Having the Door Shut in Your Face...

Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 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.’ 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. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Jesus is having a serious sit-down with His closest disciples. He is telling them as much as He can about His return. At the end of the last chapter His message was simple: Don't be surprised; be ready; it will happen suddenly. That message continues on here as he uses this parable of the lazy, unsuspecting bridesmaids. They may have claimed to be "friends of the bride(church), but they were not that excited about the Groom's (Christ's) return. But that is exactly what this event was all about: His coming. If we are truly friends of the Bride, we will have a joyful anticipation and preparation for His return. If we do not, we are not true friends, and will have the door shut in our faces.