I’m sure we’ve all heard a story or two about a nightmare wedding. Believe it or not, Jesus told one of his own in which the groom shows up late, the bridal party falls asleep by the side of the road, and when the groom arrives at midnight, half the bridesmaids have forgotten to bring enough oil for their lamps and end up banned from the celebration. As the story concludes, the rejected bridesmaids are standing outside the door asking to get in, but there is no chance for admission. It’s a sad, strange ending to what we think of as a joyful occasion. Other than that, of course, it was a perfectly normal wedding!
Jesus told this parable to illustrate a certain truth about his Second Coming. The parable itself is a little masterpiece, with each detail adding a piece of crucial information. There is an awful finality about the words,“and the door was shut”. Those on the inside were safely inside; those on the outside could never get in no matter how hard they tried.
For nearly 2,000 years now the door has been open to the entire world, and it is open even today. Over the door are these wonderful words: “Whosoever will, may come,” However in this parable, Jesus reminds us that someday this opportunity will come to an end and we must be ready at that moment.
Download PDF