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.
--Matthew 25:1-13
In this parable, Christ says that when He comes, the door to eternity and heaven will shut and it will be too late for those left outside to ever enter in.
In the ancient world a bridegroom might show up at the wedding unexpectedly, so the bridesmaids had to be ready. Of the 10 bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable, only 5 were ready when the bridegroom arrived. The other 5 were caught off guard and scurried around trying to get ready, but it was too late.
This is just like so many people today who want to put off the decision about their eternal destiny until some time in the future. But more often than not, that time never arrives—or when it does, it is truly not just later, but too late!
Christ doesn’t want this to happen to anyone, which is why He told this parable. Like the wise bridesmaids, we need to be ready for Christ’s soon return.
But we also need to share the message of Christ’s return with those who have yet to know Christ. We live in an unbelieving and unsuspecting world that must hear the news that the bridegroom will return soon…and they need to be ready.
While many may not believe, some will! Remember, God is still in the business of saving people, and He will move mightily in the hearts of lost souls if you and I will be faithful to warn them to be ready.
We need to urge people to decide their eternal destiny by accepting Christ now before it’s too late.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”
Luke 16:8–9
Many people are surprised to learn that Jesus talked more about money than He did about Heaven and Hell—combined. There is a great emphasis in Scripture on how we use our money, and it is important that we understand God’s viewpoint. The primary purpose of money is not so that we can accumulate large bank accounts (though wise planning for the future is right and good) but so that we can do things that matter both in the immediate, and in the eternal realm as well. The devil tempts us to selfishly consider our own interests, but God calls us to care about more than just ourselves.
It is said that in England there is a tombstone with the following inscription:
Here lies a miser who lived for himself
He spent his whole life in gathering wealth
Where he is now and how he fares
Nobody knows and nobody cares.
Living selfishly robs us of eternal rewards and damages our relationships in this life. Jesus taught that we are to use our resources to help others. This is an expression of our love and concern for them, but it also builds friendships and relationships that will make life better both for us and for those we help. Our society is increasingly isolated. Many of the connections that once bound communities and neighborhoods together have been weakened, and the same thing has happened in many churches as well. The investments that we make in the lives of others draw God’s people together in meaningful and powerful ways.
Today’s Growth Principle:
God gives us temporal resources that we can and should use wisely to produce eternal results and rewards.
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