The Ten Bridesmaids: What It Really Means to Be Ready for Jesus | 22/3/26

In this powerful message from Matthew 25:1-13, Pastor Mark explores the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids — the only Kingdom parable in Jesus' teaching that is future-looking, set during the final week of Jesus' life as tension builds toward the cross. What does it really mean to be ready for the second coming of Christ? Drawing from the Olivet Discourse, Mark unpacks the cultural context of Jewish marriage customs, the significance of the oil of salvation, and what Scripture clearly teaches about the return of Jesus — from 1 Corinthians 15 to 1 Thessalonians 4. But being ready isn't about watching the signs of the times from the sidelines — it's about actively living as a foretaste of the Kingdom now: feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, and speaking kindness to everyone around us. Featuring a deeply moving tribute to Lucy, a woman whose ministry to Vietnamese refugees embodied Matthew 25 in action, this episode will challenge and encourage you to live with urgency, hope, and purpose until the day Jesus comes again. flbc.org.au