PARABLE OF THE WEDDING RECEPTION
Five, 18 year old ladies sit at a round table at
their friend’s wedding reception. Cute little
girls bring desert plates and punch to each
table, while a band plays music.
Kim, an Asian girl speaks, “What a beautiful
wedding and
reception.”
Carolyn, an Italian lady adds, “I bet you this
wedding cost
$30,000.”
Ginger, a Black woman remarks, “Who flips the
bill…the
bride or the groom?
Alicia, a Hispanic girl replies, “The bride is
responsible for buying the wedding dress
flowers, groom’s band, photographer, church
pastor, reception center, and catering service.”
Kim, jumps in, “Unbelievable, does the groom
pay for anything else beside the ring and the
honeymoon?”
Debra a Scottish lady, says, “Wise women
save up for their weddings. I believe everyone
at this table has put away some money for
their big day. I talked to the girls at the other
table and they are waiting for a rich man to
sweep them off their feet and pay all the
bills.”
Ginger smiles, “It’s just like the parable of the
10
Virgins, I read in the Bible this morning.”
On her cell phone she reads Matthew 25.
“At that
time God’s kingdom will be like ten girls who went to wait for the bridegroom.
They took their lamps with them. Five of the
girls were foolish, and five were wise. The foolish
girls took their lamps with them, but they did not take extra oil for the lamps. The
wise girls took their lamps and more oil in jars.
When the
bridegroom was very late, the girls could not keep their eyes open, and they
all fell asleep.
“At midnight someone announced,
‘The bridegroom is coming! Come and meet him!’
“Then all the girls woke up. They
made their lamps ready. But the foolish
girls said to the wise girls, ‘Give us some of your oil. The oil in our lamps
is all gone.’
“The wise girls answered, ‘No! The
oil we have might not be enough for all of us. But go to those who sell oil and
buy some for yourselves.’
“So the foolish girls went to buy
oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came. The girls who were ready went
in with the bridegroom to the wedding feast. Then the door was closed and
locked.”
“Later, the other girls came. They
said, ‘Sir, sir! Open the door to let us in.’
“But the bridegroom answered,
‘Certainly not! I don’t even know you.’
“So always be ready. You don’t know
the day or the time when the Son of Man will come.” Matthew 25:1-13 ERV – Easy To Read Version
Debra comments, “Jesus is the
groom, who went to His Father’s house to prepare a place for His bride the
church to come. He will come back at an
hour unexpected like a thief in the night and call His bride. And we will be raptured and enter the door to his Father's House."
Carolyn questions, “Five virgins were wise preparing for the wedding…just like us saving up for our weddings.”
Kim adds, “Five were lazy, sleepy
heads, expecting the Groom would have extra oil for their lamps.”
Alicia speaks, “If the bride is the
church, then who are the 10 virgins?”
Debra answers, “Perhaps, friends
and family of the bride.”
Ginger smiles, “Maybe these are people
who heard the gospel and have never made a commitment to make Jesus Lord and
Savior of their lives.”
Kim adds, “Maybe these are people
from unreached people groups that never had a chance to hear the gospel, but
are drawn by God’s Holy Spirit.”
Debra continues, “The five foolish virgins
were lukewarm and decided to sleep instead of watching for the grooms return. At the last minute they had
to wake up somebody just to buy extra oil for their lamps and rush to the groom’s
house finding it was too late to enter."
Ginger ends, “Well the five virgins at this table are wise, saving up for our special wedding day. We’ll be prepared for our groom when he comes. And watching for Jesus returning in the clouds for the rapture."
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