When the Man Comes Around By David Wood

Jun 29, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Flames at the Doorstep, Eternity in the Balance

The Maui wildfires swept in without warning, leaving no time for preparation. Just as physical disasters demand readiness, Jesus’ return will come suddenly—not with sirens, but with divine finality. Many spend years preparing for college, retirement, or earthly security, yet neglect eternal readiness. Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins warns against assuming we have time to delay. The door to eternity closes abruptly; what matters is being alert now. [00:13]

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42–44, ESV)

Reflection: Where in your life are you assuming you have more time to prepare for eternity? What practical step can you take today to prioritize readiness for Christ’s return?

Day 2: Lamps Without Oil, Faith Without Sustenance

Five virgins carried lamps but no oil—outwardly prepared, inwardly empty. A lamp without oil is like faith without substance: it flickers briefly but cannot endure. Jesus warns against relying on external religiosity or borrowed spirituality. True readiness requires personal investment in a living relationship with Him. The oil of devotion, repentance, and daily surrender cannot be borrowed at the last moment. [07:00]

“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.” (Matthew 25:3–4, ESV)

Reflection: Is your faith sustained by your own ongoing pursuit of Christ, or are you relying on others’ spiritual reserves? What “oil” do you need to cultivate today?

Day 3: Midnight Shouts and Eternal Celebrations

The bridegroom’s arrival at midnight shifted everything: prepared hearts entered the feast; unprepared hearts faced exclusion. Heaven’s joy—no pain, shame, or brokenness—awaits those ready to meet Jesus. Earthly distractions like image, comfort, or fleeting pleasures pale against eternity’s glory. The wise live with anticipation, letting eternal priorities shape daily choices. [16:29]

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3–4, ESV)

Reflection: What earthly distraction most often dims your anticipation of heaven? How might focusing on eternal joy change your perspective today?

Day 4: When the Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash’s song echoes Jesus’ warning: trumpets, angels, and the King’s arrival leave no room for last-minute preparation. The parable’s urgency mirrors life’s fragility—eternity hinges on today’s choices. Procrastination is perilous; readiness is a daily discipline. Jesus’ return isn’t a distant theory but a imminent reality demanding vigilance. [21:40]

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13, ESV)

Reflection: What habit or attitude have you postponed changing, assuming you’ll address it later? How can you act on it now as if “the Man” were coming today?

Day 5: Known by the Bridegroom, Ready for the Feast

The bridegroom’s tragic words—“I do not know you”—reveal the cost of unpreparedness. Being “known” by Jesus requires intentional surrender, not passive association. Salvation is a gift, but readiness demands active followership: serving, obeying, and aligning every decision with His lordship. Eternal life begins not at death, but in daily choosing Him. [26:37]

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:21, ESV)

Reflection: Does your daily life reflect a heart that’s actively preparing to meet Jesus, or merely assuming familiarity with Him? What one act of service today would affirm your readiness?

Sermon Summary

Jesus sets the stakes with a wedding story that runs on delay and surprise. The bridegroom lingers, the midnight cry erupts, and ten virgins scramble for lamps. The foolish bring lamps without oil and find only a shut door and the chilling verdict, I do not know you. The wise carry oil and enter the feast. The parable insists that the hour will not announce itself and that last minute scrambling will not bridge the gap between appearance and reality.

The delay in the story exposes the heart. The foolish can look the part for thirty seconds of torchlight, but the lack of oil shows there is no inner supply. The wise plan for the long night. The door finally shuts and the parable refuses sentimental edits. When Jesus returns, it is too late to borrow readiness from someone else, too late to bargain, too late to build a history with him in a hurry.

Jesus names the posture that fits the hour with one strong word: Gregorio. Watch. Stay awake. Be alert. The alertness he wants is not frantic or paranoid. It is sober, sustained, and focused in a world where image, comfort, and constant excitement call the shots. The foolish trade eternity for immediacy. The wise keep first things first and let lesser things be lesser.

The bridegroom’s arrival opens onto a marriage feast that out-sings every party on earth. The text piles up absence to make the point: no pain, no shame, no disease, no demonic oppression, no bombs, no racism, no loneliness. The presence of God is the gift. Joy and wholeness are the air. The warning is not to rob joy, but to protect the soul for the only joy that lasts.

The gospel names the way in. Sin separates and cannot be self-repaired. Jesus bears wrath in the place of sinners. Faith in Christ alone receives a free gift and makes a person ready to meet Jesus face to face. Readiness is not vague sincerity. Readiness is being known by the Master and living as his follower, using everything entrusted to serve him.

Jesus’ own teaching frames the hope: the Son of Man returns at an unexpected hour, visibly and audibly, personally with angels, to gather his bride and to judge, separating sheep and goats. The parable presses one question that cannot be outsourced. Does the Master know this person, and is this life aimed at his return.

Key Takeaways

1. Foolish delay hardens into too late The door in the parable really shuts, and the verdict really stands. Habitual postponement forms a soul that expects endless chances, but the kingdom arrives on God’s clock, not human convenience. Urgency is mercy while the door is open. Indifference today trains the heart for that final no. [10:18]
2. Watchfulness is sustained, not frantic Gregorio names a steady, wakeful posture that fits a long night. Fear sprints; love endures, stocks the oil, and stays at the post. Spiritual alertness is not hype but attentiveness to the Lord’s return in the ordinary. Small, faithful choices keep the wick trimmed when the midnight cry sounds. [14:42]
3. Distractions trade eternity for immediacy Image, comfort, and thrill-seeking promise quick hits and leave the soul drowsy. These are not neutral pastimes when they displace first love. The wise refuse to mortgage forever for a moment. Seeking the kingdom reorders desire so joy runs deeper than likes, leisure, or novelty. [11:22]
4. Readiness means known and serving Being ready is not spiritual cosplay. The Master must know the person, and entrusted gifts must be put to work. Faith receives Christ, and love spends itself in his service. Recognition at the door grows out of relationship, not last minute negotiations. [24:34]
5. Hope aims at the marriage feast The future is not vague survival but a party with the King where loss cannot enter. Holiness now is not deprivation but training the palate for that table. Saying no to lesser joys guards capacity for the joy that never ends. Anticipation fuels endurance in the delay. [16:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Wildfire and the need for warnings
[01:56] - Preparing for life, but then what
[03:06] - Ten virgins and the wedding story
[04:36] - Lesson 1: Foolish are not ready
[06:18] - First century wedding backdrop
[08:37] - Lamps, oil, and the midnight cry
[09:53] - Shut door and unknown by the bridegroom
[11:22] - Modern distractions that dull readiness
[14:42] - Gregorio: watch and stay awake
[16:29] - The marriage feast and heaven’s joy
[20:21] - Salvation by grace through faith
[23:27] - Five certainties of Christ’s return
[24:34] - Do you know the Master
[27:10] - Closing prayer for readiness

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 25:1-13 (ESV)
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Observation questions

What specific actions differentiate the “wise” and “foolish” virgins in the parable?
What does the bridegroom’s response, “I do not know you” (v. 12), reveal about the basis for entering the feast?
In the sermon, what modern distractions were compared to the virgins’ lack of oil (e.g., image, comfort, excitement)? [11:22]
How does the parable emphasize the finality of the shut door (v. 10)?

Interpretation questions

Why might the “oil” symbolize in the parable, and why couldn’t it be shared between the virgins?
The sermon states, “The delay in the story exposes the heart.” How does time test the authenticity of someone’s readiness for Christ’s return?
What does the refusal to open the door (v. 10) teach about the limits of last-minute repentance or reliance on others’ faith?
How does the call to “watch” (Gregorio) contrast with a life driven by immediacy and distraction? [14:42]

Application questions

The parable warns against relying on appearances (e.g., lamps without oil). In what areas of your life might you be prioritizing outward “performance” over inward readiness?
The sermon warns that “distractions trade eternity for immediacy.” What specific habits, hobbies, or priorities might be dulling your spiritual alertness? [11:22]
How could you “stock oil” daily through practical habits (e.g., prayer, Scripture, service) to sustain readiness during life’s “long nights”?
The door shutting signifies irreversible consequences. Is there a relationship, habit, or unresolved sin you need to address today to avoid hardening into “too late”?
The marriage feast promises joy without pain or shame. How might focusing on this hope reshape your choices in moments of temptation or weariness? [16:29]
Readiness requires being “known by the Master.” What steps could you take to deepen your relationship with Christ so that your life reflects being known by Him? [24:34]
The wise virgins served the bridegroom’s purpose. How are you using your time, gifts, and resources to serve Christ’s mission while waiting for His return?

Sermon Clips

42s

#HeavenlyCelebration

“``My friends, you gotta know this. Jesus is planning an eternal party in heaven. Time that is so glorious, we can't even fathom it. We need to look forward to this time. Time to worship and enjoy the king of the universe. You may have been to a party. You may have had some fun by God's grace on this earth, but you have no idea what is in store for us. I don't know if you realize this. When we go to heaven, when we go home to be with the Lord, there will be no pain. There will be no brokenness.”

47s

#PrepareToMeetJesus

“``We've learned a lot today from these 10 young ladies, or really from Jesus, the parable teller. It's good for each one of us to be prepared for college. It's great to be prepared for your marriage. It's it's very important to be prepared for retirements. It's especially important to be prepared for wildfires, things of that nature. But no preparation is more important than being prepared to meet Jesus face to face. So I wanna ask you one more time. Are you ready for the moment when the man comes around? Are you ready to meet Jesus face to face?”

44s

#TooLateToDecide

“``The tragic outcome for these girls is that they are sorely unprepared for the climactic moment they have been called to. And what Jesus is communicating here is that Jesus is going to return. And there are going to be some people who are not ready for his return. And when the announcement of Christ's return to earth comes, it will be too late for those people to try to make a decision about following him. It will be too late for them in the story to go get some oil or to borrow from those people who already are in a relationship with Jesus. But at that point, it will be too late.”

53s

#KnownByTheMaster

“``And so I wanna ask you, does the master know you or not? Does the master know you personally? Have you received that free gift of salvation from Jesus? It is absolutely essential if you wanna be prepared for eternity to know the Lord Jesus and to be known by him. If that's you today and you're wondering and saying, you know what? I've never received the free gift of salvation. I wanna encourage you. You can pray and turn to Jesus and say, I recognize that you are the king. I confess my sin and I admit that I've done wrong, and I had to deserve God's wrath. But now, I place my faith in your son Jesus, and I receive that free gift of salvation.”

39s

#GodsWayIsBest

“``Any of the things that the world offers to you right now that says, hey, God says no, but why don't you try it anyway? The things that we struggle with, the things that God tells us don't get distracted by those things, is not because Jesus doesn't want us to have fun. It's because he absolutely wants us to have the most fun and pleasure and joy we could possibly experience. And that only comes from doing things God's way. It only comes from receiving the free gift of salvation and going to be in God's presence forevermore.”

51s

#JesusPaidItAll

“``The Bible tells us that God created you to be with him, to be in his presence, and to enjoy him. But like I already mentioned, the sin that we get involved with, that we get tangled up on, that that we inherited from our ancestors, Adam and Eve, this sin is such that it separates us from God. And there's nothing we can do to get rid of that sin, to atone for that sin, to get rid of it off of ourselves. The only way was for Jesus to come to earth, to live the perfect life, take on human flesh, to go to the cross in our place, and all the wrath of God that we deserved was poured out on Jesus.”

52s

#StopPeoplePleasing

“``Maybe how you look to other people is something that occupies a lot of your mind, making sure that you look just right and you wear the right clothes and your online digital persona looks very appealing to all those people that would come across it. It's very easy to fall into the temptation of trying to look really good to other people, but that is a total distraction from what God calls us to truly be focused on, to be investing in his kingdom and ready for his return. For others of us, it's our comfort and our ease. We try to make decisions based on how comfortable am I going to get. Hey, let me make things as easy as I can for myself in this life.”

52s

#EternityOverComfort

“``We try to make decisions based on how comfortable am I going to get. Hey, let me make things as easy as I can for myself in this life. While getting distracted from the fact that Jesus calls us to work. And as we heard last week, to be serving him and active putting in that time seeking to honor him out of gratitude for his free gift of salvation. For some of us, it's about exciting living now. Hey. I things have gotta be as exciting and as fun and as pleasurable as they can in this lifetime, but we forget that God has designed us not to experience ultimate fulfillment in this lifetime, but to experience it in eternity with him.”

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When the Man Comes Around By David Wood

Devotional

Day 1: Flames at the Doorstep, Eternity in the Balance

Day 2: Lamps Without Oil, Faith Without Sustenance

Day 3: Midnight Shouts and Eternal Celebrations

Day 4: When the Man Comes Around

Day 5: Known by the Bridegroom, Ready for the Feast

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

When the Man Comes Around By David Wood

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