Topic: The Ten Virgins
Text: Matthew 25:1-13

Our study today centers on the story of the ten virgins. This is a story that we all know very well. We have always heard people tell us that the reason the foolish virgins lost out was because they had no oil. That is, they had no Holy Spirit. However, the Lord revealed to me a different perspective entirely. Looking at these ten virgins, we will discover that all of them had certain things in common. First, they all had their lamps and when they were leaving their homes, their lamps were burning so that all had light. If they had light, this is another way of Saying they had Salvation. When you are saved, you say you have been brought into the light. Second, they were virgins. This means they were pure and sanctified. They were not useless people. They were neither fornicators nor adulterers. This implies that not only were they born-again, they were also sanctified. The fact that they were virgins meant that they came from good homes where their parents taught them to keep themselves pure until the day of marriage. In other words, you can say they came from a good Church where they taught all the doctrines of the Bible. They practiced all that they heard. Third, there was oil in all their lamps. In addition to the oil in their lamps, the wise ones took extra vessels of oil. However, all of them had oil in their lamps; otherwise, the lamps would not be burning. This implies that they were all baptized in the Holy Spirit because the oil stands for the Holy Spirit. Moreover, these ten virgins were chosen because, definitely, there were more than ten virgins in the nation. The Bible tells us in Matthew 20:16 that many are called but few are chosen. Also, they were all watching for the coming of the Bridegroom just as we are watching for the second coming of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the Bible says because the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. Both the wise as well as the foolish slumbered and slept. What lesson can we learn from the foregoing? Some good church folks may miss the rapture not because of lack of preparation but for failure to be ready when, suddenly, the Son of Man shall come.

Memory Verse: Matt. 20:16 - “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”