KINGDOM OF HEAVEN PARABLES

This chapter begins with another one of Jesus’ famous parables that really hits home. How many times do we, in our everyday life, procrastinate? Now, ask yourself this: How many times have we put our Christianity on the back burner? Have we ever passed up an opportunity to serve God in one way or another because the timing wasn’t right, or maybe we were a lil too shy, or too cool, too apathetic, too tired maybe, too tightfisted, too busy, or too something else? Maybe you’ve thought that going the whole nine yards in Christianity is for when people get old and have nothing else to do. Well, have I got a story for you. This is what Jesus said about when we find one excuse or another to put Him on hold.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like ten maidens, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. The five foolish maidens took their lamps, but took no oil with them. The five wise maidens took oil with their lamps.

While the bridegroom delayed, the maidens all rested and slept, and at midnight there was an announcement made, The bridegroom is here, go out to meet Him. All the maidens got up and lit their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, our lamps are going out. But the wise answered saying, No, or else there won’t be enough for both us and you. Go and buy from those who sell it.

While they went to buy, the bridegroom arrived and the wise maidens who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut. Afterward the foolish maidens came back saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But HE answered, I really don’t know who you are. Watch therefore, because you don’t know the day or the hour when the Son of man will arrive.

How many of us walk around day after day without enough oil in our lamps? You can stock up on oil! Every time you live by God’s Word, you’re adding a drop of oil to your lamp. Remember, He doesn’t want you to stand on the street corner like the hypocrites do (Matthew 6:5), but just be righteous, believe in Jesus and obey Him.

Here’s a good challenge for ya. Take a look at your priorities. Write them down, the things you do every day. Now, out of all those things, which ones can you put on the back burner and replace with some time alone with your Father? I’m not talking about reading your Bible or attending a church function, I’m talking about building the intimate relationship that God wants to have with you so that He really does know who you are when the marriage feast day comes. Cuz that’s what it is ... A Marriage. What if your spouse never talked to you?

I’m talking about actually talking to Him, asking Him what His plans are for your life, requesting His guidance, listening to Him, loving Him. That’s adding fuel for the future to your lamp, and when you do this, He’ll help you to be spiritually fruitful in other areas of your life, which adds more fuel, and more and more. That Fuel Is the ... Holy Spirit.

Soon, when other people recognize your brightly burning lamp, they’ll want to find out where you got that great lamp oil too, and you can help the foolish to become wise.

Kingdom of Heaven parables Bible study on the bridegroom cometh story reveals that we are to be prepared for Jesus' return.

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