Introduction: The parable of the ten virgins teaches us to make the main thing the main thing. Most importantly making our relationship with God a priority above everything else.
In this context what does the following mean:
Then: is referring to the end time / second coming of Christ Jesus was talking about in Matthew 24.
A. Virgins: All believers stand as virgins before God by receiving the free gift of Jesus’ righteousness.
- I betrothed you to one husband…I present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2 Cor. 11:2)
- Once we are born again (2 Cor. 5:17, 21). We are declared as righteous before God as Jesus is.
- Lamp: Each of these virgins had a lamp which spoke of a ministry that brought God’s light to
others (Mt. 5:15-16, Jn. 5:35).
- Bridegroom: All ten had insight into Jesus as the Bridegroom and went to meet or encounter Him.
Lessons from this parable: verse 2-4
- Five wise virgins: obtained oil as a first pirority to them. In this parable, Jesus’ warning is telling us that the wise can become foolish if they neglect to continue to cultivate intimacy with Jesus (just like they did the first time when they meet Christ as the bridegroom in 25:1).
What does taking Oil mean in this context:
a.Oil here speaks of the presence or the anointing of the Spirit touching our heart as we spend time with God (1 Jn. 2:20, 27).
The oil of the Spirit touches our hearts in many different ways including the following:
- It softens our heart, helping us to feel more of God’s desire for us.
- It enlarges our desire for Him by encountering and embracing His desire for us.
- It enlightens our understanding with growing insight into God’s glory and beauty.
- It imparts zeal for righteousness, which helps us to overcome various temptations.
- 2. The foolish took their lamps (their ministry, thier service), but they took no oil. This describes those who pursue more ministry activity before acquiring the “oil of intimacy” in their walk with Jesus.
The foolish christains recognize their great mistake in neglecting to acquire oil (25:8-9). Many Christains lamps will go out because of lacking the spiritual vitality that comes from the Spirit’s oil. Christian “self-help” surface sermons will not meet deep spiritual needs in times of crisis.
Verse 8
The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.”
Verse 9
The wise answered, “No, …but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.”
Give us your oil: The foolish asked the wise to give them oil to boost their diminishing ministry. The wise understood their limitation, knowing that their spiritual preparedness is not transferrable.
Jesus words to the foolish Mt. 24:48; 25:26, 41).
The five foolish virgins were lacking intimacy with God, they will not stand in the time of pressure (2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2).
3.They all slept:
They all slept and trimmed their lamps. Only the HolySpirit is able to help us .The wise and unwise both sleep (Mk. 4:27). This speaks of cultivating oil in the midst of the natural processes of life. We sustain intimacy with Jesus in the midst of the rigors, routines, and mundaneness of life.
Conclusion: Rev 3:18
Buy from Me: Jesus exhorts us to “buy oil,” that is, to engage in the God-ordained process of acquiring intimacy with God. We do not earn this, but invest ourselves in a costly way to receive it through the grace of God. Knowing that we must go out to meet Him. We must make the necessary effort to position ourselves in worship, obedience, prayer, the Word, and fasting to encounter Jesus.
Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit will energize us to begin to cultivate our oil at all cost and keep our lamps filled with Oil.
Song
- Will our lamps be filled and ready,
When the Bridegroom comes?
And our lights be clear and steady,
When the Bridegroom comes?
In the night, that solemn night,
Will our lamps be burning bright,
When the Bridegroom comes?
Refrain
O be ready! O be ready!
O be ready when the Bridegroom comes!
O be ready! O be ready!
O be ready when the Bridegroom comes!
