Therefore, keep watch

“While they were on their way to buy oil, the bridegroom came,
and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.
Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’
But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, keep watch,
for you do not know the day or the hour when the Son of Man will come.”  Matthew 25:10–13

To some people, the gospel sounds like an overwhelmingly astonishing message.
To others, it sounds like something they have heard a thousand times—nothing special.

Even within the community that waits for the return of Jesus,
there are those who have enough oil to keep their lamps burning,
and others who lack oil and must go out to buy it.
Some will enter the wedding banquet,
while others cry out for the door to be opened but they will not enter.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”   Acts 1:8

How does the Holy Spirit come upon a person?
He comes when we believe the gospel in our hearts.
And what happens when we believe that gospel in our hearts?
Acts 1:8 is fulfilled in us.

The gospel is incredibly simple and easy, yet people fail to enter the kingdom
like the five foolish virgins because they try to establish their own righteousness
instead of believing in the righteousness of God.

“The gospel God promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,
concerning his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David,
and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power
by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 1:2–4

The gospel is believing in your heart that this Son is the LORD God who came as a man,
and that by His resurrection He is revealed to be the Lord of life.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
and in your name drive out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”  Matthew 7:21–23