Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Oct 14th, 2014 JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL

Today’s Passage – Matthew 24 & 25 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6

Read the “1014 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from today’s Bible reading passage – “Where Lord?“

The 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 there 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. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”    (Matthew 25:1-13)

Although this is a parable, not a true account, there is much to learn from this passage.

Oil in the Bible represents the Holy Spirit. In order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, the Holy Spirit of God must live within you. The vessel is your heart. The Holy Spirit enters when we except what Jesus did for us on the cross.

In the parable, we see there where those who were wise, they had oil, The others were foolish. They had what they needed for the present time, just to make a show, with no real intent to be ready for the bridegroom. They had a lamp in their hands for show, but nothing within for the long haul like the seed that fell on stony ground. They did not prepare or think of the time to come after-wards as the ant does, nor lay up for the time to come.

“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1Titus 6:19)

The wise virgins, took oil in their vessels. They were prepared to meet the bridegroom even if He was delayed.  No one knew when He was coming, they just knew He was coming. They were ready. They thought of their future.

Now lets take a closer look at this parable.

1. Both groups appear as followers of Christ. They both carried their lamps and they both saw the groom as ‘Lord’.  Both groups were invited to the wedding.
2. The wise and the foolish virgins slept. All awoke when the bridegroom arrived.  Note: It’s not about working, because salvation is not a result of works but of being ready.
3. We know that it’s talking about salvation because the parable starts out by saying “Then shall the kingdom of heaven…” .
4. It may come as a surprise that the five wise virgins did not share their oil. We know that they could not share their oil because they would have ran out.  We can’t lose our salvation but on the other hand, others can only be saved by their own salvation.  So when the foolish went to go and find it, the door was shut and it was too late.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27)

5. Later in Matthew 25:11 we see the foolish virgins say “Lord Lord open to us”

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Jesus is warning us that there will be people who look like Christians, who act like Christians, and talk like Christians, who are not Christians.  We are never to assume that anyone is saved no matter how good they appear.  But time is getting short.  People are dying and going to hell.  Their door is shut.  We cannot give them our oil, but we must show them how to get their own.  What they do with it is up to them as it was for the foolish virgins, but we are commanded to tell them.   Those who don’t take the oil, are refusing the warnings of God’s Word of salvation through Jesus Christ.  They don’t think they need it.  They believe they have plenty of time to get oil.  It was this way in Noah’s day.  The people had a false sense of security but they were warned, the door was shut and it was too late.   Can you hear them screa“Open the door!  Why didn’t you tell me?  NO PLEASE, OPEN THE DOOR!! DON’T LEAVE ME HERE!!”

There is still plenty of room at the table in family of God.  Won’t you invite someone to come and dine with you.  Someone invited you!

Thank You

1 John 5: 13