In Matthew 25, Jesus tells two stories that illustrate what it means to wait for him to return. In the first story, ten bridesmaids wait for the arrival of the groom and the start of the wedding celebration. Half are ready when the groom finally comes, but the other half miss the wedding entirely because they’re unprepared. Jesus’ warning is simple: true disciples don’t just wait for Jesus to return — they prepare their hearts and lives for it.
The second story shifts from a wedding banquet to a final judgment, where Jesus separates sheep from goats. The separation isn’t based on religious activity or spiritual knowledge but on on who was willing to serve “the least of these.” Both of these stories teach us what it means to wait expectantly for Jesus to return: meeting needs, serving others, and working to prepare the world for the Kingdom to come in full.
