Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-02-17
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LESSON
LESsoN'FoR FEBRUARY 20
THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS.
By REV. r. p. FTTZWATER y. D.,
Teacher OF English Bible IN the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
10. 1880. Western Newspaper Union)

LESSON TEXT-Matt. 25:l-1s.
GOLDEN TEXT-Watch therefore; for
We know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of Man cometh.-Matt.
25:l3
REFERENCE MATERIAL Matt.
7:24-27; 24:1-51; Eph. $1,000; Tim. 6:17-ls.
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 0livet discourse, giving a 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:
1. The moral conditiS1 of the world
during Christ's absence (24:1-14). This
is the period covered by the parable
of chapter 10.
2. The appearance of the Antlchrist
GA 1929.
3. The great advent (2i:27-3D, in
which there will be mighty commissions
of rature, 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 (25:
1867.
G. The judgment of the nations Cos
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 q
Thess. 4:16-1S; Titus 2:11-13).
I. The Foolish Virgins Took Tampa
But No oil With Them. ". 81.
1. Lamps signify Christian profes.
sion (Matt. 5 :16, and oil, the Holy
Spirit (Zech. A.. Having the lamps
and no oil shows that they were pre-
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. ''Ii
any man have not the Spirit Of Christ
he is none Of His" (Rom. 500. The
foolish virgins may have been of good
moral character, but they We're I'M
reGenerated.
2. The wise virgins possessed bott
lamps and oil ". ~. They made 6
profession and backed it with a rea
life of righteousness. These are thu
true believers. Both the wise and thu
foolish virgins slCinbered and slept
Their eyes had grown heavy and the!
fell under the spell Of sleep ". 50
This shows that as the Christian age
heightened the real and professin'
church would cease looking for tlt
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 Lord.
II. The Coming Bridegroom wv. g
12).
1. The midnight cry ". g.. In thu
midst of the night when all were asleel
the cry was made, "Behold the bride
groom cometh, so We out to meet1him.
How sad it is that the church hal
lost her hope, is not waking ant
watching for the return of her Lord
.. Activity of the virgins ". y
They all arose and trimmed thei
lamps. There will be great activit,
when the Lord comes, on the part o
both the real Christians and thos
who only make profession. The pro
Tossing Christians viii then reali2
that they lack that which is esscntia
to entrance to the marriage feast.
9 The fooli"h request the wise f
share their oil wv. S, %. The revela
ton of Christ will make manifest tn
genuineness of our religion and e-'
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
". 10). Willie 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.
s. The pitiful position of the foolisl
". 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,
g. The awful Judgment ". 12). TIL
Lord declares II know you not" Thos
who put off the personal contact wit
Jesus until that day shall be shut on
from the presence Of Christ.
III. The Solemn Obligation ". 13)
watch, for We know not the day no
the hour wherein the Son Of nan CON
eth"