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Five Virgins Greeted the Groom

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[Matthew 25 : 13]

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

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Jesus told the mystery of the kingdom in various parables and stories.

Today, he gave a valuable lesson to those who gathered about Israel's marriage customs.

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The wedding customs of Israel were different from those of other countries.

First, the groom goes to the bride's house and performs a simple religious ceremony.

Then, the bride and bridesmaids go to the groom's house for a wedding ceremony.

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When the groom comes to the bride's house, the bridesmaids wait for the groom at the door.

Because the wedding takes place at night, the bridesmaids basically gather with lamps.

Jesus told people the story of ten bridesmaids waiting for the groom.

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Ten bridesmaids lit their lamps and were happily waiting for the groom.

However, when the time the groom expected to arrive, he did not come.

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The bridegroom didn't come until the night went up.

The bridesmaids waiting for the groom at the door began to sleep with lamps one by one.

All ten bridesmaids fell asleep deeply.

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As they were in a deep sleep, they began to hear a loud cry from someone in the distance.

“The groom is coming. Get ready to meet the groom!” Hearing this, the ten ladies awoke.

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The ten bridesmaids who woke up found that the oil in the lamp had been burned out and the

fire was out. They hurriedly started filling the lamps with oil.

The lamps of the five bridesmaids prepared extra oil in case the groom was late.

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However, the five bridesmaids could not light the lights because they could not prepare the extra oil. So they pleaded with the five people who lit the lights. “Give us some of your oil.”

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After hearing that, the five bridesmaids said they couldn't.

“If we distribute the oil we have to you, we may not be able to turn on our lamps,

so it would be good to go into the town as soon as possible to buy oil and light your lamps.”

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After hearing this, the five bridesmaids rushed to the village to get oil.

The bridegroom arrived while the five went to get oil.

Only five bridesmaids who were lighting the lamps were able to greet the groom.

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The five virgins who greeted the groom were able to attend the wedding feast prepared

by the groom with the bride.

After the feast began, the gate was firmly closed.

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After a long time, five bridesmaids who had gone to get oil arrived.

They eagerly knocked on the closed door to participate in the feast.

The groom opened the door and came out.

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The groom said to them. "who are you? I don't know you.

There were five people who greeted me.” And the door closed again.

Eventually, they were unable to attend the wedding feast.

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This story is about when Jesus comes to earth in the last days.

No one but God knows when Jesus, who has gone to heaven, will come.

What is clear is that just as the bridegroom must came, Jesus will surely come again.

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We are the bridesmaids who are waiting for Jesus as the bridegroom.

Jesus told us that those who wait for Jesus should be prepared like the five bridesmaids who

prepared extra oil. Jesus, who told this story, commanded us:

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.“ (Matthew 25 : 13)

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Waiting for Jesus as the bridegroom, we must always live an awake life.

By keeping the Word and doing it, it is awakening to light up the lamp of the Word.

It is awakening to light the lamp of prayer by continuing to pray for Jesus to come to

this earth again.

It is awakening to live by obeying the word to love God and to love your neighbor as

yourself as Jesus commanded.

Such a person will be blessed to go to an eternal feast with him on the day Jesus comes to

this earth as a bridegroom.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)