Title: I Do Not Know You
In Mat 25:1-13, Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. They were homogeneity or likeness among ten virgins. They were all virgins: nobody was other than virgin. There was no difference or no discrepancy. They all had a lamp: nobody had two lamps. They were all invited by the groom and waiting for the groom.
Coming of the groom got delayed, it delayed more than expectated that all the ten virgins became drowsy and began to sleep. It means that they started to forget about the coming of the groom. In other words, they didn’t keep their place. Always, not keeping the place where we are supposed to be is the beginning of sin and corruption. If Adam kept his place in the Garden of Eden, there wouldn’t be the Fall, if the people of Israel kept their place to follow and obey the commandments of God, the kingdom of God would have been fulfilled already.
At night, when no one was expecting, there was a shout that the groom is about to arrive. Although their lamp is almost dried up, 5 of them prepared an oil flask so they were able to keep the lamp burning. Whereas the other 5 didn’t, hence they had to go out and purchase extra oil. However, when they came back, the groom already arrived and went inside. When they knocked the door and asked the groom to open the door, He said “I do not know you.”
How scary and sad it is! Is our God the one who threatens us with lies and fake news? No, if this wouldn’t be happening in the end time, Jesus wouldn’t give us this parable as the one related to the kingdom of heaven. Among the virgins who were awaiting for His coming, some will enter the feast together with Jesus, and the other will not enter the feast.
Who are the 5 foolish that God says, “I do not know you”?
- The people who only borrow the name of Jesus
In Luk 13:23-27, God say, “I do not know you.” It is because they do not enter by the narrow gate. The narrow gate is where the people of this world will not go in but where God wants us to go. They may have done many things in the name of Jesus but haven’t walk through the narrow gate. Thus, they ended up ignoring the will of God and become evildoers.
In Mat 7:21-24, once again Jesus said, rather than what we do, to do things knowing the will of God and according to the will of God is important. Look at the Jews, they have been waiting for the Messiah for 4000 years. However, when Jesus came, they said “Jesus is empowered by the prince of demons, what good can come from Nazareth.” So, although they say they are the chosen and they are living for the glory of God, they did not accept Jesus.
Mat 8: 11 “And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline (at the table) with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven;
- Who are the people recognized by God?
- The one who enters by the narrow gate
The narrow gate is not my own idea, it doesn’t belong to me, the people of his world don’t know about it.
Knowing the will of God and walking the way that God wants me to walk, even if we don’t want to do so. This is the person who enters the narrow gate.
- The one who carries his own cross
Mat 10:38-39 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 “He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it.
The one who sacrifices himself, works, and serve others. He is the one who carried his own cross.
2) The people who lost connection with Jesus
In Jewish culture, wedding feast last for 7 days. There is a wedding committee. These ten virgins, 1 of them is the bridge, the rest may be members of the committee. So, including bride and groom, this committee also becomes one and enjoy the wedding at the feast.
What is the difference between the prudent and the foolish? They all enjoyed, ate and drunk. But the prudent didn’t lose the focus on the groom. Even if they were eating and drinking but they never forgot that they were waiting for the groom. So, when they took the lamp, they also took the oil flask. However, the foolish lost their focus and lose the connection to the groom
1 Cor 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all the glory of God.
If we lost the focus and do things only for ourselves, we will fail and perish.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 