Wedding Preparation

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. (Matthew 25:10)

Have you ever been too late for a once-in-a-lifetime event? There can be many reasons for being late. When the reason is of our own making, it can be extremely embarrassing and exceptionally painful. Some of our hardest lessons in life happen when we miss out on immediate opportunities. The failure to capitalize on a great opportunity because we were waiting on better deal is the story of many a life. Someone waiting on a better job often spends a lifetime hating what they do. Someone waiting on the perfect wife or husband can spend years waiting in loneliness. Those who lose out because they waited too long to respond will be especially saddened. We can get hurt when we wait too long. Jesus told a parable illustrating what happens when we are prepared for God’s opportunities and what happens when we aren’t. He compared it to a wedding and a bridegroom who came.

I. THE WEDDING WILL OCCUR WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM COMES. In our culture a wedding involves engraved invitations and deadlines to meet. The oriental wedding was not that way. The wedding went on for a period of time. And it never started till the bridegroom came. In the parable, no one in the bridal party knew when that would be. The wedding was held according to the bridegroom’s schedule. He was not directed by the bride to be there at a certain time or day. There was no wedding till he came. The bridal party was to be ready for the wedding, not off on a last minute trip to the Wal-Mart of their day! They were to be good stewards of their time and their oil.
II. THE TIME TO BE PREPARED IS NOT AFTER HE COMES. A wedding in our culture is very time bound. Is there ever enough time to prepare? In the setting of the parable, there was a motivation for the virgins, or attendants to the bride, to prepare. Since they did not know when the bridegroom was coming, there was urgency and an immanency that he could come at any time. Our lesson is that we should be prepared for His coming…receiving no warning about a tentative arrival date.
III. THE BRIDEGROOM LEADS ALL TO THE WEDDING FEAST. A CLOSED DOOR GREETS THE LATE ARRIVALS. Weddings in our culture show the bridegroom waiting on the bride for her arrival. In the eastern culture, the bride waits on the bridegroom. God’s culture is the kingdom of God. The bride is to wait on the bridegroom. The bridegroom will not be kept waiting. Oil for the lamp is as necessary as breath to life. We cannot keep God waiting. One day the door will be closed to the wedding feast. And no amount of knocking will get us in. It will not matter who you know if you don’t know Jesus. He is the Bridegroom. We must be on the guest list and we should be anticipating His arrival. Are you ready? He is coming. Don’t keep Him waiting.