The Ten Bridesmaids
Matthew 25:1“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2“Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3“Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4“but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5“But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7“Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9“But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12“But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
This parable is FULL of information...it takes some real desire to mine it out, but it has major power to unlock your future.
We live in the hour this parable was pointing to. Many think there are only two options presented by this story, but there are four main players in the analogy...and they are all in relationship....they are all believers (I consider Jesus chief among believers...He believes in His own plan). This is a parable strictly for believers. Here is the cast of characters, in order of their faithfulness:
1. Groom - Jesus
2. The watchmen - The friends of the groom, the ones crying in the night to prepare. These are the awake ones with an acute sense of when the groom is coming and a sensitivity to the signs....they watch, pray, and are ready
3. Wise bridesmaids - these are believers who have taken seriously trying to respond to what the Lord has warned of. They have taken risks to get ready, and though they sleep (not good) they will make it into the wedding.
4. Foolish bridesmaids - they name the name of Jesus. They think they are ready for Him to return, but his return is not the primary thing driving them. They think the events of Revelation are like the rest of the Bible ... Not that important. They think they will be fine because they are ready. They have taken the free gift of salvation and made it cheap. It isn't cheap...someone else paid for them to be able to get ready, but they refuse. They are anticipating the return of Jesus, but feel no need to respond. They are missing the fact that life will change in an instant, and in that moment it will be obvious to EVERYONE including themselves, that they don't have what it takes to actually play the part they signed up for. They WILL NOT make it into the wedding.
Jesus backs up his statement about the types of believers in the next parable...the parable of the talents. Here is the same cast remixed:
1. The Lord of the house- Jesus
2. The watchmen- given 5 talents. Risks all he has to generate a return for the master he is faithful to. His life is entirely about the masters return and being found fruitful at that time.
3. The wise bridesmaid - given two talents. She wants a little less. She isn't committed to staying awake, but she will use what she is given. Her focus IS on the return...
2. The foolish bridesmaid - given one talent. Yes, she is a servant, but she doesn't really get the heart of her Lord. She doesn't know that if she would invest it all, she will get way more at His return. Instead, she does her life and just hangs on to what is the Lord's real treasure...she buries it. All she has is lost at the return. No risk, no reward. That unprofitable servant is cast out....
Matthew 25:30‘And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32“All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
Many will be cast out who name the name of Jesus. Many will even be leaders in the Body of Christ...making Jesus your job doesn't get you out of this reality:
Matthew 7:19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
The key to Matthew 25 is to desire more than just to be saved...it is to desire to be ready. The most ready is the watchman. This is a direct reference to John the Baptist, the cry at night:
Matthew 3:1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
4Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him
6and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
9“and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10“And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12“His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
To be awake....to be a watchman...requires fasting and praying all focused on the return of Jesus....it is to become, in our context...an end time messenger... a friend of the bridegroom focused on...playing a part in...The wedding. There are good and bad guests at a wedding, but the wedding party is an entirely different role.
This is what a true friend of Jesus risks his life...what everyone else is trying to enjoy in a worldy way... to be: awake. Those awake watchmen WILL know when Jesus is coming. These are the ones not appointed to wrath. They are in an entirely different class of believer, according to Jesus, and every other friend of the bridegroom:
1 Thessalonians 5:1But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Are you watching for his return and fasting and praying to see and say more? Are you a friend of the Bridegroom?
If not, are you at least a wise servant...a prepared bridesmaid, giving the truth of the end time plan....the word....the food...to the other servants at the proper times? Do you know what Jesus' plan to return is and are you teaching others that plan:
Matthew 24:45“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
46“Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
47“Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
Or are you any other kind of believer?..the truth of this self-evaluation has massive implications...no one can really know this but you and the Lord...but have you ever asked Him? You can do it today. You can switch your category today, just by signing up...."teach me your plans, Lord. I'll spend my life on you"
2“Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3“Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4“but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5“But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7“Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9“But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12“But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
This parable is FULL of information...it takes some real desire to mine it out, but it has major power to unlock your future.
We live in the hour this parable was pointing to. Many think there are only two options presented by this story, but there are four main players in the analogy...and they are all in relationship....they are all believers (I consider Jesus chief among believers...He believes in His own plan). This is a parable strictly for believers. Here is the cast of characters, in order of their faithfulness:
1. Groom - Jesus
2. The watchmen - The friends of the groom, the ones crying in the night to prepare. These are the awake ones with an acute sense of when the groom is coming and a sensitivity to the signs....they watch, pray, and are ready
3. Wise bridesmaids - these are believers who have taken seriously trying to respond to what the Lord has warned of. They have taken risks to get ready, and though they sleep (not good) they will make it into the wedding.
4. Foolish bridesmaids - they name the name of Jesus. They think they are ready for Him to return, but his return is not the primary thing driving them. They think the events of Revelation are like the rest of the Bible ... Not that important. They think they will be fine because they are ready. They have taken the free gift of salvation and made it cheap. It isn't cheap...someone else paid for them to be able to get ready, but they refuse. They are anticipating the return of Jesus, but feel no need to respond. They are missing the fact that life will change in an instant, and in that moment it will be obvious to EVERYONE including themselves, that they don't have what it takes to actually play the part they signed up for. They WILL NOT make it into the wedding.
Jesus backs up his statement about the types of believers in the next parable...the parable of the talents. Here is the same cast remixed:
1. The Lord of the house- Jesus
2. The watchmen- given 5 talents. Risks all he has to generate a return for the master he is faithful to. His life is entirely about the masters return and being found fruitful at that time.
3. The wise bridesmaid - given two talents. She wants a little less. She isn't committed to staying awake, but she will use what she is given. Her focus IS on the return...
2. The foolish bridesmaid - given one talent. Yes, she is a servant, but she doesn't really get the heart of her Lord. She doesn't know that if she would invest it all, she will get way more at His return. Instead, she does her life and just hangs on to what is the Lord's real treasure...she buries it. All she has is lost at the return. No risk, no reward. That unprofitable servant is cast out....
Matthew 25:30‘And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32“All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
Many will be cast out who name the name of Jesus. Many will even be leaders in the Body of Christ...making Jesus your job doesn't get you out of this reality:
Matthew 7:19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
The key to Matthew 25 is to desire more than just to be saved...it is to desire to be ready. The most ready is the watchman. This is a direct reference to John the Baptist, the cry at night:
Matthew 3:1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
4Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him
6and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
9“and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10“And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12“His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
To be awake....to be a watchman...requires fasting and praying all focused on the return of Jesus....it is to become, in our context...an end time messenger... a friend of the bridegroom focused on...playing a part in...The wedding. There are good and bad guests at a wedding, but the wedding party is an entirely different role.
This is what a true friend of Jesus risks his life...what everyone else is trying to enjoy in a worldy way... to be: awake. Those awake watchmen WILL know when Jesus is coming. These are the ones not appointed to wrath. They are in an entirely different class of believer, according to Jesus, and every other friend of the bridegroom:
1 Thessalonians 5:1But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Are you watching for his return and fasting and praying to see and say more? Are you a friend of the Bridegroom?
If not, are you at least a wise servant...a prepared bridesmaid, giving the truth of the end time plan....the word....the food...to the other servants at the proper times? Do you know what Jesus' plan to return is and are you teaching others that plan:
Matthew 24:45“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
46“Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
47“Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
Or are you any other kind of believer?..the truth of this self-evaluation has massive implications...no one can really know this but you and the Lord...but have you ever asked Him? You can do it today. You can switch your category today, just by signing up...."teach me your plans, Lord. I'll spend my life on you"
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