Matthew 25:1-13
“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. [1]
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The point of the parable is quite clear: Be ready and watchful for the Lord’s return. And note the seriousness of the call to watchfulness. The foolish virgins are confined outside of the gates and told that they are unknown to the groom. This is a stern warning.
Do we take this seriously? Or does our resting upon God’s grace lead us to a lackadaisical attitude toward Christ’s earnest warning? “I’m already saved by grace, not by what I do, so even if I am a complete spiritual slacker, I’m ready for Christ’s return.” When the gift of free grace becomes a license for laziness, then we are not really taking to heart the grace upon which our hope is built.
The point of our calling by Christ is not merely our own personal security. When we are called by the Gospel, we are grafted into a family, enlisted into the Kingdom, living no longer for ourselves but for Christ who saved us. We are enlisted to work for the kingdom, as ambassadors of the New Creation. As Peter puts it, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Our salvation by grace, far from being a license to laziness, is the foundation of a life of kingdom significance, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to glorify Christ each day as we seek to be a blessing to Him and others. May Christ empower us to be so watchful today and every day.
Lord Jesus, keep me watchful for your return through fruitful labor for your kingdom. Empower me by Your Spirit so that every day is a day for your blessings to flow through me to the world.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Mt 25:1–13). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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