Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But as midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those maidens rose and 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 replied, ‘Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:1-13 (RSV)

Don't be Foolish!

On the lips of the discerning is found wisdom, on the back of a fool, the stick.

Proverbs 10:13-14

The lips of the upright nourish many peoples, but fools die for want of sense.

Proverbs 10:21

Whoever misgoverns a house inherits the wind, and the fool becomes slave to the wise. Proverbs 11:29

Fools think the way they go is straight, the wise listens to advice. Proverbs 12:15

 Don't be Foolish!

Be Wise! The wise listen to advice. There are a lot of false teachings today about the second coming of Christ. The Lord already knew it would be this way. So he gave us His Word. My advice – believe the Word of God, agree with the Word of God and declare the Word of God!

For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if any one says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!' or ‘Look, there he is!' do not believe it. False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand. Mark 13:19-23

Don't Be Foolish – Believe the Word of God!

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. Mark 13:24-27

Don't Be Foolish – Agree With the Word of God!

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Mark 13:28-31

Don't Be Foolish – Declare the Word of God!

“But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Watch therefore—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Watch.” Mark 32-37

Jesus is saying to all of us, everyone of us in the Church – Watch! This is a warning from God! Are we listening today? The parable of the ten maidens (virgins) is a warning to stay alert; be watchful over how we are living our lives. It is a warning to live each day for Christ with a heighten state of readiness because He is coming back and we don't know when.

Remember the maidens all ten took lamps; all ten went to meet the bridegroom. No difference could be seen. They all looked alike. Time went by and it was taking a long time for the bridegroom to come. All ten maidens fell asleep. No difference! But no matter how they looked there was a difference between them. A distinction was made between them. They were split into two groups, five were foolish and five were wise. Who made that determination? What was it based on?

Well, the five foolish ones brought lamps but the five wise ones brought lamps and flasks of oil. The foolish ones did not bring any oil with them. Scripture says, “ the wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.”

How do you think the five wise virgins knew to bring oil with them. Were they just smarter than the rest, just better than the rest, just more intelligent? I don't think so. No, your intelligence, your street smarts, your ‘whatever you think you've got, that nobody else has', will not get you into the kingdom of heaven!

No, there is only one way and that way is Jesus!

Jesus said: I am the Way, I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6

The five wise maidens knew the way. The wise maidens knew their Lord. They had a relationship with God. God himself imparts wisdom and knowledge.

The LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

I believe the five wise maidens had been prepared by the Lord. I believe God gave them the wisdom to take oil with them. I just believe that God makes provision for the ones that He knows; for the ones that belong to Him.

The first principle of wisdom is the fear of the LORD, what God's holy ones know--this is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and your years of life increased. Proverbs 9:10-11

And even though they fell asleep, provision had already been made for them. The wise maidens belonged to the Lord, awake or asleep! Psalm 127:1-2 says:

If the LORD does not build a house in vain do its builders toil. If the LORD does not guard a city in vain does its guard keep watch. In vain you get up earlier, and put off going to bed, sweating to make a living, since it is he who provides for his beloved as they sleep.

And

Psalm 3:5 says:

As for me, if I lie down and sleep, I shall awake, for the LORD sustains me.

Don't Be Foolish!

Now you know what we are really talking about here. We are not talking about lamp oil, or cooking oil or mineral oil or baby oil. We are talking about pure oil, holy oil, oil with a continuous flow, oil that over flows, oil that never runs out, fragrant oil that anoints! The oil represents the Holy Spirit!

‘Give us some of your oil,' – “HOW FOOLISH!”

I can't give you any of my oil and you can't give me any of your oil! Only God gives this oil; only God gives the Holy Spirit!

And John declared, ‘I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptize with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit.” John 1:32-33

Don't be Foolish!

John baptized with water but, not many days from now, you are going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to restore the kingdom to Israel?' He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit which will come on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to earth's remotest end.' Acts 1:5-8

Don't be Foolish!

So there are three witnesses, the Spirit, water and blood; and the three of them coincide. If we accept the testimony of human witnesses, God's testimony is greater, for this is God's testimony which he gave about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him, and whoever does not believe is making God a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life, and whoever has not the Son of God has not life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:7-13

Don't be Foolish!

Wisdom has built herself a house

she has hewn her seven pillars,

she has slaughtered her beasts, drawn her wine,

she has laid her table. She has dispatched her maidservants

and proclaimed from the heights above the city,

‘Who is simple? Let him come this way.'

To the fool she says,

‘Come and eat my bread,

drink the wine which I have drawn!

Leave foolishness behind and you will live,

go forward in the ways of perception.

Proverbs 9:1-6

See, there is really no good reason to be foolish. For wisdom is calling and wisdom has been calling for a long time. But the foolish rely on themselves; their thoughts, their strengths, their power, their wealth, their popularity! Why?

The fool has said in his heart there is no God. Their deeds are corrupt and vile, not one of them does right. Psalm 14:1

See, there is really no excuse for not having a full supply of oil; no excuse for not being filled with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because Jesus said:

…Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:9-13

Don't be Foolish!

What have you been praying for? What have you been asking God to give you – temporary things or things eternal?

Don't be Foolish!

What have you been doing with all these years of life? Living for Christ or living for yourself? Your actions, your activities, your speech, your witness – foolish or wise?

Don't be Foolish!

How is your lamp of Christ shining? Have you trimmed it lately? Is it a little low? Remember Jesus said:

You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in people's sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Don't be Foolish!

Church, Jesus is coming back that's a fact because He said so. We don't have to know when but we have to be ready when He comes!

Don't be Foolish!

Let's examine ourselves daily! Are we high beam saints, moderate beam saints? Have our lights been dimmed by life's circumstances and cares? Do we have one headlight out? Or did we just forget to turn on the headlights and we are driving around in the dark and we don't even know it? People keep flashing their high beams at us but we just don't get it!

Don't be Foolish!

Jesus is coming back and He has given us a warning-

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Remember the five foolish maidens. Did the wise ones give them any of their oil? No! They told them to go and buy their own and they foolishly went to do just that. When they returned it was too late for the bridegroom had already come and shut the door! And when the foolish maidens asked for the door to be opened what did the bridegroom say:

Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.

Don't be Foolish!

Jesus is coming back and He has given us this warning!

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Don't be Foolish!

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 12:35-40