Are You Ready?

Matthew 25:1-4 - Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

This parable bears mentioning. It is easy for me to understand because I'm a woman but it might be more difficult for a man to wrap his head around. Spiritually Jesus is our Bridegroom. Spiritually all followers of Christ, man or woman, young or old, are considered His bride. Jesus is our spiritual Bridegroom and we are to have a relationship with Him.

According to the parable half of these virgins were ready to meet the bridegroom for a grand wedding. Their lamps were filled with oil. While the bridegroom delayed all the virgins slept. When the bridegroom was finally on his way, those who had not maintained their lamps were in a sorry state. They pleaded with the other virgins to share their oil, but it was too late, they had just what they needed and no more to offer. The five unprepared virgins left quickly to obtain what oil they needed. In the meantime the bridegroom came and received those who were ready for the marriage and the door was shut behind them.

The unprepared virgins could not enter. They pleaded "Lord, Lord, open to us!'' But he answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you'' (verses 11-12).

I think about Noah, the flood, those who scoffed at Noah's persistence that there would be a flood and wouldn't they come into the ark for safety. Eventually the ark door had to be closed. All perished but Noah and his family...eight people compared to the thousands left to die. And then there's this: the road is narrow that leads to life and few follow it while there is a wide road to destruction. God speaks also about a remnant...which means a few in comparison to all the people in the world. Why would all these and other parables or accounts from the Bible be there if not to warn us?

This parable of the virgins is like the ancient Hebrew marriage ritual. When a man spied a woman he desired to marry the families would meet and a proposal would be made. The woman could accept or reject. If she accepted, they were considered married, much like our engagement. The next step was for the man to build an addition on to his parents' existing home as a place for them to live. This would take about a year, then the actual wedding ceremony would take place. In the meantime, the bride was to prepare herself for this wedding and marriage supper. She waited anxiously for the bridegroom to come back and say he was ready for her, that their "room" was ready.

This parallels the story of the virgins and the bridegroom. The virgins, or brides, didn't know exactly when he would return but they had to be ready at all times. I'm guessing that there could have been some brides who were tired of waiting and when the groom came to get them found out they had basically reneged on their promise.

This also reminds me of the scripture in John 14:2-4 where Jesus tells us "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." And then in Revelation 19:7 we are told Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the MARRIAGE of the LAMB has come, and His wife has made herself ready. (God prepared a place for all in Noah's ark.)

Oh, all the little wonderful details God has given us to understand the meaning of salvation through Jesus Christ...our Bridegroom, our Lamb. The whole point of all of this is about accepting the invitation, the proposal as it were, that Jesus offers us of salvation. We can accept or reject the proposal, the promise of a life in Christ. The promise that when we accept His proposal of salvation there will be a room in His house for us. If one chooses to slumber or sleep and think that it is not necessary to be prepared for the Bridegroom's return, which will occur, He will tell them they are not known and will not allow them in. This also goes for Christians who are lax in their life regarding Christ, those who don't take the time to acknowledge Him as part of their daily lives.

We must live as though the Bridegroom will come tomorrow. We must have that relationship now and we must be serious about it. We cannot shrug off the notion that it's been 2,000 years and we've not seen Christ return yet although people have predicted it. It just don't matter! We are, in a way, in that one year's period of time when the Bridegroom is preparing that house for us. We don't know exactly the day Jesus will return but we must be prepared....Matthew 24:36 - "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." Jesus is God and yet even He doesn't know when He will return. It could be tomorrow. Are you ready?

We are told at the end of the parable of the ten virgins, and it's a warning for us now:

Matthew 25:13 - "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

One Ultimate Sacrifice

 Galatians‬ ‭4:4-5 - But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

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I spent a wonderful few days with an even more wonderful bunch 'o ladies at The Church in Wisconsin annual retreat. Subject matter: Jesus...the betrothal, the bride and the Groom. Everything so wonderfully pointed and points to the love He has for us, His plan for each of us in the here and now, and His grand plan upon His return. 

But while everything started in Genesis and ends in Revelation, there was an event about 3/4 of the way through (at least Bible-pages-wise!) that is as important as every other page in the Word of God. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ = One ultimate Sacrifice, not our works. 

In order to understand and be part of the betrothal, be a ready bride waiting for a very ready Groom, one has to know this Man, our Beloved, our one day Groom. That requires a longing for, seeking of and commitment to this Man who is wanting us desperately to be in relationship with Him. This is spiritually for men and women!

I don't know if this comes together properly but it seems to. Because it's all about our need for a Savior because of our sinfulness. He came to die for us for this reason. He will come again to receive those who have chosen to follow Him permanently. We have to know, though, that we are sinful creatures. We need to know Him. We need to know truth. We need to seek Him, receive Him and follow Him. So....

The law (Old Testament) was given that we might recognize our sinful natures and the impossibility to keep those laws exactly and permanently. All the sacrifices that needed to be repeatedly done never saved them because man could NOT keep the laws. No works could save them. 

Jesus came to fulfill that law (New Testament) in that only He perfectly kept every law...as a Man, not as God...a hard thing to wrap our heads around. Through Him alone we can be set free from our sin. But we must put Him on, as a robe, and take Him in as the Living Water and Bread of Life. His perfect righteousness becomes ours. We put Him on, we put on that white robe of righteousness. We cannot wear our own robes; they must be His. We take Him in by seeking Him through His Word and in prayer, hearing His voice, fellowshipping with like-minded people.

Just like there was a fulfilled time then, that He would come to save us, there will come another fulfilled time when He returns again for those who have received Him, are now saved and have on that robe of righteousness. His children, His people, His bride! Clothed in white! Waiting for the Groom, and the marriage supper of the Lamb, to partake in the glorious feast at His second coming, at the fullness of another time. Hallelujah!

Our sermon this morning added another segment to this...perfection. Jesus was perfect. We receive Him and we are made perfect. It is not an arrogant statement my calling myself perfect because it is He, through my having submitted and receiving Him as Lord and Savior, has done the work. HE HAS DONE THE WORK. He was the ultimate Sacrifice. I did nothing but receive! No good works because I have nothing great to give Him. 

How I thank the Lord for His grace and mercy for all people who desire Him. He WILL NOT fail. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can wash our sins away. We can offer nothing. Who else would ever or could ever do that?

A day will soon come when another fullness of time will come. Jesus says He will return, quickly. Now, His timing is not like ours. What 2,000 years seems like to us may be as 2 days. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2Peter‬ ‭3:8)‬ ‭He has promised to return! Times are looking as prophesied. All the evil, wrong thinking and corrupt beliefs will be judged by an Almighty God. I think I will choose to be on His side and avoid the very final judgment. I think I will follow what His Word says about the wrongs taking place in today's lax society. I want to stand on His truth over man's interpretation.

I want to be absolutely ready for His return. I want my mind stayed on Him and not the inconsequential things in this world. I want to watch for His return till either He comes or He takes me away! I want to be the bride adorned in a pure white gown. I want to see that everlasting mansion in the sky. This earthly home is comfortable but won't compare to my heavenly home. All thanks, glory and honor be to my God.

Luke‬ ‭12:35-37,40‬ ‭- Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

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Are You Ready?

Matthew 25:1-4 - Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

This parable bears mentioning. Something yesterday at Bible study caused me to think hard on this. It is applicable to today. It is easy for me to understand because I'm a woman but it might be more difficult for a man to wrap his head around it. Spiritually Jesus is our Bridegroom. Spiritually all followers of Christ, man or woman, young or old, are considered His bride. I'm sure it's difficult for some men to think of Jesus as their Bridegroom and that we are to have a relationship with Him...and think of themselves as the bride! Spiritually it makes perfect sense.

According to the parable half of these virgins were ready to meet the bridegroom for a grand wedding. Their lamps were filled with oil. While the bridegroom was delayed all the virgins slept. When the bridegroom was finally on his way, those who had not maintained their lamps were in a sorry state. They pleaded with the other virgins to share their oil, but it was too late, they had just what they needed and no more to offer. The five unprepared virgins left quickly to obtain what oil they needed. In the meantime the bridegroom came and received those who were ready for the marriage and the door was shut behind them.

The unprepared virgins could not enter. They pleaded "Lord, Lord, open to us!'' But he answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you'' (verses 11-12).

As I ruminated about this parable, I thought about the ancient Hebrew marriage ritual. When a man spied a woman he desired to marry the families would meet and a proposal would be made. The woman could accept or reject. If she accepted, they were considered married, much like our engagement. The next step was for the man to build an addition on to his parents' existing home as a place for them to live. This would take about a year, then the actual wedding ceremony would take place. In the meantime, the bride was to prepare herself for this wedding and marriage supper. She waited anxiously for the bridegroom to come back and say he was ready for her, their "room" was ready.

This parallels the story of the virgins and the bridegroom. The virgins, or brides, didn't know exactly when he would return but they had to be ready at all times. I'm guessing that there could have been some brides who were tired of waiting and when the groom came to get them found out they had basically reneged on their promise. 

This also reminds me of the scripture in John 14:2-4 where Jesus tells us "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." And then in Revelation 19:7 we are told to ... be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.

Oh, all the little wonderful details God has given us to understand the meaning of salvation through Jesus Christ...our Bridegroom, our Lamb. The whole point of all of this is about accepting the invitation, the proposal as it were, that Jesus offers us of salvation. We can accept or reject the proposal, the promise of a life in Christ. The promise that when we accept His proposal of salvation there will be a room in His house for us. If one chooses to slumber or sleep and think that it is not necessary to be prepared for the Bridegroom's return, which will occur, He will tell them He doesn't they are not known and will not allow us in. This also goes for Christians who are lax in their life regarding Christ, those who don't take the time to acknowledge Him as part of their daily lives. 

We must live as though the Bridegroom will come tomorrow. We must have that relationship now and we must be serious about it. We cannot shrug off the notion that it's been 2,000 years and we've not seen Christ return yet although people have predicted it. It just don't matter! We are, in a way, in that one year's period of time when the Bridegroom is preparing that house for us. We don't know exactly the day Jesus will return but we must be prepared....Matthew 24:36 - "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." Jesus is God and yet even He doesn't know when He will return. It could be tomorrow. Are you ready? 

We are told at the end of the parable of the ten virgins, and it's a warning for us now:

Matthew 25:13 - "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."