Parable of the Ten Virgins

Ten Virgins

Thank you for prayers this week—mom and Emersyn are doing well. While you guys were crashing from summer camp, Lexy was laboring. We had a very eventful birth but the Lord was gracious.

I told Brian this already but he was talking at camp about how the Lord lays the songs out often in the right order at the right time and we would end with a song that fit the message.

I have a confession—a couple weeks ago when I was working on the slides for camp I was a little bummed we weren’t singing You’ve Already Won until the very last song—its my favorite and I was bummed.

But the Lord had it there for a purpose—if you know me at all you know I’m singing all the time when I’m walking around or whatever, and its often when I most recently heard.

At one point during labor there was a very serious complication and medical staff was descending in our room, people were everywhere and people were yelling at each other and it was totally overwhelming—I had no idea what to do so I just started singing…

I don’t know what your doing, but I know what you’ve done, I’m fighting a battle you’ve already won.

When the sea is raging, your spirit is my help, he’ll fix my eyes on Jesus Christ, and I’ll say that it is well. O I know that is is well.

I know how the story ends, we will be with you again. You’re my Savior, my defense, no more fear in life and death. I know how the story ends.

I was holding Lexy and singing that song as the medical staff tried to get Emree to breath.

The Lord was so gracious and she is alive and healthy and has aced all tests and checks since then.

And we had some really great conversations with some medical staff later—they asked, what were you singing? Do you go to church somewhere, etc.

We have covered four parables so far, what two have we covered?

The parable of the sower

The parable of Pharisee and the tax collector

The parable of the talents

The parable of the rich fool

What was the main point or idea of the sower? What did that communicate?

The same seed is cast out and lands on different soils yielding different results. The thorns, rocks, path, etc prevent true growth. While the good soil produces good fruit. The soil was representative of what? The heart. The gospel goes out and is received differently but the gospel is the same, God prepares the heart of those who are called to receive it and provide growth.

What was the main point or idea of the pharisee and the tax collector?

How are we made right before God. We seek acceptance from others and from God based on degrees or respect or actions and yet we are made right through the blood of Jesus.

He looked and trusted in God for his acceptance and justification, not in what he had done.

What was the main point of the talents?

Each of the servants were given talents and expected to steward them and use them—some did while one buried it. You don’t know when the master is returning so be alert and ready.

What was the main point of the rich fool?

Laying up treasures on earth will not last and you find no favor in God. What you do for Christ because of His work in your life is what will last.

“Only one life, twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

When you are preparing to go on a camping trip, what are some things you prepare to bring?

When you are preparing to go to the beach, what are some things you prepare?

This one is a little more for the adults—when you preparing for a wedding, lets say your wedding, what are some things you prepare?

In each of these things there is planning and preparation that goes into it—you don’t just hop in a car and drive to the middle of the woods and hope you make it through the weekend.

This morning we are going to dive into another parable. This one is part of a series of 3 parables that all have to do with the return of Jesus. We have already covered the parable of the talents and this one is actually right before it.

James Montgomery Boice says these three parables are all chained together and have 3 themes with them:

Christ return is sudden & unexpected

The Lord’s return results in unalterable division between two groups of people.

People who are lost are utterly surprised at their rejection

Turn with me to Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:1–13 ESV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose 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, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

At the onset I want to be clear that I believe this parable is not as allegorical as some of the other ones, not every part of this parable has a specific meaning or significance. Rather the entire story serves a purpose to communicating a truth in a way that would be relatable and understandable by the Jews.

This story begins with three main components or characters which are what?

Ten virgins

Bridegroom

Lamps

The ten virgins were divided into two groups: foolish and wise.

There is a wedding going on. The Jewish wedding was a long event, there was the engagement, then the betrothal, and then the wedding feast.

The betrothal could last for up to a year and would end with a feast that could last for days in which everyone would gather and celebrate the new union of man and wife.

The virgins are bridesmaids who are a part of the wedding and would be at the feast.

In the meantime people would be waiting for feast to begin. You sort of alter your life some but you still try and do life. One commentator compared this to waiting for a baby.

As you get closer to the due date, you keep doing the things you need to do, you go to camp and hang out with all you all week.

But what are some things you don’t do? Go on big trips, make big plans, turn your phone off, etc. You are ready but still going on as normal in many ways.

The bridesmaids were waiting for the groom to arrive and the feast to begin.

While 5 were foolish and 5 were wise, they are similar in many ways. What are some similarities between the two do you see?

Brought lamps, got drowsy, etc.

Let me thread this together with some application as Boice points out:

All were invited to the banquet

All had responded positively to the wedding invite (They all were planning on going)

All were part of what we would call the visible church

All had some affection and even love for the bridegroom

All confessed Jesus as their Lord “Lord, Lord” in verse 11

All believed in and in some sense were waiting for Jesus second coming (the bridegroom coming)

All were alike in that they became drowsy and fell asleep when the bridegroom was delayed

When I think of the foolish bridesmaids I think of the rocky or thorny soil—you thought they were the same as the good plants but eventually you find they are not.

As they were all waiting, all 10 had lamps—they all appeared to be ready.

And yet there was a key difference—what was different between the two groups? The wise brought extra oil.

What would happen when it was time for the marriage feast is the bridegroom and bride would gather their wedding party and head to the feast and they would shout to everyone around them it was time and everyone would join in—like a big parade. It would often be at night and so the lamps would catch notice and guide people to the feast.

And they didn’t know how long it would be and so while they all had lamps. some brought extra to make it as long as they could.

They all fell asleep while waiting and then they heard shouting, the groom had arrived. They all get ready to run and join but what happened?

Matthew 25:6–8 ESV

6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

Time came and the foolish realized they didn’t have enough oil, they weren’t going to have any light. They asked the wise for oil and how did they respond?

Matthew 25:9 ESV

9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’

No, we don’t have enough for you as well, go buy some.

And in doing so what ends up happening?

Matthew 25:10 ESV

10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

They went to get more oil and meanwhile the parade goes on without them and goes to the feast and the door was shut.

The wise purchased more oil and then ran to catch up.

Matthew 25:11–13 ESV

11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

They got to the feast and they were ready to enter in but they were too late. The door had been shut and the party went on without them.

When they appealed to their “lord” for him to open to them, he responded I do not know you.

Remember what we talked about in the beginning about the 3 themes to each of these parables:

Christ return is sudden & unexpected

The Lord’s return results in unalterable division between two groups of people.

People who are lost are utterly surprised at their rejection

The bridegroom returned suddenly in the night and they were awoken from their sleep, it was time—now go, no time to prepare.

The bridegroom took his people and went to the feast and when the door closed it was very clear, these people are part of the feast and these people are not. There was no in between.

Those who didn’t make it, the foolish virgins, where shocked—let us in, we are supposed to be there. I don’t know you. What do you mean—I got the invite, I accepted, I prepared, I brought a lamp, I did all the things, I’m here! I don’t know you.

One of the most eye popping things I notice in this story is that the differences between the bridesmaids was not evident until the bridegroom came. In the days and months and years leading up to it, they all looked the same.

They all had a lamp, they all got dressed for a feast, they all set aside time for the feast, they all responded to the invite. And yet 5 were the same and 5 were very different.

I hope this parable causes us to think and examine.

There are things we are doing that probably make us think that were are prepared and doing what we are supposed to do but are we?

We know that is will be a long time before Christ returns based on the gospels—there will be times of tribulation, persecution, opposition, delay with the bridegroom here. But what is long?

2 Peter 3:8 ESV

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

It is relative so we don’t know exactly the day or the hour.

Matthew 24:26 ESV

26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

There are things we are supposed to be doing the meantime.

love one another (John 13:34)

honor one another (Romans 12:10)

greet one another (1 Corinthians 16:20)

welcome one another (Romans 15:7)

show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)

have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7)

be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32)

forgive one another (Colossians 3:13)

comfort one another (2 Corinthians 13:11)

. pray for one another (James 5:16)

There are so many more, but here are some things we should be doing. Are we putting things off because we think we have plenty of time? Are we neglecting love and kindness and forgiveness because think we can get to it later.

I don’t know to forgive them right now because I’m mad and hurt and I will eventually just not right now they are too mean?

I don’t mean to make you sit here and not have assurance of your salvation.

We know that Christ gives us comfort and peace on our salvation.

1 John 5:13 ESV

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

There is a comfort and peace that comes supernaturally and while there may be times you wrestle and questions, there is assurance eventually.

But we see in this story that they all looked the same and it appeared that they were ready and they were not. We need to consider and think about are they indeed ready? Are they indeed part of the wedding feast?

This is where Josh’s message from summer camp is so helpful. Does anyone remember the first lie Josh covered?

God’s love for me is dependent on my actions.

We are made right with God because of the work on the cross—because Christ took my sin and gave me his rightesouness.

The wise bridesmaids were part of the wedding feast because the bridegroom wanted them not because they were ready.

But being ready was a sign or mark that they were truly part of the party.

Us being ready and following God’s commands doesn’t make us right with God but rather is a mark that we are right.