It’s one thing to get drowsy and nod off in a meeting at work or in a classroom. I’ve seen people nod off in sermons I used to preach on more than one occasion; it happens. But it’s another thing altogether to get sleepy and nod off while driving your car down a stretch of highway at 70 mph; and I probably don’t need to explain why.

Jesus shared a parable in Matt. 25 that centered around 10 virgins. We understand that in the Bible, a virgin is oftentimes a picture or a ‘type’ used to represent the church, or the ‘bride of Christ’. In this story, we are told that five were wise and five were foolish, and while anticipating the return of the bridegroom (Jesus) who had delayed his coming, they ALL... grew drowsy and fell asleep. As I said, it can happen to the best of them. You can refer to the story when you get a minute in those first 13 verses for a sobering narrative.

The direction I am going in today has to do with this false pretense or assumption that one can mistakenly believe that every time they get in their car that they will arrive safely at their destination. False assumptions can lead to carelessness and reckless decisions that might have serious ramifications. The same could be said for those who just assume that everyone who said a prayer stating they ‘believe in Jesus’ goes to heaven when they die. I don’t want to make this about who is ‘saved’ or not, given the heart of what I am addressing has to do with abiding in Jesus. (John 15:1-8) But I would submit to you that many in the ‘church’ today have done this very thing; and they could easily be among that crowd who will be shocked to their core as those who we read about in Matt. 7:21-23 were.

If...’heaven is some automatic reward’ to everyone who makes a profession of faith, then why would we read such verses in our bible that talk about the dangers of ‘falling away’ or ‘drifting away’? Read Hebrews 6:4-6 and 2:1 for starters. Or how about the parable of the story where Jesus made it clear that there were folks who happily received the word of God and started out believing... but soon ‘fell away’ and never brought forth any lasting fruit. (Luke 8:13). And we all should know by now that fruit...matters. (Matt. 3:10; 7:17-20)

We read about ‘many disciples’ of Jesus who ‘went back and followed Him no more’. (John 6:66) What reason would we have to believe they were still ‘saved’? And that promise we like to quote about how no one can snatch you from the Father’s hand, in John 10:28...it is given to those who actually hear His voice and follow Him. (27). There really is no point in calling Him ‘Lord’ if we are not going to do what He says. (Matt. 15:7-9 ; Luke 6:46; Heb. 5:9; Titus 1:16). And how many times did Paul make the case that those who continue to live and practice sin have no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven? (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 8:13; Eph. 5:5-6). Or have you ever pondered why Heb. 10:26-31 can be a passage we don’t hear taught on often?

And then there are those five ‘foolish virgins’ who must have thought their invite to the wedding was a given. How tragic that they were deceived into believing that lie as they soon found out the door had been shut and all their desperate knocking was to no avail. (Matt. 25:10-12). Oh...and do you know what differentiates a ‘wise’ virgin from a ‘foolish’ one? The same difference that separates a ‘wise’ builder and a ‘foolish’ one. (Matt. 7:24-27) You might look at that passage and see if you can tell for yourself. I bet it will jump out at you.