Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: Matthew 25:1-13

Theme: Christians are to watch and wait for the coming of the Lord.

Be prepared for the Second Advent of the Lord, Jesus Christ—this is the central truth of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.

There are many who think they are ready for the coming of the Lord, but many will discover that they are thoroughly unprepared for the event.

This parable, like all the stories that Jesus tells, is told within a context.

The Parable of The Wise and Foolish Virgins is one of a series of parables that Jesus tells at the close of what we’ve come to call The Olivet Discourse.

The passage is found in the 24th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel and outlines the signs of the end of the age and the condition of the world shortly before the 2nd Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish his Millennial Kingdom on earth.

It’s a hard parable.

It’s hard to read, let alone preach.

Many of the parables of Jesus emphasize gracious invitations, offers of mercy, and acts of forgiveness.

They reveal a Heavenly Father who is loving and who actively searches for sinners and patiently waits for them to come home.

But we hear something different in this story.

We hear that a time is coming when the door to the kingdom will be shut, and those who plead to be let in will hear the fateful answer, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.”

Those words are so final.

I like the parables that emphasize grace.

But there is an end to the window of opportunity, and it comes at death or the second coming, whichever comes first for you.

There is no second chance at that time.

So what does the parable teach us about waiting and watching for Jesus?

I. BE PREPARED EVEN THOUGH THE BRIDEGROOM DELAYS

ILLUS.

In his commentary on this parable J. Vernon McGee tells the story of Mary, an eighteen year old girl who had been invited out by the boy of her dreams.

She was so excited that she was ready an hour before the young man was to arrive.

What she didn’t know was that the young man of her dreams was habitually late.

She was hugely disappointed when her date did not arrive on time.

Thirty minutes passed and then an hour.

After almost two hours, Mary figured she had been stood up.

So, she took off her makeup, put on her pajamas, gathered all the junk food from the pantry and sat down to watch TV.

As her favorite show was just coming on, the doorbell rang.

It was her date.

He stared at her wide-eyed and said, “I’m two hours late, and you’re still not ready?”

1. in this parable Jesus tells us, “Don’t let my return sneak up on you.

Be ready all the time.”

a. Jesus repeats this theme throughout the Olivet Discourse

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

... 42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

... 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

(Matthew 24:36, 42, 46 NIV84)

2. the parable of the 10 virgins is given to underscore the importance of being ready for Christ’s return—even if he delays longer than expected

a. when he does return, there will be no second chances for the unprepared

3. Jesus uses the imagery of a Jewish wedding to illustrate his point

A. GETTING READY FOR A WEDDING

“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, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.”

(Matthew 25:1-4, NIV84)

1. the setting for this parable was a typical Jewish wedding ceremony

2. a Jewish marriage consisted of three parts

a. the first stage was the arrangement

1) most often arranged by the fathers of the bride and groom, the arrangement amounted to a contract of marriage in which the couple had little, if any, direct involvement

ILLUS.

Think pre-nuptial agreement.

But instead of being decided by the couple getting married, its decided by the parents of the couple, who may or may not have ever met each other.

b. the second stage was the betrothal, the marriage ceremony at which the bride and groom exchanged vows in the presence of family and friends

1) at that point the couple was considered married, and their relationship could be broken only by formal divorce

2) if the husband happened to die during the betrothal, the bride was considered a widow

3) the betrothal could last for many months, sometimes a year, during which time the groom would establish himself in a business, trade, or farming and would build a home for the couple to live in

c. the third stage is when the groom actually comes to claim his bride

1) at the end of the betrothal period the actual wedding day arrives

2) some time after dark the groom would come to the place where the bride and her attendants were waiting and escort her back to the new home he had prepared for her

3) then there would be a great wedding feast

4. this, Jesus says, is what the coming of the Kingdom will be like—a wedding day where everyone is looking for the groom to arrive

B. WAITING FOR THE GROOM

“The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.”

(Matthew 25:5, NIV84)

ILLUS.

I suppose that just about everyone here has been to a wedding at some time.

As the time for the service approaches, the music begins to play and candles are lit.

The groom just kind of slips to the front of the church with the pastor and best man, not drawing much attention.

The bride is the one who makes the grand entrance, while the groom just waits to receive his bride.

1. but in the Eastern culture of Jesus’ day, all the attention was on the bridegroom and his coming for the bride

2. the mideastern wedding customs of that day are a beautiful picture of the Christ’s relationship to His Church

a. Jesus Christ has made the payment with His own life for His bride, the church just as a prospective groom paid his future father-in-law a price for his daughter

b. at His ascension Jesus went back into Heaven to prepare a place for us just as a groom prepared a new home for his bride

c. and just as the groom came to receive his bride, so Jesus is coming again to receive His Church and take us to our new home in heaven

3. in this parable, the story revolves around ten of the bride’s and attendants who are waiting for the grand event—the arrival of the groom

4. the Bible tells us that five of them are wise and five are foolish

a. the wise ones are prepared—they have brought an extra jar of oil to keep their lamps burning

1) they represent true disciples of Christ who have the light of truth and the regenerating presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives

b. the foolish ones are unprepared—they’ve brought their lamps, but they’ve neglected to prepare for the unexpected—that the groom might tarry for some reason

1) they have not brought any oil

2) they represent those who profess to hold hope in Christ, but who—though they have the light of truth—have never been converted

4. outwardly, there seems no real difference between the two groups

a. they all long for the coming of the bridegroom

b. they all demonstrate an outward readiness for the wedding feast

c. in appearance they are all indistinguishable

1) but looks can be deceiving

ILLUS.

Remember the story of David’s anointing as king?

The Prophet Samuel has arrived and he sees Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son.

He’s evidently tall and ruggedly handsome, and Samuel assumes he is the next king over Israel.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.””

(1 Samuel 16:7, NIV84)

5. I think that in our churches today we see a lot of people who all look the same

a.

they come to church and bring their Bibles

b. they sing the songs and put their money in the offering plate

c. they fellowship with the saints and come to the pot- luck dinners

d. by all appearance, they seem to have a relationship with the Lord