGE SINNERS AND REWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, THAT PEOPLE MUST BE READY, AND THAT HIS COMING WILL BE UNEXPECTED.

*** AND THE CENTRAL TRUTH IS THAT ONCE HE HAS ARRIVED, THERE WILL BE NO SECOND CHANCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SALVATION WILL BE GONE FOREVER.

**** NOW A FEW MORE DETAILS AND WE’LL MOVE ON TO V. 2. THERE WERE TEN VIRGINS.

2. AND TEN WAS A NUMBER CONSIDERED BY JEWS TO BE A NUMBER OF COMPLETION.

* ACCORDING TO JOSEPHUS THE JEWISH HISTORIAN, A MINIMUM OF TEN MEN WERE REQUIRED TO CELEBRATE THE PASSOVER.

** THE SAME NUMBER WAS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH A SYNAGOGUE AND TO GIVE AN OFFICIAL WEDDING BLESSING.

*** BEYOND THAT, 10 WITNESSES WERE REQUIRED TO SEAL AN IMPORTANT CONTRACT, AS WAS THE CASE IN RUTH 4:2 AS BOAZ HAD 10 WITNESSES.

**** AND THEN 10 PERSONS WERE ALWAYS PRESENT TO WITNESS EVERY CIRCUMCISION, WHICH TO ME SEEMS BIZARRE, BUT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THEIR CULTURE AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT ACT.

3. AND MY POINT IS 10 WAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER IN JEWISH LIFE. AND ALTHOUGH 10 BRIDESMAIDS WOULD BE A HUGE WEDDING IN OUR CULTURE, IT IS LIKELY THAT A MINIMUM OF 10 WAS REQUIRED AT A JEWISH WEDDING IN THAT DAY.

* NOW IT ALSO SAYS IN V. 10 THAT THESE 10 BRIDESMAIDS WERE VIRGINS. AND THE ATTENDANTS WERE VIRGINS BECAUSE IT WAS THE CUSTOM OF THAT DAY THAT BRIDESMAIDS BE CHASTE PURE YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAD NEVER MARRIED.

** PURITY IS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE WITH A HOLY GOD.

*** NOW THESE 10 VIRGINS TOOK THEIR LAMPS AND WENT OUT TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM. AND THE GREEK WORD FOR LAMPS IS LAM-PAS WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

**** AND IT LIT. MEANS A TORCH, A LAMP OF WHICH IS FED WITH OIL. SO WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A TORCH WHICH WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THE WEDDING PARTY AND TO LIGHT THEIR WAY TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM AND THEN GO ON TO THE BRIDE’S HOUSE.

4. AND ALL THAT INFORMATION IS THE BACKGROUND FOR THIS PARABLE. NOW LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 2. NOW WE GET ANOTHER DETAIL IN V. 2 ABOUT THESE 10 BRIDESMAIDS WHICH DISTINGUISHES THEM, THE BRIDESMAIDS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS.

* 5 ARE FOOLISH AND THE GREEK WORD FOR FOOLISH IS MO-ROS FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD MORON WHICH LIT. MEANS SILLY, STUPID AND FOOLISH.

** AND IT IS NOT SO MUCH THAT THIS PERSON IS STUPID BUT IT APPEARS THE HEART AND CHARACTER LACK DISCERNMENT, THEY ARE UNWISE.

*** AND WE WILL SEE AS THE PARABLE UNFOLDS THAT THESE 5 VIRGINS ARE UNWISE BECAUSE THEY ARE UNPREPARED.

*** NOW IN CONTRAST, THE OTHER 5 VIRGINS ARE CALLED PRUDENT OR WISE, WHICH LIT. MEANS SENSIBLE, OF A SOUND MIND, THEY THINK IN A RIGHT WAY.

**** AND WE WILL SEE THAT 5 WILL BE PREPARED FOR THE COMING OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND 5 WILL NOT BE READY FOR HIS COMING, FOR LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 3. NOW THE 5 FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS TOOK THEIR TORCHES, THEIR LAMPS, BUT THEY TOOK NO OIL WITH THEM.

* MEANING WHEN THE OIL THAT WAS IN THEIR TORCH WOULD RUN OUT, THEY WOULD HAVE NO MORE OIL TO BURN THEIR TORCH AND COULD NOT GO WITH THE BRIDEGROOM, THEY DIDN’T HAVE STREETLIGHTS IN THOSE DAYS.

** THEY DID NOT PREPARE FOR THE BRIDEGROOM’S COMING PROPERLY, THEY WERE FOOLISH.

*** AND THE CONTRAST CONTINUES IN V. 4. LOOK AT V. 4 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 4. NOW THE PRUDENT OR WISE BRIDESMAIDS TOOK OIL IN FLASKS OR JARS ALONG WITH THEIR LAMPS.

* THEY WERE PREPARED. THEY HAD EXTRA FUEL FOR THE WEDDING PROCESSION, TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM AND THEN GO THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE TOWN TO GO AND GET THE BRIDE.

** THEY HAD EXTRA OIL IN CASE THE BRIDEGROOM WAS DELAYED.

*** AND THE CONTRAST IS SIMPLE HERE: THE FOOLISH DID NOT MAKE READY FOR THE DELAY POSSIBILITY WHILE THE PRUDENT THOUGHT AHEAD AND PREPARED.

**** AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? THE BRIDEGROOM WAS DELAYED. LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE.

E. READ V. 5. NOW THE STATEMENT THAT THE BRIDEGROOM WAS DELAYING REINFORCES JESUS’ TEACHING THAT HIS SECOND COMING TO EARTH WILL BE UNEXPECTED.

* AND HIS COMING WILL NOT BE DELAYED FROM THE DIVINE PERSPECTIVE BUT FROM THE HUMAN.

** THE REASON BEING, SO MUCH TIME WILL HAVE ELAPSED SINCE HIS FIRST COMING, SOME PEOPLE WILL THINK HE MUST BE DELAYING HIS COMING.

*** RAY, IT’S BEEN TWO THOUSAND YEARS, WHERE IS HE, HE MUST BE PUTTING IT OFF.

**** WELL, REMEMBER GOD’S TIME CLOCK IS DIFFERENT THAN OURS. TWO THOUSAND YEARS IS LIKE TWO DAYS TO HIM, READ II PETER 3:8. ALSO READ HEB. 10:37.

1. BUT IT APPEARS TO US AT TIMES HE IS DELAYING, AND EVEN SOME SCOFFERS EVEN SCOFF AT THAT, FOR EARLIER IN II PETER 3:3&4 IT SAYS: (READ IT).

* BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, JESUS WILL COME IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME, JUST LIKE HE DID IN HIS FIRST COMING, READ GALATIANS 4:4&5.

** SO AT THE EXACT APPOINTED TIME BY THE FATHER, JESUS WILL COME AND SET UP HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH, AGAIN PHASE II OF HIS COMING.

*** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO MATTHEW 25:5, BECAUSE THE BRIDEGROOM DID NOT COME WHEN THEY THOUGHT HE WOULD, THE BRIDESMAIDS GOT DROWSY AND FELL ASLEEP.

**** AND THE REASON FOR THAT WE’LL SEE IN V. 6 IS HE COMES BACK AT MIDNIGHT, SO THEY WERE TIRED, IT’S LATE.

1. AND I DON’T BELIEVE IN THIS CONTEXT THAT SLEEP REPRESENTS LAZINESS OR FAITHLESSNESS, FOR THE 5 PRUDENT BRIDESMAIDS WHO WERE PREPARED FOR THE BRIDEGROOM’S COMING FELL ASLEEP.

* AND AGAIN THEY WERE CALLED PRUDENT OR WISE. THEY JUST GOT TIRED IN THEIR ACTIVITY OF PREPARING AND IT WAS LATE AND THEY ALL FELL ASLEEP.

** FOR YOU SEE NO ONE KNOWS WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM WILL APPEAR. AND IN V. 6, THE BRIDEGROOM WILL APPEAR, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE BRIDEGROOM. LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

II. THE BRIDEGROOM, (READ V. 6)

A. NOW I DON’T BELIEVE THE TERM “MIDNIGHT” HAS ANY ESCHATOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE BUT SIMPLY CONVEYS THE UNEXPECTED HOUR OF THE EVENT.

* AND HOW UNUSUAL IT WOULD BE TO BEGIN A WEDDING PROCESSIONAL AT MIDNIGHT WHICH WOULD LEAD TO THE WEDDING BANQUET.

** BUT THIS HOUR DRAMATICALLY EMPHASIZED WHAT JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 24:44, WHICH WAS, (READ IT).

*** AND BELOVED, CHRIST’S COMING WILL NOT BE AT A CONVENIENT OR LOGICAL TIME, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN BUT THE FATHER.

*** SO TO MAKE CHARTS AND DIAGRAMS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHEN HE WILL COME IS A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY.

1. WE NEED TO PUT OUR TIME AND ENERGY IN SERVING HIM TILL HE COMES.

* NOW AS WE GO BACK TO V. 6, THERE WAS A SHOUT WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM RETURNED, AND WERE CALLED TO COME OUT AND MEET HIM.

** AND IT DOESN’T SAY WHO SHOUTS. THE SHOUT WAS PROBABLY ANNOUNCED BY A PUBLIC CRIER, A HERALD WHO MADE THESE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS.

*** AND LET ME PAUSE AND SAY SOME TRY TO GET TOO MUCH OUT OF PARABLES AND ALLEGORIZE EVERYTHING. ILLUST – THE OIL, I THESS. 4:16, AND THE BRIDE – THE CHURCH, BUT THE BRIDE IS NOT TALKED ABOUT IN THE TEXT ONCE.

**** SO REMEMBER PARABLES ARE SIMPLE ILLUSTRATIONS, AND IN MOST CASES CONVEY JUST ONE CENTRAL LESSON. PARABLES ARE NOT ALLEGORIES WHERE EVERY FEATURE HAS SOME SYMBOLIC OR MYSTICAL MEANING.

2. NORMALLY ONE MAIN POINT LIES IN THE PRECEPT TAUGHT BY THE PARABLE, NOT IN THE SECONDARY DETAILS.

* AND THE ONE MAIN POINT WILL BE EXPOSED IN V. 13 IN APPLICATION. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 7. NOW AS SOON AS THE BRIDEGROOM’S PRESENCE WAS ANNOUNCED, ALL THE BRIDESMAIDS ROSE AND TRIMMED THEIR LAMPS.

* AND TRIMMING THE LAMPS OR TORCHES, PROBABLY AMOUNTED TO CUTTING OFF ANY RAGGED EDGES OF THE CLOTH AND THEN SATURATING IT WITH OIL TO MAKE IT READY FOR LIGHTING.

** AND AT THAT MOMENT THE FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS REALIZED THEIR PREDICAMENT: THEY HAD NO OIL. LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 8. NOW HERE AGAIN THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS WAS EVIDENT. THE FOOLISH, HAVING ALREADY USED THE OIL IN THEIR LAMPS, DID NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT NOW, SINCE THERE WAS A DELAY.

* SO THEY GO TO THE PRUDENT BRIDESMAIDS AND ASK THEM FOR SOME OF THEIR OIL, FOR THEIR LAMPS WERE GOING OUT.

** AND THE RESPONSE OF THE WISE BRIDESMAIDS TO THEM IS GIVEN IN V. 9. LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 9. NOW THE REQUEST OF THE FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS WAS UNREASONABLE, AND THE WISE PRUDENT BRIDESMAIDS ANSWER NO TO THEIR REQUEST.

* THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH OIL TO GO AROUND AND THIS WAS NOT SELFISHNESS, BUT RATHER THE REALIZATION THAT IF THEY SHARED THEIR OIL, THEN ALL THE TORCHES WOULD BURN LOW AND THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH LIGHT FOR THE WEDDING PROCESSION. THEY WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE WEDDING PROCESSION OFF!

** IT WAS TOO LATE FOR HELP FROM THEM SO THEY ENCOURAGED THEM TO GO TO THE OIL DEALERS AND BUY SOME.

*** NOW IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT AT MIDNIGHT TO BUY OIL, BUT APPARENTLY THE HOPE WAS THEY COULD WAKE UP A MERCHANT AND BUY SOME OIL.

**** SO THEY GO TO BUY SOME OIL, BUT SOMETHING HAPPENS AFTER THEY LEAVE, LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

E. READ V. 10. NOW THE BRIDEGROOM ACTUALLY COMES BACK WHILE THE FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS ARE LOOKING FOR OIL.

* NOW IN V. 6 THE SHOUT WAS MADE THAT THE BRIDEGROOM WAS COMING, WHICH WAS PROBABLY THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE WAS NEAR, THEY COULD SEE HIM, HE WASN’T THAT FAR AWAY.

** BUT NOW HE ARRIVES, AND WAS APPARENTLY UNWILLING TO DELAY THE WEDDING ANY LONGER JUST TO ACCOMMODATE FIVE FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS.

*** SO THEY TAKE THE BRIDESMAIDS WHO WERE READY, PREPARED FOR HIS COMING AND THEY GO TO THE WEDDING FEAST, THE WEDDING BANQUET.

**** SO THE WEDDING PROCESSIONAL TAKES PLACE FOR THE PREPARED, THEY PICK UP THE BRIDE, THEY GO TO THE WEDDING FEAST AND WHEN IT BEGINS THE DOOR WAS SHUT.

- ONLY THOSE PREPARED WERE ALLOWED IN FOR THE CELEBRATION.

1. AND WHAT FOLLOWS IN VV. 11&12 IS TERRIFYING, IT IS TRAGIC. LOOK AT V. 11 TO BEGIN WITH.

F. READ V. 11. NOW WHEN THE FOOLISH VIRGINS RETURNED FROM THEIR SEARCH FOR OIL, THEY SAY, “LORD, LORD, OPEN UP FOR US.”

* AND LORD, LORD, CAN BE TRANSLATED, SIR, SIR, AS IT IS IN THE NIV, FOR THE GREEK WORD CAN BE USED AS A TITLE OF RESPECT AND ACTUALLY A TITLE FOR JESUS BEING LORD AND MASTER, SOVEREIGN.

** BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE BRIDEGROOM WAS NOT AT THE DOOR, FOR NORMALLY THE BRIDEGROOM WOULD NOT BE THE DOORKEEPER AT HIS WEDDING BANQUET, AND THIS THOUGHT APPEARS TO BE STRENGTHENED IN V. 12 BY WHAT THE DOORKEEPER SAYS. LOOK AT V. 12 PLEASE.

G. READ V. 12. NOW IF THE DOORKEEPER WERE THE BRIDEGROOM, CERTAINLY HE WOULD NOT HAVE SAID, “I DON’T KNOW YOU.”

* FOR CERTAINLY HE KNEW WHO WAS IN HIS WEDDING PARTY. AND IF HE DIDN’T KNOW THEM WELL, CERTAINLY HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THEM.

** BUT THE PERSON AT THE DOOR SAYS, I DO NOT KNOW YOU. WHAT TRAGIC WORDS, TERRIFYING TORMENTING WORDS.

*** FOR THESE 5 FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE WEDDING BANQUET, THE WEDDING CELEBRATION.

**** AND OBVIOUSLY OUR THOUGHTS ARE DRAWN TO MATTHEW 7:21-23 WHICH SAYS: (READ THEM).

1. NOW THESE ARE SOME OF THOSE MOST TERRIFYING VERSES IN SCRIPTURE, AND NATURALLY I DON’T THINK THEY FIT INTO THE CONTEXT OF MATTHEW 25:11&12, BUT I AM BRINGING THEM UP FOR APPLICATION, TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF THE PATHOS HERE.

* WHICH LEADS US TO THE MEANING OF THIS PARABLE THAT JESUS GIVES IN V. 13, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH BEHAVIOR EXPECTED IN LIGHT OF HIS COMING. LOOK AT V. 13 PLEASE, THE BEHAVIOR.

III. THE BEHAVIOR, (READ V. 13)

A. NOW FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, JESUS CALLS ON THOSE WHO WILL BE ALIVE DURING THE LAST DAYS CONTEXTUALLY OF THE TRIBULATION TO BE ON ALERT.

* THE OTHER 4 TIMES ARE FOUND IN MATTHEW 24:36, 42, 44 AND 50.

** SO AGAIN THERE IS A CALL TO ALERTNESS, TO WATCH, TO GIVE STRICT ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT JESUS IS RETURNING AT AN HOUR WHEN WE DO NOT THINK HE WILL.

*** AND WE ARE REMINDED AGAIN, WE DO NOT KNOW THE DAY OR THE HOUR WHEN HE WILL RETURN, NO ONE KNOWS THE EXACT TIME, SO BE READY, WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO AN APPLICATION AS WE FINISH THIS TEXT TODAY: (1) AND THAT IS THE FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS IN THIS PARABLE EPITOMIZE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE CAUGHT UNAWARES BY THE JUDGMENT THAT WILL DESTROY THEM.

* AND NO DOUBT THESE 5 FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS THOUGHT THEY WERE READY FOR THE WEDDING MARCH AND FEAST.

** BUT WHEN IT CAME RIGHT DOWN TO IT THEY WERE NOT.

*** AND THE FOOLISH VIRGINS APPEAR TO REPRESENT PEOPLE WHO PROFESS FAITH IN CHRIST BUT ARE NOT REALLY PREPARED.

**** THE APPLICATION I MAKE TODAY IS TO GIVE EVERYONE A WARNING ABOUT PROFESSIONS OF FAITH WITH NO ENDURING FRUIT.

(2) TO THOSE WHO THINK ARE READY AND ARE NOT WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO IT.

* ALBERT BARNES IN HIS COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW MADE THIS STATEMENT ABOUT OUR TEXT AND I QUOTE, “THE CONDUCT OF THOSE WHO WERE WISE REFERS TO THOSE WHO ARE PREPARED FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST – PREPARED BY POSSESSING REAL PIETY, AND NOT MERELY HIS PROFESSED FOLLOWERS.

** THE CONDUCT OF THOSE WITHOUT OIL EXPRESSES THE CONDUCT OF THOSE WHO PROFESS TO LOVE HIM, BUT ARE DESTITUTE OF TRUE GRACE AND ARE THEREFORE UNPREPARED TO MEET HIM.”

*** AND I ASK IN LIGHT OF THAT QUOTE TO CONSIDER II COR. 13:5 (READ IT).

**** WHAT FRUITS ARE THERE IN YOUR LIFE THAT POINT TO YOU BEING IN CHRIST? IS THERE PERSEVERANCE? ARE THERE WORKS? IS THERE A DESIRE TO BE OBEDIENT? IS THERE A DESIRE TO SERVE? TO BE IN THE WORD? DO YOU CARE AT ALL ABOUT THE LOST? IS THERE CONVICTION OF SIN?

(3) FOLKS, ARE YOU PREPARED TODAY? DON’T TRUST IN A PAST PROFESSION, BUT A PRESENT RIGHTEOUSNESS, OR A PRESENT DESIRE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. ARE YOU PREPARED? EXAMINE YOURSELF TODAY? (LET’S PRAY)