Life Worthy Of Watchfulness

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV

This is the second parable of the Lord Jesus followed by the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. Jesus commands us to watch and not to be deceived in these days of end times. To live a life worthy of watchfulness, Lord Jesus says that we should prepare oil while waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom. Oil indicates the Spirit in the Scripture. So, it means to live a Spirit-filled life in the midst of corrupt and crooked generation.

What is Spirit-filled life? It is to live continually a life of obedience to Lord Jesus. In the parable of the faithful servant and the evil servant, Jesus commands his disciples to watch by giving the household food at the proper time, which means the continual study and understanding of the words of truth. Knowing and understanding the words of truth shall be followed by putting into practice, obedience. That’s a Spirit-filled life. Living by faith according to the words of truth is to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory and honor and majesty.

There is quite a delay of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It doesn’t mean that He is not coming. The Scripture says that He will be coming suddenly like a thief. The foolish doesn’t prepare oil with the sense of urgency, thinking that the Lord will be not coming soon. This parable tells us the suddenness of Jesus’ coming and the seriousness of rejection by Lord Jesus. That’s the reason for us to continually live a life of obedience to the words of God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ.

In practice, Spirit-filled life means full submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ who indwells within every genuine believer by means of the Holy Spirit. It is called the life of faith. We don’t live by sight but by faith. So, we let our Lord Jesus Christ run our lives since we are not our own, but were purchased with a price. We also believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is the dynamics for us to handle our lives. He not only directs us but also provides power to cope with all sorts of challenges in life.