Session 6: Stay Prepared and Ready
Question 1:
When has preparation helped you accomplish a task?
THE POINT
Grow in Christ as you wait for His return.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
When I was a teenager, I worked at a fast-food restaurant in a mall. The owner often left teenagers alone to run the store at night. The main thing he asked was for someone to always be near the cash register, which I faithfully did. After all, we knew the boss could stop by unannounced at any time.
One slow night I was working with two other teenagers who were in the back laughing. They called out for me to join them, but I persistently kept telling them no—and they persistently kept calling to me. Finally, I sheepishly left my post at the register and went in the back. Literally seconds later the boss came in. I quickly darted back to the front, but it was clear the boss wasn’t happy.
I wasn’t at my post, which meant I wasn’t prepared for the boss’s arrival. The same can be true in our spiritual lives. We’re to live our lives so that when Christ returns, we will be unashamed before Him (see 1 John 2:28). In Matthew 25, Jesus used a parable to show us how to be prepared.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Matthew 25:1-5
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; 4 but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
The parable of the ten virgins is one of several parables Jesus used to describe what the kingdom of heaven will be like. The cultural background of this parable concerns Jewish wedding customs of the first century. Before a couple was married, they went through a period of betrothal. After about a year of a couple’s binding betrothal, the groom brought the bride to his home for a seven-day feast, accompanied by a wedding party.
In Jesus’ parable, the wedding party included ten virgins. The virgins are young women of marriageable age. Here the word “virgin” is used not to highlight their lack of sexual experience, but to highlight their relationship to the bride. These were the bridesmaids. It was an honor not only to be invited to the wedding, but also to be part of the wedding party.
Part of the bridesmaids’ responsibility was to light the path for the processional. The lamps likely were torches that consisted of a long pole with olive oil-drenched rags at the top. To keep them lit, one needed a good supply of oil. Since the wedding was typically an evening ceremony, people would know that you needed to bring extra oil for your lamp.
The bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable were divided into two groups. The level of their preparation classed them as either “wise” or “foolish.” The foolish virgins truly seemed to want to go to the wedding celebration; however, they didn’t respect the groom enough to think about the necessary preparations. On the other hand, the wise virgins show what a life of faith should look like. They thought ahead with clarity. People who have true faith in Christ show respect to Jesus by living lives of faithful preparation.
Question 2:
What makes it difficult to be diligent as we wait for Christ’s return?
The bridegroom represents Christ. The wise virgins reflect true believers. The foolish virgins reflect those who may profess a belief in Jesus but haven’t prepared for the end by seeking a real relationship with Christ. All are “invited to the marriage feast” (Revelation 19:9), but only those who accept the invitation through faith and trust in Christ will be able to attend.
The delay of the bridegroom led to the bridesmaids falling asleep. Jesus included no condemnation of their sleeping. After all, it was nighttime. In fact, the wise virgins could rest because they were fully prepared. It’s the foolish virgins who shouldn’t have slept until they were fully prepared, with full flasks of oil.
Matthew 25:6-9
6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’
Since the bridegroom came at such a late, unexpected hour, it reinforces the principle that Christ’s return will be a surprise. All ten bridesmaids were called out to meet the groom. It was during this time that the foolish virgins realized they hadn’t prepared adequately for this moment. Trimming the lamps involved cutting the charred ends of the rags; the ends of the lamp rags needed to be trimmed when they dried out. After they “trimmed their lamps,” they had to add more oil to keep them lit. Then the lamps had to be replenished by saturating the rags about every fifteen minutes.
The story is unfortunate because the foolish virgins knew they didn’t have extra oil. They hadn’t been concerned enough to take the necessary steps to avoid their predicament. No specific reason was given for their negligence, but their negligence in this matter was foolish. Now they had run out of time; it was too late to prepare. Nevertheless, the foolish virgins tried unsuccessfully to light their torches. You can sense the panic setting in as they beg the wise virgins, “Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.” The wise virgins brought enough oil for their own lamps, but they had no oil to spare or share.
Being prepared to meet Christ when He returns is an individual matter. That preparedness can’t be transferred or shared. Parents do their best to prepare their kids for adulthood. They help them, provide for them, teach them, and encourage them—but they can’t do their living for them.
And we can’t depend on other people to make us right with God. We can learn from and be encouraged by friends and family. We can be instructed by great spiritual teachers, but we must make our own decisions for our spiritual journey. Since salvation is a direct gift from God, the saved person can’t operate as savior to another person. Recipients of grace don’t possess the ability to impart it to someone else, no matter how much compassion they can muster up. Each person must prepare himself or herself for the coming kingdom!
Lack of spiritual preparation has eternal consequences. People tend to put preparation for other things above their spiritual lives. Many prepare well for their careers, finances, and relationships, yet they ignore the importance of spiritual preparation. It’s the individual’s response to the call of Christ that will determine his or her eternal future. The time is now.
Question 3:
What do these verses teach us about the need for individual readiness?
Matthew 25:10-13
10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ 12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’ 13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.
Everyone likes a happy ending. Unfortunately, this parable has an abrupt and sad ending. When the foolish bridesmaids left to go buy more oil, “the groom arrived.” The virgins were most likely friends of the family who had been honored by the opportunity to serve in the wedding party. The problem was that the five foolish virgins didn’t return that honor. They had been invited to play a specific role in the festivities, but they chose not to do what was necessary to fulfill that role. This was an affront and insult to the bridegroom.
When the bridesmaids were ready to enter the wedding banquet, they found the door shut. As they begged for entrance, they called out, “Master, master.” This was a forced attempt to show intimacy that didn’t exist. Sometimes we use words to imply a depth of relationship that isn’t actually there. Christ made a similar point in His Sermon on the Mount, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
Question 4:
What are the possible consequences of putting off thinking about Christ and spiritual growth until later?
The foolish virgins were firmly denied entrance. The master began his answer to the unprepared virgins by saying, “Truly I tell you.” Whenever Christ used this phrase, it meant He was about to say something that wasn’t up for negotiation. What was non-negotiable was the reality of the groom’s relationship with these five virgins: “I don’t know you!”
Salvation is an intimate, personal relationship with God. Knowing Christ isn’t merely knowing data and information about Him. Our salvation is ultimately about personally knowing God, entering into a relationship that is initiated by Him and received by us through faith and trust in Him. The Christian life is a journey of growing closer to the One we know through faith.
Jesus summed up this parable with a closing exhortation: “Be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.” Let’s walk with Him, fully prepared and watching for the return of the One who loves us. By being prepared and ready for His coming, we demonstrate our respect, love, and trust of the Master.
Question 5:
What spiritual preparation do you need to make today in order to be ready for Christ’s return?
Engage
WITH THE END IN MIND
In your journal, create the acrostic and then list some ways you can be wise in preparing for Christ’s return. One example has been provided for you.
W ait patiently
I
S
E
LIVE IT OUT
Following Jesus is a lifelong journey of growing in Christ. Even when we sense His return might be imminent, we’re to continue pursuing growth in Christ. How can you better prepare while you wait for His return?
Commit to prayer. Set aside a particular time every day to pray. Use Matthew 6:9-13 as a framework or template for your time. Allow daily conversations with God to deepen your relationship with Him.
Commit to growth. Take inventory of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, worship, Sabbath). For each item, rate your current status on a scale of one to ten. Make a commitment to focus on at least one category where you’ve fallen behind.
Commit to service. Volunteer for a mission trip or service weekend through your church or other ministry organization. Allow God to strengthen your relationship with Him as you serve others.
Lack of spiritual preparation has eternal consequences. Many prepare well for their careers, finances, and relationships, yet they ignore the importance of spiritual preparation. It’s an individual’s response to the call of Christ that will determine his or her eternal future. [Lifeway Adults (2021). (p. 119). Bible Studies for Life: Young Adult Personal Study Guide - CSB - Spring 2022. Lifeway Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
Question 1:
When has preparation helped you accomplish a task?
THE POINT
Grow in Christ as you wait for His return.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
When I was a teenager, I worked at a fast-food restaurant in a mall. The owner often left teenagers alone to run the store at night. The main thing he asked was for someone to always be near the cash register, which I faithfully did. After all, we knew the boss could stop by unannounced at any time.
One slow night I was working with two other teenagers who were in the back laughing. They called out for me to join them, but I persistently kept telling them no—and they persistently kept calling to me. Finally, I sheepishly left my post at the register and went in the back. Literally seconds later the boss came in. I quickly darted back to the front, but it was clear the boss wasn’t happy.
I wasn’t at my post, which meant I wasn’t prepared for the boss’s arrival. The same can be true in our spiritual lives. We’re to live our lives so that when Christ returns, we will be unashamed before Him (see 1 John 2:28). In Matthew 25, Jesus used a parable to show us how to be prepared.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Matthew 25:1-5
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; 4 but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
The parable of the ten virgins is one of several parables Jesus used to describe what the kingdom of heaven will be like. The cultural background of this parable concerns Jewish wedding customs of the first century. Before a couple was married, they went through a period of betrothal. After about a year of a couple’s binding betrothal, the groom brought the bride to his home for a seven-day feast, accompanied by a wedding party.
In Jesus’ parable, the wedding party included ten virgins. The virgins are young women of marriageable age. Here the word “virgin” is used not to highlight their lack of sexual experience, but to highlight their relationship to the bride. These were the bridesmaids. It was an honor not only to be invited to the wedding, but also to be part of the wedding party.
Part of the bridesmaids’ responsibility was to light the path for the processional. The lamps likely were torches that consisted of a long pole with olive oil-drenched rags at the top. To keep them lit, one needed a good supply of oil. Since the wedding was typically an evening ceremony, people would know that you needed to bring extra oil for your lamp.
The bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable were divided into two groups. The level of their preparation classed them as either “wise” or “foolish.” The foolish virgins truly seemed to want to go to the wedding celebration; however, they didn’t respect the groom enough to think about the necessary preparations. On the other hand, the wise virgins show what a life of faith should look like. They thought ahead with clarity. People who have true faith in Christ show respect to Jesus by living lives of faithful preparation.
Question 2:
What makes it difficult to be diligent as we wait for Christ’s return?
The bridegroom represents Christ. The wise virgins reflect true believers. The foolish virgins reflect those who may profess a belief in Jesus but haven’t prepared for the end by seeking a real relationship with Christ. All are “invited to the marriage feast” (Revelation 19:9), but only those who accept the invitation through faith and trust in Christ will be able to attend.
The delay of the bridegroom led to the bridesmaids falling asleep. Jesus included no condemnation of their sleeping. After all, it was nighttime. In fact, the wise virgins could rest because they were fully prepared. It’s the foolish virgins who shouldn’t have slept until they were fully prepared, with full flasks of oil.
Matthew 25:6-9
6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’
Since the bridegroom came at such a late, unexpected hour, it reinforces the principle that Christ’s return will be a surprise. All ten bridesmaids were called out to meet the groom. It was during this time that the foolish virgins realized they hadn’t prepared adequately for this moment. Trimming the lamps involved cutting the charred ends of the rags; the ends of the lamp rags needed to be trimmed when they dried out. After they “trimmed their lamps,” they had to add more oil to keep them lit. Then the lamps had to be replenished by saturating the rags about every fifteen minutes.
The story is unfortunate because the foolish virgins knew they didn’t have extra oil. They hadn’t been concerned enough to take the necessary steps to avoid their predicament. No specific reason was given for their negligence, but their negligence in this matter was foolish. Now they had run out of time; it was too late to prepare. Nevertheless, the foolish virgins tried unsuccessfully to light their torches. You can sense the panic setting in as they beg the wise virgins, “Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.” The wise virgins brought enough oil for their own lamps, but they had no oil to spare or share.
Being prepared to meet Christ when He returns is an individual matter. That preparedness can’t be transferred or shared. Parents do their best to prepare their kids for adulthood. They help them, provide for them, teach them, and encourage them—but they can’t do their living for them.
And we can’t depend on other people to make us right with God. We can learn from and be encouraged by friends and family. We can be instructed by great spiritual teachers, but we must make our own decisions for our spiritual journey. Since salvation is a direct gift from God, the saved person can’t operate as savior to another person. Recipients of grace don’t possess the ability to impart it to someone else, no matter how much compassion they can muster up. Each person must prepare himself or herself for the coming kingdom!
Lack of spiritual preparation has eternal consequences. People tend to put preparation for other things above their spiritual lives. Many prepare well for their careers, finances, and relationships, yet they ignore the importance of spiritual preparation. It’s the individual’s response to the call of Christ that will determine his or her eternal future. The time is now.
Question 3:
What do these verses teach us about the need for individual readiness?
Matthew 25:10-13
10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ 12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’ 13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.
Everyone likes a happy ending. Unfortunately, this parable has an abrupt and sad ending. When the foolish bridesmaids left to go buy more oil, “the groom arrived.” The virgins were most likely friends of the family who had been honored by the opportunity to serve in the wedding party. The problem was that the five foolish virgins didn’t return that honor. They had been invited to play a specific role in the festivities, but they chose not to do what was necessary to fulfill that role. This was an affront and insult to the bridegroom.
When the bridesmaids were ready to enter the wedding banquet, they found the door shut. As they begged for entrance, they called out, “Master, master.” This was a forced attempt to show intimacy that didn’t exist. Sometimes we use words to imply a depth of relationship that isn’t actually there. Christ made a similar point in His Sermon on the Mount, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
Question 4:
What are the possible consequences of putting off thinking about Christ and spiritual growth until later?
The foolish virgins were firmly denied entrance. The master began his answer to the unprepared virgins by saying, “Truly I tell you.” Whenever Christ used this phrase, it meant He was about to say something that wasn’t up for negotiation. What was non-negotiable was the reality of the groom’s relationship with these five virgins: “I don’t know you!”
Salvation is an intimate, personal relationship with God. Knowing Christ isn’t merely knowing data and information about Him. Our salvation is ultimately about personally knowing God, entering into a relationship that is initiated by Him and received by us through faith and trust in Him. The Christian life is a journey of growing closer to the One we know through faith.
Jesus summed up this parable with a closing exhortation: “Be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.” Let’s walk with Him, fully prepared and watching for the return of the One who loves us. By being prepared and ready for His coming, we demonstrate our respect, love, and trust of the Master.
Question 5:
What spiritual preparation do you need to make today in order to be ready for Christ’s return?
Engage
WITH THE END IN MIND
In your journal, create the acrostic and then list some ways you can be wise in preparing for Christ’s return. One example has been provided for you.
W ait patiently
I
S
E
LIVE IT OUT
Following Jesus is a lifelong journey of growing in Christ. Even when we sense His return might be imminent, we’re to continue pursuing growth in Christ. How can you better prepare while you wait for His return?
Commit to prayer. Set aside a particular time every day to pray. Use Matthew 6:9-13 as a framework or template for your time. Allow daily conversations with God to deepen your relationship with Him.
Commit to growth. Take inventory of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, worship, Sabbath). For each item, rate your current status on a scale of one to ten. Make a commitment to focus on at least one category where you’ve fallen behind.
Commit to service. Volunteer for a mission trip or service weekend through your church or other ministry organization. Allow God to strengthen your relationship with Him as you serve others.
Lack of spiritual preparation has eternal consequences. Many prepare well for their careers, finances, and relationships, yet they ignore the importance of spiritual preparation. It’s an individual’s response to the call of Christ that will determine his or her eternal future. [Lifeway Adults (2021). (p. 119). Bible Studies for Life: Young Adult Personal Study Guide - CSB - Spring 2022. Lifeway Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]