PLEASE NOTE: This is written from an Arminian viewpoint with a post-trib leaning. Just tellin ya...
Matthew 25:1-13 – The Return of the King
A modern-day film phenomenon came to an end on December 17, 2003. Millions of movie-goers stood in line for what seemed an eternity to be part of a big event. The final part in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This set of 3 movies was originally a set of 3 books, written 50 years ago, and called perhaps the most read books in the 20th century. And now, the final movie was about to start. People waited for the 1st movie – The Fellowship of the Ring. Then people waited for the 2nd movie – The Two Towers. And now, fans waited anxiously for the epic finale, the blockbuster, the last and the greatest: The Return of the King.
Now, I loved the books, written by Catholic scholar JRR Tolkien, and I loved the movies. The plot has many layers and many characters, but the title refers to Aragorn, rightful heir to the throne of Gondor, and how he rises up to be the king he was meant to be. Now, through all the hype and publicity, I found myself strangely drawn to Christian theology. I realized that while I was anxiously awaiting the movie, The Return of the King, I was also awaiting the return of the King of Kings. Even if it occurred to no-one else in that theatre, I realized I was looking forward to seeing the greatest King of all come to claim His throne.
Today we will look at a story that Jesus told, a parable of keeping an eye open for His return. We call it the parable of the 10 virgins or 10 bridesmaids – Matthew 25:1-13. Jesus had just finished teaching that the timing of His return would be unknown, and that His followers would need to be ready. By the way, that’s the point of the story. I’m giving you the ending even before we work through the passage: Get ready, and stay ready. Let’s read the parable together. READ.
Now, we have to understand just a little bit of Palestinian culture to understand this. Weddings were and are certainly big deals. And when a couple got married, the party could last for several days. Many people were invited, and there was much food and drink to be had by all. A wedding celebration was certainly a party you did not want to miss.
The wedding procession would begin at the bride’s house, and work its way through the streets of the city until it got to the groom’s house. And along the way, it would pick up more and more people, like a snowball rolling downhill. And once the procession arrived at the groom’s house, the doors would be shut and no more people would be let in. This is the setting for the 10 virgins or 10 bridesmaids. They were simply waiting to go to a big party and rejoice in a wedding feast.
Now, the first thing I want you to notice is who it is that’s waiting. Virgins. Now, this thought may be a little controversial, but I can’t help it. Virginity in the Bible always represents purity. Always. What Jesus is saying is that these 10 were pure people. These 10 represent people who were pure in heart, seeking after God. These were Christians.
Jesus did tell other stories about sinful people not being ready to meet the master when he returned. There’s the parable of the vineyard workers, who killed the messengers, even the only son, of the far-off master. But that’s not the spirit of this story. These people were not vengeful, selfish, or sinful. They were people who wanted to be with the groom. They were pure, and they were anxious to meet him.
Now, what’s scary about this thought is that even if at one time all these people were actually ready to meet the groom, at some point some were not. At some point, half of these people, who had once been ready to meet the groom, were not ready anymore. Even though they once had enough of what it took to meet the groom, that ran out. They let it run out. They didn’t have enough foresight to see it through till the end. They didn’t know when the groom was going to come, and so they lost track of their supplies. They were unwise in preparing for the future, and so they suffered the consequences.
So, if it can happen in a story that those who were once ready to meet the groom lost their readiness, what does that say about us? Even though Jesus’ words in Matthew 23 were directed towards the religious leaders, His words in ch.24-25 were to His disciples, his followers. These were not warnings given to His enemies, but His friends. Jesus was telling His followers to get ready and stay ready. If you don’t, there could be disastrous results.
There is a story told of the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. During one of his expeditions to the Antarctic, he left some of his men on Elephant Island with the intent of returning for them and carrying them back to England. But he was delayed. And by the time he could go back for them, the sea had frozen and he had no access to the island. He tried 3 times to reach them but the ice stopped him. Finally, on his fourth try, he broke through and found a narrow channel.
Well, much to his surprise, he found the crewmen waiting for him, supplies packed and ready to board. They were soon on their way back to England. He asked them how they knew to be ready for him. They told him they didn’t know when he would return, but they were sure he would. So every morning, the leader rolled up his bag, and packed his gear and told the crew to do the same saying, “Get your things ready, boys. The boss may come today.” The crew leader kept them prepared.
If they hadn’t been prepared, they may not have been able to get ready in time to escape the dangerous ice flows. But they stayed ready. And you know, we often get ready but get lulled into a drowsiness. I mean, it takes a moment to be saved, but it takes a lifetime to live it. And we get dulled by the cares of the world, by problems like money and relationships, health and jobs. And even though we were serious way back when, when we said we would live for Jesus, something changed. We lost our alertness.
And we become like the guy who was caught by his boss sitting at his desk staring out the window. “Why aren’t you working?” the boss asked. And without much thought, the employee confessed, “Because I didn’t see you coming.” Well, no, that’s the point. God has not left us a clock to let us know the exact minute His endtime plans will unfold. Any old half-hearted employee can watch that and say, “Well, I guess I’d better smarten up now – He’s gonna be here in an hour.”
No, God is interested in faithfulness, people who will work for Him even when His back appears to be turned. Even when it looks as if Jesus is never going to return, God still wants us to be faithful. To pray and to study, to work and to witness. To avoid sins, even the hidden ones, simply because it is the right thing to do. Jonathan Edwards, figurehead of the First Great Awakening in North America, made a long list of resolutions to read every week. Number 7 says this: “Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.”
Folks, that is living with your lamp trimmed and burning, being ready to see the groom when He comes, and what’s more, for Him to see you. Now, I’d love to tell you this is easy. It’s not, and it will get harder. In fact, this story seems to indicate that what we call the rapture – when Jesus descends from heaven to get His people – will happen after what we call the great tribulation. The groom comes to meet those who are waiting for him, and then, not returning to where he just came from, he keeps going on in the same direction to do what he was coming to do. The common sense of the passage and the original language both seem to indicate this. To come to meet us, and take us with Him in the same direction He was already headed in, not turning around and coming again later.
People who believe in the rapture before the tribulation actually believe that Jesus is coming again 2 more times. And as pleasant as that thought is, to be bypassing the great tribulation, the Bible does a better job, in my opinion, to show us that He is coming once. At the end of the 7 years of difficulty, He’s gonna pluck Christians out of the ground or off the ground, and then go on to fight and win the ultimate battle. Either way, the ending is the same: Jesus will be crowned the ultimate victor, the King of kings and Lord of lords. And He’s not the only one who will get a crown that day. 2 Timothy 4:8 says this: “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” But the key is, are you longing, waiting, yearning, for His appearing?
Let His coming be your motivation in all you do. You are not forgotten. You are not unseen. The little things you do will not go unnoticed. Your life is meaningful. And your faith will be rewarded. The return of the King will set all things right, will fix every situation, and will put this world back together again. G. Campbell Morgan, a preacher from the last century said “To me, the second coming is the perpetual light in the path which makes the present bearable. I never lay my head on my pillow without thinking that: maybe before the morning breaks, the final morning may have dawned. I never begin my work without thinking perhaps he may interrupt my work and begin his own.”
So I need ask, are you ready? Even if you were once ready to die or meet Jesus, are you ready today? Or have you grown weary and tired, and the little things you do or don’t do don’t matter to you anymore? Do you live with Jonathan Edwards resolution, “never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life”?
After all, there is a party thrown for those who are ready. 25:10 says that the bridesmaids who were ready got invited to a wedding banquet – a feast to celebrate. The Bible describes what’s called the wedding supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19. In fact, one of the reasons we celebrate communion is to remind us, not only of the past, but also the future. The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the sacrifice made so many years ago, and the celebration yet to come.
So today, as we prepare to take communion, I encourage you to look backwards and forwards. To remember what Jesus did for us, the forgiveness, the courage, the sacrifice. And, to look forward to seeing Him face to face, to take His hand, and to be led to the table, where we will enjoy His company forever. That is our hope. That is our coming King.
