Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-02-18
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS
LESSON TEXT-Natt- -.

TIE Wise AM = WHIST HiENNAa''S
LESSON TEXT-Matt. 25:I-l3
GOLDEN TEXT-Watch therefore; for
ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of Man cometh.-Matt
25:l3
REFERENCE MATERIAL Matt.
7:2l-27; 2ll-5l; Eph $1,000. Tim. 6:l7-l9.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Being Ready.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Being Ready
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Prepared for Emergencies
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Christian Watchfulness.
This lesson is part of the well
known Olvet discourse, giving q pro-
phetic view of the course of time from
its utterance, just before the cruel
fixion to the second advent of Christ.
The order of events in that time are,
roughly speaking, as follows:
l. The moral condition of the world
during Chrisfs absence ga lid. This
is the period covered by the parable
of chapter 10.
2 The appearance of the Antichrist
ga :15-26).
3. The great advent ga :27-31), in
which there win be mighty commissions
Of nature the mourning of the earth's
tribes, and the gathering of the elect.
4. Warnings to Gods people in view
Of the great advent ga :32-5D, the
time of advent unknown and unex-
pected.
5. Instructions TO saints in view Of
the unexpectedness of His coming Cos:
1867.
6. The judgment of the nations eos:
81-4G).
The present lesson Is one of the
two parallels designed for the instruc-
ton of the saints in view of the COM
ing Of the Christ. 1t has a continu-
Gus application in the present time Il
Thess. 4:16-18; Titus 2:11-13),
|. The Foolish Virgins Took Lamps
But No Oil With Them. ". 81.
/. Lamps signify Christian profess
sion Matt. 5:16), and oil, the Holy
Spirit Czech ~. Having the lamps
and no oil shows that they were pro-
fessors of religion without possessing
its reality. AS soon as a man is re-
generated the Holy Spirit takes up His
abode with Him. The proof that one
is a child of God is that he has the
Holy Spirit dwelling within him. "If
any man have not the Spirit OF Christ,
he is none of His" (Rom. 8 :9). The
foolish virgins may have been of good
moral character, but they were I'M
regenerated.
2. The wise virgins possessed both
lamps and oil ". A.. They made a
life of righteousness. These are the
true believers. Both the wise and the
foolish virgins slumbered and slept
Their eyes had grown heavy and they
fell under the spell Of sleep ". 81,
This shows that as the Christian age
heightened the real and processing
church would cease looking for the
coming of the Lord. 1t is unspeakably
sad that so many even of Gods saints
wise virgins, should give up the ex'
pectancy of the return of the Lnrd.
u. The Coming Bridegroom tvy. 8
12).
/. The midnight cry ". o.. In the
midst Of the night when ali were ASLEEP
the cry was made, Behold the bride
groom cometh, go We out to meet him.
How sad it Is that the church has
lost her hope. is not waking and
watching for the return of her Lord
2. Activity of the virgins ". y
They all arose and trimmed theil
lamps. There will be great activity
when the Lord comes, on the part OF
both the real Christians and those
who only make profession. The pro
Tossing Christians will then reallze
that they lack that which is essential
to entrance to the marriage feast.
3 The foolish request the wise tt
share their oil (vv s, 81. The reveal
ton of Christ will make manifest thu
genuineness of our religion and ex
pose the folly of mere profession
When the Lord comes 1t will be to-
late to mend ones ways.
4. The wise enter to the marriage
". 10). While the foolish were seek
ing to amend their ways trying to blu!
oil, the bridegroom came and thost
who were ready were admitted to tn,
marriage.
5. The pitiful position of the foolisl
". III. They begged the Lord t,
open the door that they might ente
to the marriage feast. No one cal
open that door but the Lord.
8. The awful Judgment ". 12) TIL
Lord declares ~ know you not" Thos
who put off the personal contact Wit
Jesus until that day shall be shut GU
from the presence Of Christ.
M. The Solemn Obligation ". 49,
swatch, for We know not the day no
the hour wherein the Son of man com
eth"
No One Absolute.
God has made no one absolute. TIL