Purpose: To help class members prepare themselves for the

Second Coming through living righteously,

developing their talents, and serving

others.

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you

Gospel Doctrine Lesson Twenty Two

Parable of the ten virgins

The Story

In New Testament times it was the groom, rather than the bride, who was the center of attention. He bore all the expense of the wedding and thus was center stage. As part of the wedding

festivities it was customary for the bridegroom to escort his bride from her father's house to his house. Along the way, some of the friends of the bride and groom joined the procession., while still Others waited at the groom's home where the marriage feast was to occur. The ten virgins were essentially the bridesmaids for this ceremony.

They were waiting along the route to join the wedding party. After

considerable delay, and after all ten virgins fell asleep, the groom finally

arrived.. The five virgins whose lamps flickered and sputtered for lack of oil turned from the oncoming procession to ask if they could borrow some oil from those women whod brought extra. But

this wasnt the right time to share. You see, the women whod brought extra didnt have any that they could give away. It turns out that they had just enough to meet their own needs. The five foolish virgins ran to the market in the middle of the night. Amazingly

they found a peddler willing to sell them oil in that black

Read Matthew 16:26-27. Answer the two questions in verse 26. Are you looking forward to the event described in verse 27 or are you a bit nervous

about it? Why?

When you know that something is absolutely certain to happen, how do you prepare for it? Are you preparing the same way for the return of Christ?

Hour, but it wasnt the right oil. The right oil was the oil that had been available yesterday afternoon. This oil came too late.. While they were absent, searching to refill their lamps, the wedding guest entered the

house, and the door was shut. Later, the unprepared five returned and were denied entry.

Please note: There was nothing immoral or evil about these five virgins. They were every bit as sure and certain in their belief that the bridegroom was coming as were the wise virgins. They had simply not made enough preparation. And they were surprised to find that they could not gain entrance to the feast. Here is the lesson: Where we stood with God five years ago, or even five days ago, isnt going to matter if Christ comes back today. When we are standing before our Savior, referencing a time in history when we were obeying the commandments and attending our meetings and studying our scriptures will not matter. The time to get right with the Lord is now, because once now is up, it isnt going to matter anymore. What do I need to do to be found among the wise virgins rather than the foolish ones?

For further study and a modern day parable

about preparing for the coming of the Lord (The Parable of the River)

visit: www.searchponderandpray.org And click the Modern Day

Parables tab

Do I only turn to the scriptures and to my Savior in my hour of need,

when I seek comfort and reassurance? Or do I continually feed my testimony and light my

lamp, feasting upon the scriptures even when everything is going well in

my life?

When you work for someone, how you view your boss affects your entire perspective. Dread him and hate your work. Trust him and love it. How you feel about the Master of the universe does the same. Do you think God treats you with the sensitivity of an Auschwitz prison guard? This assumption guarantees daily deliveries of dread to your heart. Or do you believe God cherishes you like Stradivarius would his newest violin? He does. Believe it, and extract your strengths with great joy. Jesus made this point in His dramatic parable of the talents. . . . Before talent meant skill, it meant money. . . . According to the parable of the workers, a denarius represented a days fair wages (Matthew 20:2). Multiply your daily wage by 10,000, and you discover the value of a

talent. If you earn $30,000 a year and you annually work 260 days, you make about $115 a day. A talent in your case is valued at 10,000 times $115, or $1,150,000. . . . The point? Use your uniqueness to take great risks for God! If youre great with kids, volunteer at the orphanage. If you have a head for business, start a soup kitchen. If God bent you toward medicine, dedicate a day or a decade to AIDS patients. The only mistake is not

to risk making one. Such was the error of the one-talent servant. Did the master notice him? Indeed, he did. And from the third servant we learn a sobering lesson. 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 (Matthew 25:24, 25). Contrast the reaction of the third servant with

that of the first two. The faithful servants went and traded (v. 16). The fearful one went and dug (v. 18). The first two invested. The last one buried. The first two went out on a limb. The third hugged the trunk In light of this parable, write your thoughts

about the following statement:

Ability + Opportunity = Responsibility

Parable of the Sheep and the Goats

There are many reasons to help people in need., but for the disciple of Christ none is higher than this: when we love those in need, we are loving Jesus. It is a mystery beyond science, a

truth beyond statistics. But it is a message that Jesus made crystal clear: when we love them, we love him.

This is the theme of his final sermon. The message he saved until last. The thing he wanted his followers to remember. His parable depicted the final judgment scene. The last day, the great Day of Judgment. And On that day Jesus will issue an irresistible command. All will come. From

sunken ships and forgotten cemeteries, they will come. From royal tombs and grassy battlefields, they will come. From Abel, the first to die, to the person being buried at the moment Jesus calls,

every human in history will be present. All the angels will be present. The whole heavenly universe will witness the event. A staggering denouement. Jesus at some point will "separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats" (Matt. 25:32). Shepherds do this. They walk among the flock and, one by one, with the use of a staff direct goats in one direction and sheep in the other. Graphic,

this thought of the Good Shepherd stepping through the flock of humanity giving commands, Bob, you go left. Mary, you go right. How can one envision this moment without the sudden

appearance of this urgent question: Which way will I go? What determines the Saviors choice? Jesus gives us the answer. Those on the right, the sheep, will be those who fed him when he was

hungry, brought him water when he was thirsty, gave him lodging when he was lonely, clothing when he was naked, and comfort when he was sick or imprisoned. The sign of the saved is

their concern for those in need. Compassion does not save themor us. Salvation is the work of Christ. Compassion is the consequence of salvation.

The sheep will react with a sincere question: when? When did we feed, visit, clothe, or comfort you (vv. 34-39)?

Jesus will recount, one by one, all the acts of kindness. Every deed done to improve the lot of another person. Even the small ones. In fact, they all seem small. Giving water. Offering food.

Sharing clothing. The works of mercy are simple deeds. And yet, in these simple deeds we serve Jesus. Astounding this truth: we serve Christ by serving needy people.

Jesus inhabits the forgotten. He has take up residence in the ignored. He identifies with those in need. And we should identify with him.

How can you and your family serve someone in need this week?