Elbicites Outing 25th November 2017

Subject: The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

Topic: The Wisdom of Preparation
Text: Mathew 25: 1 - 13

Introduction
Be prepared is the motto of the Boy Scouts. As most of you enter into a season
of examinations, it is appropriate for us to consider together why the Bible
refers to those that are prepared as wise.

The passage we are considering falls in a section that starts in Mathew 24 and
contains the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ about His second coming.

No one can reasonably expect to pass an examination without making

appropriate preparations. So it be with the second coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ, only those who are ready will be able to stand on that great and
awesome day.

Background
The text presents to us a Jewish wedding of the time. It was customary in those
days for the bridegroom to go to the brides house at which the wedding
ceremony would take place and this happen usually at night. The bride would
have a number of bridesmaids to help her dress up and prepare. After the
wedding ceremony, the bridal party travelled in a procession to the groom’s
house at which the wedding celebration took place. Because it was at night,
the bridesmaids carried lamps to light the way for the wedding party.

Getting to our passage.

Three Points
Firstly, we are told in verse 1 of Mathew 25 that “the Kingdom of Heaven shall
be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the
bridegroom”.

This parable therefore gives us a picture of the kingdom of heaven. In these

ten virgins we see something that is true about the kingdom of heaven and
therefore of great interest to us.

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The term the kingdom of heaven is used several times in the Book of Mathew.
What does this term mean?

In Mathew 3:2 John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness saying,
“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Therefore, the kingdom of
heaven is something that was imminent as John the Baptist was preaching to
prepare the way for the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Mathew 13:24(b) we are told that “the kingdom of heaven is like a man who
sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed
tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted
and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.”

Therefore whatever the kingdom of heaven represents, it is comprised of both

good seed and tares and was imminent. This can only be a reference to the
visible church here on earth.

The visible church, like the ten virgins can be separated into two groups of
people; the wise or then good seed and the foolish or the tears.

In the Church the wise and the foolish coexist for a time, but when the time of
harvest comes; the foolish shall be gathered up like the tears burnt while the
wise like the wheat will be gathered up into the farmers barn.

The wise virgins represent those that have experienced true salvation while
the foolish virgins represent those that have a false profession.

The fact that one of the twelve disciples, Judas, turned out to be a false
professor should be a warning to all of us gathered here today. The fact that
you attend a church does not mean that you are prepared to meet the Lord
Jesus Christ when he returns.

Secondly, What separated the wise from the foolish virgins?

The difference between the wise and the foolish virgins was that the wise
virgins carried oil together with their lamps while the foolish ones only carried
their lamps.

The wise were ready to meet the bridegroom while the foolish were not ready
to meet the bridegroom.

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Before the bridegroom arrived, it was very difficult to differentiate the wise
from the foolish virgins:

 Both were waiting for the bridegroom

 Both had lamps
 Both slumbered and fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom
 Both trimmed their lamps when the cry was heard “Behold the
bridegroom is coming”

What is clear about the foolish virgins is that the bridegroom did not know
them. For in verse 11 we read that “After the other virgins came also saying
Lord, Lord, open to us! But he answered and said assuredly; I say to you, I do
not know you”

Those that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ are known by Him and they listen to
His voice. In John 10:14, the Lord Jesus Christ says “I am the good Shepherd;
and I know My sheep and am known by My own”.

If you profess to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, then you must make sure that
you are ready to meet him on that final day by ensuring that you truly know
Him and have obeyed Him by coming to Him in the manner that He would
have you to come. For He requires that you confess with your mouth that He is
Lord and believe in your heart.

Do you know Him as your saviour? Does He know you as one of His? Do you
willingly follow His instructions as one who knows His Shepherd. These are
questions that you can use to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.

Finally, How can you prepare yourself for the second coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ?

What is true and what is certain is that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back but
this time he is not coming as a baby in a manger but He is coming in all His
glory to judge the world.

When He comes, He will separate the wheat from the tears, the sheep from
the goats, the wise from the foolish virgins.

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The Lord Jesus Christ as God the Son knows all things and therefore when He
comes to Judge the world there will be no fooling Him for He knows those that
are His.

Therefore to prepare yourself for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, you must
make sure that you know Him as your Saviour and He knows you as one of His.

In John 3:5 the Lord Jesus Christ says that only those who have been born
again (born of water and the spirit) will enter the kingdom of God.

You therefore must be born again to stand on the last day. You must have your
sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus Christ (for only the Lord Jesus Christ can forgive
your sin).

You cannot be saved be saved on the merit of someone else. The foolish
virgins asked for oil from the wise virgins but they answered ‘NO’ . Your
friends, parents and even your pastor will not be able to speak on your behalf
on that day. Neither will they be able to transfer their salvation to you.

Therefore make sure that you are ready for second coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ. “Watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour in which
the Son of Man is coming.