The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-02-17
IMPROVED UxIYeRN INTERNATIONAL
SUNDMSOlOOL
LESSON
Wy Kew p. b. FITZWATER, d. D.,
aSacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute OF ChicaRo)
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
THE WISE AND FOOLISH vIRaINs.

LESSON TEXT-Matt. 2:1-ls
SoLDEN 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:A-H; 24:1-51: Eph $1,000: I Tim, S:I7-1s.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Being. Ready
JUNIOR TOPIC-Being Ready.
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Prepared for Emergencies
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Christian Watchfulness
Ihis lesson Is part of the we'll
known Olivet discourse, giving a pro-
phetic view of the course of time from
Its utterance, just before the cruci-
NIXON to the second advent of Christ.
The order of events in that time are,
roughly speaking, as follows:
1. The moral condition of the world
during Christs absence GA LID. This
is the period covered by the parable
Of chapter 13.
z. The appearance Of the Antichrist
GA 1920.
3. The great advent GA :27-31), in
which there will be mighty convulsions
or 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 CA :32-5D, the
time of advent unknown and unex-
pected.
.. instructions to saints in view Of
the unexpectedness Of His coming COS:
1867.
6. The Judgment Of the nations COS:
31-46).
The present lesson Is one of the
two parallels designed for the instruc-
tion of the saints in view Of the COM
ing of the Christ. 1t has a continu-
Gus application In the present time (I
Thess. 4:16-1S; Titus 2:11-13).
!. The Foolish Virgins Took Lamps
But No Oil With Them. ". 81.
1. Lamps signify Christian profess
sion (Matt. $40, and oil, the Holy
Spirit Czech. ~. Having the lamps
and no oil shows that they were pro-
feSsors of religion without possessing
It's reality. AS soon as a man is re-
generated the Holy Spirit takes up His
abode with Him. The proof that one
Is 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. S:9). The
foolish virgins may have been of good
moral character. but they were un-
regenerated
z. The wise virgins possessed both
lamps and oil ". ~. They made a
profession and backed 1t with n real
life Ri oh u>ho,. -.
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 protesting
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.
II. The comi-1 Bridegroom (vv. g.
12).
!. The midnight cry (v. o.. In the
midst of the night when all were aslcen
the cry was made, "Behold the bride
groom cometh, 90 We out to meet him."
How sad 1t Is that the church has
lost her hope, is not waking and
watching for the return Of her Lord,
.. Activity OF the virgins (v. y.
They all arose and trimmed their
lamps. There will be great activity
when the Lord comes, or the part of
both the real Christians and those
who only make profession. The pro
Tossing Christians will then realize
that they lack that which Is essential
TO entrance to the marriage feast.
The foolish request the wise to
share their oil wv. 8, 81. The revela-
tion Of Christ will make manifest the
genuineness OF our religion and OK
pose the folly OF mere profession
When the Lord comes It will be too
late to mend ones ways
a. The wise enter to the marriage
". 10Y. While the foolish were seek
Ing to amend their ways trying to buy
oil. the bridegroom came and those
who were ready were admitted to the
marriage.
.. The pitiful position Of the foolish
". I'D. They begged the Lord TO
open the door that they might enter
TO the marriage feast No one can
open that door hut the Lord.
o. The awful Judgment ". 12). The
Lord declares 81 know you not" Those
who put off the personal contact with
Jesus until that day shall be shut out
from the presence of Christ
III. The Solemn Obligation ". I3).
watch, for We know not the day nor
The hour wherein the Son of man com.
eth"