Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-02-17


GOLDEN TEXT-Watch therefore: fo1
ye know neither the day nor the hour
Wherein the Son of Man cometh.-Matt
25:13
REFERENCE MATERIAL - Matt
7:24-27; 24:1-51; Eph 6:1O-2O; I Tim. 6:17-l9
PRIMARY TOPIC-Being Ready.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Being Ready.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Prepared for Emergencies.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Christian Watchfulness.
Ihls lesson is a part of the well
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:
l. The moral condition of the world
during Christs absence ga LID. This
is the period covered by the parable
of chapter 13.
2. The appearance of the Antichrist
GA 1929.
3. The great advent (24:27-3D, In
which there will be mighty convulsions
of nature, the mourning of the earth
tribes, and the gathering of the elect.
4. Warnings to Gods people in view
of the great advent GA :32-51), the
time of advent unknown and unex.
pected.
.. Instructions to saints in view OF
the une1pectedness of His coming (25
1850.
6. The judgment of the nations (25:
31-46).
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 G
Thess. 4:16-1S; Titus 2:11-13).
]. The Foolish Virgins Took Lamp,
But No Oil With Them. ". 81.
1. Lamps signify Christian profes
sion (Matt. 5:16), and oil, the Holy
Spirit Czech. ~. Having the lamp:
and no oil shows that they were pro
fessors of religion without 7ossessin.
its reality. AS soon as a man is re
generated the Holy Spirit takes up Hi:
abode with Him. The proof that ont
is a child of God is that he has thu
Holy Spirit dwelling within him. ST
any man have not the Spirit of Christ
he is none of His" (Rom. 500. TIL,
foolish virgins may have been of gooC
moral character, but they were un
regenerated.
2. The wise virgins possessed botl
lamps and oil ". ~. They made {
profession and backed it with a rea
life of righteousness. These are tht
true believers. Both the wise and tn,
foolish virgins slumbered and slept
Their eyes had grown heavy and the!
fell under the spell of sleep ". 81
This shows that as the Christian agt
heightened the real and professin!
church would cease looking for tht
coming of the Lord. 1t is unspeakabl!
sad that so many even of Gods saints
wise virgins, should give up the ex
! pectancy of the return of the Lord.
II. The Coming Bridegroom wv. G
12).
/. The midnight cry ". g.. In th,
midst of the night when all were asleel
| the cry was made, Behold the bride
groom cometh, go We out to meet him.
How sad it is that the church ha
| lost her hope, is not waking anC
watching for the return of her Lord
.. Activity of the virgins (v. .
| Ill I,os
lamps There will be great activit,
when the Lord comes, on the part o
both the real Christians and thos
who only make a profession. The pro
Tossing Christians will then realiz
that they lack that which is essentia
to entrance to the marriage feast.
8 The foolish request the wise t
share their oil wv. 8, 81. The reyela
tion of Christ will make manifest tn
genuineness of our religion and eZ
pose the folly Of mere, profession
When the Lord comes it will be to
late to mend ones ways.
4. The wise enter to the marriag
". 10Y. While the foolish were seek
ing to amend their ways trying to bu
oil, the bridegroom came and thoS
who were ready were admitted to tn
marriage.
5. The pitiful position of the foolis
". 1D. They begged the Lord t
open the door that they might ente
to the marriage feast. No one ca
open that door but the Lord.
6. The awful judgment ". 12). Th
Lord declares +I know you not" Thos
who put off the personal contact wit
Jesus until that day shall be shut ou
from the presence Of Christ.
Ill. The Solemn Obligation (v 13,
"Watch, for We know not the day no
the hour wherein the Son of man con
eth" Let these two facts be impresse
upon the minds of everyone:
1. Ones entering with Christ int
the marriage depends not upon havin
entered the Christian race, but cOntir
uing therein. 1t is not enough tina
we can refer to the lighting of on
lamps; if oil and light be wantin
when Christ comes there will be n
admittance to the heavenly banque
2. Borrowed religion will not ava
at that day. 1t is good to have got
ly companions and associates, but the
cannot supply us with grace. Associa
ton with the most eminent of God
saints will not secure for us accept
ance that day. There must be
personal contact with the Lord Jesu
Christ through faith in His blood.
Evil Spreads.
There is no sort of wrong deed @
which a man can bear the punishment