Are You Ready?
by: Mary Lauren Hudson
October 23, 2024
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.”
Matthew 24:36 says “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” A lot of people like to talk about when Jesus is coming back. Do you think it’s soon? Are we getting close? Here is the simple truth - no one knows when Jesus is returning except the Father. Not even Jesus knows the day or the hour! Instead of focusing on the hour He is coming, it’s time to get ready for the day He does!
Matthew 25:1-13 is the parable of the 10 virgins. There were five wise virgins and five foolish virgins. They heard the bridegroom was coming, so they went out with their lamps. The wise virgins brought extra oil in jars, but the foolish virgins didn’t. Verse five says the bridegroom was a long time coming, so they all fell into a deep sleep. When the bridegroom returned, the wise virgins lit their lamps and prepared to run out and meet him. The foolish virgins said to the wise ones “‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘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.’” (8-9). The parable goes on to say that while the foolish virgins were on their way to town to buy oil, the bridegroom arrived. “The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.” (10).
The parable ends with the foolish virgins returning later. “‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’” They thought they had a chance to enter a little bit later. They thought they could still come in even though the door was already shut. The bridegroom’s response is sobering “But He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’” (vs. 12).
Nothing can replace the simple, but personal reality of knowing Jesus for yourself. We live in a culture where it’s easy to hide behind the title “Christian” without really knowing Jesus or having an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. We can listen to podcasts about other people’s relationships with God and listen to countless sermons full of other people’s revelations from the Word, but we have to see Him for ourselves. We can’t be like the five foolish virgins who try to borrow oil from someone else. We can’t rely on other people’s intimacy with the Lord. There is nothing that can replace a personal revelation of Jesus and intimate fellowship with Him. It might be easy to hide behind another person’s relationship with God on this earth, but there will be no borrowing oil when He returns!
How do we buy oil for ourselves? In this parable, the oil represents the Holy Spirit. We cannot be in a personal relationship with Jesus without the continual filling of the Holy Spirit. Without oil, the virgins weren’t ready for the bridegroom, and without the Holy Spirit, we cannot be ready for the return of Christ. Romans 8:9 says, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” This passage is meant to distinguish between true and false believers, which means if you are or want to be a true Christian, you need to buy oil straight from Christ. The key to readiness for His return is to have ongoing fillings of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who reminds us of what Jesus taught us and who guides us into all Truth (John 16:14). It’s not enough just to experience Him once. We have to be continually filled. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot overcome sin, know the Lord, or be ready for His return. We must buy oil before the bridegroom comes back. Now is the time to seek His face while He may be found. The cost of not doing so is too great.
The parable ends with this - “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” (vs. 13).
Worship: I’ll Be Ready
Prayer
Lord, thank You that You are coming back. Thank You that You are returning in glory and that this is our blessed hope as believers (Titus 2:13). Thank You that every eye will see You, even those who pierced You (Revelation 1:7). Thank You for warning us that the day of Your return will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed (2 Peter 3:10). Thank You that everything hidden will be revealed. Make us ready for that day. Prepare us as a bride adorned for her bridegroom. Make us holy and blameless. When You come, I want to be ready! Help me to live these days as though You are coming soon because You are. Help us to abide in You so that when You come back, we may have confidence and not shrink back at Your coming (1 John 2:28). Help us to be watchful, to be ready, and to stay awake. Help us to hold fast to what we have so that no one may seize our crown (Revelation 3:11). Thank You that our citizenship is in Heaven and from it, we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20). Fill us up with Your Spirit today, Jesus. Don’t let us be a bride defiled by idols. We want to be pure, we want to be sober-minded, we want to be ready for You to come back. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17). Make us excited for Your return!”
Further Study
Matthew 24:36-44; Matthew 25:1-13; John 14:1-3; 1 Peter 1:13; Revelation 1:7-8
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