Be Prepared: The Call to Spiritual Vigilance

In today's message, we explored the profound teachings of Jesus through the parable of the ten virgins, found in Matthew 25. This parable serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of being spiritually prepared and vigilant for the return of Christ. Jesus used parables to convey deep truths in a relatable manner, and this story is no exception. It emphasizes the necessity of maintaining an active and alert faith, as we do not know the exact time of His return.

We began by setting the context, rewinding to Matthew 22, where Jesus enters Jerusalem, and the disciples marvel at the grandeur of the temple. Jesus, however, shifts their focus from earthly splendor to eternal realities, warning them of the temple's eventual destruction and the signs of His return. He cautions against deception and urges them to remain vigilant, as many will claim to be the Messiah.

The parable of the ten virgins illustrates the importance of preparedness. The ten virgins represent the church, with five wise and five foolish. The wise virgins brought extra oil, symbolizing a deep, personal relationship with God, while the foolish ones did not, reflecting a lack of commitment. This parable challenges us to examine our own spiritual readiness and commitment to Christ.

Jesus' message is clear: we must be ready, for His return is imminent. This readiness involves an active faith, a personal relationship with God, and a commitment to spiritual growth. We cannot rely on others' faith or spiritual preparedness; each of us must cultivate our own relationship with God.

In conclusion, the parable of the ten virgins calls us to live with an eager expectation of Christ's return, not out of fear, but out of love and excitement for Him. We are encouraged to prioritize our relationship with God, engage in prayer, immerse ourselves in His Word, and surround ourselves with fellow believers who inspire us to seek more of Him. Today is a good day to get closer to Jesus, to prepare our hearts, and to live with the joyful anticipation of His return.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **Contextual Understanding:** Jesus' teachings in parables require us to understand the context in which they were given. By examining the events leading up to the parable of the ten virgins, we see the urgency and importance Jesus placed on being spiritually prepared for His return. This context helps us grasp the depth of His message. [02:24]

2. **Spiritual Vigilance:** The recurring theme of being alert and active in faith is crucial. Jesus warns against deception and emphasizes the need for vigilance. Our faith should be dynamic, constantly growing, and attentive to the signs of His return. This vigilance is not passive but requires active engagement with our faith. [06:45]

3. **Personal Responsibility:** The parable of the ten virgins highlights the importance of personal responsibility in our spiritual journey. We cannot rely on others' faith or preparedness; each of us must cultivate our own relationship with God. This involves maintaining our "oil"—our closeness to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. [11:34]

4. **Joyful Anticipation:** Our preparation for Christ's return should be driven by love and excitement, not fear. As we grow closer to God, our desire for His return should fill us with joy and hope. This anticipation transforms our spiritual practices into acts of love and devotion. [20:03]

5. **Community and Accountability:** While our spiritual journey is personal, we are encouraged to link arms with fellow believers. Surrounding ourselves with those who are passionate about God helps keep us accountable and inspired. Together, we can prepare for Christ's return with eagerness and support. [32:19]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:24] - Contextual Rewind
- [06:45] - Signs of the Times
- [09:43] - Parable of the Ten Virgins
- [11:34] - The Importance of Oil
- [13:45] - Commitment and Preparedness
- [14:23] - Salvation and Personal Responsibility
- [16:00] - The Wise Virgins' Response
- [18:42] - Urgency of Preparation
- [20:03] - Fear vs. Love in Anticipation
- [26:53] - Living with Extra Oil
- [28:11] - Prioritizing God's Word
- [32:19] - Community and Accountability
- [39:07] - Closing Prayer and Encouragement

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Parable of the Ten Virgins**

**Bible Reading:**
- Matthew 25:1-13

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**Observation Questions:**

1. In the parable of the ten virgins, what distinguishes the wise virgins from the foolish ones? How does this distinction relate to their preparedness? [11:34]

2. What does the oil in the lamps symbolize in the context of the parable, and why is it significant for the virgins to have extra oil? [11:34]

3. How does Jesus use the setting of a Jewish wedding to convey the message of spiritual readiness and vigilance? [09:43]

4. What are some of the signs Jesus mentions that indicate His return is near, and how do they relate to the theme of vigilance? [06:45]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

1. How does the parable of the ten virgins challenge individuals to assess their own spiritual readiness and commitment to Christ? [13:45]

2. In what ways does the parable emphasize personal responsibility in one's spiritual journey, and how does this relate to the concept of "extra oil"? [14:55]

3. How does the anticipation of Christ's return influence the way believers should live their daily lives, according to the sermon? [20:03]

4. What role does community play in maintaining spiritual vigilance and accountability, as discussed in the sermon? [32:19]

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**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on your current spiritual state. Do you identify more with the wise or foolish virgins, and what steps can you take to ensure you have "extra oil" in your spiritual life? [13:45]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in faith. What specific actions can you take this week to deepen your personal relationship with God? [14:55]

3. Consider the signs of the times mentioned in the sermon. How can you remain vigilant and active in your faith amidst the distractions and challenges of daily life? [06:45]

4. How can you cultivate a joyful anticipation of Christ's return in your life, rather than living in fear or complacency? What practices can help you maintain this perspective? [20:03]

5. The sermon highlights the importance of community and accountability. Who in your life can you partner with to encourage and support each other in your spiritual journey? [32:19]

6. Reflect on the idea of living a life of "extra oil" rather than just "sufficient." What changes can you make in your daily routine to prioritize your relationship with God? [26:53]

7. How can you actively prepare for Christ's return out of love and excitement, rather than fear? What specific spiritual disciplines can you incorporate into your life to foster this mindset? [20:03]

Day 1: Understanding the Urgency of Spiritual Preparedness
In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus emphasizes the importance of being spiritually prepared for His return. This parable is set against the backdrop of Jesus' teachings in Matthew 22, where He shifts the focus from earthly grandeur to eternal realities. The ten virgins represent the church, with five wise and five foolish. The wise virgins, who brought extra oil, symbolize a deep, personal relationship with God, while the foolish ones reflect a lack of commitment. This story challenges us to examine our own spiritual readiness and commitment to Christ. Understanding the context of this parable helps us grasp the urgency and importance Jesus placed on being spiritually prepared. [02:24]

Matthew 24:42-44 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with God and ensure you are spiritually prepared for His return?


Day 2: Active Faith and Spiritual Vigilance
The parable of the ten virgins underscores the necessity of maintaining an active and alert faith. Jesus warns against deception and emphasizes the need for vigilance, as many will claim to be the Messiah. Our faith should be dynamic, constantly growing, and attentive to the signs of His return. This vigilance is not passive but requires active engagement with our faith. We are called to be spiritually awake, nurturing our relationship with God through prayer, study of His Word, and fellowship with other believers. [06:45]

1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV): "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively engage your faith today to remain spiritually vigilant and resist deception?


Day 3: Personal Responsibility in Spiritual Growth
The parable of the ten virgins highlights the importance of personal responsibility in our spiritual journey. We cannot rely on others' faith or preparedness; each of us must cultivate our own relationship with God. This involves maintaining our "oil"—our closeness to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The wise virgins' preparedness was a result of their personal commitment to being ready for the bridegroom's arrival. Similarly, we are called to take ownership of our spiritual growth, ensuring that our faith is vibrant and alive. [11:34]

Galatians 6:4-5 (ESV): "But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load."

Reflection: What is one area of your spiritual life where you need to take more personal responsibility, and how can you begin to do so today?


Day 4: Joyful Anticipation of Christ's Return
Our preparation for Christ's return should be driven by love and excitement, not fear. As we grow closer to God, our desire for His return should fill us with joy and hope. This anticipation transforms our spiritual practices into acts of love and devotion. The parable of the ten virgins calls us to live with an eager expectation of Christ's return, prioritizing our relationship with God and engaging in practices that draw us closer to Him. [20:03]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a sense of joyful anticipation for Christ's return in your daily spiritual practices?


Day 5: Community and Accountability in Faith
While our spiritual journey is personal, we are encouraged to link arms with fellow believers. Surrounding ourselves with those who are passionate about God helps keep us accountable and inspired. Together, we can prepare for Christ's return with eagerness and support. The parable of the ten virgins reminds us of the importance of community and accountability in our faith journey, as we encourage one another to remain vigilant and spiritually prepared. [32:19]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to for spiritual accountability and encouragement, and how can you support each other in your faith journeys?

Well, good morning, everybody. Welcome to week four of Sunday School Remix. I forgot the title of this: Parables Edition. Have you been enjoying this series? I have learned so much, and I just love being able to dig deeper into the words of Jesus.

See, Jesus spoke in parables, in stories, in allegories to explain deep and profound truths of the kingdom, but in a way that was easy for people to understand. So he used stories and objects and things of everyday life to highlight complex truths of heaven. So I think that it is very important for us to understand what he was trying to tell us. And that's why I've been loving this series.

I don't know if you remember or if you were here for all of them, but on week one, we talked about the prodigal son, actually the parable of the lost things. We highlighted how God has been so good going after those who were lost. Our response to that should be rejoicing. Every time that somebody is found, there should be joy.

Then on week two, we talked about the parable of the talents. Pastor Carlton showed us that the talent that we have is the Holy Spirit, and that we should be good stewards of his power and his residence. I think that's what we're talking about.

Last week, Pastor Chris talked about you—yes, the treasure in the field—and how much you are loved and how much you are valued by God. Today, we're going to be talking about the parable of the ten virgins, and that is found in Matthew 25.

But before we go there, we need to kind of rewind. You know, it's more like a Sunday school rewind. We're going to be zooming out so that we can truly understand why Jesus is telling this parable. What did he mean by that? What is he trying to communicate? Because do you remember the three rules of Bible study? Context, context, context. Good job, everybody.

I think that it is very important for us to be able to zoom out to see how this whole conversation got started. So we're not going to start in Matthew 25. Actually, I want you to kind of use your imagination, and we're going to transport ourselves to chapter 22. Are you ready? Are you ready to use your imagination?

So this is what I want you to picture, okay? There are palm branches being put on the ground, and people that didn't have palm branches are putting coats on the ground as Jesus is getting into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. People are shouting, "Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed is the one that comes in the name of the Lord."

Jesus goes into the temple, and there he teaches. He heals people, and he does so many amazing things. Then we get to chapter 24. It says, "Jesus left the temple area and was going on his way when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to the magnificent and massive buildings of the temple."

The disciples were like tourists in Jerusalem. This temple was known to be beautiful and magnificent. It was the place to be. So the disciples don't want Jesus to miss it, right? They are saying, "Do you see where we are? Do you see all of this beauty?"

There was actually a saying that the rabbis had: "Whoever has not seen the temple of Herod has never seen a beautiful building." This place was gorgeous. So the disciples are saying, "Jesus, let's take a selfie over here by this pillar! You cannot miss this place."

And Jesus responds to them, "Do you see all of these things? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, not one stone will be left on another which will not be torn down."

So they have a beautiful balloon, and Jesus comes and pops it, right? Like, what? While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately—and that is very important—and said, "Tell us, when will this destruction of the temple take place, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end, complete consummation of the age?"

The disciples were puzzled. Now, what do you mean that this beautiful and massive place is going to be turned down to pieces? When is this going to happen? Because in their mind, Jesus is the Messiah. He's supposed to come and rescue them, and it's going to be victorious. So what do you mean all of this is not going to be there anymore?

They are saying, "Jesus, can you tell us? Can you explain to us when all of this stuff is going to happen?" And Jesus answered, "Be careful that no one misleads you, deceives you, and leads you into error. For many will come in my name, using it and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to me, saying, 'I am the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed,' and they will mislead many."

So Jesus is telling the disciples there are going to be a few things that you have to be watching out for that are going to let you know what you're going to face. That's why Jesus said, "I'm coming back. There are going to be things that you need to look for that will let you know I am close."

But the first thing that you need to know is that many people are going to say things. "Don't be deceived. Don't believe the lies." Then Jesus starts telling them what those signs are that they should expect to see.

He says, "Well, you're going to constantly hear about wars and rumors of war." Check. "And then you're going to hear about nations rising up against other nations." Check. "And you're going to hear about kingdoms going against other kingdoms." Check. "And there are going to be famines." Check. "And there are going to be earthquakes." Check. "And Kim Kardashian is going to get a Tesla robot." Check.

You know, it is all of these crazy things that are going to happen, you know. And we are living in those times right now, and we have been for over 2,000 years. Jesus said, "You're going to see all of these things, and all of this is going to point you to me coming back."

Then he says, "So be alert." And that is the theme, the recurring theme of all of these parables that Jesus is going to start telling his disciples: "Be alert. Give strict attention. Be cautious and active in faith. For you do not know which day, whether near or far, your Lord is coming."

So be alert and active in faith. Keep your eyes open. Don't be passive about it. Make sure that you are attentive and doing something to increase the faith that you have today. Make sure that that is something that is at work in you every single day.

Now, do you remember who Jesus is talking to? The disciples. Who else is there? Nobody. Because the disciples were taking Jesus to the side and asking privately, right? He is not talking to the crowds. He is not talking to the multitude. He is not talking to thousands. He is only talking to the twelve—his closest friends.

The ones that have been walking with Jesus day in and day out, the ones that have heard every word that he has taught, that have seen every miracle that he has performed—they have been there all the time. He is telling them, "Be alert and active in faith."

Then he continues saying, "Therefore, you who follow me must also be ready." What does that mean? That means that it is not, "Be ready, you who don't know Jesus." "Be ready, you that don't follow me." No, no, no. "You who follow me, also be ready."

Because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect him. You see the theme again? You have to be alert and active in faith because you don't know when I'm coming. He is making the disciples aware of the urgency and the reality that he is coming back.

He is making them aware of the fact that he is coming back, that they have to be ready, that they have to be proactive with their faith, that their eyes have to be open, and that they have to be doing something. They have to be alert and active in faith.

So Jesus then goes and tells them three parables. In the first one, he says, "If a man knew that a burglar was coming on a specific day in a specific hour, wouldn't he be ready to stop him from coming in and robbing him blind?"

Then he said, "And there it is like a master who goes away, and he has two servants, and he entrusts everything in his house to them. One of the servants is diligent, and he makes sure that everything in the house runs smoothly. When the master comes back, he finds them doing exactly what he is supposed to do. But Jesus calls the other servant evil. He said, 'Because he starts mistreating his fellow servants, and he indulges in eating and drinking.' And when the master comes, he's thrown out. He is kicked out. He is nomas, right?

The Bible says, actually, that he will be put with the hypocrites in a place of weeping and grinding of teeth. I don't fully know what that means, but it doesn't sound fun, right? Like, I don't want to be there. But this is the place that is going to be waiting for those who are hypocrites, those who are evil.

To further clarify this point, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins. Now we are back to chapter 25.

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom." This was a Jewish wedding tradition. The groom would leave his house with some of his closest friends, and he would go to the bride's house where they would have some ceremonies and then a procession at nightfall.

The bride would be at her house with some virgins, which would be like bridesmaids, and they would be expected to meet the groom as he comes in. So in this parable, Jesus is the bridegroom, and we, the church, those who are following him, those who are close to him, the disciples of Jesus, are the ten virgins.

Okay? Then five of them were foolish, thoughtless, silly, and careless. And five were wise, farsighted, practical, and sensible. So we have some wise women and some foolish ones.

What makes them foolish? Well, Jesus is going to tell us immediately. "For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any extra oil with them. But the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps."

So why is this oil so important? Every single person that was a part of the celebration and the procession that happened at night, as we just read, they were supposed to have a torch or an oil lamp—something that would help with the light. That would also represent the fact that they were actually invited to that celebration.

If you didn't have that on you, the whole entirety of the celebration, people would assume that you were just crashing the party or that you were trying to rob them. So it was very important for the people that were actually celebrating this wedding to have extra oil so that they had fire burning the whole entire time.

So this oil was very important. Our oil is our relationship with God, our closeness to Jesus, our passion for the things of God, the Holy Spirit in us, okay?

Now, while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. Again, it's the theme: be ready because you don't know when he's coming. Be ready.

So the bridegroom was delayed. He didn't come exactly when they were expecting him to come. It took a little bit longer, so they fell asleep. But at midnight, there was a shout: "Look, the bridegroom is coming! Go out to meet him!"

Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order, trimmed the wicks, added oil, and lit them. So they were like, "It's go time! It is time to go and meet the bridegroom." And we're ready.

Well, not all of them. The foolish virgins said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out."

See, these foolish virgins, they were invited to the wedding, and they accepted the invitation. But their lack of preparedness shows us a lack of full commitment. They didn't take it seriously. They were careless, remember? They were silly. They were ready for the party, but they were not ready for the commitment of a full life.

A lot of times we can read that, and we can say, "Oh, these foolish virgins," right? But I think that it is very easy for all of us to get into that space.

Okay, by a show of hands, how many of you have Netflix?

Okay, you can put your hands down.

By a show of hands, how many of you actually pay for Netflix?

A lot less, let me tell you. It is very, very easy for us to want the benefits of a streaming service but not be willing to pay the price for it.

And you say, "You know what? I want somebody else to pay. Share with me the password because I don't want to miss the cake, but I don't want to invest in it."

But the Bible is telling us here that Jesus is saying, "This is not how it happens in the kingdom. There is no salvation by proxy. There is not, like, you have faith, you work for your oil, and then you share it with me."

A lot of times there are people out there saying, "Man, if I just had some of your oil, if I could just pray and read the Bible like you do, if I could just say no to the desires of the flesh the way that you do, if I could just be disciplined in the things of the Spirit like you are, give me some of your oil."

See, we like the benefits and the blessings and the results of a Christian life, but we don't like the process. We don't like paying the price to say no to the things that we want to say yes to, right? The things that our flesh is pushing us towards.

All of that takes work. And it is much easier to just go to somebody else and say, "Give me some of your oil." But that is not how it works.

But the wise replies, "No. Otherwise, there will not be enough for us and for you too." They're saying, "This is my oil. You're going to have to get your own."

Listen, I wish I could make that decision for people. I wish I could just say, "Jesus, I have extra oil, so I am going to come to the ceremony, to the celebration, and here is my plus one." I wish I could do that, but it is not possible.

Every single person has to get their own oil. So it says, "Go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves." It is a personal thing.

But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut and locked.

So five people were ready, and they went to the celebration. Five were not ready, and they were left behind. Later, the others also came and said, "Lord, Lord, open the door for us."

But he replied, "I assure you and must solemnly say to you, I do not know you."

We have no relationship. Relationship, relationship, relationship. There is no later to a relationship with Jesus. There is no, "Let me just come back after you have come and you have taken somebody else with you, then maybe later I can do that."

We need to build a relationship with Jesus today. Today is a good day to get closer to Jesus. Amen?

Then it says, "Therefore, again our theme, be on the alert. Be prepared and ready, for you do not know the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come."

See, this parable is very clear: Jesus is coming back, and we must be ready. We don't know when he's going to come, but he will come, and we need to be alert, and we have to have a faith that is active because hell is real, and heaven is real, and eternity is a long time.

So what do we do with this? We prepare. We don't wait.

We don't wait until tomorrow. "I will start that Bible plan tomorrow. I'll start praying tomorrow. I'll start doing it later when I have more time. Maybe once my workload is better, then I can focus on my relationship with Jesus. Maybe when my kids grow up, because right now my hands are full. Or maybe when I have more of a desire, because right now I really try, but I don't feel it. So maybe I just need to wait a little bit longer."

There is no later to a relationship with Jesus. We prepare now because today is a good day to get closer to Jesus.

See, for many years, I was terrified—like, for real scared—of Jesus coming back. My parents, when I was little, always used the Left Behind series to evangelize. Any of you familiar with the Left Behind series?

It is exactly what it sounds like. It's talking about the people who were left behind. Every single time that I read the Bible, parables like this one would just put me in fear. Because in my mind, I was always the one left behind. I was always the one that was not going to heaven. Like, I was always the one that was crying and saying, "God, where are you?"

I remember my parents having this song that they loved, and they just played it on repeat in my house. It was a constant anthem in our house. And it was this song that starts like, even like really creepy. It starts with like a little, and you think I'm joking, but I'm not. Like, that's how the song starts.

The song talks about how there is this girl, and she's running through the streets screaming, "Mom!" And then somebody else says, "No, Jesus came, and he took his people," and there's no remedy for any of us. I was terrified of being left behind.

My Bible ended in Jude—like, Revelation? No, we're not going there. No beasts and things like that—let's no thank you, right? Like, I was afraid, and I wanted to prepare. You better believe I wanted to prepare. I wanted to go to heaven, but out of fear. It wasn't because of Jesus; it was just because I didn't want to be left behind.

It is my desire that you will see God not to escape hell but to get closer to him, that your desire will be to connect with him, to truly know him, to desire his presence and his company in your life.

See, Jesus taught this parable in the days just a few days before he went to the cross, and he didn't want to terrify his disciples. He wanted to prepare them. He wanted to make sure that they didn't just go and leave it up, but that they would keep focused, that they would stay alert and active in their faith, that they would be looking eagerly for him to come back, for them to just prioritize the relationship with him, for them to wait with expectation that he was coming back.

So what comes to mind when you think about Jesus coming back? And maybe you are like me, and you're like, "Let's not talk about that right now." So let's start the next series, like today, like next, right?

But maybe some of you are scared of it. But let me tell you that throughout my years, the more I know God, the more I experience his love and his mercy and his grace, the closer that I get to him, the more I want him to come back.

Because today is a good day to get closer to Jesus. See, Jesus is coming back, and those words should fill us with joy and excitement and happiness and hope. They should not give us fear; they should make us just so giddy and so ready.

They were saying, "Let's do it! Let's have that happen right now!" And that was the heart that King David had, actually. In Psalms 27:4, he says, "There is one thing that I have asked the Lord to do for me. This is the one thing that I really want: I want to live in the Lord's house all of the days of my life. Then I will clearly see the Lord's beauty."

He said, "I don't want anything. I don't want anything else. I don't need anything in this world. I just want to be close to you. I just want to be able to communicate with you. I just want to gaze at your beauty."

If that is your heart, if truly being close to Jesus and seeing his face is all that you want, there's nothing else that could ever compare, then hearing that he's coming back should be the happiest news that you get, and preparation will just come naturally.

It will just flow. It will actually be one of those things that I can't stop, won't stop, because I am just so excited. There is no way that you can put me down. I have to prepare you because Jesus is coming.

See, my family took a vacation just a couple of weeks ago. We went to Universal Studios, and we purchased our tickets around the end of July. From the moment that we got our tickets, our daughter Kelsey was so excited. Every single day she was watching videos on Universal. She kept asking, "How many days until we go to Universal?"

Brent and I just looked at her, and we were like, "It's going to be a long three months." She was just knowing everything. By the time that we were getting ready to go, she knew what to eat and what to do and what everything was going to look like.

"If you go down through this alley, you're going to find this," like, "And the dragon makes a noise before it throws fire." You're like, "Okay!" Like, she knew everything. She was so excited that every single day she was getting ready for Universal, and her excitement made me excited.

So I did what every mom would do, and I went to Amazon, and I started buying all the things, right? I got us the character shirts, and I got us the fanny packs and the water bottles and the snacks and the rain ponchos that we ended up leaving at the hotel room because Brent said, "It's not going to rain today," and then it rained, and we were all wet, and I was not happy about that.

But you know, we were so excited. We were preparing. We were ready. We were eager, and it was not burdensome; it was fun.

I believe that when you are expecting something and someone with that excitement, try to stop me from preparing. It is not going to be a hard thing to do; it's just going to come because I just cannot wait to see Jesus.

So I had to be prepared. See, we are not going to prepare out of fear; we're going to prepare out of love and excitement for him.

And how do we get to that place? Well, we put God first. We put God first in everything that you do. We prioritize our relationship with God above everything else. You fan the flame in your heart by saying, "God, you are the most important thing in my life. This is the thing that I want the most—to just be in your presence."

See, we can either live a satisfied life or a life of extra oil. I think that the five foolish virgins, they cut enough, and they were okay with it. They were satisfied. They said, "This should work."

I think that sometimes we approach our faith that way. "Well, I prayed enough. I go to church once a month. That should be enough. I do what is required. I have enough. It's sufficient."

You can live a satisfied life, or you can live a life of extra oil, where you say, "I can never have enough of Jesus. I have to go back to his word. I have to just get closer to him. I just need to do more because I am not satisfied with what I have today. I need more. I need more of him. I need more of him."

To get to the point where God is not a part of your life, God is your life. And there's nothing else in you. There's nothing that you desire more than him.

So how do we get there? I think that there are four things that we need to do as we prepare.

The first one is that we prepare by prioritizing our time in his word. From the moment that you open your eyes, you go to the word of God. You are constantly thinking about what the word says.

We are going and reading the word of God because it's in every single page in the Bible that we get to know this Jesus and this God that loves us so much. Do you want to fall in love with God to the point that you want to see him? You need to get to know him.

You're not going to be excited to meet somebody that you don't know and somebody that you have no knowledge about. But when you are reading in the Bible about how good he is and how full of himself he is and how faithful he is and the great lengths that he went through to get you, to rescue you, to bring you to him, then you say, "I want to know more."

You get to see his character. You get to see how he's a promise keeper and a way maker. You see him in a different way that you just need to know more of him.

So every single day, do something to prioritize your time in the word of God. Maybe you need to set an alarm and say, "Okay, every single day at this time, I have to stop whatever I'm doing and read the word of God."

You know, I have that for my family, and every single day at 5 p.m., my alarm goes off, and I open the Bible app, and I get the Bible verse of the day, and then I listen to the little video that they have, and then I share it with everybody in my family.

Maybe you need to do something like that. Do whatever it requires for you to prioritize time in the word of God.

Number two, we need to prepare by prioritizing prayer. Did you know that God wants to hear your voice? Do you know that he cares about the things that you are going through? Did you know that he said, "Come to me"? He wants to hear you.

Guys, that should blow our minds—the one who created heaven and earth and everything that we see in ourselves. He is interested in having a relationship with us, and he wants us to come and talk to him. That is incredible, and it is such an honor and a privilege to spend time in prayer.

So prioritize prayer. Pray in the morning. Pray as you're going to work or just as you're going to school. Pray as you are going through the day.

There are times that we think that prayer has to just be blocks, you know, and you have your 20-minute block here and then maybe another 20 minutes at night and maybe another 20 minutes tomorrow. But you know that you can pray throughout the day?

You can pray as you are going into a meeting, saying, "God, I am about to get into this meeting, and I'm a little bit nervous. Be with me." That's prayer.

That you're about to take a test in school and say, "God, remind me of everything that I have learned so that I do well in this test." You can go to him and say, "I am feeling anxious right now. I just need your presence to be with me."

You don't have to just isolate yourself; you can continually pray. That's why the Bible says, "Pray without ceasing," because you can pray. I mean, you can say preach; you can pray consistently all throughout your day.

The third thing is that we need to prepare by prioritizing worship. We need to be in this space where we are just telling God everything that he means to us, where we tell him how good he is and how great he is and how in awe we are of him, where we praise him for everything that he has done and everything that he will continue to do, where we put him in the rightful place in our lives, where we can raise our hands and just abandon ourselves into his presence.

Can you imagine how different your day would be if you wake up and spend some time in the word and then have a moment of prayer?

Then as you are going into work or as you're going into school, instead of just playing your normal music or talk radio or wherever else that you listen to, you put worship music.

How different will you be showing up by the time that you are sitting at your desk? Or by the time that you have to have something to do with your children or doing whatever it is that you need to do at school?

You will be in such an awareness of God that you will be saying, "God, I want to see you." That hearing that he is coming back, you're like, "Well, finally! Because I have been learning about him, and I have been talking to him, and I have been spending time in his presence. I cannot wait to see his face!"

Like, I want to see him, and I want that.

It is my prayer that that's where you find yourself today, that you will just be eagerly waiting for him to come.

The fourth thing is that we don't prepare alone. This parable shows us nobody can prepare for you, but you can link arms with other people who are on fire for God. They are keeping you accountable. They are saying, "Hey, how much oil do you have? Have you been reading your Bible? Have you been praying? Hey, I think that these areas of your life are kind of wacky right now. I think that you need to go back to Jesus and get more oil."

We need to link arms with other people who are on the same boat as us and who are saying, "Let's learn about Jesus together. Let's get excited about the fact that he's coming together. Let's go and pray together. Let's just worship God together—not just on a Sunday morning but every single day."

We need to prepare with other people. If all of the people that you surround yourself with are people who are okay with sufficient, you are more than likely going to be okay with sufficient.

So you need to go to other people who are saying, "Let's have extra oil because all of this oil that I have is spilling, and I hope that you can get some of that."

We need to get closer to other people who are just desperate for Jesus. Today is a good day to get closer to Jesus because the more that you prepare, the more that you seek him, the more that you are learning about him in Scripture, the more that you are worshiping, the more that you are going to say, "Jesus, come! I cannot wait to just hear the words, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming!'"

It is going to be like a kid who is waiting on Christmas Eve, where the next morning will bring, and you're saying, "I cannot wait to see you! I cannot wait to spend time with you!"

Because if I am not going to be able to talk to you face to face, and if I prayed when I was here, I cannot wait for me to talk to you face to face. If I worshiped when I was here, I cannot wait to worship when I see you sitting on the throne.

If I was having this time here, I cannot wait for what is going to happen up there. And that is where we need to be, where we prepare out of eagerness and out of love for him.

So it doesn't matter who you are today because you may be one of the five foolish virgins, and you're saying, "I don't have enough oil. I have been okay with sufficient." Today is a good day to get closer to Jesus.

Maybe today your faith is weak. Well, today is a good day to get closer to Jesus. Maybe today you are saying, "You know what? I have been getting comfortable in my walk with Jesus." Well, today is a good day to get closer to Jesus.

Maybe you said, "I don't know. I have been falling out of the wagon. I have been just doing whatever else I decide to do." Today is a good day to get closer to Jesus.

And maybe you are one of the five diligent virgins who is wise, and you have so much oil you don't know what to do with yourself. Well, guess what? Today is a good day to get even closer to Jesus.

You can never have enough of him. There should always be this desire in us to get closer and closer to Jesus.

But I also realize in a room this size and with people watching online that it may be that you don't even know who this Jesus is, that you don't know that there's a bridegroom that is coming and that you need to be prepared for him.

Let me tell you, the Bible says that we all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. That means that we all have made mistakes. We all have done stuff that God does not approve of, and the penalty for that was death.

But Jesus came, and he paid the price that we could never pay so that our relationship with God could be reestablished, so that you can be forgiven and set free.

So if today you don't know Jesus, I would love for you to accept him into your heart and to just say this prayer with me. It is just a declaration where we say we believe that you are God and that you have come to make everything better in my life.

So if that's you, I would like for you to pray with me. Everybody close your eyes.

Dear Jesus, I am a sinner. I thank you for coming into this world. Thank you for paying the price that I couldn't pay. Today, I ask that you will make me new, that you will restore my soul, and that you will be the Lord of my life. Today, I surrender to you in everything I say and everything I do. Help me to be more and more like you every day. In Jesus' name, amen.

Can we celebrate? Remember, there's rejoicing when the lost things are found.

I'm going to ask everybody to stand up because I want to pray for us. As we walk out, our ushers have a beautiful sticker that says, "Today is a good day to get closer to Jesus."

I want everybody to take one and put it somewhere that will remind you that no matter what you did yesterday, today is a good day to get closer to Jesus. No matter what happened or what stage of life you have been in, today is a good day to get closer to Jesus.

But I want us to pray for eagerness, for that sense of excitement that will make us prepare out of love. I think that we need to inject some energy in the room and some excitement in the room, and that is going to happen.

I want you to just close your eyes and imagine this with me: Jesus is coming back. The Bible says that when he comes, he's going to come with power and with glory. The Bible says that when he comes, he's going to make everything that has been wrong right again.

When we go to heaven, there will be no more pain and no more suffering. There will be no more crying. There is going to be a new heaven and a new earth. All of the things that you have ever seen and all of the things that you have ever heard—nothing like that is going to be there because the Bible says the things that ear has not heard and eye has not seen is what he has prepared for us.

When he comes, he's going to pick you up, and he's going to wipe away your tears. In that moment, we will be able to worship the God who rescued us, the God who came and gave his life so that today we can walk free.

You're going to be able to do that for eternity. So if you think the worship is good here, just wait until you see him. The bridegroom is coming, and I hope that you're excited about that.

Dear Jesus, I thank you, Lord, because you have given us instructions to be alert and active in faith. I ask, Lord, that you will just infuse us with hope and expectation, Lord, that we will not be as stubborn as we used to be and we will not be afraid of you coming, but that we will desire that more than anything else.

Lord, that we will desire to see your face, to be in your presence forever. Lord, that we will not want to prepare because we're afraid of being left behind, but that we will be prepared because we cannot wait to spend every single moment of eternity in your presence.

We thank you, Lord, and we ask that if somebody here has been weak in their faith, if they have not been prepared, that today they will remember that today is a good day to get closer to you and that every single day we will live in that space of eagerness and awareness and readiness because we love you so much.

In your name, we pray. Amen.

Well, good morning, everybody. Welcome to week four of Sunday School Remix. I forgot the title of this. Parables Edition. Have you been enjoying this series? I have learned so much, and I just love being able to dig deeper into the words of Jesus. See, Jesus spoke in parables, in stories, in allegories to explain deep and profound truths of the kingdom, but in a way that was easy for people to understand. So he used stories and objects and things of everyday life to highlight complex truths of the heaven. [00:00:34] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


I think that it is very important for us to be able to zoom out to see how this whole conversation got started. So we're not going to start in Matthew 25. Actually, I want you to kind of use your imagination and we're going to transport ourselves to chapter 22. Are you ready? Are you ready to use your imagination? So this is what I want you to picture, okay? There are palm branches being put on the ground. And people that didn't have palm branches are putting coats on the ground as Jesus is getting into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. [00:02:44] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


Jesus said, you're going to see all of these things. And all of this is going to point you to me coming back. And then he says, so be alert. And that is the theme, the recurring theme of all of these parables that Jesus is going to start telling his disciples. Be alert. Give strict attention. Be cautious and active in faith. For you do not know which day, whether near or far, your Lord is coming. So be alert and active in faith. Keep your eyes open. Don't be passive about it. [00:07:05] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


Now, do you remember who Jesus is talking to? The disciples. Who else is there? Nobody. Because the disciples were taking Jesus to the side and asking privately. Right? He is not talking to the crowds. He is not talking to the multitude. He is not talking to thousands. He is only talking to the twelve. His closest friends. The ones that have been walking with Jesus day in and day out the ones that have heard every word that he has taught that they have seen every miracle that he has performed they have been there all the time and he is telling them be alert and active in faith. [00:07:50] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


And then to further clarify this point, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins. Now we are back to chapter 25. Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. So this was a Jewish wedding tradition. The groom will leave his house with some of his closest friends. And he will go to the bride's house where they will have some ceremonies and then a procession at nightfall. And the bride will be at her house with some virgins, which would be like bridesmaids. [00:10:29] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


See, these foolish virgins, they were invited to the wedding and they accepted. They accepted the invitation. But their lack of preparedness shows us a lack of full commitment. They didn't take it seriously. They were curlies, remember? They were silly. They were ready for the party. But they were not ready for the commitment of a full life. And a lot of times we can read that and we can say, oh, these foolish virgins, right? But I think that it is very easy for all of us to get into that space. [00:13:44] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)