Are You Ready?

Children’s Message

Introduction

The Kingdom of Heaven

A Parable

Bridegroom

Arranged marriages (by the father/parents)

Preparing a home at the Father’s house and/or built prepared by the Bridegroom

Virgins w/ lamps (oil lamps with wicks)

waiting for the bridegroom

evening wedding

The Parable

Jewish Wedding in Jesus’ day:

Bridegroom

Arranged marriages (by the father/parents)

Preparing a home at the Father’s house and/or built prepared by the Bridegroom

Virgins w/ lamps (oil lamps with wicks)

Oil lamps (likely) with wicks -

trimming - pull out more wick and relight

waiting for the bridegroom

evening wedding

Interpreting the Parable

Applying

Ten Virgins - those professing to know Christ/be Christians/the visible Church

All 10 wanted to welcome the bridegroom

Oil lamps - the outward appearance of one who would honor the bridegroom when he came.

The Bridegroom - Christ

John 3:29 ESV

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.

John 14:1–3 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

5+5 - 10

Foolish: Took no oil - did not consider that the bridegroom may tarry

Were they Lazy, careless, distracted, other priorities, unbelieving? Overcome by trials & temptations? Not clinging to the Word & Promise of God? Foolish.

Wise: took oil with their lamps. Well prepared, anticipated the coming of the bridegroom & even a possible delay, prioritized his honor and the role graciously entrusted to them.

Oil - What is required to welcome the bridegroom.

Repentance & faith

Oil represented the Holy Spirit - enlightening, filling, using

The Word of God filling, sustaining, the one who clings to God’s promises by faith

The delay - the Bridegroom tarries

A cry at midnight - the sudden and unexpected coming of the Bridegroom

(v.13) We don’t know the day nor the hour that Jesus will come back

Trimming of the lamps - the moment for lighting the way of the Bridegroom had arrived. They needed to get their light ready and shine it!

The foolish virgins run out of oil & their lights sputter

They were not prepared for the long delay or the sudden coming

They want to use the wise virgin’s oil

This is like those who would try to borrow the faith & righteousness of another like the Saints or your dear Grandmother who trusted in Jesus.

They hoped to ride someone else’s faith

The Wise virgins explain that they cannot share

Their priority is the honoring of the bridegroom. They are not being cruel or selfish.

Their priority is the honoring of the bridegroom. They are not being cruel or selfish.

They don’t have enough for both of them - It is not possible to give it away or share it.

We cannot believe in someone else’s place.

They are told to go to the dealer and buy some for themselves.

We are each judged according to our own deeds and each individual must believe for themself

The dealers of oil may be those who proclaim the Gospel & administer the Sacraments, the Promise of God to which faith clings.

The Marriage Feast - heaven (the Marriage supper of the Lamb)

Those who were ready went in with him

The door was shut

The unprepared are shut out

They are saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.”

Repenting & pleading

Coming after the deadline

Hoping for another chance

But he answered, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.”

It was too late

They had foolishly neglected to be ready for him. They didn’t keep themselves ready. They had not put their trust in His coming and their hope in His honor.

Applying the Parable

This is a message for those who consider themselves Christians. A wake up call!

It can be disheartening when it seems like Jesus has been gone for too long… and some will rub that in your face

English Standard Version Chapter 3

I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming?

We can get caught up in the things of this life and be caught unprepared

The Bridegroom may tarry (and he has thus far). Don’t be troubled or lose faith.

2 Peter 3:8–9 ESV

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. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:14–15 ESV

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,

2 Peter 3:14-15

The Bridegroom will come suddenly when we do not expect.

Don’t be caught off guard or unprepared!

2 Peter 3:10 ESV

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

2 Peter 3:10

1 Thessalonians 5:2–6 ESV

For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

Let me, a dealer of oil, fill up your oil reserves with this Good News that can keep your lamp lit until Jesus comes again

1 Thessalonians 5:2-

1 Thessalonians 5:8–10 ESV

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

May we be able to say