THE END TIMES - Part 6: The Ten Virgins

The End Times

Part 6 – The Ten Virgins

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 25:1-13     The Parable of the Ten Virgins

 ¹ “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

   ⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

   ⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

   ⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

   ¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

   ¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

   ¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

   ¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

  INTRODUCTION

Over the past few weeks, we have been looking at the 24^th chapter of Matthew, at what Jesus has to say about the end of the world.

Jesus explained to the disciples that there would be signs of the end times.  Jesus began by saying, “Be careful that no man deceives you, because many will come in my name claiming to be the messiah.”

He continues telling them that there will be wars, and rumors of wars, nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be natural disasters and famine.  This is the beginning of the end.

He continued by saying, “you shall be hated because of me.  You will be imprisoned and put to death, and many will betray one another and hate one another.”

“Many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many.”

Jesus then tells them of the anti-christ, and how he will stand in the temple and claim to be Jesus.  Jesus then tells them about His coming, and talks a little about the rapture and the destruction of the wicked.

Last week we looked at the parable Jesus told of the faithful and unfaithful servant.  This week we will examine the parable Jesus tells to the disciples to help them understand what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, in the parable of the ten virgins.

I.                   WHY IS JESUS TALKING ABOUT MARRIAGE?

a.      Symbolism in Christianity

                                                             i.      Baptism – 1 Peter 3:1 “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”

                                                          ii.      Communion – “My body” &  “My blood”

                                                       iii.      Marriage – Ephesians 5:22-33 “²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

 ²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

b.     These sacraments, these outward expressions are symbolic of spiritual truths

c.      Just as baptism represents our being born-again, and communion represents the acceptance of a marriage contract for the new covenant with Christ, marriage represents that relationship between Jesus and us.

II.               THE WISE AND FOOLISH

a.      Lamps without oil

                                                             i.      Oil represents the Holy Spirit

1.      Anointing in Old Testament - The Hebrew word for the verb to anoint is mashach and is the root of messiah,

which means “anointed one.”  The specific practice of anointing by pouring oil on the head was used as a

symbolic act for officially, designating and setting apart a person for a certain, public, leadership function in the community. It was a one-time event much like an inauguration or ordination. Things could also be sanctified or dedicated to a special purpose for God by anointing (Exo. 29:36). The three kinds of leaders anointed for their ministries in the Old Testament were: priests, Exo. 28:41; kings, 1 Sam. 10:1; and prophets, 1 Ki. 19:16.

2.      We see oil used in the New Testament as well, representing healing and the Holy Spirit.

                                                          ii.      The Lamp represents us having Christ, but without the Holy Spirit which only comes by faith in Christ, the lamp without oil is worthless.

                                                       iii.      They began with oil…but while waiting, ran out, and didn’t bother to get new oil (or renew their relationship with Christ and receive a fresh portion of the Holy Spirit).

                                                         iv.      Romans 8:1,2 “¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

                                                            v.      Romans 8:11 “¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

b.     While they waiting for the bridegroom (Jesus), they all fell asleep

                                                             i.      At midnight, the cry came, “Behold, the bridegroom comes, go meet him.”

                                                          ii.      This is the rapture of the church

c.      “They all arose, and trimmed their lamps”

                                                             i.      Without oil, trimming your lamp is pointless.

                                                          ii.      Without the Holy Spirit, knowing about Jesus is pointless.

                                                       iii.      Trimming a lamp with no oil is like so many who are relying on religious activities with no Holy Spirit.  Religion cannot save you.

d.     “The foolish call out to the wise, “Give us some of your oil”

                                                             i.      You cannot “give” the Holy Spirit to anyone…

                                                          ii.      Only God can impart the Holy Spirit, and this happens through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

III.            THE RELIGIOUS KEEP SEARCHING

a.      First notice, the five foolish virgins HAD oil to begin with.

b.     They then ran out…

c.      As they searched for more oil, the bridegroom came, and “They who were ready went with him…”

d.     “…and the door was SHUT.”

                                                             i.      Hebrews 3:12-15 “ ¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. ¹⁴ We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. ¹⁵ As has just been said:

 “Today, if you hear his voice,
   do not harden your hearts
   as you did in the rebellion.”

                                                          ii.      “..as it was in the days of Noah…”

e.      “the foolish return and say, “Lord, Lord, open to us!”

                                                             i.      He answered, “I do not know you.”

                                                          ii.      Matthew 7:21-23 “²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

CONCLUSION

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day, nor the hour the Son of Man comes.”

Jesus is telling us in this parable;

Be Wise

While you wait for Christ, keep your oil FULL (renew the Holy Spirit in you by renewing your relationship with Christ DAILY!)

Be ready when He comes

Keep Watch!

THE END TIMES - Part 5: Destruction of the Wicked

The End Times

Part 5 – The Destruction of the Wicked

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 24:36-44

  ³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

   

⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

  INTRODUCTION

This discussion in Matthew 24 taking place between Jesus and the disciples, began when the disciples asked Jesus in private when the end would come.

Jesus tells them to be careful not to be deceived, because many will come claiming to be the Savior.

Jesus tells them the signs of the end, wars and rumors of wars, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, as well as speaking of the persecution of Jesus’ followers, even to the point of death.

All of the signs Jesus speaks of are taking place now.  The end is truly at the door.

Jesus then speaks of the prophecies written over 500 years earlier, which describe Jesus’ birth, and His death, as well as the rise of the anti-christ.

It is at this point in the conversation that Jesus explains that the Jews are in danger of being deceived when the anti-christ comes, because many of them will be waiting for the messiah, because they do not accept Jesus.

Jesus explains to them that no one but the Father in Heaven knows the exact day and hour of the Rapture and the Second coming.  However, there are signs to know it is near.

Jesus tells the disciples, just like you can watch the fig tree, and know when it is time for fruit to appear, you can look for these signs and know that the tribulation is also near.

All of the signs Jesus described have come, with the exception of the rapture.  Are we ready?

I.                   DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED

a.      vs 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

b.     vs 37 “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

                                                             i.      “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.”

1.      This shows the absolute lack of concern respecting Noah’s message.

2.      Do we see this same lack of concern today with the message of Christ’s coming?

                                                          ii.      Vs 39 “That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

c.      The people of Noah’s day were insensible to the prophecies of the coming flood…as they will be to the prophecies of the coming of the Lord.

II.                LEFT BEHIND

a.      What will the Rapture look like?

                                                             i.      vs 40 “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.”

b.     Jesus tells us that when the Rapture takes place, no one will be expecting it.  Life will be going on as usual.

c.      Although it was not expected (or the people would not have been working at the time), those who belong to the Kingdom of God were still taken.

d.     Jesus warns us about cults, false prophets and messiahs, and this is a good measure for them.  Anyone who tells you that you have to “do” something special to go when its time should be a warning to you.

                                                             i.      Heaven’s Gate cult leader, Marshall Applewhite, told followers that they had to disfigure themselves, dress a certain way and wait for a UFO to pick up their disembodied spirits.

1.      Of course, they had to leave their bodies for this to take place, so they committed mass suicide.

                                                          ii.      Jim Jones convinced his followers to commit suicide as well to achieve their goals.

e.      The ONLY thing you have to do to go to heaven, according to scripture, is belong to the Lord.

                                                             i.      We “belong” to the Kingdom of God simply by believing that Jesus IS the Savior, and that He died to pay for sin, so that those who believe He rose again could belong to the Lord.

                                                          ii.      We confess the fact that we are sinners.

1.      Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

                                                       iii.      And we repent (or turn from) our sin to live pleasing lives for the Lord so that we may continue to be part of the Kingdom of God.  When we repent, we are forgiven.

III.            THEREFORE

a.      “..keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

b.     vs 43 “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.”

c.      “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

CONCLUSION

Jesus gives the disciples a parable, usually called the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant

 ⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

(Jesus speaking to the disciples about believers being called to the ministry)

⁴⁶ It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.  (Faithfulness until the rapture)

⁴⁷ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

(Refers to the resurrected saints being made “rulers” in the coming Kingdom)

⁴⁸ But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’

(Exactly what many in the modern church are now saying)

⁴⁹ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

(One who is not just IN the world, but OF the world)

 ⁵⁰ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.

(He is not ready for the rapture…this represents most of the modern church)

⁵¹ He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, (Despite his profession of faith)

where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

(he will lose his soul, and go to an eternal hell; most in the modern church fall in to this category, they are religious but lost…)

We need to remember that the Lord wants us to be with Him eternally.  The scriptures tell us that it is His will that ALL are saved…

We MUST confess that we are sinners, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for our sin, and repent, or turn away, from our sin so that we may be counted among the Children of God.

Jesus warns that on the day and hour of His coming, there will be many who are not ready, not looking, not expecting…we must examine ourselves, and be sure that we are in a right standing with the Lord, so when that day comes, we will spend eternity by His side.