We know there is life beyond this life. We know the brokenness and pain in this world will not last forever. As the Apostle John records in Revelation 21:4-5 (NIV):

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

God will make all things new, and He will right every wrong. This glorious promise fuels our hope, but it also sharpens our focus: How we live now is vitally important. Jesus Himself calls us to live wisely and to be ready for His return—a theme echoed throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament prophets to the New Testament epistles. Today, as we open our Bibles together, let’s explore this urgency through the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV), drawing on the transformative life of the Apostle Paul and other key passages that remind us: everything we do matters in eternity.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins: A Call to Readiness

Jesus paints a vivid picture of the kingdom of heaven as a wedding celebration, where preparation determines participation:

Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)
“At that time, the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in 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 up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
“‘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.’
“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 also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

In this parable, the bridegroom symbolizes Christ, and His delay represents the Parousia—the long-awaited arrival and presence of Jesus at His Second Coming. The ten virgins represent those awaiting Him: all start with expectation, but only the wise are truly prepared. Their extra oil stands for the indwelling Holy Spirit, a life fueled by genuine faith and obedience that can’t be borrowed or bought at the last moment. As verse 10 starkly shows, when the bridegroom arrives, the door shuts—it’s too late to receive Him as Lord and Savior. The punchline in verse 13 drives it home: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

This isn’t just ancient imagery; it’s a timeless warning. Paul reinforces it in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 (NIV):

“For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.”

We are children of the light—awake, alert, and sober, living as if today could be the day.

Paul’s Radical Transformation: A Life Reoriented Toward Eternity

No one embodies this urgent, prepared living like Apostle Paul. Before his encounter with the risen Christ, Saul (as he was then known) was a fierce persecutor of the church. But everything changed on the road to Damascus:

Acts 9:1-6 (NIV)
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Blinded by the light and humbled by the voice of Jesus, Saul’s life pivoted from destruction to devotion.

From that moment, Paul lived with a profound sense of eternity’s weight, writing in 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV): “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” His letters brim with urgency—pressing on toward the prize (Philippians 3:14), fighting the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7), and encouraging believers to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20, echoed in his teachings). Paul’s story reminds us: a true encounter with Christ doesn’t just save us; it reorients every day toward eternal rewards.

Our Daily Call: Finishing Strong in Christ

Like Paul, there is not a single day that passes without my thinking of Jesus’ return. In a world of distractions and delays, this truth anchors us: Everything that we do matters in eternity. We must make both living for Jesus and finishing strong our priority. Whether in our words, work, or worship, let every choice reflect the oil of readiness—the Holy Spirit’s empowering presence that sustains us until the cry rings out.

As we move deeper into your study, reflect: What “extra oil” is God calling you to cultivate in your life? How might Paul’s transformation inspire your own daily urgency? Share your thoughts, and together we’ll unpack more Scriptures that build on this foundation—perhaps exploring the faithful servant in Matthew 24 or the hope of the new creation in Isaiah 65.

May the Lord stir our hearts to watch and wait with joy, lamps burning brightly for His glory. Amen.