Everybody loves a wedding! Many people only have one,but some have several. A lady married a banker. He died, so then she married an actor—and he died. So for her thirdmarriage, she chose a preacher. Sadly, he died, too. So finallyshe married a mortician. When somebody asked her abouther four weddings she explained, “It wasn’t an accident, abanker, an actor, a preacher and a mortician. I planned it that way: One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready,and four to go!”

All joking aside, there is coming a day when we will all need to be ready. Why, you ask? It’s because Christ is going to return for His Bride, the church. “Therefore keep watch,because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”Next look at Matthew 24:44. He says, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour whenyou do not expect him.” Now that we’ve established thepattern, let’s listen to the Words of the Great Storyteller inMatthew 25:1-13:

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like tenvirgins who took their lamps and went out to meet thebridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not takeany oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jarsalong with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long timein coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom!Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke upand trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to thewise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough forboth us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 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. Later the others alsocame. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ Buthe replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the dayor the hour.”

These bridesmaids represent people in the church who are watching for the return of Christ. Jesus said five of themwere wise, because they took oil for their lamps, and five were foolish because they ran out of oil. My question to you is; are you prepared for the Bridegrooms return. He could return at any moment, will be ready

To God be the Glory!