"Five Yes And Five No"

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the

bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' "Then all those virgins trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But He answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.'   Matthew 25:1-13
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So, today's message is pretty short and to the point and here's the point...When is the last time you checked to make sure there is oil in your lamp? After all, Jesus paints a pretty clear picture in the telling of this parable of the ten virgins and it seems pretty important to Him! He said the wise have oil and enter in and the foolish don't. They don't have oil and they, not only don't enter in, but then, when they say, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' Jesus said, "Assuredly, I do not know you."  It would be pretty awful to have Jesus tell you that He doesn't know you all because you had to go get oil for the lamp.

I was thinking about this parable and it struck me that Jesus was talking to us, His believers when He is referring to the ten virgins.  Revelations 3:20 It says "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Everyone always uses this verse as a verse with unbelievers but if you read it in context He is talking to the church and the fact that He is talking about ten virgins, here in Matthew 25 once again speaks to me of the church, His bride.

So when He is challenging us to be ready and to make sure that we have oil in our lamps? I wonder? The Holy Spirit is often related with anointing oil and Jesus made a point on more than one occasion to make sure we knew that He was leaving so that the Father could send the Holy Spirit to lead us in all things. So when He is talking about 5 having oil and 5 who don't....I wonder?

...For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:13-14