Preparation is important for most things. It is important to prepare remarks before public speaking. It is important to train and practice before athletic events or dramatic performances. Preparation helps proficiency in almost every circumstance. There is nothing more humiliating than to enter any endeavor and show yourself to be ineffective simply because you did not put in the effort to succeed.
The importance of preparation is a central theme of Jesus regarding the coming judgment. The parable of the virgins in Matthew 25 is an example of His teaching. Five virgins went to a wedding feast without sufficient preparation. They had lamps, but did not take oil with them to replenish the vessel. The other five, took the time and effort to take oil in vessels in addition to their lamps. When the feast was delayed as the bridegroom had not arrived, their lamps all went out. The foolish virgins had to go buy more oil, and while they were absent, the bridegroom arrived, and the doors were shut to the feast. Jesus’ lesson from this simple illustration, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matthew 15:13).
Notice here that watching is equated with preparation. The five who were watching were the ones who came equipped should the delay happen. They brought extra oil. The questions for us are, how do we watch (prepare) or fail in this most important appointment to stand before God?
To be unprepared is to be foolish! That is what Jesus called the unprepared virgins in His parable, “Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish” (25:2). As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16). For the Christian, preparation is not looking up to the sky and waiting, it is a sober and circumspect walk in accord with God’s will. Laziness, negligence, distraction – all of these are objectionable and foolish. The child of God must not be self-centered, indulging in our own desires and objectives rather than sublimating self for God! The rich man of Luke 12 did just that with God’s response, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then who will those things be which you have provided?” Jesus conclusion, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20-21).
And so we must prepare to succeed! How do we do this? We give our whole life to the purpose of the Lord! God expects us to enjoy our lives on earth, and rejoice in the physical blessings we receive. “But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10). So, throughout our life, from youth to old age, as we are here on the earth the most important thing for us to do is to serve God! As Jesus said, disciples are to “observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).
We do this through study (cf. 2 Timothy 2:15) and diligent obedience. We work. “Then He [Jesus] said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:37-38).
We do this by ensuring our readiness for our own death. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Knowing the eventually of our own death, we spend our lives with eternity as our focus. We know that God “is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Knowing this, we prepare for the judgment day. We strive to live lives of godliness, by avoiding sin, being watchful for possible temptations or other stumbling blocks, and praying for strength and wisdom! Jesus said, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:34-36).
Instead we replace the sin in our lives with a life of faithful service to the Lord. Paul expressed that kind of life in his letter to the Romans. He wrote, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-8).
God has given us a purpose in our lives – to prepare ourselves for eternity. He has done His part. He has revealed His will for us. He has prepared the way for the coming of His Son. In the fullness of time Jesus came, and through His life and death gave us a means of forgiveness. God resurrected Jesus from the dead to give us the hope of eternal life. Jesus has been exalted, and is reigning is His kingdom. He has invited you and me to become citizens. With God having done so much, how sad it would be for us to miss out on all of the blessings we receive in Christ because we have not prepared ourselves! “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
