Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late | Matthew 25:1-13

While the warnings of Matthew 24 should get our attention, Jesus’ next words in Matthew 25 are perhaps even more staggering.

Here, He’s no longer describing the obviously unprepared or openly rebellious. Instead, Jesus warns that many who believe they’re on the road to heaven will ultimately be found unwise and uncommitted to Him.

The parable of the ten virgins is familiar to many of us—sometimes treated like a simple children’s story. But beneath its surface lies one of the most sobering truths in all of Scripture: not everyone who expects to enter the Kingdom will be welcomed in. 

Christ cautions us to be ready—truly ready—and warns us not to wait until it’s too late to make sure we are.

Background 

This parable is part of Christ’s Olivet Discourse—a sermon He delivered to His disciples after they asked when He would return to establish His Kingdom. Instead of offering a timeline, Jesus gave a warning: Be prepared. 

In Matthew 24:42, Jesus instructed every generation: “Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day the Lord is coming.”

At the same time, He urges His followers to discern the signs of the times. Why? Because our understanding of what’s coming should shape how we live today. 

In other words, Jesus calls us to an immediate need for an eternal perspective.

1. The Immediate Need for an Eternal Perspective

This isn’t abstract philosophy—it’s strikingly practical. Jesus knows how we think and what motivates us. As James Montgomery Boice observed, “He often appealed to base self-interest.” In this parable, Jesus challenges us to view life through the lens of eternity and act accordingly: “If you are wise, you’ll recognize what’s coming and prepare now. If you’re foolish, you’ll ignore the warning—and suffer the consequences.”

An Overview of Major End Times Events and Judgments

Here is a brief timeline of end-times events, as we understand them from Scripture:

1. The Rapture of the Church (1 Corinthians 15:51–52)
2. The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10)
3. The Great Tribulation (Daniel 9; Matthew 24:9–24; Revelation 6-16)
4. The Second Coming (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19)
5. The Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11–21)
6. The Judgment of Israel (Ezekiel 20:33–44)
7. The Judgment of the Nations (Matthew 25:31–46)
8. The Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20)
9. The Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–15)
10. The New Creation and Eternal Kingdom (Revelation 21-22)

Interpretation and Application of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25)

Now, why take the time to review these end-times events? Because understanding what’s coming helps us rightly interpret Christ’s words and personally apply them to our lives today.

Israel and Christ’s Second Coming

Jesus was primarily speaking to a future generation—specifically, to the Jewish people who would live through the Great Tribulation. Speaking to His Jewish disciples, He looked ahead to the time when their descendants would face His Second Coming.

At that moment on the prophetic timeline, Christ will judge the nation of Israel. Only the believing remnant—those who have placed their faith in Him—will enter the Millennial Kingdom. And so, Jesus warns them: You must always be ready for my arrival.

The Church Age

But this parable also has a direct and urgent application for us today. Every one of us will meet Jesus Christ—whether at the Rapture, the Second Coming, or our own death. That moment will come without warning. 

The question is: Will you be found ready—or found wanting? 

With that eternal perspective in mind, let’s turn now to our passage—Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins.

2. Understanding the Parable of the Ten Virgins

To understand this parable, we need to understand its setting. Weddings in ancient Jewish culture were different from ours today—more like a multi-stage celebration than a single-day event.

In the evening, the groom and his party would arrive at the bride’s house to claim her, and the festivities would begin. Later, they would form a celebratory procession through the town, ending at the groom’s home for a great wedding feast.

Importantly, delays were expected. It wasn’t uncommon for the groom to remain at the bride’s home for hours. During this time, the bridesmaids waited outside with lamps or torches, ready to escort the bridegroom in the dark. 

The Characters:

It’s helpful first to identify who each of the characters in Christ’s parable represent. 

1. The Bridegroom: Jesus Christ
2. The Bride: The Church
3. The Ten Virgins: The Nation of Israel

The Crisis: The Sudden Arrival of the Bridegroom

While waiting, all ten fall asleep, which simply emphasizes the suddenness of the groom’s arrival. Then, at midnight, comes the cry: “Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!”

It is the moment of crisis—the sudden arrival of the groom. It will reveal who is truly ready to meet Him. Who was wise, and who was foolish? Who was truly committed, and who was found uncommitted?

The Two Groups were Seemingly Very Similar

James Montgomery Boice notes that, on the surface, these women appeared nearly identical:

• All had been invited to the wedding.
• All had responded affirmatively to the invitation.
• All were awaiting the groom with eagerness.
• All seemed to love the bridegroom.
• All had lamps and were seemingly prepared.

Outwardly, there was very little to distinguish them until the moment of truth. What exposed the foolish virgins was not their appearance or intent, but their lack of adequate preparation.

You might think that seems pretty harsh. But this failure was no mere oversight. It was an insult to the bridegroom, and it represents a heart that has not truly repented or trusted in Christ. It amounts to a rejection of His invitation. 

The Crucial Difference was Adequate Preparation

Only those with oil were ready when the groom arrived. In the parable, this oil symbolizes saving faith—genuine, inward transformation that takes place when one places their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and commits their life to Him. Not mere religious association, emotional enthusiasm, or intellectual ascent, but true surrender to Christ.

The Result

The conclusion of the parable in Matthew 25:10-11 is sobering: “When they had gone to buy some [oil], the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. Later, the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!”

3. Application for the Church Today

Although Jesus was primarily addressing a future generation who will witness His Second Coming, the lessons of the parable of the ten virgins speak directly to the Church today. These truths are meant not just to inform us, but to shape our lives. Here are five truths that we see in this passage:

1. There are Saved and Unsaved People Among Us
2. Preparation is Revealed in the Moment of Crisis
3. Salvation is Not Transferable
4. The End Will Come Without Warning
5. Do Not Miss Your Opportunity to Adequately Prepare

In the end, only true believers—those who are genuinely ready—will be welcomed into heaven, and every sacrifice, every act of faith, and every moment lived for Christ will have been worth it.

This sermon is part of our Be Prepared discipleship emphasis for summer 2025. You can download a free PDF of our Be Prepared discipleship booklet, which has application questions based on this message, by going to firstdallas.org/prepare.