Bible Study - Return (6) - Stay Prepared and Ready - Matthew 25:1-13 - May 29, 2022

 

Bible Study – Return (6) – Stay Prepared and Ready – May 29, 2022

This is our sixth and final lesson in our series entitled, “CHRIST’S Return: Living with the end in Mind.”

Our focus scripture is Matthew 25:1-13

Grow in CHRIST as you wait for HIS return.

JESUS’ message to HIS disciples then and to us today is to stay alert, stay ready, work while the light of the Gospel shines, be filled, stay filled and do not compromise your stand with the Holy Spirit. Make sure you embrace what sustains, which is the genuine Holy Spirit and not some false feelings that the world gives to make you feel good. Let’s explore!

JESUS gave those who seek the truth a message in the Parable of Ten Virgins.

A wedding was a very big event in JESUS’ day, as well as today. It was and is a festive occasion which takes much planning and preparation. GOD considered a wedding to be a once in a lifetime event.

The return of JESUS to earth is a once in eternity event for which we are either prepared or not. JESUS told HIS disciples a parable about ten virgins. All ten ladies were virgins and all qualified to wait upon the coming of the groom.

Let’s explore!

Let’s read Matthew 25:1-5:

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins^[a] who took their lamps^[b] and went out to meet the groom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; ⁴ but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. ⁵ When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At that time the Kingdom of Heaven means the Kingdom of GOD will be like ten virgins. “At that time, “that is whenever the FATHER tells JESUS to return. What will it be like? There will be people who appear to be ready and those who are ready for the second coming. It will be like the wedding of all weddings because JESUS, the Groom, is on HIS way. There is a delay. What can cause a delay?

The spirit world is active and attempts to control the physical world but GOD is in charge.

We read in Daniel 10:10-14:

¹⁰ Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. ¹¹ He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.^[f] Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

¹² “Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. ¹³ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, for the vision refers to those days.”

We learn in Daniel that there are things going on in the heavenly realm that causes a delay in earthly plans. Thus, the delay of the bridegroom is very appropriate, however when GOD gives the nod to JESUS to return to earth there will be no delay. GOD’S timing will be perfect and at HIS choosing. That is why we must be wise Spirit-born people. The second coming is when JESUS, the Groom, takes HIS bride, the Church, and makes the marriage official at the Marriage supper of the LAMB. This is the instant when those who have been born-again will be taken up with JESUS into Heaven and the door will be shut!

By including the reference to Daniel, I do NOT mean to suggest that Satan can interfere with the timing of CHRIST’S return. Only GOD is in control of that event.

Ephesians 5:25-27 says, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

As a male chauvinist, it is hard for me to think of me being a bride until I discovered that we call a ship, her, and a ship carries both males and females. So as Spirit-born people, we are carried on the arms of JESUS as HIS and collectively, male and female, called the Church/Her. It is the true church not made with hands but the true Spiritual Church. In Hebrews 9:11, we read:

¹¹ But Christ came as High Priest of the good things ^[a]to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

As Spirit-born people, GOD’S Word washes and cleanse’s as it reaches deep into our hearts and minds. We are renewed as we learn more about JESUS and HIS calling for each of us to serve as HE directs our lives.

What do we read in GOD’S Word in Hebrews 4:12?

¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Back to JESUS’ parable - They are all virgins. Likely in their teens and qualified to be chosen as a bridesmaid. They had the proper credentials and equipment. They all had their lamps or touches. They all went to sleep. It likely had been a long day and they were tired. Human nature took over and they went to sleep which was no problem. What was a problem for some of the bridesmaids??

Then there was a mid-night cry, ------

Let’s read Matthew 25:6-9:

⁶ “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’

⁷ “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’

In the middle of the night, the mid-night cry was made - The Groom has arrived!!! He was delayed but he has arrived. All the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish virgins quickly discovered that their lamps/touches did not have enough oil for them to complete their role as bridesmaids, which was to light the path for the groom and his bride. Oops!!! So, the foolish virgins asked the wise virgins to give them some of their oil. If the wise virgins had shared their oil, they would not have accomplished their commitment, so, the wise virgins said no, go buy oil from those who sell oil.

No person can get to Heaven riding on someone else’s coat tail. Every person is accountable to GOD through faith in JESUS. Faith in JESUS means you have an invitation to the Marriage Supper of the LAMB.

What is the oil? It is olive oil and represents the Holy Spirit. So why didn’t the foolish virgins have an adequate supply? We can only speculate. JESUS said they were foolish or unwise. Why were they unwise? The Holy Spirit gives a person added depth and dimension in life. The Holy Spirit knows the heart and thoughts of GOD. Had the unwise decided not to be filled by the Holy Spirit because they were embarrassed, they would be tagged as a Holy Roller? Being a Spirit filled Christian was not hip or it meant you could not do all the cool things some of their friends were doing. The list goes on ---

So, what happened? The foolish/unwise virgins ran quickly to buy some oil for their lamps or torches. They knew where to go to purchase the oil but the Groom was on his way. The Groom was late and in a hurry.

Typically, in JESUS’ day, after about a year’s betrothal, the groom went to the bride’s home to bring her to his home for a seven-day feast. A wedding party accompanied the groom and escorted the couple from her home to the bridegroom’s home.

Part of the responsibility of the bridesmaids was to light the path for the outdoor processional. The lamps were torches which consisted of a long pole with cloth wrapped over and around the end of the pole. The cloth had been soaked in olive oil and ignited. Since an evening ceremony was in the evening, the bridesmaids needed to carry extra oil for their torches or lamps. I like to think they had lamps.

It was a big deal for the bridesmaids to light the path for the Groom and His Bride. But half of the bridesmaids, who were about to run out of olive oil, needed to keep their torches/lamps burning. They may have thought they knew the bridegroom as a very punctual person and everything would run as planned. Except, it did not and the bridegroom was delayed. Satan will do all he can to prevent JESUS from coming to earth but Satan has been defeated and JESUS will arrive and gather all born-again Children and take them to Heaven and shut the door!!!

We find scripture in Proverbs 3:5-6:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall ^[b]direct your paths.

When we depend upon our own knowledge, we get into trouble. Wisdom is knowledge applied to GOD’S plan. Trust in what our LORD reveals to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. If you have never relied upon the Holy Spirit, you will be amazed as you look to HIM to lead and guide you along the paths of life.

As a Spirit-born person you already have the Holy Spirit within you. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit and you are sealed. If you are not sure, pray and ask GOD to reveal to you what you need to do to know you are filled with the Holy Spirit. What HE reveals may be simple or you may have to confess some sin of commission or omission.

The key is FATHER, my desire is to be your man or woman. I trust JESUS as my Savior and know that HIS shed blood cleanses me from all of my sins, past, present and future. As a result of being Spirit-born by the Holy Spirit, the Passion of JESUS has opened the path to YOU FATHER. My desire is to serve YOU as led and guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Amen.

Salvation and serving our LORD is never about saying the right words but the attitude of our hearts. Remember GOD placed HIS message of salvation in jars of clay. HE is the potter and we are the clay. Our part is to be available and trust the potter to make us and mold us into the image HE desires. WOW!!! YES!!!

FATHER, we do not know the day or the hour when YOU will give the nod to JESUS to return but may we be found faithfully serving YOU when JESUS returns. Keep us filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit and faithfully reminding others to always carry plenty of oil as they minister and for them not to lean upon their own understanding. Keep your eyes fixed upon JESUS and respond as HE gives you opportunity.

The unwise virgins had to leave the wedding party to purchase more oil.

Let’s read Matthew 25:10-13:

¹⁰ “When they had gone to buy some (oil), the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’

¹² “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you; I don’t know you!’

¹³ “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.^[c]

The bridegroom gathered his bride and returned to his parent’s home where the wedding banquet was prepared. To delay meant the food would get cold and the festivities would be delayed. Timing is vital and when it is time, it is time. When the groom arrived all who were present went into the house with him to the wedding banquet and the door was shut!!!

The five foolish/unwise virgins arrived after the door was shut. They had their oil but sorry they were late. They were on the outside looking in. JESUS’ message is be alert, stay alert and be ready because you do not know when the final bell will toll and GOD shuts the door. Stay alert and filled with the Holy Spirit and work while there is still daylight because the harvest is bountiful. To GOD be the Glory.

Blessings!!!