Two Paths

Matthew 25:1-13

Matthew 25:1–13 NLT

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

INTRODUCTION:

A King sent for his court jester one day and presented him with a stick. He said, “Take this stick and keep it until you find a bigger fool than yourself.”

Lying on his death bed, the king again sent for his jester. “I am going away.” the king said. “Where to?,” asked the jester. “To another country.” replied the king. “What provision has your majesty made for this journey and for living in the country to which you are going?” asked the jester. “None.” was the answer.

The jester handed the king the stick, “take it,” he said. “I have found a bigger fool than myself. For I trifle with the things of this life, while you have trifled with the things of eternity.”

My friend, it is foolish to fail to prepare for the world-to-come, for in doing so, you trifle with eternity and your eternal soul.

Look closely at your own life and heart. Have you made the necessary preparation for eternity?

Today, we will look at two ways to live this life : wise and unwise. This passage of scripture is a parable from the lips of the Savior that is meant to get our attention.

I- THE WISE WAY OF LIFE

A- The wise make preparation. (Matthew 25:1-4)

Matthew 25:1–4 NLT

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.

1- They prepared by taking the oil needed to feel their lamps.

a. Oil is one of the biblical symbols of the Holy Spirit.

Preparation for eternity requires the presence of the Holy spirit in your life.

The Holy spirit indwells and seals the believer (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Ephesians 1:13–14 NLT

13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

D. L. Moody - “Only One Way.” (KMB. 595)

B. The wise will enter the kingdom. (Matthew 25:10)

Matthew 25:10 NLT

10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.

1- The call issued (Matthew 25:6).

Matthew 25:6 NLT

6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

a. The call came at an unexpected time.

b. The time of God’s call is likewise going to be at an unexpected time.

Through death

Through the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 NLT

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

2- The prepared entered. (Matthew 25:10)

Matthew 25:10 NLT

10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.

3- The door closed.

II- THE UNWISE WAY OF LIFE

A- The unwise fail to prepare. (Matthew 25:1-4)

Matthew 25:1–4 NLT

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.

1- The foolish women had the capacity fo oil, but had failed to secure it.

a. All people have the capacity for salvation.

(Romans 12:3)

Romans 12:3 NLT

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

b. Salvation is provided for all people.

(2 Peter 3:9)

2 Peter 3:9 NLT

9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

c. All must make the personal choice to receive God’s gift of salvation.

B- The unwise find themselves unable to see. (Matthew 25:8)

Matthew 25:8 NLT

8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

The foolish women could not see to make their way to the marriage supper.

The pathway of God and the ways of God cannot be discerned by those who do not have the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT

14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

It is the Spirit’s ministry to guide us to truth, without Him, you can’t see the truth.

Once you trust in Christ, the Holy Spirit will become your guide.

C- The unwise will find out that preparation must be personal.

(Matthew 25:9)

Matthew 25:9 NLT

9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

While the wise women could point the unwise women to the source of oil, they could not give up their own oil.

The unwise women had to try to secure oil for themselves.

Christian family and friends can point you to the source of the Holy Spirit (Jesus Christ) but cannot fuel the lamp of your unbelieving heart. You must secure your own oil through faith in Christ (the new birth).

Just as you can’t drive your car off of the fuel in another car’s tank.

The oil that fuels someone else’s lamp does no good for your own dry wick.

D- The unwise can not gain entrance to heaven. (Matthew 25:10-13).

Matthew 25:10–13 NLT

10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

1- Only those who were prepared entered the wedding- the doors were closed after them.

Like the people in Noah’s day. (Genesis 6)

(Matthew 24:37-39)

Matthew 24:37–39 NLT

37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

2- No amount of pleading could open the door.

3- The problem- The bridegroom did not know them!

Notice that the text never says that the foolish women ever secured any oil.

The only source for you is the bridegroom (Jesus). There can be no entrance to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb without the seal of the Holy Spirit in your life.

The key is a personal relationship with Christ…Do you know Him?

CONCLUSION:

Notice Jesus’ warning in Matthew 25:13.

Matthew 25:13 NLT

13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Hymn- “Are You Washed In The Blood” by Alan Jackson

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Lay aside your garments that are stained with sin And be washed in the blood of the Lamb There's a fountain flowing for the soul unclean O, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

Chorus:

Are you washed in the blood In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless, are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?