Be Prepared

Introduction:

We are entering into wedding season where friends and acaquaintances will soon be sending out invitations to join them for the celebration of their unions together as husband and wife.

When you go to a wedding, there are certain steps you take to prepare, aren’t there?

You get the invitation and one of the first things you do is to send back the RSVP card so that the wedding party knows that you are coming.

The second thing you do is to put it on your calendar and hang the “save-the-date” card on the refrigerator so that you don’t forget.

You might then get to the day of the wedding and you get dressed and ready to go. You wear certain clothing because you know that this is a special event and you want to be prepared for it.

Finally you share in the celebration and usually drop in to attend the big reception for the newlywed couple after the wedding vows have been exchanged.

With all of this, there is excitement and joy for the couple and intentional celebration. Family and friends delight in essentially the birth of a new family.

But, did you know that we are also to be ready for another type of wedding? It is the wedding celebration of Christ. We are actually part of the wedding party as His betrothed - the Church. We are called to wait patiently in preparation and faith for His return.

This morning, we will examine how to be prepared for the return of our Bridegroom.

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.

Pray

In order for us to understand what Jesus is trying to teach us about being prepared for His return, we need to first examine the parable and understand a few things about a Jewish wedding celebration.

1. The Meaning of the Parable

Jewish wedding progression

Invitation and Proposal - Father selects with Groom’s approval. Groom then proposes and gives a gift to the Bride.

Groom builds a room onto the father’s house. It is inspected by the father and when the father is satisfied, he will tell the groom to go get his bride.

The Groom will come unexpectedly, often at night to get his bride.

There were no clocks in the ancient world and delays were common.

Groom could come during the day or at night.

Snatching of the Bride and the procession of the wedding party.

Lamps lit the path for the wedding party to go and celebrate at the father’s house

Weeklong celebration

People coming and going

Must be invited to celebrate

2. The Application of the Parable

There are a few things that you and I must do if we are not going to be like the sleeping virgins who were not prepared with enough oil for their lamps.

Trust Christ for the Forgiveness of Our Sins

Live in Obedience to His Commandments

Love One Another and Treat One Another with Respect

Share the News of Our Engagement/Invite Others to Join Us

Warn Others of the Coming of Christ

Celebrate the Bridegroom

As we do all of these things to be prepared for the coming of the bridegroom, we must also heed the warning that Jesus teaches in this parable.

3. The Warning of the Parable (vv. 10-12)

Matthew 25:10–12 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. 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.’

Notice that there was a time to RSVP and then the offer was closed.

The text says that the Bridegroom and the wedding party went back to the Father’s house and celebrated the union, but that the door was shut.

This language is not accidental. There is another passage in the Old Testament that this alludes to that we need to visit this morning.

Genesis 6:17–18 ESV

17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

Genesis 7:15–16 ESV

15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.

Did you catch it? The Lord shut the door of the ark. After that door was sealed, there was no one else that was going to enter.

Do you imagine that when the raindrops began to fall, the people started to think about what Noah had preached so many years and wished they could get in the ark?

I don’t think they did at first. I don’t think they realized that they were doomed when the first raindrops fell, but after they kept coming down and the fountains of the great deep were opened, and the rain got harder and the water started to pool and rise, they then wished with all of their might that they could get into that ark.

But, it was too late.

Jesus said it in Matt. 24:37-39

Matthew 24:37–39 ESV

37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Did you see the connection. They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day the flood came.

Conclusion

Let me remind you this morning that the door is still open.

Jesus says,

Luke 14:16–18 ESV

16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’

You may think that you have not received your invitation in the mail to come to wedding party.

Friend, you are a part of the wedding party if you will accept.

You are not a friend of the bride or the groom. You did not get an RSVP card as a guest, you got the proposal.

You are the one Jesus is speaking to and saying, “Come.”

Jesus said in John 7:37-38, If anyone thirsts let him come and drink.

John 7:38 “38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ””

But how do you come? How do you receive?

Romans 10:9 says:

Romans 10:9 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:13 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Will you call upon Him this morning? Will you accept the invitation?

Will you be prepared when He comes?