Well, actually, it's already Sunday, right? Sabbath is over. Oh, East Coast. We do have a little longer Sabbath in the West.
Actually, it's about the same. It's about the same. Tonight's presentation is going to be about the Ten Versions.
However, we are going to look at the bigger picture regarding the parable. But before we do, may I invite you to pray with me. Loving, gracious, heavenly Father, we pray for the Holy Spirit to empower our hearts and minds that we may understand what you're trying to say through your word.
Instruct us, correct us, encourage us that we may walk in your ways. We thank you. We pray in Jesus'name. Amen. If you have your Bibles with you, please turn your Bibles with me to the book of Matthew.
Matthew chapter 25. Matthew chapter 25. In Matthew 25 and verse 1, the Bible says, Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lambs, and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lambs while the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept at and at midnight there was a cry made behold the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lambs and the foolish said unto the wise give us of your oil For our lambs are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you.
But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. It's a famous parable. It is part of... Matthew chapter 24 and 25, this is part of the end time message.
So even though we call these parables, they are prophetic, meaning predicting the future. So we have to understand this in a prophetic setting. Without going to all the details, I do want to point out some few things. Perhaps you saw them before, but maybe you haven't seen them before.
So, observe with me. Notice this with me, okay? When you compare this particular parable with other parables, In total, there are four major parables in Matthew chapter 24 and 25. One major parable in 24 and three parables in 25. And when you study all four parables carefully, you will see that all parables actually, they're all together as one big parable.
It's a storyline. It's a continuation. To give you a little taste, look with me the first parable in chapter 24. And the Bible says, Matthew chapter 24, and then... And verse 45. Who then is a, what? Faithful and wise servant.
Whom his Lord has made ruler over his household to give them meat in due season. Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But, and if that, what kind of servant? Evil servant.
servant. So the first parable, the characters in the first parable, they are really distinct. Meaning, faithful servant versus evil servant. Very clear. Black and white, night and day.
But then when we come to the second parable, we still do have that distinction. However, all of them are called virgins. That's a little more than being called as servants. They're all virgins.
When you hear the word virgin, that word in itself has already a positive ring, pure, yes? So then, if we take these parables in progression, First parable, you have people that are what? Really clear, like, faithful, wise versus evil. But then the distinction gets a little more not distinctive anymore.
All versions, but only distinction, wise and foolish. What's worse? You evil or you foolish?
I mean, both are bad, right? But which one is worse if you have to choose one? Evil, right?
And then what is interesting is this. When you go to the next parable, now, we understand that only later on, three servants are being judged. But in the beginning of the parable of the talents, they're all basically called what?
Servants without any distinction. Distinction. comes only after what they do with the talents.
Have you noticed this before? Begins with evil, faithful, and then virgins, but foolish and wise. And then servants, but only one is described as unprofitable servant.
You with me? And then when we go to the last parable, It's not evil or wise. It's not wise and foolish. It's just basically sheep and the goats. What do you catch from this?
A type of development. What kind of development? The distinction is getting what? Harder to distinguish.
Are you with me? Is that saying anything regarding the last days? What do you think?
Personally, I believe the distinction between righteous and unrighteous within the church would become... Really hard to distinguish. Evil servant, that's really bad.
But ten virgins, you're still a virgin. And the servants, they're all equal, basically. But then the last one, it's not sheep and the dogs.
It's not sheep and the pigs. Sheep and goats. Both of them are used in the sanctuary. So my friends, this is another indication that we really have to come up higher.
What do you say? Just because you're part of a church, that doesn't secure your salvation. Listen, these parables are saying, you can be a virgin but still be lost.
You can be a goat, meaning you are, may I say, vegetarian animal. You work in a sanctuary, but still be lost. And out of all the parables, the one that is in favor of mine is 10 versions.
Because it's crucial. But let's compare with the first one and the second one. The first parable is about wise and...
evil right what's the difference very simple wise he is wise because he is giving me in due season he is feeding other people but the the the wicked or the evil servant what is he doing in verse 48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken. So, wise, faithful servant, he is feeding other people. Evil servant, he is what? Feeding himself.
Very selfish. Question, let's go a little deeper. What does it mean when you're feeding other people? Sharing. But what is he sharing?
He's sharing meat or food, right? He's giving food. And according to the Bible, food or meat represents what? The Word of God. Okay?
We can get that from the book of Hebrews. We can get that from the words of Jesus. John chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter, I believe, 3 or 4. Take that back. Chapter 6 is better. So, giving me, meaning giving the truth.
Are you with me? But what kind of truth? The Bible says, giving meaning due, season, meaning giving the truth at the right time.
Yes? So the wise servant, he is wise because he knows how to give the truth at the right time. And what do we call that truth at the right time?
Present truth. So wise servant, he's a wise because he is giving present truth. Meaning truth that is just right at that time.
Meaning Noah when he was preaching flood is coming. That was his present truth. Yes or no?
If I ask you, what is the present truth? Repent! Listen, the message of repentance is a precious truth at all time. Be born again, that's a precious truth at all time, you with me? It's important, very important.
However, we need precious truth and the present truth. For example, when John the Baptist said, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. That was the present truth. Behold the Messiah as the one that is going to die for the sins of the world.
Are you with me? That was the present truth at that time. Especially, I mean, Jesus'death is a truth for all time.
But that was really important at the time of John the Baptist. It's like a deciding point. So then my friends, what is the present truth at this time?
Three angels'message, exactly. So this parable is saying, look, if you want to be ready for the last days, you've got to be like that faithful and wise servant. Presenting, giving the present truth for us, three angels'message. Don't be like that evil servant. What is he doing?
He says in his heart. He says in his heart. He is not proclaiming.
He is not sharing. He's not texting. He is not putting on his Facebook wall.
You with me? He's not telling other people, I wish Jesus will not come so soon. The Bible says, he only says it in his heart.
Meaning, he's only thinking about it. So who qualifies to be an evil servant? If you are wishing in the secret chambers of your heart that Jesus should not come so soon, you are qualifying to be an evil servant.
But a lot of times my friends these people, they may not say it, but they may show in their action. They are not so enthusiastic about proclaiming three angels message. They are not so excited about sharing the truth, because they know by sharing the truth, Jesus will come back sooner. Are you with me?
And you may think, do we have people like that? I'm not saying we have people like that. Jesus is giving these parables. Jesus is predicting that you are going to have this kind of people in the same church.
And the Bible says the evil servant is smiting his fellow servants. Which servants do you think he is smiting? Ones that are proclaiming the present truth.
Again, I'm not saying this, it's in the Bible. I'm not making up any stories, it's in the Bible, yes or no? So Jesus is predicting in the future, those who do not want Jesus to come back so soon, they are persecuting the ones that are proclaiming the truth. In the same church. Now, am I clear?
I'm not making that many stories. I'm just telling what the Bible says. Yes? And what's more interesting is this. Listen, the Bible says the same evil servant, he is eating and drinking with the drunken.
Eating and drinking in the Bible in our normal social activity, it denotes fellowship. Yes or no? So, the evil servant is having a fellowship, eating and drinking with the drunken.
According to the Bible, who are the drunken people in the last days? Exactly. Now, let me get it really clear. I am not calling our church Babylon. Amen.
I am not calling. So please don't go away saying, oh, Peter, you're saying church is Babylon. No, you better not. This is God's church, and this church will go through until the end of time.
What do you say? However, the Bible is saying individuals... can have their own fellowship with the drunken people, spiritually drunken. Who are they?
Babylonians. Having fellowship. So my friends, the parable is telling me very clearly that we have to know the truth and to give the truth, the present truth. Because time will come. Those who are not given the present truth, they will be deeply disappointed, according to the Bible.
So then, when you hear this, how do you feel? Do you feel like, yeah, that's right. I already shared this to my friends in other churches. Do you have those feelings?
Do you feel like... Thank God we are in this church called Remnant. Oh, am I getting too close to your home thing?
Yeah? Do you feel a little more like, oh yeah, we have the truth here. We got the message here. We have the present truth.
Do you feel that way? Yeah? A little bit of a nice spiritual pride.
You look at me like, like, hey, you just said we got to present the present truth. What are you saying? Listen carefully. That's only one parable. We have three other parables.
You with me? So why do you think we have the second parable, ten versions? So the first parable is saying, you gotta have the present truth, yes or no?
That's important and don't change that. However, just to have present truth is not enough. Just to have the truth is not enough.
What else do you need? Second parable. Ten virgins.
They're all what? Virgins. No five virgins, five harlots.
They're all virgins. In what sense? They all have the truth.
When it comes to a doctrine, they are pure. How do I know that they all have the truth? Guess what do they have? They all have lamp. Yes or no?
And according to the Bible, lamp represents? Thy word is lamp unto my face. feet exactly so they all have the word yes so okay then so what happened is this first parable the conflict between those who have the truth and those that don't have the truth but then as the year goes by those that don't have the truth what happened to them they're gone now you only have those people with the truth You with me?
And these people, all of them are called ten virgins. But within those who have the truth, you have wise and foolish. Or may I say you have wise wise and wise foolish. You understand what I'm trying to say? Yeah?
You're getting this? Okay then. Then, what distinguishes between wise versions and foolish versions?
It is the oil. Okay? Let's read again.
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like unto ten virgins which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish, look at this, took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
lamps and took no what? Oil with them. But the wise ones what do they do?
And the wise took oil in their what? Vessels with their lamps. We're going to break We're going to understand all of this in detail. So foolish ones, they did not take extra oil. In the beginning, they all had oil in the lamp, yes or no?
Okay. But the wise one, they had extra oil where? The Bible says in their vessels.
So they had oil in the lamp and they had oil in their vessels. Foolish ones, they only had oil in their lamps. Question.
Foolish ones. Why, what were they thinking? Why they didn't take extra oil?
They did not expect a delay, meaning in their mind, listen carefully, in their mind they are saying the bridegroom will come before the bridegroom. my oil runs out right which means they in the underlying tone they put a time frame yes or no so they're saying the bridegroom has to come before this time they are time setters Yes or no? Very interesting.
The first parable, evil servant, my Lord delay his coming. Yeah? I hope he doesn't come so soon.
But the foolish ones, he will come before this time. Both ways, problem. Best way, be ready at any time.
Are you getting this? Do you understand? Now, listen.
So, they were thinking, okay, the bridegroom has to come before my oil runs out. Now, let's go a little deeper. According to the Bible, oil represents what?
Holy Spirit, so then, in order to have light, you have to have, in the parable, you have to have both. In order to have light, according to the parable, you have to have lamp and oil. Yes or no? Can you have light just with the lamp?
Can you have light just with the oil? Interesting concept, yes? So you have to have, so what is light? You got to have the truth and the spirit. Exactly.
No wonder Jesus said to the woman at the well, you must worship God in? Spirit and in? Truth. Exactly. Are you following?
Just because you have the truth, that does not mean you have the light. Just because I understand what the Bible is saying, that does mean you are shining. A lot of people, they use lamp, but no oil.
How do they shine the light? They use a lamp to hit people's head. Bam! Do you see any light? And the person says, I don't see any light, but I see stars.
Do you know anybody like that? Please say it's me. Do you know where I'm coming from?
We as a Seventh-day Adventist, we have this grand truth But we are looked upon as really strange We are called to become pilgrims and strangers not strange We look strange when we have the truth, but the way we deliver the message is very harsh sometimes We're so impatient. You have to become Seventh-day Adventists right now. You may think, I don't do things like that.
Well, then we have other problems. Then we kind of give up sharing the message. I don't want to look strange.
and look cultish and then look like Ellen G. White. I don't want to do that. So we just keep it quiet.
That's another problem. We got to present it, but we got to present it in a such way that it is mingled with with oil. Listen, listen, listen very carefully. Lamp represents the Word of God, but the light itself is really coming from the oil. Truth helps you to contain the spirit, but it is a spirit that works in you that causes the light to shine through you.
Are you getting this? So what is truth? It's an intellectual understanding of God's Word.
What is the spirit? Internal experience of God's Word. Intellectual transformation and spiritual transformation that is required in order to shine the light.
So people that are more into truth, that can be really harsh, right? Then you have other people. They are not into truth.
What they're into? They say they're into the spirit. Yeah?
When it comes to fundamental teachings of the Bible, when it comes to the foundation of our teaching, they don't really consider that. They just want to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It's like they're trying to shine the light without the lamp, just with oil. I call them greasy people.
Oily people. Yeah? Oily Christianian. They have no light, just with oil. Are you loving this parable better now?
It's giving you a really good balance. Amen? So you've got to have the truth and the spirit mingled together.
Well, but now let's go even deeper. Alright? Then you may say, well, well, if that is so, then the foolish ones, they also had oil in their lamp in the beginning.
Oil in their lamp in the beginning, so that should be okay, right? Now hang on, let's get a little more technical here. Wise ones, they had oil in their lamp and in their vessels.
According to the Bible, vessels represent us. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 says, Earthen vessels. So then, look at this.
How many of you want to be wise? Okay. You have to have the spirit to understand the truth intellectually, and then you have to have the spirit in your soul to experience the truth. Many people, they do have the spirit only to understand the truth.
Because the Spirit does lead people to know the truth, yes? So just because, don't replace your deep spirituality with understanding the truth. Don't get confused.
Just because, oh, now I know what the truth is. I know what the Bible is saying. Wow, that is great.
Now, when you have that experience, thank God. Okay? However, don't get satisfied. What do I mean?
Don't say you're having... Like a revival and spiritual awakening experience. You may have intellectual awakening, but if you really want true revival, that truth needs to pinpoint your personal sin and give you...
deep down deep heart transformation your character has to be changed some people have a lot of head knowledge but their demeanor the way they communicate where they interact with other people they are still the same they're impatient with their wife and they're impatient when they're giving Bible study And they get easily angry when people do not see the truth. And you show expression of frustration, Ah, they're liberal people. No wonder they don't understand the truth, because they love KFC so much.
Ah, bad people. So then the question is this, then how do you, okay, so we're striving to higher principle, do it. But with the higher principle of knowledge, you have to go deeper into your own spiritual growth. And how do you do that?
Listen. Let's see what the Bible says. Amen? Let's go. Here we go.
The Bible says, look right here. Verse 4. Verse 5, while the bridegroom, what? Tarried.
By the way, God does not know delay. God is always at His perfect time. But the bride, so while the bridegroom tarried according to the way the ten virgins felt. They felt that He was tarrying.
Why? Because they predicted earlier time. That's why time says is dangerous. Don't do that. Any time setters?
Please raise your hand. All right. All right.
Thank God. Any feast day keepers? If you are, come and talk to me. Okay. Don't waste your time there.
Any lunar... Sabbath people here? Lunar Sabbath?
You haven't heard things like this? Ho ho ho ho. You're being protected.
It's like a greenhouse here. Greenhouse in Maryland. Greenhouse church.
I'm telling you. Any Trinitarian, Jesus is not really God. Have you heard that before? It's going around.
Listen, listen. So many winds of doctrine. You think a lot of winds of doctrine, there are a lot of winds of doctrine in other churches.
We have more in our church. we have some strange teachings okay so I hope that you don't get into those kind of wrong truths you see my friends when people are not into character transformation if they're only into truth yeah after a while truth will become boring boring. So they are like fancy step up.
They want to look for something that is interesting, something different. So they end up in this kind of strange doctrine such as lunar Sabbath, feast days, teaching that Holy Spirit doesn't exist. And listen, those of you who are watching this presentation online, listen, you got to be grounded in the truth and stay strong.
But interesting, the Bible says, going back to 10 versions, the Bible say, the Bible said, all versions, what? Slumber and slept. Now what does that mean, they all slumber and slept?
That does not mean they all apostatized. Okay? Even for wise versions, my friends, even for good Christianians, they may go through a time of confusion. Because they don't know. Alright?
So in that sense, they all slumber and slept. Not understanding what is happening. Even John the Baptist. He was going through a battle with doubt whether Jesus is a Messiah or not.
Yes or no? So for John the Baptist, that was a moment for him. It's like slumber and... slept.
Are you with me? It's a struggle. So even good people, even good Christianians can have temptations of doubt.
But don't let that discourage you. Okay? The feelings of depression, feelings of discouragement, feelings of disappointment may come to you. However, you do not need to embrace them.
Stand strong upon the word. Let God carry you through the valley of death and darkness. And you will come through bright and strong. Amen? So then all these virgins are all slumbering and slept.
And then the Bible says, verse 6. And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold, the bridegroom, what? Come as go ye out to meet him.
And I like to say, this is a proof, okay? Just because ten virgins, all virgins slept, but there was a midnight cry call. And that guy, maybe it was a woman, I don't know, but that person was not sleeping. Okay, so please don't use the excuse, well all ten virgins, even the wise ones slept, maybe I need to sleep too. No, don't use that excuse, because you also have what?
One that gave the midnight cry? Guess what? He was not sleeping. Yes? Still wink.
So God does have his people, yeah? So he cried out, the bridegroom comes, go out to meet him. Time is now, boom, and all virgins woke up. And I love this part, it says, verse 7, Then all those virgins arose. and trimmed their lambs.
Even up to this point from outside all ten versions they all look the same. Even at this time from the outside they all look the same. What happens next will determine.
So then, what's the lesson? In time of unexpected crisis, we'll reveal, will reveal your true condition. Hope that you are prepared before that time. But check this out.
They all woke up and what did they do according to the Bible? They trimmed their lambs. To me this is important.
What does that mean? Basically it means they prepare their lambs. Okay?
Okay, so what are they doing? They're what? Do they need to prepare their lambs?
Why? I know, we have electricity, we don't use this kind of thing. You're kind of forgetting about it. I mean, you go camping, you have enough what?
Wick, right? But when the Bible says trim, what does that mean? Are you cutting it? Cutting what?
The burnt wick, right? You're cutting that off. So that your light can be brighter, yes?
Your light can lit and then become brighter, right? So my question is, what does that represent, cutting off the burnt part? What does that mean?
The burnt part is, listen, That's your past experience in the light. Yes or no? That was your light in the past and they cut that out.
What does that mean? It is okay, listen, it is okay to remember how God led us in the past, and we should, yes? However, listen carefully, you must always be ready for brand new experience.
Don't rely upon your past experiences. to be the same in the future. When you cut off the burn part, you're saying, I'm ready for this new experience. However, for your new experience, guess what you need? Oil.
Exactly. Let me give you an example. For Jesus, okay, Even though he was God when he came to this earth, living as a human being, I have to say, he lived a good life.
I mean, not righteous life only, but a good life. Very peaceful life. What kind of peace?
So peaceful that he can sleep in a boat in the midst of a storm. Why? He always had... God the Father with him.
Jesus said, I was never alone. As long as I please him by doing his will, he never left me. I'm never alone. That's what he said. However, with that...
He never experienced what it is like to bear the sins of the world. Yes? He never experienced.
So in Gethsemane, when he is about to make that decision to take on the sins of the world or not, I mean he already made the decision, but he is making the final confirmation. In that moment for him, that was his new experience. And for that new experience, guess what he needs?
Oil. Interesting enough, the word Gethsemane, meaning oil pressing. You produce oil.
Gethsemane. Interesting enough. I don't know if there's some type of some like biblically God intended to be like that, but the word Gethsemane meaning oil press. So I like to use that as an application that Jesus went into the Gethsemane to get more oil.
Are you with me? He needs an extra oil because he cannot really depend upon what he experienced before. This is going to be a new experience. What kind of experience? He's going to do God's will, but at the same time, he is going to feel as though God is not with him.
At the same time, he has to stay put and stay faithful and obey until the death of the cross. Even though he doesn't feel the feelings of being accepted. It's not going to be like what happened on the day when he got baptized.
You know, he went into water, he came out, and the voice came from heaven. This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. No voice will come.
On the cross, Jesus cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Where are you? Totally new experience. Never tasted before. For that, Jesus went into Gethsemane.
It's like putting extra oil in his vessel. So then the question is, how do you put extra oil in your vessel? You may have to have similar experience like Jesus, like in Gethsemane. What kind of experience? You see, how to get oil?
You have to press. Which means there's a crushing experience. Press down. Squeeze it hard.
Breaking it down. When Jesus said, If it's possible, let this cup pass from me. My human nature, my human desire, I don't want to go through this.
This is my desire, but not my will. The will be done. Crush his own will. Understand?
He had to pray like that three times. Not my will, that will be done. He's allowing God to crush him. It's like to get that extra oil. That's how you get personal oil, by surrendering your life to God, especially when you have to go against your own will that you cherish.
When you know God's will is contrary to your own will, and sometimes your own will, it may not be evil. It might be innocent, but you have to go against it. That's how you get yourself to be pressed down. And that's how you get your own personal oil in your vessel.
And in time of crisis, that experience will come out. But if you don't have that kind of experience, if you know the truth, all you have is just, I know the truth. Yes, Sabbath, sanctuary, second coming, sanctification. You know the truth, but you don't have that personal crushing, pressing down experience, no personal Holy Spirit experience. Guess what?
Your light will go out. You will change. Knowledge of the truth, if you don't submit to the spiritual experience, you will never change.
You talk about, the conversation is always going to be how terrible other churches are. It's not about character transformation. It is not about like becoming a new person, new creation in Christian.
It's going to be just, what's the latest? Sin. What's the latest issue?
Now, I'm not saying you can never talk about the problem of the church. I do. We can.
But what I'm saying is, if that's all you do, you better check your own soul. That's why, my friends, we have two parables. You want to be wise?
Give the present truth. But if you really want to be wise and be ready, you gotta have the oil. And how do you get that oil?
You gotta have a personal experience. What personal experience? Allowing God to crush your will.
So what is your will right now that you think is innocent, is loving, and is durable, and is so nice that you want to keep? But then you know you got to crush it in order to bring peace in your home, in your family, in your personal life. What is it? Or are you like stuck with your own individuality so strong that you're always saying to yourself, nobody can crush me.
But on the line you're saying, not even God. And you say to yourself, I mean I don't have an evil intention. My friends, this kind of... Enlightenment can only come if you do deep conversation, meditation, devotion with God.
This is the reason why, as we are living in the typical day of atonement, we need to afflict our own souls. and what's interesting is check this out check this out uh chapter 25 it says okay here we go chapter 25 and then verse 8 and the foolish said unto the wise give us of your oil for our lambs are what gone out or going out Let me ask you something. If somebody comes to you, Hey, can you share some of your oil?
As a Christianian, your natural response should be? Sure! Remember that story? Maybe the foolish ones, the foolish versions, maybe they should have used a story from, you know, Elijah? Remember that lady who gave up her oil?
They should be like, hey, remember the story from the Old Testament? Come on, do what they did in the Old Testament. Give us some oil, yes or no? Right?
As a Christianian, you're like, okay, I only have one drop. I will give it to you because I'm a Christianian, right? But look at these wise versions.
What are they like? But the wise answer is saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you. Whoa, selfish, huh? Like, whoa, whoa, whoa, what is this?
When somebody says, hey, can you give me some rice and curry? Can you give me some? You give to them, right?
Right? What is wrong with these wise versions? And the Bible says, then they go, but go ye rather them to that, what?
Sale and buy for yourselves. Now, don't get caught up by this word, sale and buy. Okay? But remember this.
You want our oil? What they're really saying? If we can give it to you, we would love to give it to you, but we can't. The only way that you can get that oil...
If you buy for yourself, this is a personal experience. And interesting that the wise version said, you go to them that sell and buy. And listen, when you buy, what are you doing?
you're exchanging, yes or no? exactly, when you exchange what are you doing? you're giving up something from you so in order to buy oil you have to what?
give up something what is that? you have to sacrifice yourself just like Jesus, not my will but that will be done But they needed that experience before. Not at the time of crisis. Best time to have Gethsemane experience is when everything is peaceful. Not when you hear the news.
Not when you get a text message, National Sunday Law just passed. It's too late. It's too late.
You have to get it, get it, get it going right now. And the thing is, you're thinking right now, I have to give up my will, surrender my will. This is going to be so difficult, but I'm going to bite my teeth, you know, make a hard fist, and I'm going to do it, even though it's going to kill me. You're not gonna make it. You know what you're doing?
I'm gonna butt in my teens and I'll do it. You know what you're doing? I'm gonna surrender.
Yeah, try it. Good luck. No. It has to be sweet surrender.
you have to allow the love of God a lot of times the present truth presenters may say like surrender to God and give up everything and the audience will go home and say ok I will give up everything and they try they have a nice week but then it doesn't last too long right because it is so heavy and impossible tiring and burdensome if you try to give up you'll give up yeah you give up to giving up Yeah. You know what you gotta practice? You have to surrender, but you have to let it do that with sweet joy, humble, meek surrender. But you're like, I don't know how to do that. Then what you need, just allow the love of God to just keep shining into your soul.
And let the love of God turn your heart and let it open. Let the love of God lead you to that sweet surrender. And repeat that again, again, again. There will be times that it's going to be hard, struggling.
But there's this big difference between struggle with, okay, I'm going to do this, with struggle, God. this is so difficult, but thank you Lord for loving me. Different struggles. You do it or you let God do it in you.
You got to get to the point that your obedience is motivated by love. If you don't, you're going to end up having righteousness by works, legalistic form of godliness without power thereof. You're going to turn off other people. You're going to look like a lemon. You're going to be sour, sad, spiritual pride.
You don't want that. You understand? So why?
Because the oil, spirit right? Fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace. That's right.
That's right. You may go through struggle but it needs to come out love, joy, and peace. And my question to you, are you having that experience? When was your last pressure or pressing?
Do you have that? What personal issues are you having that you need to have sweet surrender? That's how you go and buy. How many of you, now you're excited to go and buy?
Amen? And the Bible says, look at this, verse 10, and while they went to buy, the bridegroom came and they were, they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was what shunned afterward came also the other virgin saying Lord Lord open to us but he answered and said said verily I said unto you I know you not let me make something if some people come to your party late would you tell them I don't know you go home When you look at this parable, literally, man, bridegroom and the wise virgins, they're like stuck up and selfish, right? Wow, so many rules, right?
What's going on here? Now, in the parable, apparently, in the parable, okay, not so much spiritually, but in the parable, apparently, they did go and buy some oil, yes? But I don't, I mean...
I don't think it's Holy Spirit, but according to the story they got some oil, right? So they came. But I'm thinking, so okay, so okay, okay, okay, okay.
So what's the ticket to the wedding? You have to have your own light. That's the ticket. Without the light you cannot enter.
So then, practically speaking, logically speaking, why not just, you know, ones that don't have light, hold on to the dress of those that have the light, and walk in. But the parable says, it's got to be an individual thing, right? But then, at last, other five, they did come, knocking on the door.
But Jesus said, or the bridegroom said, I do not know you. Or the master said, I do not know you. So mean, what's going on? Why not let them in? I know they're late.
Some cultures, they're always late, right? Like Asians. If this is like pointing to Asians, we'd all be lost, right? We always come late. So what does that mean?
They came, right? Do they have light? Do they have their own light now? Most likely, right?
That's why they came. They went to buy and they have light. Lamp, light, I have light. Light, open the door. Light, why they will not enter?
You know why? What I'm about to tell you is so important that you should not forget this. Having a lamp and light is not the ticket to salvation.
It's not the ticket. It doesn't qualify you to enter into heaven. Because the foolish ones, they have it, right? But they will not.
They didn't go in. They weren't able to go in. So then, what do you need to enter? Listen, the light with the lamp, truth, and the spirit, listen, should lead you to the bridegroom. And you enter because you are with the bridegroom.
But if you're there without the bridegroom, you are not qualified. So our understanding of the truth, Even our own personal experience of the Holy Spirit, those themselves cannot qualify us to heaven. But what are they? Truth and the Spirit lead us to Jesus. As long as we're with Jesus, we can enter.
Isn't that beautiful? Amen? That's why the foolish ones...
The Matthew said, I do not know you. Why? You were never with me. You know the truth. You know 28 fundamental beliefs, but you do not know me.
You love the truth, but you do not love God. Are you understanding? So you got to have the present truth, first parable, but you got to have the Holy Spirit, second parable.
And how do you know that you have the Holy Spirit? How do you know? Third parable, use your talents. If you don't use your talents, that is an indication you may not have the Holy Spirit.
Use your talents. What are they? Study.
Christian subject lessons. Go and read a book. And what talents that we got to use?
Last parable. As you have done it unto the least of my brethren, you have done it unto me. When I was naked, you closed me. When I was hungry, you fed me.
When I was a stranger, you took me in. When I was sick, you visited me. When I was in prison, you came unto me.
Basically, ministry. For spiritual, physical, social well-being of all humanity. How do you know you have the spirit?
You use your talent. What talent? Helping others.
Spiritually, physically, socially, mentally. So then it goes like this. Who is really ready for the coming of Jesus? Number one, you gotta have the...
truth, present truth. Number two, you gotta have the Holy Spirit. But how do you know that you do have the Spirit and the truth? If you use your talents.
Because if you really have, if you really understand the truth, if you really have the Holy Spirit, you will use God-given talents. And what do you do with them? You will help to save other souls. Where are we?
Where are the most Seventh-day Adventists? I don't know. Can I judge them? I'm not Jesus Christian. But it looks like judging myself and other people, I judge all of us together.
It looks like we're only doing the present truth. the way we do it, kind of beating people's head. The Spirit using our talent, helping other people, we lead that up to Red Cross and Goodwill and other denominations. And when it comes to really bringing transformation and revival, we're still bickering over just a whole lot of things.
And Jesus gave those parables with the signs of time. So now it is up to you. What are you going to do with the truth that I just shared with you? What are you going to do?
Will this change your church? Will this change you individually? My friends, we have some heart searching to do. What do you say?
How many of you are saying in your own heart right now, God, give me the truth and the spirit, and let the truth and spirit transform me in such a way that my earthly talents will be used to help other people. I want that experience. If you do, raise your hands. God bless you. Tomorrow.
When we go through how to study the Bible, I'm going to help you, assist you, how to get the truth. Amen? That's important.
Even that aspect, many of us are like relaxing. There are many seven things that happen to young people. They have no idea how to prove. Sabbath, sanctuary, sanctification, second coming, instead of this, pure prophecy. It's a poor condition.
Yeah? They didn't even hear about Alan G. White. Many of them.
They have no idea. So we're like at that condition right there. So we got to really come up higher. Amen?
So I will see you tomorrow. We're going to learn about how to study the Bible and sharpen our sword. And I pray that individually, personally, you will have some conversation with God.
Amen? And then really turn the truth into a transforming power. Let's all stand for closing prayer. Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for teaching us and guiding us and instructing us from your Word. And Lord, the parable of ten virgins is clear.
We can have the virgin-like pure doctrine, but still be lost. Still don't, we do not know you because we do not love you. And that's because we don't trust you with... our entire heart. Help us to have the experience, help us to have the experience of the Holy Spirit anointing us as we give you sweet, loving surrender.
Because we know that you love us so much. And you are poor. holding us with your love, and we're saying yes to your mercy and grace.
And with that experience, that we may obey, follow, experience sanctification, and live a transformed life. Yes, we're human beings, we're struggling and striving, but Lord, help us never to give up. Always look to you for our guidance and our power.
But tonight, remind us once again, we need to worship you in truth and in spirit. Thank you. We ask in Jesus'name.
Amen.