Parable of five wise and five foolish virgins

Matt 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Introduction: What is wisdom? Is it knowledge?  is it intelligence? is it experience? In short wisdom is how you use your intellect, knowledge, and experiences to make a good decision in a given situation.

Pr 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Luke 12:20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

No man is a fool that gives away that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose!

Mr 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Three big questions in life are:

1. How did I get here?
2. What am I doing while I am here?
3. Where will I go when I leave here?

We all have a choice to make about these questions

1. Either God put me here or I came by some science explanation such as evolution
2. If God put me here then I am to give my life to Him.
3. My choice to believe in God, and that he put me here and that I will give him my life will determine my destiny for either Heaven or hell.

I.  Five wise virgins made a right decision for the coming of Jesus

Salvation, by faith thru His grace

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Mt 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

II.  Five foolish made a decision not to be prepared

No decision is a decision of no

Ge 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Noah built an ark to prepare for a flood

Mt 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Nehemiah built a wall to save a city for God’s people

Jesus gave his life for us that we might be saved

The first wisest thing you will do is accept Jesus Christ as your savior

The second wisest thing you will do is help others be saved

Conclusion:

John 14: 1   Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.