Keeping Watch-Part III
Parable of the Ten Virgins
Matthew 25:1-13
Matthew 24:42
Jesus-“Therefore, keep watch, because you
do not know on what day your Lord will
come.”
Matthew 24:42
Jesus-“Therefore, keep watch, because you
do not know on what day your Lord will
come.”
-like the wise steward
Matthew 24:42
Jesus-“Therefore, keep watch, because you
do not know on what day your Lord will
come.”
-like the wise steward
-like the one who kept watch for thieves
Matthew 24:42
Jesus-“Therefore, keep watch, because you
do not know on what day your Lord will
come.”
-like the wise steward
-like the one who kept watch for thieves
-like the wicked steward, we can easily lose
that attitude of ‘keeping watch’.
Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be
like ten virgins who took their lamps and
went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of
them were foolish and five were wise.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did
not take any oil with them. 4 The wise
ones, however, took oil in jars along with
their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long
time in coming, and they all became
drowsy and fell asleep.
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the
bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed
their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the
wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps
are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be
enough for both us and you. Instead, go
to those who sell oil and buy some for
yourselves.’
6
“But while they were on their way to buy
the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The
virgins who were ready went in with him
to the wedding banquet. And the door
was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’
they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t
know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do
not know the day or the hour.
10
Jesus uses this story from His culture to
illustrate truths about His second coming
Jesus uses this story from His culture to
illustrate truths about His second coming
• He is the Bridegroom who will appear
unexpectedly to claim His bride, the Church.
Jesus uses this story from His culture to
illustrate truths about His second coming
• He is the Bridegroom who will appear
•
unexpectedly to claim His bride, the Church.
John the Baptist is the friend of the bridegroom
who announced His coming.
Jesus uses this story from His culture to
illustrate truths about His second coming
• He is the Bridegroom who will appear
•
•
unexpectedly to claim His bride, the Church.
John the Baptist is the friend of the bridegroom
who announced His coming.
Some will be prepared, others will not be.
Jesus uses this story from His culture to
illustrate truths about His second coming
• He is the Bridegroom who will appear
•
•
•
unexpectedly to claim His bride, the Church.
John the Baptist is the friend of the bridegroom
who announced His coming.
Some will be prepared, others will not be.
To those not ready, Jesus will say, “I don’t know
you”, and the door will be closed for eternity.
Who is Jesus confronting in this story?
• Unlike the wedding story of Matthew 22,
this story isn’t aimed at those who
outright reject His message.
Who is Jesus confronting in this story?
• Unlike the wedding story of Matthew 22,
this story isn’t aimed at those who
outright reject His message.
• It is aimed at religious seekers who are
attracted to His message, but only to the
degree that suits their own agenda.
Key Question: What does the oil
represent?
Key Question: What does the oil
represent?
• The impartation of God’s Holy Spirit
• The illumination of the Spirit
Charles Spurgeon
“A great change has to be wrought in you, far beyond any
power of yours to accomplish, before you can go in with
Christ to the marriage. You must first of all be renewed
in your nature, or you will not be ready. You must be
washed from your sins, or you will not be ready. You
must be justified in Christ’s righteousness, and you must
put on His wedding dress, or you will not be ready. You
must be reconciled to God, you must be made like unto
God, or you will not be ready. Or, to come to the parable
before us, you must have a lamp, and that lamp must be
fed with heavenly oil, and it must continue to burn
brightly, or else you will not be ready. No child of
darkness can go into that place of light. You must be
brought out of nature’s darkness into God’s marvelous
light, or else you will never be ready to go in with Christ
Jesus message to religious
seekers:
1) Seeking Him isn’t enough. To get
into the wedding feast (heaven) you
need oil.
1) Seeking Him isn’t enough. To get into the wedding feast (heaven)
you need oil.
2) Spiritual preparedness for Jesus’
coming isn’t transferable.
1) Seeking Him isn’t enough. To get into the wedding feast (heaven)
you need oil.
2) Spiritual preparedness for Jesus’ coming isn’t transferable.
3) Lost opportunities to receive Jesus
cannot be re-gained.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
(virgins)
Late, late, so late! And dark the night and chill!
Late, late, so late! But we can enter still.
(Jesus)
Late, late, so late! Ye cannot enter now.
(virgins)
No light had we; for that we do repent;
And learning this, the bridegroom will relent.
(Jesus)
Late, late, so late! Ye cannot enter now.
(virgins)
No light; So late! And dark the chill the night
O let us in, that we may find the light!
(Jesus)
Too late, too late; Ye cannot enter now.
(virgins)
Have we not heard the bridegroom is so
sweet?
O let us in, tho’ late, to kiss His feet!
(Jesus) No, no, it’s too late. Ye cannot enter
now.