FRIDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -A

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13: The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.

I Reading: 1Corinthians 1:17-25: We are preaching a crucified Christ, an obstacle to men, but to those who have been called, the wisdom of God.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins: The Warning to Watch, Mt.25:1-13

The believer must watch for the Lord’s return, and he must be wise and not foolish in watching (see Mt 24:42). This is the point of Jesus’ parable in this passage (v.13): the parable of the ten virgins, five foolish and five wise. The parable teaches what will happen to all the professing believers, both the wise and the foolish, when the Lord returns.

·        The bridegroom is=Christ

·        The ten virgins are =believers

·        The five wise virgins are=genuine believers

·        The five foolish virgins are=false believers or who have false profession

·        The lamps represents=the lives, that is, the testimony, the witness, the heart and the profession of the virgins (professing believers)

·        The oil is the provision of righteousness, the supply of the Holy Spirit that is to fill the lamps (lives) of the professing believers.

1. Describes the kingdom of heaven (v.1)

2. There are wise and foolish virgins (believers) who attend a wedding (v.1-4)

a. five are wise: five are foolish

b. the foolish take no oil for their lamps: provision and supply

c. the wise take oil for their lamps: provision and supply

3. There is long delay waiting for the bridegroom: all are drowsy and sleep (v.5)

4. There is a great summons when he comes (v.6-9)

a. a sunrise: midnight

b. a cry: “Come-meet him”

c. the awakening: prepare their lamps

d. the foolish discover their lamps are out: frantic and beg for oil

e. the wise scarcely have enough for themselves

5. there is the bridegroom’s return and the gathering of the wise (v.10)

6. there is a shut door to the foolish (v.10-12)

a. the door was shut

b. the foolish cry for entry

c. the foolish will be rejected

7. the point: we must watch and expect the Lord’s return at any moment.

Thought: How foolish! To defend only one the oil in one’s lamp or life. A person must participate in the divine nature by faith (2Pet 1:4).

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com