Sermon Series: “The Gospel and the Parable”

Sermon 1: “Be Prepared”

Matthew 25:1-13

Jacob Anderson

June 7, 2026

 

All of Jesus' stories, reveal who God was and how we can have a better relationship with the Father.

 

Matthew 25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.”

 

What Jesus is telling us is a reference to His second coming and the final judgement of God.

Jesus says, “the kingdom of heaven is comparable to ten virgins.”

 

Jesus also mentions the use of “lamps”, which were very important during a wedding procession, because the lamps were used to identify the wedding party from the general public. Without a lamp, then you were not properly identified and would not be allowed to enter the wedding party.

 

Matthew 25:2 – 4 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.”

 

“Five of the virgins were foolish and five of them were prudent (showing thought for the future).” So, what we’re seeing is the foolish virgins weren’t prepared for the coming of the bridegroom (who is Christ).

 

Matthew 24:42 “"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

 

Matthew 24:44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

 

Luke 12:35 “"Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.”

 

The foolish virgins thought they could simply get by without any preparation. By all appearances they were like the prudent virgins, but in reality, their light was beginning to dim and go out.

 

The foolish virgins are those men and women who claim to have a faith in Jesus Christ, but the light of the gospel is not within them. They have all the tools; they know the bible, they pray, they go to church, but they have no relationship with Jesus.

The prudent virgins wanted to honor the coming bridegroom, so they brought extra oil so that they could join the wedding procession and be allowed into the wedding feast.

 

Five of them brought darkness and no light, while the other five brought light and no darkness.

 

Matthew 25:5 – 6 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’”

 

Matthew 24:42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” We don’t know when Christ is going to come again, and we may dose off while waiting.

 

They are abruptly woken up and told the bridegroom is coming; where else have we heard similar language used?

 

I Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord Himself will descend for heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God.”

 

For the prudent virgins the sudden announcement of the bridegroom’s arrival is a joyous occasion, it is something they have waited for patiently, but what happens with the foolish virgins?

 

Matthew 25:7 – 8 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’"

 

Trimming the lamp involved putting out the flame and cutting off the burned and charred portions of the wick. Then they would adjust the wick to the correct height, refill the lamp with oil so it wouldn't sputter out, and relight the lamp.

 

Immediately the foolish virgins realize that they have made an error in judgement. They realize that they are out of time and can’t trim their lamps. They waited to prepare until there was no time left, and now the bridegroom’s return is upon them.

 

Without their torches lit they couldn’t identify themselves properly and would be locked out of the wedding procession.

 

The sad part about this story is the foolish virgins had all night to go and buy more oil. They had more than enough time to go and prepare themselves for the coming of the bridegroom, but instead they slept in false security.

 

How many people today go to church every week and read their bible. They know who Christ is, and yet they choose to delay in responding to the gospel, because they think they have plenty of time.

Matthew 24:44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

 

II Corinthians 6:2 “Now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation.”

 

Matthew 25:9 “However, the prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’”

 

Here’s the sad truth for many, they think they can enter heaven on the coat tails of their faithful family members.

 

The foolish virgins tried relying on their prudent friends, but as we see, “There most certainly would not be enough for us and you.”

 

When we stand before God, we stand on our own. That is, we don’t stand with anyone we know. You either stand by yourself bearing the righteousness of Jesus, or you stand by yourself wearing the guilt of all your sins.

 

Matthew 25:10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.”

 

The door to heaven isn’t a revolving door. Once it shuts there is no way to enter. The sad part is, while we live on this earth and have breath in our lungs, the door is open. Right now, the door stands open.

 

John 10:9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

 

If you wait until the last minute to prepare your heart for Christ’s return, then when He returns you will be left on the wrong side of the door of heaven.

 

Matthew 25:11 “Yet later, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’”

 

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

 

The foolish virgins knew what they were expected to do, and yet they chose is stead to put their own comfort first, and they slept. Then when they faced the consequences for their actions, they desperately pleaded for mercy, but what was God’s response?

Verse 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”

 

To come to the door after the wedding party had already entered the house meant you were an imposter and not a member of the wedding party.

Luke 13:24 – 27 “Many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’”

 

Verse 13 “Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour.”

 

Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."

 

Alexander Graham Bell is quoted as saying, "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success."

 

What is it that Jesus wants us to understand? We must be prepared day in and day out for His return, because we don’t know when it will happen.

 

Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, are we preparing our hearts for Him?