The parable of the Ten Virgins

Opening Hymn #595 Let Every Lamp be Burning Bright

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:44

Prayer:

Welcome:

Opening Remarks by the Superintendent:

Good Morning and Happy Sabbath members and visiting friends. We are grateful to God that we can be here another Sabbath day.

Our Opening song was Let every lamp be burning bright. Why should we keep our lamps burning bright?  The answer is our Master draweth near and we need to be ready.

The topic for today is The Parable of the Ten Virgins. It is one of the well-known parables of Jesus. According to the Gospel of Matthew 25:1-13, the five virgins who are prepared for the bridegroom's arrival are rewarded, while the five who are not prepared are disowned. The parable has a clear theme: Be prepared for the Day of Judgment.

As Christ sat looking upon the party that waited for the bridegroom, He told His disciples the story of the ten virgins, by their experience illustrating the experience of the Church that shall live just before His second coming.

Narrator 1:             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.

Superintendent:     Who do the virgins represent? The Bible clearly teaches us that a woman represents the Church. In Revelation 12 we have the pure woman who represents God's church. The very fact that Christ is the Bridegroom in this story, makes the bride, the ten virgins, THE CHURCH.

Narrator 1:             While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Superintendent:     ALL of the virgins slumbered and slept which means ALL of God's church is sleeping.

Lingering near the bride's house the ten young virgins robed in white. Each carries a lighted lamp and a small flagon of oil. All are anxiously watching for the appearance of the bridegroom.

But there is a delay. Hour after hour passes; the virgins become weary and fall asleep.  Are we tired of waiting for our Savior’s return?

Narrator 1:             And at midnight there was a cry made, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."

Enactment of the virgins waking up

Superintendent:        The sleepers, suddenly awaking, spring to their feet.

                                    They see the procession moving on, bright with                 torches and glad with music. They hear the voice of           the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.

         The ten maidens seize their lamps and begin to trim       them, in haste to go forth. But five have neglected to        fill their flasks with oil.  They did not anticipate so             long a delay, and they have not prepared for the                emergency. In distress they appeal to their wiser               companions saying,

Foolish Virgins:         Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Smart Virgins:          Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you: but          go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves."

Narrator 1:                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.

Superintendent:        Afterward came also the other virgins, saying:

Foolish Virgins:         Lord, Lord, open to us!

Narrator 1:                But he answered and said, Verily I say to unto you,          I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know               neither the day or the hour wherein the Son of              man          cometh.

Special Music :                   Midnight Cry Song or Video

Superintendent:        Saddest of all words that ever fell on mortal ear are            those words of doom, "I know you not."

As we can see from the parable, the two classes of watchers represent the two classes who profess to be       waiting for their Lord. They are called virgins because they profess a pure faith. These virgins represent us in the church. The lamps represent the word     of God. The psalmist says, "Thy word is a lamp unto    my feet, and a light unto my path."  Ps. 119:105. The     vessel represents our heart and the oil is a symbol of        the Holy Spirit. A lamp without oil cannot shine. Which side will we fall on brethren? Which words will we hear?

Special Music – Hymn no. 416 The Judgment Has Set

Lesson study

Closing Remarks

In the parable, all the ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom. All had lamps and vessels for oil. For a time, there was seen no difference between them. So, it is with the church that lives just before Christ's second coming. All have a knowledge of the Scriptures. All have heard the message of Christ's near approach, and confidently expect His appearing.

But as in the parable, so it is now. A time of waiting intervenes, faith is tried; and when the cry is heard, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to .0meet Him," many are unready. They have no oil in their vessels. They are destitute of the Holy Spirit. Without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, men will not be able to distinguish truth from error in the last days.

We cannot be ready to meet the Lord by waking when the cry is heard, and then gathering up our empty lamps to have them replenished. We cannot keep Christ apart from our lives here, and yet be fitted for His companionship in heaven and we cannot be saved by the relationship that others have with Jesus.

The coming of the bridegroom was at midnight--the darkest hour. So, the coming of Christ will take place in the darkest period of this earth's history. The days of Noah and Lot pictured the condition of the world just before the coming of the Son of man.

The Bible tells us so it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the day of the Son of man.

I pray that all of us who are here this morning and our family members will be like the wise virgins and we will go forth with our lambs to meet the Bridegroom for whom we have waited so long. Brethren, how shall we be able to stand on that great day.