Matthew 25:1 says, Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  In this parable, Jesus is still teaching about the second coming.  Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins awaiting the bridegroom with their lamps.  We know that the bridegroom is Jesus, and I believe the virgins are those who profess to be His servants.  Verse two says, And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Jesus then speaks of the nature of the ten virgins.  Five were wise and prepared and the other five were foolish.  I believe that those who were prepared really believed that the bridegroom was coming, just as we can be certain that Jesus is coming again.  We should live every day prepared for the return of Christ and do everything that we can to shine His light into the world to prepare for His coming.  The foolish evidently did not take the coming of the bridegroom seriously and were not prepared.  Verse three states, They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  The foolish virgins appeared to be ready.  They had their lamps, but no oil with them.  I believe this would be those who appear to accept Christ and put on a good show of serving Him, but they really have an empty faith.  We as followers of Christ must live our lives filled with faith in Christ, always prepared and ready to serve Him.  Verse four then states, But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  Hopefully, we will be like the wise and ready to serve the Bridegroom, or Christ.  I believe that our light in the world is to share the gospel of Christ, and our oil is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  The only way that we can claim to be wise is through accepting Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives.  Verse five states, While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  While the bridegroom tarried,  all ten slept.  Even the most vigilant of Christian must at times rest, but even when sleeping, we must be ready for the second coming of Christ.   Verse six says, And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  We might find it strange that the bridegroom came at midnight, but it was evidently the custom of the bridegroom to come to the bride's house the night before the wedding in that day according to Matthew Henry.  No matter the time of the night that the bridegroom came, the ten were to be ready.  No matter how long Jesus tarries in His return, we are to be prepared for it to happen at any time.  Verse twenty-five states, Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  All ten went through the motions of getting ready, but that was not enough.  Verse eight says, And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  The five whose lamps went out due to a lack of oil asked the other five for oil.  When the Bridegroom, or Jesus, returns, it will be too late to get prepared for His return, and we cannot look to anyone else to help us be prepared.  Verse nine declares, But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  The wise could not share their oil and still be prepared themselves.  I believe this means that the only way that a person can be saved is by accepting Jesus as their Savior and Lord while there is still time.  When Jesus returns, or when a person dies, it is too late.  Verse ten says, And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  As just discussed, when Christ returns, the way door to heaven will be shut.  There will be no way to gain entry into God's everlasting kingdom after the return of Christ, or after the death of an individual for that matter.  Verse eleven states, Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  The five foolish virgins came attempting to gain entry.  I believe that when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, that those who rejected Him in this world will be crying out for entrance into His kingdom.  Verse twelve says, But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  The Bridegroom told those who were not prepared, or we should say those who have not accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord before His return that He did not know them.  The only way into heaven is through a personal relationship with Jesus, and when we have that He knows us personally.  Verse thirteen concludes, Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.  We are told to watch, or be ready, for the return of Christ, because we do not know when it will occur.  Our challenge is to be doing what God calls us to do until Christ returns.