不可轉讓
馬太福音二十五章1至13節
1那時，天國好比十個童女拿著燈出去迎接新郎。
2其中有五個是愚拙的，五個是聰明的。
3愚拙的拿著燈，卻不預備油；
4聰明的拿著燈，又預備油在器皿裡。
5新郎遲延的時候，她們都打盹睡著了。
6半夜有人喊著說：‘新郎來了，你們出來迎接他！’
7那些童女就都起來收拾燈。
8愚拙的對聰明的說：‘請分點油給我們，因為我們的燈要滅了。’
9聰明的回答說：‘恐怕不夠你我用的，不如你們自己到賣油的那裡去買吧！’
10她們去買的時候，新郎到了，那預備好了的，同他進去坐席，門就關了。
11其餘的童女隨後也來了，說：‘主啊，主啊，給我們開門！’
12他卻回答說：‘我實在告訴你們：我不認識你們。’
13所以，你們要警醒，因為那日子、那時辰，你們不知道。
信息分享
今天的故事告訴我們，我們為迎接新郎來到所作的事前準備，也是「不可轉讓」的。
當時在戶外使用的油燈，是用浸過油的布條，放在一個盛著油的器皿中，點著後再將它固定在一根柱上作照明。由於容器很小，需要每十五分鐘添油一次。所以，很容易理解那五個童女說：「我們的燈要滅了。」因為她們沒有預備足夠的油。正如我們的主說：「有五個聰明的童女（她們預備了足夠的油），和五個愚拙的童女。」
這個比喻的重點是要指出，我們必須在危機發生之前作好準備。故事所言的危機，是新郎延遲來到，以致五個愚拙的童女所預備的油不夠用。若非是新郎延遲到達，沒有人能分出十個童女的聰明和愚拙。現實中的「危機」，就是我們都在等候基督的再來。
基督在這個比喻之前和之後的信息，都指出當祂再來時，便會將人分為兩大類。例如，兩個人在田間，一個被接走，一個留下來。僕人會分出誰忠心，誰不忠心。此外，綿羊也會從山羊中分別出來，分別接受審判。
也許，沒有任何寫照，比那五個沒有作好準備的童女更可憐和悲慘了。她們眼巴巴地看著自己預備的油用完，苦苦哀求新郎開門卻遭到拒絕：「我不認識妳們！」
我們有很多東西都可以互相分享，可是，準備基督再來一事，每個人卻要自行負責，救恩是不可轉讓的！所幸的是：我們如今還有時間作準備！
NON-TRANSFERRABLE
Matthew 25:1-13
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Message
Here in our story it is preparedness for the coming of the bridegroom which proved to be 'non-transferrable'.
The outdoor oil lamps of the day were mostly oil soaked rags, (with a small reservoir), mounted on a pole. The reservoir needed to be refilled about every fifteen minutes. It is easy to see how the five of the girls said, 'Our lamps are going out'. They did not have extra oil with them. As our Lord said, 'Five were wise (and took extra oil) and five were foolish'.
The point of the parable emphasises the need to be prepared before the crisis hour arrives. Here it is the arrival of the bridegroom. Until then it would have been hard to tell the difference between the two groups. In reality it is a picture of the second coming of Christ.
In his previous messages (and in his message to follow) Christ spoke of the division that would occur at his sudden return. Two men in the field, one is taken the other left. The parable of the faithful and the unfaithful servants speaks of division. The judgment of the sheep and the goats tells the same story.
There is perhaps nothing so tragic, so pathetic than the picture of those five unprepared girls. The awful shock of their empty jars and the finality of the answer of their request. And lastly the closed door and the words, 'I don't know you'.
We can share many things in life but readiness for Christ's return is an individual matter and salvation is non-transferrable.
The good news is - there is still time to get ready, NOW.