At the Super Bowl this past Sunday the NFL offered a secondary ticket for those who either could not obtain regular game tickets or who could not afford them but still wanted to be a part of the over all “experience.” For the price of $200 fans could purchase the right to stand outside the stadium in a place called “party plaza” and watch the big game on large HD video screens. For those interested I suppose that might have seemed to be a bargain. However, as I have talked to people over the past few days about it one response seemed to reflect the attitudes of most people – it was an awful high price to stand outside the gate!
Now granted, I am cheap. I like to spend as little money on anything I buy as possible. But don’t get me wrong. I am not condemning those who bought those tickets. If they felt the experience was worth the money then more power to them. I am sure there are things on which I spend money that some of those same people would question in bewilderment. However, the more I thought about that news story the more it reminded me of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins:
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest their be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 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. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not” (Matthew 25:1-12).
Now, granted, the point of the parable was to prove the need to “watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (vs. 13). However, those five foolish virgins made a mistake that cost them a lot. Their neglect is typical of those living lives of sin and shame. Paul indicated that sin demands a high price – our spiritual well being (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Those of the world invest their lives in sin, but what will their return be? They shall be made to dwell outside of the heavenly gates for all eternity, away from the presence of the everlasting God. Sin, in this life, appears to many to be harmless folly; but eternally it will prove itself to be an awful high price to stand outside the gate.
-Andy Brewer