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DEVOTIONAL
OPENING PRAYER
O God, the King eternal, who dividest the day from the darkness, and turnest the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far off from us all wrong desires; incline our hearts to keep thy law; and guide our feet into the way of peace, that having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when the night cometh, rejoice and give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN. - From The Book of Worship
INTRODUCTION
Jesus is still in the garden in the Mount of Olives speaking only to the disciples. Chapter 24 ends with Jesus speaking about the end of time and how no one knows the day or the hour. (Mt. 24:36). Today’s scripture reinforces that point and is telling us to be prepared. If we are not prepared, we will miss the coming of the groom and entrance into the wedding banquet – the Kingdom of God. Let’s read the scripture.
SCRIPTURE LESSON
Matthew 25:1-13 NIV
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25 “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.
6 “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.’
10 “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.
REFLECTION
Why didn’t the five with oil share with the five who didn’t have oil? Because then none of them would have had enough oil in their lamps to accompany the groom to the banquet. They all would have been lost in the dark. We must all be prepared and ready at any time – all the time for the groom to enter. We must all be prepared and ready at any time to accompany the groom to the wedding banquet and celebrate the coming of the Kingdom of God. There is no advance warning – no READY, SET, GO! signal that gives procrastinators or slackers one last chance to run to the store and get what is needed to walk with the groom. Each day is a gift and each day we must live it fully and joyfully ready for Jesus to come and invite us all to walk with him into the Kingdom of God – the wedding banquet.
Can we rush Jesus along? Will he come sooner for me? I’m ready to go? Jesus comes when Jesus comes. Five thought that they had enough and were ready early. They had to wait longer and their oil ran out. The other five prepared for a longer wait – for as long as the groom needed and were patient with his schedule. Remember only God knows the day or hour – not even the angels in heaven, not the Son. (Mt. 24:36).
Keep oil in your lamps and keep them burning. Attend to your spirit daily through prayer, Bible Study, service, worship and acts of love and kindness in Jesus’ name. That is how you keep your lamp full and ready. Live each day as God’s gift and receive God’s blessings and be ready to walk with the groom whenever he arrives.
CLOSING PRAYER
May grace, mercy, love and peace flow through your life and ministry all the day long.
AMEN.
Blessings,
Pastor Tom
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