May I please God to bless us together
as we consider his word this morning, and very simply, the
subject this morning is the Ten Virgins. We read the 25th chapter
which gives the account of the Ten Virgins, but in case any
of you didn't follow it through very well this morning, We'll
just read the first 13 verses again. So from the 25th of Matthew,
verse 1 to verse 13. Then shall the kingdom of heaven
be like unto ten virgins which took their lamps and went
forth to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and five
were foolish. They that were foolish took their
lamps and took no oil with them. And the wise took oil in their
lamps, in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom
tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there
was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose
and trim their lamps, and the food is set under the wires.
Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But the wires
answer saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you.
But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 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. Afterward
came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know
neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. This parable was spoken by Jesus
only a very short time, really, before he was crucified. And all the words of Jesus are,
of course, so very important and so very relevant. But we
may think, as he's coming down towards the end of his 33 years
on this earth, that to recognize the importance of the words of
Lord Jesus set before the people and sets before us today. Now
this is a familiar parable and yet it is a parable of great
importance because it is an account of very solemn separation. It speaks of ten virgins It speaks
of five who are wise and five who are foolish. And what was
the difference? I asked you this morning, what was the difference? Five wise and five foolish. What was the difference? The
difference was very simple. In the words of the parable,
they had either oil in their lamps or they did not have oil
in their lamps. Putting that in a spiritual context,
it means this. They either had grace in their
hearts or they did not. I'm sure we can appreciate very
easily the great significance of such a condition. The condition
that separated these virgins was the grace of God. And that was not evident. until the very end of their lives. And that's why it is a very searching
parable which we have before us. To all appearance these ten virgins
seem to be on the same journey and seem to have the same desires
and seemed to have the same religion. But when the test came, when
the great question came, they were not ready, because they
did not possess the grace of God in their hearts. If you think of this this morning, the great question for all of
us is not how we appear to man, it's how we appear to God. And it's whether we possess that
vital knowledge of the grace of God in our soul,
in our hearts, the blessed evidence of God's work within. And this
is the parable the Lord sets before us to warn us most solemnly
about the very subtle difference, we might say, between just a
vain appearance religion, and the vital ingredient which is
the grace of God. The Lord tells us that this picture
we have here is one of these ten virgins, and it's relevant
to this, the Kingdom of Heaven. the kingdom of heaven shall be
likened to these and which took their lamps and went forth to
meet the bridegroom five were wise and five were foolish to
be deceived in these things is truly a terrible situation these virgins, they went out
together. They went out ostensibly to meet
the bridegroom. What was that? The bridegroom
of course is the Lord Jesus Christ. But there was just in five of
them an outward performance of religion. and our performance and the other five, there was
the reality of that true grace of God in the hearts and that
true grace of God which had revealed the Lord Jesus Christ as their
all-sufficient Saviour. And we see the picture here which
describes the situation. These ten virgins, and they're
going out. They're going out to meet the
bridegroom. And we see how easy it is to
become lukewarm and sleepy in our religion. So there doesn't
really appear to be very much between those who are godly and
those who are ungodly. The bridegroom tarried and they
all slumbered and slept. They all slumbered and slept.
They'd gone out to meet the bridegroom. And here they were, they were
settled down. Taking it easy. You might say
satisfied with the things of time. Lulls to sleep. Not very much liveliness in the
soul, was there? What a sad portrayal of those
who possess this grace of God in their souls. What a sad situation
if there's no true difference in our actual outward walk and
profession. And so we have the account here
that everything, however good or bad, appeared to be alright. They were all journeying on the
same road, it appeared. The time of reckoning came. The time of reckoning came. You
know, I was speaking to someone recently who was describing the
journey as being on a conveyor belt. And really we are all on a conveyor
belt. We're all being conveyed to the end of our life. All of us. The conveyor belt
continues, it doesn't stop. It's continuous. And all the
human race, as they're born, they get on to that conveyor
belt. And they get off that conveyor
belt at the end of their life. And so you and I are on that
conveyor belt today. We don't know how soon it will
be when we will have to get off that conveyor belt and then to be found either amongst
those who have been wise or those who have been foolish. And you see the time came when
there was a cry made. A time came when the cry was
made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet him." And when was that cry made? Well,
it wasn't at midday. It wasn't in the morning. It
wasn't in the evening. It was at midnight. And we can
conclude from that statement that it was a time least expected. A time least expected. Slumbering
and sleeping. Gone out to meet the bridegroom
in pretense, but now the call comes, the cry is made. Go ye out to meet him. Well, we see the situation, don't
we? That cry was made. Here now was
a division. Here was a separation. Had been covered up before. The
debtor made sure of that. He'd made it appear But those
who had no grace, who had no oil, seemed to be of the same
kind. They seemed to be a Christian
people. They seemed to have the same
desires. They seemed to do the same things.
They wore the same clothes. They gave the outward appearance
of being alright. But there was, in truth, a tremendous
difference A tremendous difference. And that was, they did not possess
the grace of God in their souls. So my friends today, you see
this was a very divisive position, wasn't it? Five wise, five foolish. Cut down the middle. Cut down
the middle. I hope that's not true of us
today. I hope if that cry went forth,
Behold the Bridegroom cometh, that wouldn't be half of our
congregation found wanting. Half who appeared to all of us
to have been alright. They were all going along seemed
to have that which was necessary. But you see, when the great question
time came, the great point was made, there was that great lack. There was no oil in their lamps.
And all those virgins arose. Remember, of course, this is
only a picture that we have in this account but we have a picture
which sets before us the very solemn scene of those who are
true believers and those who are not and it is very important that
we're not found amongst those who may have convinced our friends
that we're like them May have convinced people that, well,
you know, we're doing the right things, we come to all the services
and we do this and we do that and we sing the hymns and we
read the Word of God, but we don't possess the vital ingredient
of the grace of God. I'm not speaking against doing
things which are right. But I'm speaking against being
settled on just a mere outward knowledge, just a mere profession
without any possession. There is a great difference,
a great difference between those who possess and those who do
not possess remember all these people appear
to be the same and it wasn't until the very last moment at
midnight when that cry was made that the difference was then
discerned yes there was nothing to be found
Are they any value? There was nothing that would
give them true light. It is, my friends, the grace
of God that gives us light. It gives us light in our lamps.
It's the grace of God, and without that, my friends, if we'd been
keeping that lamp alight with our own energy, with our own
words, when the testing time comes, We will be found to be lacking. We don't possess
that which is so necessary, that which is so needful. Now it is
quite clear that the Lord Jesus Christ sets before us this parable
to make us very aware make us very concerned about our own
spiritual condition. Because, you see then, these
foolish virgins, they now realise what they lacked. They needed
oil, they needed the grace of God, they needed the true light.
They didn't possess it. How were they to get it? They all arose, they all got
up, they all turned their lamps, and the third who said to the
wise, give us of your oil, give us of your grace. My friends,
God gives you and me grace, sufficient for ourselves. There's no surplus of grace,
there's no grace to give away. We can't impart that grace to
anyone else, however we might desire to. We must all possess
that oil in our lamps. We must all possess that grace
of God ourselves. It's no good looking to other
people and seeking that they might grant to us some specific
favour, some specific blessing. No, my friends, it's that which
God gives. And it's personal to you and
personal to me. And we must have the evidence
of it in our own souls. That grace of God. Don't look
to other people, to these foolish virgins. They realised at the
last moment. They didn't possess that which
was so necessary. It didn't have a light to direct
them. They were in darkness. There
was no light. Their light, their natural light
of their providing had gone out. Whereas those who possess the
true light, the God-given light, when that cry came forth, Go
ye out to meet Him, They rose up and trimmed their lamps, and
the lamps, they shone. They showed them the direction. They showed them the way. It
was the grace of God. It was that which God had granted
to them. That which God had blessed them
with. And that grace of God, my friends, really directs us
in this way, to show us our true condition
before a holy God, and to direct us to the all-sufficient Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that is the truth and the
reality of possessing oil in our lamps. possessing the grace
of God, because it is His grace, it's His oil, of which He has
given to us. And my friends, how needful it
is! You know, we have in some measure
an analogy in the Old Testament, in those times, in the temple
and in the tabernacle, What was there in those dark places? Lamps. What was the ingredient? Oil. If there was no oil, there
would be no light. If there was no light, there
would be no way to observe what was there and how they were to
act and how they were to do those things in accordance with the
law of God. They needed that light. So my friends today, you and
I need that light to show us the right way, to direct us in
the way that we must go, so that when Midnight call comes. We won't be hunting around like
those foolish virgins for their religion. We won't be found in darkness.
We'll be found in the light. And what a blessing it is to
possess then that grace of God in the soul. And so, very simply
this morning, Let us understand that grace of God lights up our understanding of
our natural condition that we are in darkness and that we are
spiritually dead and we need light and we need to be made
alive and that revelation can only come by the work of the
Holy Spirit revealing Christ to our souls. Now, this morning, may we be
numbered amongst those who are wise, those who possess the true
light, those who possess the true grace of God, those who
have been made wise unto salvation. You see, we're made wise. God
makes us wise. We don't make ourselves wise.
The foolish virgins thought they made themselves wise. They were
satisfied with what they had done. They were satisfied with
their works. But God had made wise those who were wise. And what a vast difference it
was. The night shone. They were made
aware of their true condition and put very simply like this
they were made aware that they were a perishing sinner and they
needed a precious Christ. Now I'm sure you can understand
the difference between these two people. He's two types, wise
and foolish. Let us not forget, every one
of us here this morning is in one of those two categories.
There's nothing grey in the things of God. Sometimes we perhaps
think there are, there are not. There's no grey areas. Things
are black and white. They are right and wrong. We
are saved or lost, we are wise or foolish, and so may we be
found then amongst those who are truly wise. You see these
virgins, they rose, they trimmed their lamps, and the foolish
said, get us of your oil, for our lamps have gone out. Well,
they didn't possess anything which has any value, beside the
other things in this world. But the wise answer's saying,
not so, lest there be not enough for us and you. It's only what
you and I possess God's given us and it's so valuable. And
it's just enough. There's no surplus. But go ye
rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. Let me read
a verse like that. We cannot really but be reminded
of what the Prophet Isaiah spoke of. in that glorious 55th chapter
when he says, Ho, everyone that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye buy
and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without
price. Wherefore do ye spend money for
that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfies
not? Hearken, diligent unto me, and
eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself
with fatness. Incline your ear and come unto
me, hear, and your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting
covenant with you, even with your mercies of David." Gracious
words of encouragement, are they not, to the living Church of
God? The Gospel is free. What a blessing it is. We wouldn't
be able to pay for it. We wouldn't have the currency
necessary to pay for it. What is the currency? The precious
blood of Christ. My friends, it's free to His
Church. Invaluable blood. And so let
us remember the great truths here and that we may hear come unto me here and your soul
shall live that we may be numbered amongst those who are enumerated,
those who are wise." And so he says, but go ye rather
to them that sell than to buy for yourselves. And also the
Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Hebrews, what important words. He also speaks to us about the
great work of the Holy Spirit and how necessary it is for us
to recognize the truth of these words. He says, the third chapter and the sixth
verse, but Christ was a son over his own house. Whose house are
we? We hold fast the confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore, therefore, or wherefore, as the
Holy Ghost says, my friends, it's God the Holy Spirit speaking.
How important it is that we listen then, God speaking, Harden today, if ye will hear
his voice. Harden not your hearts, as in
the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness.
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, saw my works forty
years, wherefore I was aggrieved with that generation, said, they
do away err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.
So I swear in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest."
Oh, what a terrible judgment. Take heed, brethren, lest there
be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from
the living God. That means following the ways
of Satan. But, and here's an encouragement,
exhort one another daily. One is called today, lest any
of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we
are made partakers of Christ. If we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end, hold fast that which is
good." While it is said, today, if you
will hear His voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation,
when we know, of course, The Lord required Israel to do those
things, and they disobeyed, and they wouldn't listen to the Word
of God. And my friends down since that time, there have been billions
of people who walked in the same way. They followed their own
evil heart of unbelief, and they listened to the words of Satan,
and they haven't listened to the words of God, and they assume
everything's going to be alright, and they do the right actions
and say the right words, but they're lacking. the grace of God and lacking
the grace of God and so we read and you see these then who didn't
possess this last moment last moment they went to buy they
went to buy but when they went to buy what
happened? The bridegroom came, the bridegroom
came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage,
and the door was shut. Now we see here the picture,
do we not, of the great and glorious marriage supper of the Lamb.
The Jesus in the midst, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin
of the world, My friends, this is the truth that the Church
of God, those who possess ordinary lamps, will be looking forward
to this grand and glorious day, whereas those who are foolish,
well, they won't really be looking forward to that. They won't really
be desirous to be with Christ, which is far better. You just
have an outward performance and you'll find that given the opportunity,
they'll be more happy to talk about the things of the world
than they are about the things of God. And that's a very clear
indication of the work of God in the soul as whether we are
more happy to speak about the things of God than the things
of the world. Now, it'll often be difficult
and the devils are very strong and able and will try and make
us speak and keep speaking about the vanities of life rather than
the important things of the Lord Jesus Christ and the eternal
state and condition of our never-dying soul. So remember, there is evidence
of those who are foolish and those who are wise because of
their spiritual conversation or because of their lack of spiritual
conversation. And my friends, spiritual conversation
does not consist of talking about chapels and talking about this
one and talking about that one. The great and important thing is
the grace of God. And the grace of God will always
direct us and will always bring us to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, if we are numbered amongst
those who are wise, then the name of Jesus will be music to
our ears If we are among those who are
foolish, we will want to carry on talking about the poor things
of this world. Now, as we mentioned in that
third chapter of the Hebrews, we are therefore to exhort one another daily with regard
to these things, to encourage each other in the things of God,
so that we may have the wonderful and blessed evidence of God's
grace in our heart, so that when this time comes, then when that
midnight call comes, we shall be ready to go in to the marriage
supper of the Lamb, and then the door is shut. And the shutting of this door
does two things. It shuts the wise in with Christ. It shuts those who are foolish
outside. And my friends, there will never
be any reopening of that door. There will never be any time
of grace again. A time of grace will have passed.
We see the sad position here. Afterward came the other versions
saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. And what was the answer? Verily
I say unto you, I know you not. Well, we might put it this way,
do we know the Lord? Do you and I know the Lord? So that we do go in, and we're
not shut out. As if we know the Lord, it's
because of this, because the Lord's known us. Because the
Lord has worked in our heart. Because the Lord has revealed
Himself unto us. It's of His grace, and Christ has meant something
to us. Bear it, I say unto you, I know
you not. And so the Lord comes and He
concludes this with this great and important statement. Watch
therefore, watch therefore, for ye know not, ye know neither,
the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh. And we don't
know that with regard to the Lord's return or the end of our
own life. But the great question is to
be found ready The great question is to possess all in our lamps. The great question is to possess
the grace of God in our souls. Well, may we each be able to
examine ourselves to see whether we are in a faith or not. Whether
we do possess that grace of God. And remember it's a wonderful
blessing. Grace as you and I hope now is
That which we don't deserve is the unmerited favour of God.
We don't deserve it. The unmerited favour of God.
And that's why we praise God for it, because we didn't merit
it. But God gave it to us. What a blessing then to be a
recipient of this oil, of this grace. Because if we possess
this, when the Lord comes, we know we should go in to be forever
with the Lord. Amen.