Being Prepared For Christ’s Return
Matthew 25:1-13 and Jude 14-26
Will we be sleeping?
Matthew 25:1-13
[1] "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. [3] For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, [4] but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. [5] Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. [6] But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' [7] Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' [9] But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' [10] And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. [11] Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.' [12] But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' [13] Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
Jude 1:14-25
[14] It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, [15] to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." [16] These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage. [17] But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, [18] that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." [19] These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. [20] But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. [22] And have mercy on some, who are doubting; [23] save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. [24] Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, [25] to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
How will Christ find His Church?
The Second Coming of Christ will find his church a mixed body, containing evil as well as good. The professing church is compared to ten virgins (see Matthew v. 1).
All of them had lamps, but only five had oil in their vessels to feed their lamps. All of them professed to have one object in view, but five only were truly wise and the rest were foolish. The visible church is in just the same condition. All its members are baptized in the name of Christ, but not all hear his voice and follow him. All are called Christians and profess to be of the Christian religion, but not all have the grace of the Spirit in their hearts, and really are what they profess to be. Our own eyes tell us that it is so now.
The Lord tells us it will be so when he comes again.
Let us mark this description well. It is a humbling picture. After all our preachings and prayings, all our visiting and teachings, our missionary exertions at home and abroad, many will be found at the last spiritually dead! The wickedness and unbelief in human nature is a subject about which we all have much to learn!
Christ's second coming, whenever it may be, will take all men by surprise.
The cry announcing the bridegroom's arrival was at midnight when all the virgins were slumbering and sleeping (w. 5-6). It will be just the same when Jesus returns to this world. He will find the vast majority of mankind unbelieving and unprepared. He will find the vast majority of believing people in a sleepy and indolent state of soul. Business will be going on in town and country just as it does now. Politics, trading, farming, buying, selling, pleasure-seeking will take up men's attention just as they do now.
Rich men will still be eating sumptuously and poor men will still be murmuring and complaining. Churches will still be full of divisions and wrangling about trifles and theological controversies will still be raging.
Ministers will still be calling men to repent and congregations still putting off the day of decision. In the midst of all this Jesus Christ shall appear. The startled world shall stand before its King.
FOR MEDITATION: On that day only gospel believing will matter, not mere hearing.