What is the Point?: Discovering Life's Deeper Meaning and Purpose by Misty Edwards Page A
Authors: Misty Edwards
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fellowship with us, to talk with us, to tell us His heart, and to share His thoughts and the deep things (1 Cor. 2:10–12). He is a bridegroom at the core of His personality, and He wants our hearts in the midst of our service.
M ATTHEW 25
In Matthew 25:1–13 Jesus tells a parable about the Bridegroom God and the ten virgins.
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!” . . . 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.” . . . .Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
All ten of them had lamps. They were preparing for the upcoming wedding. We know all ten of them represent the redeemed because they are all called “virgins.” We know they specifically represent people who have ministries because they all have lamps. They represent people who love the Bridegroom, have reordered their lives in order to find Him, and have been used to bring others to Him. They represent ministers who at one time had a vibrant connection with the Bridegroom. The challenge is keeping the oil in the lamp in the midst of the busyness of shining. Some get preoccupied with running around and gathering a crowd, and they forget that the only thing that is keeping them shining is the internal reality of the oil within, the oil of the Holy Spirit. It is the secret life in God.
Everyone sleeps (Matt. 25:5)
These ten ministers had a connection with the Bridegroom. They had a genuine desire to bring people to Jesus, but over time something happens. The hour gets late and everyone sleeps. Notice, everyone sleeps, not just the foolish. These ministers were preaching on the Bridegroom and telling about His coming. But there is a delay, and in the delay they all slept.
Sleep, in this passage, is not negative, but it speaks of the routine of life. We all have mundane routineness in our lives, even while we are waiting for the breaking in of the Bridegroom. What we do with our hearts in this delay defines wisdom and folly (vv. 2–4). All ten of them slept. This is a reality that came at me hard when I was young. I quickly found that even life in God has an element of routine. Sometimes it is boring and mundane. This is all part of His design for humans living in a fallen world. At first it really threw me off, but over time I have learned to go with the ebb and flow of life with Him.
They all slept, but there was a divide happening in the camp. Here, in this one passage, Jesus Himself defines wisdom and folly. We know, if Jesus is telling us how He defines wisdom and foolishness, we better pay close attention. This is the same Man who is going to evaluate our lives in the end, so what He is saying here in this passage is not just a helpful hint; it is also a crucial defining statement about what He is looking for and therefore what we are looking for. Again, we will only be satisfied in satisfying Him, and here He is telling us what that is.
Midnight cry (Matt. 25:6)
At the midnight hour a cry is heard, “Behold the Bridegroom! Go out to meet Him!” I believe this ultimately speaks of the second coming of Jesus, but it also speaks of the waves of revival that will happen between now and then. When this shout is heard, the entire camp scurries around, discombobulated by being awakened from their deep sleep. They are in the darkest part of the night. This is the defining moment. The problem wasn’t that they
M ATTHEW 25
In Matthew 25:1–13 Jesus tells a parable about the Bridegroom God and the ten virgins.
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!” . . . 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.” . . . .Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
All ten of them had lamps. They were preparing for the upcoming wedding. We know all ten of them represent the redeemed because they are all called “virgins.” We know they specifically represent people who have ministries because they all have lamps. They represent people who love the Bridegroom, have reordered their lives in order to find Him, and have been used to bring others to Him. They represent ministers who at one time had a vibrant connection with the Bridegroom. The challenge is keeping the oil in the lamp in the midst of the busyness of shining. Some get preoccupied with running around and gathering a crowd, and they forget that the only thing that is keeping them shining is the internal reality of the oil within, the oil of the Holy Spirit. It is the secret life in God.
Everyone sleeps (Matt. 25:5)
These ten ministers had a connection with the Bridegroom. They had a genuine desire to bring people to Jesus, but over time something happens. The hour gets late and everyone sleeps. Notice, everyone sleeps, not just the foolish. These ministers were preaching on the Bridegroom and telling about His coming. But there is a delay, and in the delay they all slept.
Sleep, in this passage, is not negative, but it speaks of the routine of life. We all have mundane routineness in our lives, even while we are waiting for the breaking in of the Bridegroom. What we do with our hearts in this delay defines wisdom and folly (vv. 2–4). All ten of them slept. This is a reality that came at me hard when I was young. I quickly found that even life in God has an element of routine. Sometimes it is boring and mundane. This is all part of His design for humans living in a fallen world. At first it really threw me off, but over time I have learned to go with the ebb and flow of life with Him.
They all slept, but there was a divide happening in the camp. Here, in this one passage, Jesus Himself defines wisdom and folly. We know, if Jesus is telling us how He defines wisdom and foolishness, we better pay close attention. This is the same Man who is going to evaluate our lives in the end, so what He is saying here in this passage is not just a helpful hint; it is also a crucial defining statement about what He is looking for and therefore what we are looking for. Again, we will only be satisfied in satisfying Him, and here He is telling us what that is.
Midnight cry (Matt. 25:6)
At the midnight hour a cry is heard, “Behold the Bridegroom! Go out to meet Him!” I believe this ultimately speaks of the second coming of Jesus, but it also speaks of the waves of revival that will happen between now and then. When this shout is heard, the entire camp scurries around, discombobulated by being awakened from their deep sleep. They are in the darkest part of the night. This is the defining moment. The problem wasn’t that they
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