Holy Week - Tuesday

Holy Tuesday 
 
It is Tuesday of Passion Week. Jesus spends much of this day preaching/teaching what is called the Olivet Discourse. The Twelve and many other followers gathered around to hear Jesus deliver some of His last parables. One of the parables that Jesus told was the Parable of the Ten Virgins. It can be found in Matthew 25:1-13.
 
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
 
In Jesus’ last days, He knew exactly what was coming. He knew that the cross was coming His way in only a few days. He wanted to spend His final moments preparing His disciples for life after His death and ascension. So He told them this parable. This parable was not about the next steps of establishing the church as seen in the book of Acts. This parable is about Jesus Christ’s second coming. Even though He had not died yet, Jesus was already planning his next trip back. This was one of the most important things that Jesus was preparing His disciples for. One day, a day unbeknownst to anyone except the Father, Jesus will return, and when He does, there are no more second chances. There will be no more opportunities to make things right. There will be no more time to figure out your eternal situation. There will be no more time. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross provides the opportunity for eternal time spent with our Father and Creator in heaven, but there is a time limit on this opportunity. All ten bridesmaids/virgins knew that the bridegroom would be coming, but only five prepared and lived their life in anticipation of his coming. How are you living your life? In anticipation or in procrastination? During the aftermath of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension (the establishment of the church), all the apostles preached the gospel with such urgency and fervor. It is probably safe to say that they were living their life and ministering to people in anticipation of Christ’s second coming. During this Passion Week as we reflect on Jesus’ final moments on earth, let us not neglect the reminder that Jesus will be back. Let’s live in anticipation of that moment.    
 
Further Listening: “Ready or Not” by Hillsong