Read Matt 25:1–13
Mat 25:10-13 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. (11) Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ (12) But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ (13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

So, just what is this parable talking about? You might think the central thought here revolves around the oil and what the oil in the parable represents. Certainly that is a good idea. It seems that oil and lack of it is prominent. The five wise virgins have extra in case the bridegroom is late and the five foolish only have enough for the normal amount of time one might expect to wait for the bridegroom to arrive. Lo and behold, the bridegroom is more than fashionably late and the foolish virgins’ lamps have burnt out. What are they going to do?

Here I believe we get to the heart of the story. What do the foolish virgins think about the bridegroom? What is their attitude towards him? Who is the bridegroom? We know the bridegroom is Jesus. Jesus has told us this many of time. The Bride is his Church. This parable is speaking of his second coming and what will happen on that day. I think we can safely say, from our point of view, Jesus is a bit more than fashionably late not for his second coming. You’ve been warned.

Now the foolish virgins get panicked. They’re out of oil. What should they do? They ask the wise to share. “Nope,” they say. The wise ones say perhaps they should go and buy some. Now just what is this oil or does it even matter? Is it faith? I don’t think so. You can’t go buy that? Is it works? Certainly or good works don’t have an expiration date. I don’t think the oil stands for anything. They eventually get some but by the time they get back, it’s too late. The point is, what is the foolish virgins attitude towards the Bridegroom?

They don’t trust his mercy, kindness, understanding, or gentleness but perceive him to be quite the opposite. They don’t believe he would accept them without the lamps burning. They don’t believe he would let them come into the wedding party unless they are properly prepared like the wise virgins. They just don’t trust him. If only they had waited for the bridegroom and trusted in his good nature. They don’t though.

The Bridegroom (Jesus) says he doesn’t know the foolish virgins when they finally get back. They cannot come in. You see when you don’t know Jesus as the loving, kind, gentle, and forgiving God that he is and that he will accept you as you are as long as you trust in him, then he doesn’t know you either. Jesus said the same thing to those who did good works in his name, but trusted in those instead of him. Jesus only knows us when we have faith in him and his character. Do you know Jesus? Does Jesus know you?

Lord Jesus Christ, ever give us such faith that trust in your goodness and not anything in ourselves that we may be known by you and allowed into the eternal wedding banquet on the last day. Amen.