December 28, 2011
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Ten Virgins continued by Pastor Don Moore
Pastor Don said he was going to teach about the split dimensions of faith. He asked why the ten virgins? Ten is a spiritual number, represents the ten commandments. People were under the command of God. Ten is the number of trial – the commandments were a test to see if you qualify.
Forty is also a number of testing.
Twenty-four elders in positions of power, by age, 24 is a young adult
29 1/2 was the time when a priest could minister.
30 was an acceptable age for ministry.
10 is the age of accountability, beginning to be accountable. when 12 1/2 you are held accountable.
Pastor Don said that seven years is a perfect age, growing to responsibility.
He pointed out that often parents mention the terrible twos – not a good thing to name them that, because what you speak is what you will have.
These ten virgins were under a test, under a trial and only five obeyed. The ones who were not invited to the wedding would have to go through the tribulation and those who held to the truth would become martyrs. The bride is the ones who keep oil in their lamps.
Matthew 25:11-13 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Although a person may say they are born again, not every one who claims that is acceptable to God – God requires obedience. Going to church does not make you a Christian. We will stand before the judgment seat of Christ before the foundation of the World. God has prepared a place for those who call Jesus blessed. Jesus speaks of helping the least of these, my brethren. This is not blanket charity. Yes, we can give charity to those who have not accepted the Gospel, but we are to look out for those who are are brethren.
We try to define God, but God is sovereign. We tell God how we want Him to be. We need to discern who God is blessing and cursing, and we need to obey God according to His Word. We try, for the sake of political correctness, to set the level of tolerance at a place where God does not set it.
Matthew 25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
Jesus was sent to give us revelation – not someone else, but for us personally. He expects us to do something with the revelation He gives us. We are His slaves, His servants. We are not to take the talents He gives us and squander them, to do nothing with them. We are to use them and multiply them.
Matthew 25:15-16 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
One servant went and put the talent to work and doubled the money, the second servant did the same with what the master gave him. God gives us what we can use in His service and He wants us to use these talents. The third servant buried his talent, and did not even give God an increase.
Matthew 25:19-30 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
We want to be the servants to whom God says, “Well done.” What we do with the little God has given us will determine what other things God can trust us with.
The unprofitable servant (the one who buried his talent) made God in his own eyes – he said that God was selfish and lazy, gathering where he had not scattered seed – this is not a true picture of the Lord. We can, if we are not careful, make an image of God from our prideful construction of who we think He is, and this image does not line up with the truth of the Word.
Jesus is meek and kind, but He also is a judge and is coming with a two-edged sword to administer the wrath of God. He is not just coming to pet our heads and kiss our behinds. He expects obedience to His will.
God gives us talents so we can create more.
The foolish virgins were lazy and did not do God’s commands. We are to be about doing His work and His will until He comes, not just sitting around and waiting for the next shoe to drop.
I hope this blesses you. I want to be one to whom God says, “Well done.”
Have a blessed and happy new year.
Heather
