Be Ready

Matthew 25:1–13 ESV

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 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.’ 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. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

This passage always makes me a little uncomfortable and I have made attempt in the past to paint it in a better light. Forgive me for my error, this passage is supposed to be uncomfortable. It’s a warning, a warning out of love and wanting you to join in the feast.

This passage is uncomfortable to me and maybe it is uncomfortable to you. I identify so easily with these foolish virgins. Maybe they were thinking the bridegroom wouldn’t take so long or maybe they weren’t thinking at all. It’s a reminder that we must be wise with our salvation because we can easily become foolish about. Maybe we think we have more time to really straighten up, maybe we think it’s not that big of a deal, or maybe we’re not even thinking about it at all. This is an uncomfortable passage and is meant to be because we all identify with the foolish girls.

So then we can look at this and think God is cruel not to let people in simply because they were a little foolish. Except there is no excuse. God has warned us again and again. Jesus came to this earth, died for our sins, and rose again. And in return we say, “Thanks for all that, Jesus. Now I’m going to be over here lusting after the things of the world rather than being saved from them.”

It may seem cruel to shut the door to those wanting in. Remember the kingdom will be set in proper order. Setting things in proper order means people who are thieves, liars, and the sort won’t be there. Well, what about the foolish folks as well? Just how interested in the bridegroom were these foolish girls? What kind of character did they really have to not be ready when the time came? There is a standard and if you are not fully committed you may fall short. However, if you are fully committed, even though we all fall short God will pick you up and you will be judged on the holiness of Jesus not of yourself.

Do you want someone on the football team who is foolish? Maybe they forgot their helmet, maybe they didn’t study and remember the plays so well, maybe they would rather be on the sideline making TikTok videos. What are you as a coach going to say to them? ”Hey, I’ve been there. It’s alright.” Or are we going to have some more serious words to say and maybe even kick them off the team because they aren’t benefiting the team anyhow. So why would the standards for the kingdom of God be any less? He loves us enough to have this Scripture maintained for thousands of years that speaks of who God is. He loves us enough to give us the grace we need. He loves us enough to forgive our sins again and again and again. He loves us enough to warn us. He loves us enough to kick you out because you don’t know your assignment and are going to mess up the guy next to you.

But, Geoff, we are saved by grace not by works. Yes! We are saved by grace through faith, so if your faith is not active, which produces works, how then are you going to access that grace? If you are not living into the kingdom of God and simply following your own ways then do you really believe?

Are you ready? Have you taken the faith seriously? Are you ready to stand before the throne of God and make account for your life?