3ABN On the Road

First Things First: Parable Of The 10 Virgins (Sabbath Worship Service)

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Mark Finley

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Series Code: OTR

Program Code: OTR000994


01:03 Good morning. I'd invite you this morning
01:06 to open your Bibles to Matthew 25
01:09 for our scripture and verses 8 through
01:12 13. Matthew 25 verses 8 through 13,
01:19 And the foolish said unto the wise,
01:21 give us some of your oil, for our
01:23 lamps are gone out. But the wise answered,
01:26 saying, not so, lest there should not be
01:29 enough for us and you; but go you rather
01:32 to them that sell and buy for yourselves.
01:35 And while they went out to buy,
01:37 the bridegroom came and they were
01:40 ready and went in with him to the
01:42 marriage; and the door was shut.
01:44 Afterward came also the other
01:46 virgins saying, 'Lord, open to us!'
01:49 But he said, but he answered and said,
01:52 Verily I say on to you, I know you not.
01:57 Watch therefore, for you know
01:59 neither the day nor the hour
02:02 wherein the Son of Man cometh. Amen.
02:19 In the harvest field now ripened
02:27 There's a work for all to do;
02:33 And Hark! the Master's voice is calling,
02:39 To the harvest is calling you.
02:47 Now does the place you're called to labor
02:52 Seem so small and little known?
02:59 It is great if God is in it,
03:04 For He'll not forsake His own.
03:11 Little is much when God is in it!
03:17 Labor not for wealth or fame.
03:23 There's a crown and you can win it,
03:28 If you go in Jesus Name.
03:47 When the conflict here is ended
03:54 And our race on earth is run,
04:01 He will say, if you have been faithful,
04:09 "Welcome home, My child well done!"
04:18 Little is much when my God is in it!
04:23 Labor not for wealth or fame.
04:29 There's a crown and you can win it,
04:35 If you go If you go
04:45 If you go in Jesus Name.
05:11 Amen, amen. Little is much
05:15 if God is in it, amen. The wonderful thing
05:19 about the song is that it's true.
05:23 When you and I take our little and
05:27 consecrate that to God, like the loaves
05:31 and the fishes he multiples it.
05:34 We give our little offering, whether it's
05:37 $10 or $100 or $100,000. And God
05:41 multiples it to build One-Day Churches
05:44 and One-Day Schools and to impact prison
05:48 ministries and support supporting
05:50 ministries and support that grand
05:52 evangelistic effort it is written in
05:56 Las Vegas and throughout
05:58 North America. We go out and
06:00 give a Bible study; we pass out
06:02 a piece of literature. We support
06:06 television and radio and offer prayers
06:10 for young people. We use the gifts
06:12 that God has given us for the
06:14 advancement of his kingdom, and little
06:16 is much when God is in it. This morning
06:23 I had intended to preach a sermon,
06:25 notice the emphases on the word intended.
06:28 God crossing Jordan, but as I thought
06:31 about where we are in the history of this
06:33 world and as I thought about the
06:36 coming of Jesus, and God spirit directed
06:40 me to a different topic entitled
06:44 "First Things First." Let's pray.
06:49 Father in heaven, as we open your
06:50 word this morning, I pray thee that
06:56 your spirit would move among us.
06:59 We've talked about outreach.
07:01 We've talked about soul winning.
07:03 We talked about evangelism.
07:05 We've talked about the finishing
07:06 of your work in the world, but Lord,
07:08 there is a work to be done in the church,
07:12 a work to be done in our hearts,
07:14 a work to be done deep within us.
07:17 And so may this worship hour, lead us
07:20 to a deeper heart conversion and a
07:24 deeper knowledge of you, we pray thee
07:29 in Christ name amen, amen.
07:33 The story is told of a women who
07:36 frantically called her insurance agent.
07:40 And she said, sir I need to increase the
07:45 insurance coverage on my house.
07:50 He said well madam come down to
07:52 the office this week, we can sign the
07:54 appropriate documents, and we'll make
07:58 it happen. She said sir, you don't
08:00 understand, I need to increase the
08:04 insurance coverage now, this is urgent.
08:08 He repeated, madam there are some
08:11 documents that need to be signed.
08:13 But can't I do it over the phone.
08:15 Madam, I'll come out to your house
08:18 tomorrow. Sir, you don't understand
08:21 my house is on fire. I need to increase
08:26 the coverage now. There are some things
08:31 you can put off in life until tomorrow.
08:36 There are other things that have to be
08:37 done today, or else they have
08:40 catastrophic consequences.
08:44 There are some things that matter
08:45 little if we put off in life, in other
08:49 things we put off until our eternal loss.
08:53 Now, preparation for the second coming
08:56 of Christ is one of those things.
08:59 The second coming of Christ maybe
09:02 delayed but our preparation for the
09:05 coming of Christ should never be
09:07 delayed, amen. In Matthew
09:09 chapter 24, Jesus gives us the signs
09:13 of his coming. In Matthew chapter 25,
09:18 Jesus talks about preparation for
09:20 his coming. In Matthew chapter 24,
09:23 we have the events in the world.
09:26 In Matthew chapter 25, we have the
09:29 condition of the church. In Matthew
09:32 chapter 24 we have what happens out there.
09:35 In Matthew chapter 25 we have what
09:38 happens in here. Now you recall after
09:41 Jesus talks about wars and rumors
09:43 of wars about famines and pestilences
09:46 and earthquakes, after he talks about
09:48 fires and floods and natural disasters.
09:52 After he discusses those more than
09:55 25 signs of his coming.
09:58 You come to the end of Matthew chapter
10:00 24 and Jesus says in Matthew chapter 24,
10:04 in verse 42. And if you have your
10:06 Bible I would encourage you to take
10:09 it as we study the word of God.
10:10 Matthew chapter 24 we are looking
10:13 there at verse 42 and Jesus
10:16 there in Matthew 24 says, watch
10:19 therefore, he's talked about the
10:20 sings of his coming, the sings in
10:22 the social world, the political world,
10:24 the economic world, the religious world
10:26 and Jesus says watch therefore verse
10:30 42 Matthew 24, for you do not know
10:32 what hour your Lord is coming.
10:36 So, Jesus encourages the church to watch.
10:39 In Matthew chapter 25 you have
10:41 three parables. The parable of the
10:43 ten virgins, the parable of the ten talents,
10:46 and the parable of the sheep and goats.
10:48 Those parables expand what it means
10:53 to watch and be prepared for
10:55 Christ's coming. Where as Matthew
10:57 chapter 24 gives you those broad strokes
11:00 of the signs in the world. Jesus says
11:03 those things are going to happen out there.
11:06 But what is significant is
11:08 preparation for my return.
11:10 And so Matthew chapter 25 sets
11:13 forth the first parable that talks about
11:15 preparation for the return of our Lord.
11:20 In Mathew's gospel there are twenty
11:22 one parables; fourteen of those twenty
11:26 one are kingdom of God parables.
11:28 There are parables that specifically
11:31 address the nature of the spiritual condition
11:35 within the Church. Now the reason
11:38 Matthew chapter 25 is so significant,
11:40 is Matthew chapter 25 describes the
11:44 spiritual condition of the church awaiting
11:47 the second coming of Christ.
11:49 We begin with Matthew chapter 25
11:52 and looking at verse, 1 but before we
11:54 look at that word by word and study
11:57 this parable verse by verse.
12:00 I'm directed to a statement in the
12:04 writings of Ellen White in the Review
12:06 and Herald August 19, 1890, she said this:
12:09 I've often referred to the parable of the
12:13 ten virgins, five of whom were wise
12:16 and five foolish. This parable has been
12:19 and will be fulfilled to the very letter.
12:22 So, Heaven thinks that the parable
12:26 of the ten virgins is so important
12:29 that it is so significant, that
12:31 it's so vital for the church today.
12:34 That God brought it to the end time
12:37 prophet's mind again and again and
12:40 again and again. This is present truth
12:44 for this hour, amen. This is a message
12:47 for an end time people. This is not something
12:51 at fringes, and this is at the core,
12:54 at a heart of preparation for the
12:56 coming of Jesus. And I pray today
12:59 that the spirit of God would come down
13:03 on this ASI audience. I pray today
13:08 that we would sense a new, a message of
13:13 present truth for this hour to prepare
13:17 an end time people that are coming of Jesus.
13:20 This is no time for fooling around.
13:24 This is no time at dabbling with
13:27 religiosity and spirituality.
13:31 God is calling us today to an end time
13:34 preparation. Matthew chapter 25,
13:37 we began there in verse 1:
13:39 "Then the kingdom of heaven,
13:41 now all kingdom of heaven parables
13:44 refer to the church, every time
13:46 you see a kingdom of heaven parable
13:48 Christ is addressing the church.
13:50 Verse 1 Matthew 25: "Then the
13:52 kingdom of heaven shall be likened
13:55 to ten virgins, why ten? Why not
13:58 7 perfection, why not 12 completeness,
14:01 why not 4 universality? Why not 3? Ten,
14:06 ten was a significant number in Judaism.
14:12 Ten was the smallest number of Jews
14:16 men that could compose a synagogue
14:20 and establish it. So, the number ten
14:23 is a church number, the ten tribes
14:26 of Israel. The church is spiritual Israel,
14:29 so it's another clue in the text that
14:32 Jesus himself is speaking about
14:36 the church. "Then the kingdom
14:38 of heaven shall be likened to
14:39 ten virgins, virgins in the Bible a woman
14:45 represents the church. A pure woman,
14:49 Revelation 12 represents the true church,
14:52 the bride of Christ. A harlot woman,
14:56 Revelation 17 represents the fallen church.
14:59 So, this parable is a parable that is
15:05 addressed to the true church, ten virgins.
15:09 Virgins represent the church pure
15:14 un-corrupt doctrine. Doctrine that is
15:18 undefiled by the errors byapostasy
15:23 and the rituals, and the ceremonies,
15:28 and the traditions of the enemy.
15:32 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be
15:35 like unto ten virgins who took their lamps.
15:38 What's the lamp represent in the Bible?
15:41 Psalm 119 verse 105: Thy word is a what?
15:44 Lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
15:47 So here is God's church at end time with the
15:52 word of God in his hand, going out to
15:56 light the way for the coming of
15:58 the bridegroom. Here is God's church
16:01 anxiously awaiting something.
16:04 Last part of verse 1: They went out to
16:07 meet the bridegroom, so here is an
16:09 Adventist Church. They anticipate the coming
16:12 of Christ. They believe Jesus is coming.
16:15 The issue is not doctrinal heresy.
16:18 The issue is not defiled in-corrupt doctrines.
16:21 This parable is relating to God's Church
16:26 at end time, who light the way for the
16:29 coming of the bridegroom and who have
16:31 pure true uncorrupted doctrines.
16:34 What the Bible says, verse 2:
16:39 Now five of them were wise, and five
16:43 were foolish. Now notice something carefully.
16:48 Please notice that the story does not
16:50 contrast the righteous and unrighteous virgins.
16:53 It does not contrast the holy and the
16:56 unholy virgins. It does not contrast
16:59 the good and the bad virgins.
17:00 It does not contrast the obedient
17:03 and disobedient virgins. It does not
17:05 contrast the loyal and rebellious virgins.
17:08 It does not contrast the pure and the
17:10 impure virgins. It does not contrast
17:12 the faithful and the unfaithful virgins.
17:15 The Bible calls them what everybody,
17:16 wise and foolish. Well that leads us to
17:20 another question. If this is a parable
17:23 of the church, if this is talking about us
17:28 and if the Bible talks about the wise and
17:31 the foolish virgins, what makes the
17:34 wise, wise? What makes the foolish, foolish?
17:41 Were the wise, wise because they were awake?
17:43 They were studying the signs of the times.
17:46 They knew that we're on the verge of
17:48 eternity. Why were the wise, wise?
17:51 Why were the foolish, foolish?
17:54 Were the wise, wise because they were
17:56 wide awake and had their eyes open
17:58 and the foolish were foolish because
17:59 they were sleeping? The Bible goes
18:01 on in Matthew chapter 25 and
18:05 the Bible says in verse 5: But while the
18:09 bridegroom was delayed, they all
18:12 slumbered and slept. So, the reality
18:16 of the parable, the startling reality
18:19 of the parable is not that five virgins
18:23 are sleeping; it is that they all are sleeping.
18:27 Living on the knife edge of eternity,
18:30 on the verge of the kingdom of God.
18:32 The true Church is pictured as spiritually
18:36 drowsy and asleep to the great
18:38 opportunities to prepare the world
18:40 for the coming of Jesus.
18:43 This is the message of the parable.
18:46 It is not that five are sleeping.
18:48 It is that there is a spiritual drowsiness,
18:51 a spiritual stupor that has lowered
18:55 us all to sleep. Amen. The secular,
18:58 materialistic, godless culture around us
19:02 affects us as well as the world.
19:06 God's people are a people with a message,
19:09 a people with a mission, a people raised up
19:12 powerfully to share the light of God's truth
19:15 with mankind in this world of darkness.
19:18 Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1 to 3
19:21 is a prophesy of these last days of
19:22 our history, take your Bible please.
19:26 God's church is called to light the world
19:31 with the trues of his word to prepare
19:35 a world for the coming of our Lord.
19:38 Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1 to 3 Jesus
19:42 gives a message to his church,
19:44 a prophetic message at end time:
19:47 "Arise, shine, for your light has come,
19:50 the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
19:52 There will be a revival in God's church
19:56 at end time. The church will arise,
19:58 the church will shine.
20:00 The light of God's truth will radiate
20:02 from God's people, rise and shine for
20:04 the light has come. The glory of the
20:05 Lord is risen upon you: For behold
20:07 darkness shall cover the earth.
20:09 Deep darkness the people but the Lord
20:11 will arise over you, and His glory
20:14 will be seen upon you. And Gentiles,
20:17 heathen and pagan shall come to
20:18 your light, and kings to the brightness
20:21 of your rising. "Lift up your eyes all
20:24 around, and see: They're all gather together,
20:25 they'll come to you. God is going to
20:28 move through his church in the last days
20:31 of earth history. Empowered by the
20:33 Holy Spirit, filled with the oil of his grace.
20:36 God's people will illuminate the world
20:39 with his glory. They will impact the world
20:42 with his truth. The gospel will be preached
20:45 to the ends of the earth.
20:46 The mission will be accomplished,
20:47 the task will be completed,
20:49 the work will be finished.
20:51 The way will be prepared for the
20:53 bridegroom's return and Jesus will come.
20:55 Amen. There is no other reason
20:59 for the existence of the Seventh-day
21:02 Adventist Church, then to reveal
21:05 the light of God's loving glory,
21:08 his loving character in word,
21:10 indeed to the world to prepare for
21:13 the coming of the bridegroom.
21:16 But the foolish virgins fail to participate
21:21 in the most exciting movement in the
21:23 history of the world, why? They miss out
21:28 on eternity why? They're all members
21:33 of the true church. They're all waiting
21:36 for the coming of the bridegroom.
21:39 The foolish as well as the wise accept and
21:42 believe the truth of scripture.
21:43 These foolish virgins are not promoting
21:48 some kind of doctrinal heresy.
21:52 They live morally up right lives.
21:54 They enjoy the fellowship of the
21:56 wise virgins. What is it about these
22:02 foolish virgins, who come to meetings,
22:08 dare I say it, dare I not say it,
22:14 what is it about them? They come to
22:18 meeting just like this, they enjoy the
22:21 fellowship. They actually participate in
22:26 witnessing that time. They're
22:29 doctrinally sound in their thinking,
22:36 but yet heaven says that they're
22:39 foolish virgins. The question becomes
22:43 what makes a wise virgin wise
22:48 and what makes a foolish virgin foolish.
22:52 And as I reflect on the parable and
22:55 read it again and again and again
22:56 I say God could I ever unknowingly,
23:00 unwittingly be a foolish virgin myself?
23:09 Matthew 25 verse 3, Matthew 25 verse 3,
23:16 I wanna look at the characteristics
23:18 of the foolish virgins and then the
23:23 characteristics of the wise virgins and
23:25 contrast them. And lead us into a
23:28 deep heart felt sense that heaven's oil is
23:35 flowing into our hearts today.
23:39 And there if somebody came in here
23:40 today a foolish virgin, you can walk
23:42 out a wise virgin. Somebody walked
23:46 in today locked in Laodicean spiritual
23:50 complacency God's gonna touch your
23:52 heart today. God's gonna work
23:55 in this meeting today. The spirit is moving
23:58 in this meeting today. God's gonna touch
24:01 hearts today. There are gonna be
24:04 miracles of God's grace that
24:05 happened right here today in this place,
24:08 in this hour right now. Matthew the
24:11 25th chapter what makes the foolish,
24:15 foolish and what makes the wise, wise?
24:19 Matthew 25 verse 3 we look at it:
24:21 Those who were foolish took their lamps
24:25 and took no oil with them. Now,
24:28 that's a very interesting passage.
24:33 When you look at the ancient world,
24:37 often in ancient weddings, the bride
24:42 and her bridesmaids would be in a
24:44 home and this parable is actually
24:47 a slice of life out of Palestine.
24:50 Jesus was sitting there on the Mount
24:53 of Olives and he saw a wedding like
24:55 this taking place. And he used
24:57 that as an illustration of preparation
24:59 for his return. The bridegroom
25:03 would come to the brides home
25:06 unexpectedly at night and the word
25:11 would go out, the cry would go out,
25:13 the hold of the bridegroom comes
25:15 and the bridesmaids would light the
25:19 way before the bride to the bridegroom's home.
25:23 The wedding feast may last a week
25:25 and if you didn't enter in when the
25:27 feast started, the door would be shut
25:29 and you couldn't enter in. Now, when
25:32 you look at Matthew chapter 25 verse 3.
25:35 It says, those who were foolish took
25:37 their lamps and took no oil with them.
25:40 It does not say they didn't have oil
25:42 in their lamps, in the ancient world oil
25:46 was placed in the lamp. But a flask
25:51 of oil was taken along with the lamp,
25:55 so when the oil in the lamp ran out.
25:58 The flask of oil would be used to
26:02 replenish the oil that ran out in
26:05 the lamp. Now the fact that the foolish
26:08 virgins had some oil is significant and
26:12 you see that if you let your eyes drop
26:14 down further in the Bible passage.
26:16 Matthew chapter 25 follow as I read
26:20 verses 5 and onward: But while
26:23 the bridegroom was delayed,
26:24 they all slumbered and slept.
26:26 "And at midnight a cry was heard:
26:29 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming;
26:31 go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins
26:33 arose and trimmed their lamps.
26:36 So, the wise and the foolish were
26:38 7 trimmed their lamps, what does that mean?
26:40 They lit their lamps: And the foolish said
26:43 to the wise, "Give us some of your oil,
26:46 for our lamps are going out."
26:48 So what does that indicate,
26:51 the foolish virgins had some oil but
26:55 they did not have a sufficient supply
26:58 of oil because the delay was so long
27:01 that the small amount of oil that
27:03 they had was not sufficient to take them
27:06 on the journey from the bride's home
27:08 to the bridegroom's home and their
27:10 lamps were going out. Now, they
27:12 lacked this indispensable oil.
27:16 In the Bible what is oil a symbol of?
27:19 What's that a symbol of? But wait
27:22 you say it's a symbol of the Holy
27:23 Spirit but wait, aren't there many symbols
27:26 of the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
27:28 Fire is the symbol of the Holy Spirit,
27:30 why didn't they have a candle of fire.
27:32 Wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
27:36 The water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
27:38 Why does God take the symbolism
27:42 of oil and use this as the illustration
27:47 of what the foolish virgins did not have.
27:51 Here's why? If you look throughout the
27:53 Old Testament, oil is associated with
27:57 three things. Number one the sanctuary,
28:02 when the sanctuary was inaugurated
28:04 the priest were anointed with oil.
28:09 When the sanctuary was inaugurated
28:10 the sacred vessels were anointed
28:12 with oil. Oil represents consecration
28:17 the setting apart, oil represents total
28:22 commitment to the kingdom of God.
28:27 The Holy Spirit impresses the heart
28:31 and mind through the oil of God's grace
28:34 that flows from the sanctuary to lead
28:38 men and women to make an unreserved
28:41 total absolute commitment to the
28:43 kingdom. So, oil is always consecration.
28:46 Secondly throughout the Bible oil is
28:49 always healing. You remember in
28:50 the New Testament, the good Samaritan
28:54 found the bruised broken bloody
28:57 traveler and he anointed that traveler
29:00 with what? Oil, oil symbolizes healing.
29:04 God will have an end time people,
29:08 whose minds, and eyes, and ears,
29:11 and hearts, and inner beings are totally
29:16 absolutely consecrated to him? They seek
29:19 first the kingdom of God. They want Jesus,
29:22 they put Jesus first, seek you first
29:24 the kingdom of God. That is the priority
29:27 and passion of their lives, and the
29:30 oil of the spirit that leads them to
29:33 this deepening consecration,
29:36 heals their hearts of anger, resentment,
29:39 bitterness, jealousy, rivalry between
29:42 ministries, lust, gossip. So, there
29:45 is an end time preparation of the
29:47 spirit that the Holy Spirit comes
29:49 upon God's praying, seeking church
29:52 and men and women are set aside,
29:55 so they long for the kingdom of God.
29:57 They hunger for eternity and they're
29:59 cleansed within or healed within
30:02 through the ministry of the Holy Spirit
30:04 about regarding those attitudes that
30:07 keep the lateral rain of God's power
30:10 from falling. What is the oil
30:12 representative of first consecrations,
30:15 second healing and third illumination?
30:17 Illumination, oil provides the basis
30:21 for the lamps. God will have an
30:24 end time people consecrated to him,
30:26 healed within of inner attitudes that
30:30 keep them for being the powerful
30:32 witnesses that God wants to the world.
30:35 Who hold the torch of truth high
30:37 to light the way for the coming
30:39 of the bridegroom? God wants
30:41 to have a group of people filled with
30:43 this spirit consecrated to him,
30:44 healed to bitterness, envy, jealousy,
30:47 competition, healed of pride, arrogance,
30:49 self inflated importance. People who
30:51 are not so interested in talking about
30:53 what they do, but talking about
30:55 what Jesus does? A people who witness
30:57 to his grace, who are consumed with
30:59 holding a lighted torch of truth to
31:02 get ready for the coming of Jesus.
31:03 Now there are three fatal mistakes
31:05 of the false virgins, of the foolish
31:07 virgins here there are, three fatal mistakes.
31:09 One, they had some oil, but not enough.
31:13 They thought the limited supply
31:15 of oil they had was sufficient enough.
31:17 And when the cry came, behold the
31:20 bridegroom comes they cried out
31:21 our lamps are going out we do not
31:23 have enough. Their supply of oil was
31:27 not sufficient for the unanticipated delay.
31:32 Is it possible to assume that a superficial
31:37 experience with God will get us through
31:41 the great crisis ahead? Have we forgotten
31:44 the words of the prophet? We will need
31:46 an experience much broader or deeper
31:50 than we possibly can imagine.
31:53 The foolish virgins were part of the
31:55 superficial conservative class.
31:58 Are you depending on an experience
32:02 with Jesus? That you once had.
32:07 He's your spiritual lamp going out.
32:12 Are you depending on an experience
32:14 with God, that is in the past tense
32:19 and not the present. Does your heart
32:22 still burn within you, when you open
32:27 God's word? It's the most exciting precious
32:30 time of your day. The time you open
32:33 God's word and spend more time with him,
32:39 how is your devotional life?
32:42 Do you know Jesus and does Jesus
32:45 live in your soul and move in your life.
32:50 Do you still sense Jesus presence,
32:52 when you get on your knees to pray
32:55 or has your prayer life become boring
32:57 and ritualistic and something you
33:00 hurry through as a ceremony?
33:03 Do you still love to take those long
33:05 walks alone? Listen to the singing of birds
33:09 and see the magnificence of the flowers
33:11 and say thank you Jesus for nature and
33:15 just let him transform your life.
33:17 You see the foolish virgins put their
33:20 trust in the wrong place.
33:23 The foolish virgins trusted that their past
33:28 experience that they once had would
33:31 be sufficient to take them to the
33:34 wedding feast. The height of Christian
33:38 folly is neglecting personal soul culture
33:42 and believing that everything is alright,
33:44 because I believe the right thing,
33:46 and because I'm a witness for Jesus. Amen.
33:51 The foolish virgins were superficial
33:55 and conservative, but the foolish virgins
33:58 lack something deep inside.
34:00 Ellen White talks about this group
34:02 in Christ's Object Lessons page 411.
34:05 She says, the class represented by the
34:07 foolish virgins are not hypocrites.
34:09 When I read the next sentence
34:11 I spend significant time meditating on it,
34:15 applying it to my own life.
34:17 They have a regard for the truth.
34:20 The foolish virgins have a regard for truth.
34:23 They have advocated the truth.
34:27 So, these are not fanatical heretics.
34:31 They have a regard for the truth.
34:32 They've advocated the truth. The foolish
34:34 virgins have advocated the truth,
34:36 they're involved in witnessing.
34:39 They're attracted to those who believe
34:41 the truth, so look at these three things
34:43 that inspiration says about the
34:45 foolish virgins. They've got a regard
34:47 for the truth. They advocate the truth.
34:49 They are attracted to those who believe
34:51 the truth. But they have not yielded
34:54 themselves to the Holy Spirit's working.
34:56 They have not fallen upon the rock
34:59 Christ Jesus, and permitted their old
35:00 nature to be broken up.
35:02 Here is the issue, although they believe
35:06 the truth and witness the old nature deep
35:11 within their hearts is still dominant.
35:16 It says, the spirit works upon
35:19 man's heart, according to his desire
35:21 and consent implanting in him a new nature;
35:23 but the class represented by the
35:25 foolish virgins have been content with
35:28 a superficial work. And I fall upon
35:30 my knees and I say God help me not
35:33 be content with the superficial work
35:34 in my life. They do not know God.
35:39 See this is the issue with the foolish
35:41 virgins, the oil of the Holy Spirit
35:43 flowing from heaven sanctuary and
35:47 the function of the Holy Spirit is to
35:49 witness of Jesus. So, the Holy Spirit
35:52 function has been neglected in their life.
35:55 They have not been healed deep within,
35:57 they believe truth, they accept truth,
36:00 they may witness for the truth.
36:01 But often they're prompted and
36:03 motivated by the old nature rather
36:06 than the new nature. And it says,
36:08 they do not know God. They have not
36:10 studied His character. They have not
36:12 held communion with Him.
36:13 Therefore they do not know how to trust,
36:16 how to look and live, their service
36:17 to God degenerates into a form.
36:20 The foolish virgins are content with the
36:23 stale superficial experience from the
36:25 past, although they acknowledge the truth.
36:27 The truth has not transformed their lives.
36:31 The old nature dominants theirs
36:33 thoughts and actions, on the outward
36:35 appearance everything looks fine.
36:37 They have lamps in their hands,
36:39 what more do they need, they though
36:41 they were ready for the coming of
36:42 the bridegroom. Thought there was
36:44 a difference brothers and sisters,
36:45 between having the word of God
36:48 in your hand to defend the truth
36:50 and having the word in your heart
36:52 to live the truth. Amen.
36:53 The foolish virgins were informed, but not
36:56 transformed. They were instructed
36:58 by the word, but not change
37:00 through the word. They were
37:02 convicted of the truth, but not
37:04 changed by the truth. Here is the essential
37:07 question, has the truth which you believe,
37:10 the truth which you share with others,
37:12 has that radically impacted and
37:15 transformed your life. So, you're
37:18 a different man, a different woman.
37:19 In the parable of ten virgins.
37:23 The ten virgins do not understand
37:24 fully what genuine conversion is all about.
37:29 The oil represents the sanctifying grace
37:32 of the Holy Spirit, that transforms our
37:36 character, it enables us to be more
37:38 like Jesus. Now, here is the incredible
37:42 good news. There is an abundance
37:45 supply of heaven's oil for you and for me.
37:51 There is no shortage of the power of the
37:56 Holy Spirit to give us the victories
37:59 that we long for in our own personal lives.
38:05 Nobody else's prayers though can
38:06 substitute for yours. Nobody else can
38:12 study God's word for you.
38:18 Nobody else could have an intimate
38:20 relationship with God for you.
38:26 In the bridegroom's absence there
38:29 is tendency to slumber, the greatest
38:32 challenge that the Seventh-day
38:34 Adventist Church faces today is this.
38:36 We're a church that should not be here,
38:43 we have never been in it for the
38:45 marathon we've always been in it
38:47 for the sprint. But the church since 1844
38:54 has gone on, it's going on for a
38:57 165 years, 166 years. And the longer
39:08 the time goes on, the more the spiritual
39:12 drowsiness and slumber increases,
39:19 and the beauty is this.
39:23 God is moving among his people today
39:28 to bring a spiritual renewal and
39:31 a spiritual revival through the
39:33 outpouring of the Holy Spirit that
39:36 will bring to this people, a mighty
39:39 spiritual revival, and usher in the coming
39:44 of Jesus. But that does lead us to
39:47 a question that we should not neglect
39:49 this morning. And the question is
39:52 implied in Matthew chapter 25,
39:57 I want you to notice it please.
40:00 Matthew chapter 25 and you'll
40:03 notice it there, verse 5:
40:06 But while the bridegroom was and
40:08 what is the word in verse 5? Delayed,
40:11 they all slumbered and slept.
40:14 There is a delay in the coming of
40:16 the bridegroom, if the Seventh-Day
40:20 Adventist Church answered one question;
40:25 it probably is the most vital question
40:27 that the church could answer and it's this:
40:29 Why is it that the second coming
40:32 of Christ is delayed? Why didn't Jesus
40:36 come in 1885, why didn't he
40:39 come in 1850, why didn't he come
40:41 in 1910, 1930? The answer to that question
40:47 is not a single one sentence answer.
40:50 If you carefully study scripture and the
40:53 writings of Ellen White, there at least
40:56 three reasons why Jesus delays his coming.
40:59 Let's briefly look at each of them
41:00 first reason one, why does Jesus
41:03 delay his coming? Reason one Christ
41:05 waits in love, suffering himself over the
41:09 pain, agony, sorrow, poverty, sickness
41:12 and death of our world. Waiting for
41:14 the gospel to preached with all power,
41:16 so all humanity will have an opportunity
41:18 to be saved the evidence of that
41:21 is found in Peter, 2 Peter chapter
41:23 3 verse 4. Why does the Bible say in
41:26 Matthew chapter 25 that we read that
41:28 Jesus delays his coming. He waits in love,
41:31 he longs for all humanity to be saved.
41:33 He longs for all men and women
41:35 everywhere to hear the gospel.
41:37 He does not want one person to be lost.
41:42 Take your Bible please and turn to
41:43 the Book of the Peter, 2 Peter chapter 3,
41:50 we look there in the Book of Peter
41:52 and the Lord is very clear.
41:57 In 2 Peter chapter 3 and let your eyes
42:02 dropped down to verse 9,
42:03 2 Peter chapter 3 it's actually verse 9:
42:05 The Lord is not slack concerning his
42:07 promise, as some men count slackness;
42:09 but he's longsuffering toward us,
42:12 God is not slack concerning his promise.
42:15 Has he promised to come? Yes, will
42:18 he come? Amen. The Lord does not
42:20 slack concerning his promise, as some
42:21 men count slackness; but he's
42:23 longsuffering toward us, not
42:25 willing that any should perish but that
42:26 all should come to repentance.
42:27 Why hasn't Jesus come? Because
42:30 he waits in love, he waits longing that
42:35 all men and women everywhere will
42:36 accept his love. He will not come
42:39 until the gospel goes to ends the earth.
42:41 Can the church hasten the coming
42:43 of Jesus? Desire of Ages page 633:
42:46 Had the church of Christ done her
42:50 appointed work as the Lord ordained,
42:52 the whole world would before this have
42:55 been warned, and the Lord Jesus would
42:57 have come to earth in power and glory.
43:01 Desire of Ages 633 continuing by giving
43:04 the gospel to the world it is in our
43:06 power to hasten our Lord's return.
43:08 I don't know how the language
43:10 could be clearer. God is looking
43:14 for a people that are passionate about
43:15 sharing his love with the world.
43:17 Passionate about sharing the light
43:19 of truth with this world,
43:20 a people that are consecrated by
43:22 the oil of his grace, who are healed
43:25 in their hearts of anger, bitterness,
43:27 and jealousy, who focus on one
43:30 thing and that is getting the world
43:31 ready for the coming of Jesus.
43:32 Why doesn't Jesus come, when the
43:34 gospel hasn't preached to the world.
43:35 Reason two Christ waits for his church
43:39 to reveal his incredible character
43:41 of love to a waiting world and
43:43 watching universe. You see the cross
43:46 is the answer to the great controversy.
43:49 Jesus death on the cross answers
43:51 Satan charges and reveals that
43:54 God is love. Amen, God now longs for
43:57 a community of grace, his body,
44:00 his church to reveal that his way brings
44:04 joy and happiness and Satan's way
44:07 of selfishness brings death.
44:09 What is God waiting for, not only
44:11 to the gospel to be preached out there?
44:14 But he's waiting for something to happen
44:16 in his church. The Bible says,
44:18 when the harvest is fully ripe.
44:22 In Revelation 14 talks about two harvests,
44:24 the harvest of golden grain and the
44:26 harvest of glory grapes.
44:28 The harvest of golden grain is the
44:31 character of Jesus that he longs
44:35 to reveal through his Holy Spirit
44:37 to transform our lives, so we become
44:40 the loving people that are lights
44:41 in this world, in a world of hate
44:43 and selfishness. That is why Ellen
44:46 White put it's so clearly in Christ Object
44:48 Lessons page 69: Christ is waiting with
44:52 longing desire, for the manifestation
44:56 of Himself in His church. When the
44:59 character of Christ shall be perfectly
45:01 reproduced in His people, then He
45:04 will come to claim them as His own. Amen.
45:07 What is Jesus waiting for, first the
45:09 gospel to go to the world?
45:10 Secondly the gospel to penetrate
45:13 our hearts so deeply, that we reveal
45:16 his loved to a waiting world and
45:18 watching universe, but there is a
45:19 third factor and it's this.
45:23 Not only will there the proclamation of the
45:27 gospel, not only will they be the
45:29 harvest of glory greats. There will be
45:34 a the harvest of glory greats;
45:36 there will be a manifestation in this
45:38 world of the wickedness and rebellion
45:43 and selfishness of sin that brings devastation
45:49 and destruction to the world.
45:53 Although the church can hasten
45:55 the coming of Jesus, the church
45:58 cannot delay the coming of Jesus
46:01 and definitely. Christ waits not only
46:05 for a full complete demonstration
46:07 of his love to reveal for his people,
46:09 but also he must let wickedness,
46:11 evil, sin, run its course.
46:12 So, the whole universe will see the
46:15 ultimate results of Satan's rebellion
46:18 and be secured forever. Now,
46:21 listen to these powerful statements,
46:23 in Prophets and Kings 4:17:
46:25 There is a limit beyond which the
46:28 judgments of Jehovah can no longer
46:30 be delayed. There is a limit
46:33 beyond which the judgments of Jehovah
46:36 can no longer be delayed.
46:38 God keeps it fifth rhyme of the
46:40 testimony is 524: God keeps a
46:42 reckoning with the nations.
46:44 When the time fully comes that iniquity
46:46 shall have reached the stated
46:47 boundary of God's mercy,
46:48 His fore-bearers will cease.
46:50 When the accumulated figures
46:52 in heaven's record books shall mark
46:54 the sum of transgression complete,
46:57 wrath will come. There will be a
46:59 convergence, and I believe that
47:01 convergence is taking place now.
47:04 There will be conversions of a praying
47:06 people whose hearts are passionate
47:09 about preaching the gospel to the world.
47:10 Who are asking God to cleanse
47:13 their hearts in unusual ways,
47:15 so that they can be everything that God
47:17 wants them to be and at that same time
47:20 that God is leading his church into a revival,
47:24 into a commitment to reaching the world
47:26 with the gospel, with people praying
47:28 and hearts broken and people on their
47:30 knees as that is taking place.
47:32 Satan sees what's taking place in the
47:34 church and he redoubles his efforts
47:36 of wickedness in the world and
47:38 transgression reaches its limit.
47:40 And God says this is enough,
47:43 this is enough and the greatest danger
47:48 that the foolish virgins face and that we
47:50 face is putting off a decision to let God
47:54 deal with our hearts as he wants to
47:57 which is of enormous consequences.
47:58 What happened to the foolish virgins?
48:00 Spiritual complacency paralyzed them.
48:02 They were locked in self congratulation
48:05 telling how great they were?
48:06 They were beat in self confidence.
48:08 They were satisfied with what they had.
48:10 They never dream that they be
48:12 unprepared for the coming of the
48:13 bridegroom. They fail to understand their lack,
48:16 sometime ago I read a story about then
48:25 of course a fictitious story about Satan.
48:29 And he had a council meeting,
48:30 a strategy meeting in heaven,
48:33 and in that strategy meeting,
48:34 he called the Angels and he said now
48:36 tell me what is your strategy to deceive
48:39 God's people. One angel says, one evil
48:42 angel says my strategy is to tell them
48:44 there is no God. The devil says in this
48:48 imaginary story; don't be so foolish,
48:50 the evidence of nature, the Bible prophecy,
48:53 people know there is no God.
48:54 They know there is a God;
48:56 tell will never except that there is no God.
48:59 Second angel says well tell them that
49:03 there is no truth. The devil says look
49:06 in science there is truth, you may fool
49:09 some people, but we're not gonna
49:10 fool all the people. Amen. Third angel
49:14 says well tell them that there is no hurry;
49:19 tell them there is no hurry.
49:22 Tell them that they've got plenty of time.
49:25 Tell them that there is no urgency.
49:27 Tell them to put off personal preparation.
49:29 Tell them to wait till a more convenient
49:31 time to deal with their attitudes.
49:34 Tell them; tell them that they don't
49:38 need now to be on their knees seeking
49:41 God for broken hearts. Is God calling
49:45 you to something deeper than you can imagine.
49:50 Have you been putting off a deeper
49:56 experience with God in your own life.
50:01 Do you sense the spirit moving
50:03 in your own personal heart to a
50:06 deeper Bible study life,
50:09 a deeper prayer life. The only way
50:13 to get ready for the coming of Christ
50:14 is to get ready today and stay ready.
50:21 Is there anything lurking in the shadows
50:24 of your heart that you may not be aware of.
50:31 Are you willing to say today, Lord I
50:33 wanna surrender any habit, any attitude?
50:36 It's a barrier between me and anybody else,
50:39 I wanna surrender any habit in my life
50:42 it's not in harmony with your will.
50:45 Lord, I want you to do a work in me,
50:48 so I can hold the torch of truth high.
50:51 Lord, I long for the oil of your grace
50:54 to flow in my heart, in life.
51:00 I love that old song. There is something
51:03 about these old hymns, written out of
51:06 the context of experience, Amen. Number 260
51:11 Hover o'er me, Holy Spirit,
51:15 Bathe my trembling heart and brow;
51:19 Fill me with your hallowed presence,
51:22 Come, O come and fill me now.
51:25 Fill me now, fill me now,
51:26 Jesus, come and fill me now;
51:28 Fill me with my hallowed presence,
51:30 Come, O come, and fill me now.
51:33 I love the third verse.
51:34 I am weakness, full of weakness,
51:37 At Thy sacred feet I bow;
51:39 Blest, divine, eternal Spirit,
51:42 Fill with love and fill me now.
51:46 Fill me now, fill me now,
51:47 Jesus, come and fill me now;
51:49 Hover o'er me, Holy Spirit,
51:52 Does God wanna do something
51:53 in your life right now? Has your
51:57 devotional life been weak and stale?
52:00 Has your prayer life becomes ritualistic
52:02 and formal. Is there are some habit
52:04 in your life that would keep you from
52:06 being ready for the coming of Jesus.
52:09 Is there are some attitude in you,
52:10 that's gonna keep your ministry from
52:13 being a successful as God wants
52:14 it to be because of that attitude,
52:16 let Jesus break that now.
52:18 Let Jesus crush that now.
52:21 Let the Messiah crush the serpent's
52:24 head in your life. Now let Jesus
52:26 right now do something in your life.


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Revised 2014-12-17