5 Pure Ladies: 1 Lapse

INTRO: 5 Pure Ladies and 1 Lapse. What happened?

In the story of the 10 Virgins, found in Matthew 25,  Jesus describes a familiar occurrence to the people of Jesus’ day.

These 10 ladies are part of the ceremony when the bridegroom arrives.

• They would take their lamps, and go to a pre-determined spot to hold their lights while the bridegroom pompously enters his residence.

But Jesus makes it clear that 5 pure ladies were foolish and 5 were wise.

• He wants everyone to be looking for the differences between the two groups.
• So he helps us. He tells us…
• The foolish had failed to bring extra oil, just in case.
• The 5 wise had brought an extra flask of oil with them

The evening grew long and the bridegroom was delaying

All 10 of the ladies started having trouble staying awake.

• Bible says they got drowsy.
  • I can see them doing the “head-bob.”
• Next, they fell hard asleep
  • They might have been snoring.

At midnight someone cried out loudly, clearly, and decisively.

• “The Bridegroom is coming! The Bridegroom is coming!!
• Trim your lamps. Get to your places. Its time. “
• The cry was sudden & unexpected!
  • But loud enough to wake everyone up.
• All the ladies bustled, trimming lights and getting into place

Suddenly, the foolish noticed their lamps were running very low on oil, the flame was flickering and giving off black smoke.

• They were not prepared.
• They were going to run out of oil.
• There was no way to disguise their failure to be prepared.

The wise spoke to the foolish.

Their statement was a restatement of the fact.

• courteous, simple, and certain
• And it suggested a solution.

• Matthew 25:9 ESV  But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’
• The 5 foolish ladies were face-to-face with the consequences of their folly

You can see the foolish making a dash to the merchants to make a purchase.

• They were hurrying
• Trying to get back before the bridegroom arrived
• Wanted to be there when the festivities began.

But they were not successful.

The bridegroom arrived first.

• Everyone ready, the wise ladies, came inside with the bridegroom as the celebration began
• Verse 10 ends with the door being shut.
  • The door was closed, locked, and barred.

When the 5 foolish ladies arrived at the door, they asked the Lord to open the door.

• But the bridegroom said he did not know them.
  • His answer implied there was no good reason to unlock the door.
  • They had to live with the consequences of their own negligence.

Jesus finished the story with a statement that is quite clear.

• • Be spiritually aware of what is happening with your soul.
• Why Watch?
  • You don’t know when the Lord is coming back again.
  •  

With this story in mind, There are 3 lessons you need.

• Being prepared is being wise.
  • It means
    • you are ready
    • not sleeping,
  • 2 John 1:8 ESV  Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.
  • Luke 21:34 ESV  “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
• You don’t know when Jesus is going to return,
  • but EVERYONE will KNOW
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV  (16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
  • This verse alone refutes The popular religious idea that Jesus will Leave some behind. Just not true!
• Prepare with more than enough good deeds
  • Matthew 5:16 ESV  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
    • Do the good deeds
    • But do them so God gets the glory.
    • Not you for being a good neighbor.
  • Acts 9:36-39 has the story of Dorcas or Tabitha.
    • She was full of good works
    • She got sick and died
    • When Peter & other disciples got there All the widows came crying & showing the clothes she had made and give away.
  • Ephesians 2:10 says “were created in Christ Jesus for good works,”
  • Titus 2:7  Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, …
  • Titus 3:14  And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”

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