Don’t Fool Yourself

Matthew 25:1-13

Don’t Fool Yourself

Main idea: The bible doesn’t speak highly of foolishness and in the parable of the ten virgins Jesus tells a frightening story about living an unprepared and foolish life. We must not fool ourselves into thinking that everything will just magically turn out the way we want it to. We’ve got to take responsibility and action insofar as it depends on us, to do what is right and to remain vigilant in our faith.

Prayer: “Lord, thank you for being faithful to your promise, faithful to return for your church. Give us the strength, energy and wisdom to stay awake and ready for your return.”

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13, Revelation 11:15-19, Matthew 26:36-41

Matthew 25:1–13 NKJV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Introduction

Raise your hand if you’ve ever acted foolishly. (There shouldn’t be anyone without a hand raised) Okay, I just wanted to make sure I was in good company here today before getting too far into our teaching. I’m sure we could all swap stories of foolish decisions, agreements, or predicaments we’ve gotten ourselves into, and we’d probably have a great time commiserating with one another.

Another one for you - raise your hand if you’ve ever found yourself completely unprepared for a trip, event, outing, etc… (Again, there probably shouldn’t be too many folks who don’t have their hands raised)... Okay good, I’m in the right place. I’m with the right people today… The truth is, we’re an odd mix of foolish unprepared people aren’t we? We live so much of our lives with little to no prior planning and we hold this expectation that things should just work out the right way for us.

By God’s great mercy, things do work out most of the time, and there is grace for the things we miss… But as we’ll see from our reading today, there are some things worth preparing for. There are some events that you absolutely don’t want to miss out on. And the Parable of the Ten Virgins from Matthew 25 is an amazing place to learn the importance of living wise, prepared, and ready as we await the return of Jesus and the establishment of His kingdom.

Main Teaching

Read Matthew 25:1-13

When you hear this passage read as a whole, what stands out to you? What words or ideas seem to stick out more than others… I’m struck by the five who didn’t prepare properly for the evening. I’m left with more questions, “Why didn’t they just bring extra oil?” “Why weren’t they ready?” “Haven’t they been waiting for this specific opportunity for quite some time… only for it to pass by so easily?” I feel sorry for them, and I also want a better understanding of what Jesus is trying to teach us through this parable.

The first 5 verses set the scene, and highlight the importance of being “ready.” It’s wisdom that helps five of the ladies experience success, and foolishness that leads the other five to be locked out of the wedding banquet.

Be Ready

Matthew 25:1–5 “1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.”

Living a wise and/or foolish life is something the bible has quite a bit to say about. The book of Proverbs, specifically, is where you can find a healthy dose of teaching on the subjects of wisdom and foolishness. As it pertains to our passage, Proverbs 1:7 comes to mind; “fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 1:7 NKJV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I have to imagine, as I mentioned earlier, that there had been extensive training and preparation for this specific night… The virgins would’ve known what they needed to do and how they needed to do it. We’re left with a picture of 5 ladies who, in their foolishness, we’re simply unprepared for the delay of the groom.

We can relate can’t we? Maybe not owning a lamp and needing oil, but to having events in our lives that require preparation. In addition to that, we all know how bad it feels to be in a situation where you realize that you aren’t adequately prepared.

The point to all this, and one of the main points that Jesus is making throughout this parable, is that we must be ready… Specifically, there will be a “wedding banquet” when Jesus returns for His bride, the Church, and you wouldn’t want to miss it.

You wouldn’t want, because of your own foolish lack of preparation, to miss out on one of the most important events in human history… Especially when the consequences have eternal implications. We have been given warning, we have been trained and taught on how to be prepared but it really gets down to are we willing to do the work and be ready!

If the weather forecast says a hurricane is coming tomorrow what do folks do: they cover windows, secure objects and head out of the path of destruction. This makes perfect sense. HOWEVER WHEN THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US TO PREPARE, TO ENTER INTO A GENUINE RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST WE DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND BEHAVE AS FOOLS KNOWING THE TRUTH BUT NOT ACCEPTING IT!

Consequences of being unprepared

Matthew 25:6–10 NKJV

6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

The middle section of our parable, verses 6-10, show us an anxiety riddled picture of 5 ladies frantically trying to right their wrongs at the very last minute. Again, it’s a scene that many of us can identify with and have sympathy for. It’s a horrible feeling to be running around at the last minute trying to get ready… All the while you’re muttering to yourself, “I should’ve packed for this trip days ago… Why didn’t I order those parts when I was thinking about it… Etc. Etc. Etc…”

So, instead of having oil for their lamps, ready to meet the bridge groom, five of the ladies have to go in search of someone who might sell them some oil at midnight. It’s not an optimal scene by any means.

Some interpreters of this passage see the lamp oil as representing the Holy Spirit, the bridegroom as representing Jesus, and the closed door of verse ten as a picture of the end… When there’s no longer time to enter the wedding feast. If this is the picture that Jesus originally intended, then the stakes of our parable couldn’t be higher. There’s no room for foolish thinking when you’re dabbling with eternal salvation. When the time is up, the time is up…

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 NKJV

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

The book of revelation describes this moment;

Read Revelation 11:15-19

Revelation 11:15–19 NKJV

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” 19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

This doesn’t sound like anything we would want to mess with… Lightning, thunder, earthquakes… The end of time isn’t worth fooling around with. For some of us in the room today, it’s time to lay aside foolishness and start living with some wisdom and urgency fulfilling the purpose Christ has called us too!

Live with urgency

Matthew 25:10–13 NKJV

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

What are some of the specific events in your life that require your urgency? Why do those events get elevated over others? Are any of those things MORE important than eternal salvation?

The call of salvation is now: Revelation 3:20

Revelation 3:20 NKJV

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

As I’ve already mentioned, the ladies in our story had probably been thinking about this moment for a long time. It’s sad that 5 of them were held outside the wedding banquet, but then again, they weren’t ready. After finding some oil and returning they asked to be let in, and they’re told, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.” The doorman, or possibly the “Lord” referenced, claims that the ladies are unknown, unable to enter the room.

Depart from me I never knew you!

Matthew 7:23 NKJV

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

What a painful scene, as we can imagine how they must’ve felt. We can imagine their disappointment and self-talk… But it still begs the question, “Why weren’t they prepared? Why weren’t they operating with a higher level of urgency that would’ve matched the event they were waiting for?

This parable is amazing, because I can ask the same questions of us. Why aren’t WE OPERATING with a higher level of urgency when it comes to things pertaining to our eternal salvation? Think again about the things in your life that feel urgent… Are any of those things more important than where you’ll spend eternity?

Similar to the ten virgins in our story, we know the event that’s going to happen. We know, as it says in Revelation 11, that there will be a final judgment. That Jesus will return for His church. So again, I ask, “What’s more important than these events?” If you’re not “right with God,” or you’ve been wandering off the path, today is as good of a day as any to find your way back to Him… To seek forgiveness, reconciliation, and redemption.

It’s all about a personal relationship- being changed by the blood of Jesus Christ and filled with His Spirit and living a life of service to Him!

And let me say this… There’s no shame in admitting that you’ve been distracted by other things and living without the appropriate level of urgency. At the end of Jesus’ life, in the garden of Gethsemane, we get a scene that speaks to this…

Read Matthew 26:36-41

Matthew 26:36–41 NKJV

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Peter fell asleep, three times total did Jesus find him asleep in this passage, even after having asked him directly to stay awake with him… But it’s what Jesus says there at the very end that captivates me… “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Jesus knows how frail and weak we can be. He knows we have limitations, sin, and brokenness to contend with… But that’s why we need this message and this parable all the more. We need to be reminded to stay awake and ready. We need to live with urgency and be prepared for whatever may come.

As Jesus says in Matthew 25:13

Matthew 25:13 NKJV

13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Conclusion

We simply don’t know when the time will come and the door will be closed. For this reason, we prepare ourselves, we repent and seek forgiveness, and we do all we can to live at peace with everyone. These are the actions of wisdom. It’s foolishness that believes everything will just magically turn out the way we want it to in the end. We’ve got to take responsibility and action insofar as it depends on us, to do what is right and to remain vigilant in the faith.

With that in mind, I leave you with this; It’s one thing to lie to others, it’s another thing to lie to yourself… Spend some time this week thinking about eternity. Re-read our passage and add to it Revelation 11:15-19 and Matthew 26:36-41… These passages help round out a teaching on living ready, awake, and prepared.

Are you ready?

Are you living with urgency?

Are you right with the Lord?

This is what really matters… Don’t get stuck on the other side of the wedding banquet.