Get Oil — Brian Guerin

The Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Call to Watchfulness

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them.

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept. In verse 6 and at midnight a cry was heard behold the bridegroom is coming go out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps verse 8 and the foolish said to the wise give us some of your oil for Our lamps are going out. But the wise answered saying no lest there should not be enough for us and you but go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves.

Verse 10. Only 13 verses. Sorry about that I think I said 19 Verse 10 and while they went to buy the bridegroom came and those who already went in with him to the wedding and the door Was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also saying Lord Lord opened 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. So just want to talk to you from my heart about this.

Hearing New Treasures in Familiar Scripture

I think it was like late 19. You know before many of us knew what was really gonna hit us in 2020 this this parable jumped off the pages. Obviously, I've read it many times. Studying the word through the years and and and I would say to date.

It's probably one of my Favorites not that you really pit the word against the word. It's all the inherent Word of God, but I just out of all of Jesus parables. It just it's. I don't know it's marked me in a way and I think it's important and hopefully this morning.

So Matthew, I think 1352 somewhere in there says instructors of the kingdom. Bring forth old treasures and new ones. So this morning I hope to do that, you know, I would encourage you just also as far as the Word of God.

You know, have you ever done this before you like man? I know that passage I've read it so many times like let me go to something else. Have you ever done that? Like I I've done that plenty ever all y 'all like it.

No. So it's just me no, I would encourage you. Like there's also this book. Hopefully I don't waste too much time here. But this book is alive. Not a cliche Magnet for your fridge. It's really alive. Hebrews 4 said that this the Word of God is alive.

So this book is literally at all times Pulsating with the life of God like the Holy Spirit himself wrote this thing and He left it with us in there at this book. It's so meaning. One month you may go through this passage.

Next two months you come back through it and I promise you you'll see it in a whole new way. And that's where the new treasures come. You always keep the old and so this morning I'm hoping to even bring forth new ones.

But it's like oh my gosh and a new season in a new way and he just he keeps pulling the layers back. And so when I encourage you guys practically when you read the word say Holy Spirit. You have to kind of get outside of your natural mind.

You feel like I've read that book before. You know, I come in as a child again. Because the childlike will inherit the kingdom say Holy Spirit show me you wrote this thing make it alive. Now so I can have a flashy new sermon.

I want to know you. I Want to be like you want to you have my life to you. Like what do you you know, and um, you would be shocked it turns into like a pop-up book again. But you see things that are you know.

The End-Time Setting of Matthew 24 and 25

So anyway, Matthew 24 leading to this many of you know, and so yeah, but then the 19th. So I was burnt I was preaching this anybody that followed us for an elective time. I preached it and and It's beautiful because we went into 2020 that forced the world into rest and I believe like a new shift into the end time era of the Lord's return and This narrative I believe jumped up again back to priority where it should be in the end of getting oil.

So massive and so real quick though Matthew 24 many of us know is the greatest Chapter for an infrastructure of the end times almost in all of the Word of God chapter right before and a lot of people don't think that you know like this, but Jesus when chapters stop and start it's not like Jesus just stopped talking that day.

They went to get a lunch break and he came back. He was still talking. So when you go from Matthew 24 right into Matthew 25 He was just talking about the end times the Great Tribulation the return of the Son of Man.

He goes look, there'll be earthquakes. It's just the most craziest shift in conversation. You see in almost like all of the Word of God. He's like look boys ends coming gonna be dark. He's not doom and gloom.

It's just Isaiah 60 darkness will come deep darkness cover the earth earthquakes famines pestilence. The love of many will grow cold. Why Lord? Oh, I'll tell you why lawlessness is gonna increase like you've never seen.

He's telling them this and that's how many know we're in that right now. Lawlessness is just shooting off like a rocket and it's not because of anything other the love of many grow cold because of lawlessness that's all we've got to get oil say burning and.

And So he's talking about all this stuff and then also he just shifts gears and goes right into the bridal paradigm. And it's the only parable I can find Where the Lord attaches it to a time. It's so important he Anyway often he'll say for the kingdom of heaven is like Listen to he talks about the kingdom of heaven over and over so many parables goats and sheeps.

They're setting the other. But it's often Generically the kingdom of heaven is like this meaning. This is always what the kingdom of heaven is like but on this one he goes in times shaking pestilence famine love of many growing cold run return of the Son of Man's coming and Then he let's just say this pulpit often.

I'll do this is that window he's talking about that that time. Then he shifts gears and he goes then. At that time. I'm telling you watch because the kingdom of heaven then is gonna be like this. Meaning in all of time leading up to them the kingdom of heaven is not so much gonna be like that.

Does this make sense to you guys but but then at that time it shall be like this there'll be ten virgins all in pursuit of a bridegroom and What it's saying here is like in this last time era. The kingdom narrative is gonna shift on the dime to this predominant Purpose and goal and I propose that all of us in some form or fashion.

It'll look different from person to person family to family ministry to ministry. But it's some form of fashion need to be found within this narrative. Otherwise you you'll be outside of what the kingdom of heaven is like now.

Does that make sense? So let's say this even this entire stage is the earthquakes the shaking the end times. It's happening simultaneously. Simultaneously. So the Lord's saying look over here earthquakes Famines pestilence love of many growing cold lawlessness increasing he goes but then When all that's happening right then just what look out because the kingdom of heaven this pulpit will be doing this.

This will be the narrative of the kingdom of heaven. And I think what's gonna happen. Often I feel like we're one of these houses and I want to be marked with this thing. Where people they're gonna start to feel like we're out of touch.

We don't know it's a totally different narrative. Do you hear it? The Lord's like hey all this is going on just so you know, though the newsreel of heaven. The kingdom of heaven at that time will be like this though.

Everybody's in pursuit of his bridegroom. Do y 'all not know what's going on? You know in in people start to think you're inconsiderate. You're not against it. You know, it's all gone. But just like are you do you know what's going on?

There's a bridegroom so near I have nothing else in in mind. There is nothing else of value. They're a possessed group they're different and they're almost see it like a Q beam of heaven shining on this tend these ten virgins and There's a mowing through all the shaking and all they care about and they look a little bit like they've lost their marbles.

Have you not heard? Yeah, I think I heard but man, are you kidding me? Are you looking what I'm looking at? Do you know who's near? There's a wedding feast. They're like that's you can see the two different narratives happening.

And I love that and I pray he'd pull us into this so strong and Even within it. You'll see a refined group of what we're trying to aspire to be. It's super important. So That first off super significant and I would propose like he even do it this morning and more more in our life.

Pull us into this Lord because if you're not careful, you'll get caught off Into these things in the name of God. And some are called in certain ways and I get that and I think that's awesome. But be careful because you can in the name of intercession and assignments and all this stuff get caught off actually into the cares of this world.

When the end time there Jesus like pay attention when all that's going on. I'm telling you Society and all this these other kingdoms will be like this, but the kingdom of heaven you ask it's gonna be just like this.

This possessed group that they've committed to nothing else. They're all virgins. They have no covenants with anything. There's no other covenant they make anything with they've said they've saved themselves for this day and then even in that group There's a refined higher-level tear that's gonna get through a door.

And I want to be in that group and people again, they're gonna be like man. Why are you so out of touch? Do you not know? I'm not out of touch. I hear it, but it's a lot of noise. I'm going after one thing.

And and that's the other thing that's beautiful. It's like that's why I think things are getting so simple in this hour. Things are getting real real simple very singular. Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this.

They're after a bridegroom and the shepherd and that no He is all these things, but they're after one goal and mission to marry him. They're after this bridegroom that in there, you know set apart. It's such a beautiful way in so Real quick some prophetic connections that are good.

The Significance of Ten, Testing, and Readiness

I'm 10 the number 10 because like Lord, why did you pick 10 virgins? Is The number of a couple of things prophetically a journey. So when you see like tens and dreams and in the word often it can speak of a journey you're on which they're clearly on here.

But also a time of testing 10 speaks of testing which the last hour is going to be and if you don't have a lot of oil you'll get exposed quick. Testing you see a Daniel 1 Jesus has test us for 10 days.

With vestibules see that we'd be fit Revelation 2 Jesus said look the devil is gonna persecute you test you for 10 days. It's a it's a testing number and so there's 10 of them on a journey through speaking of on a journey, but in a season of Testing that I believe is beautiful because in this last hour journey of testing leading to the Lord's return.

It's going to either prepare you and make you ready or expose you and sift you and move you. One or two things are gonna happen. There is no more middle ground at the end. It gets removed fast and either you let the test prove you true and refine you and purge you and get the mixture out.

To be that virgin ready, or it's gonna expose you and you'll find yourself on the other side of this door. We see in a minute and. And I love that even there's just so much here. The Lord says this story we just read it.

It shows a group that makes it through in a group that the door gets shut on and that's what Jesus says. The kingdom of heaven's like I think it's healthy to know that the kingdom of heaven's not everybody gets a trophy.

These verses are all throughout the word doesn't everybody make it through the door. What God's so good brother? Yes, he is beyond what we can ever imagine. Conceiver think but the Jesus said the kingdom of heaven take it to the bank.

There's gonna be a door that shuts on half and half get through like that's the narrative of heaven. I was like, whoa. But so another fun thing to look at is in first Kings. Because you start to look at why ten and split five and five Lord in this just in time paramount parable.

But right outside of Solomon's temple you have ten wash basins split five and five. Five on the north five on the south outer courts. I just think there's a lot of prophetic here. I don't know. I want to ask the Lord one day if he was connecting them prophetically you get into the inner court.

And then you have ten lampstands five and five on the left and right split but then you go into the Holy of Holies and I feel like that's the door into the wedding feast who's gonna make it in out of the ten five and five and.

The Lamp, the Wick, and the Extra Oil

So you have that and then now five of them were wise here goes my my prop. For a visual and I'll give it away if anybody wants it at the end we got legit old school lamps like they had. And beef jerky from my crusades still in my back.

If everybody wants that that's not a part of the prop. So So the coffee's gonna mess it up, huh visually so basically ten virgins, you know. Lamps, everything's there and we're gonna find in a second.

The only thing that matters in this last hour is this though. Has nothing to do with the lamps or the wick or how you burn whatever you think you burn. It's this right here. So many people overlooking this extra oil so There's gonna talk to you from my heart, but now five of them are wise.

Jesus said five were foolish. They all had their lamps. It says and went out to find the bridegroom and That there's so much there because if you first off if you need a lamp, I lit it at the house actually it works.

It's so sweet. I was gonna light it in here, but then a still small voice was like You got sprinkler systems, you know. If everybody's showered and you know, I don't know how we you know. But it works so.

But if you've got to first off bring your lamp stand. To find the bridegroom it shows you're already leaving it when it's dark. It shows the increased times of darkness. When the Lord's gonna come right at that climatic point.

Meaning they're kind of like would be the modern-day flashlight if we're leaving today we're not bringing our flashlight going to lunch, but the Sun sets and it's dark you take it and They Scholars study and show that the lamps of their time burn for about four hours three to four.

Meaning let's say they left 8 p .m. It's already dark and they're trying to find their way it lights right out of a wick to the bridegroom and As we read it says they fell asleep. Because of his delay there's a there's so much there and at midnight a cry came the bridegroom is coming so first off at Midnight speaks of the darkest hour the darkest hour.

Prophetically, but also I think it's important to note at midnight. He's still coming. He hadn't got there yet. And it says and when he was while he delayed meaning not if he delays He's it's going to feel that way.

I believe the times are gonna get so dark and trying again. I'm not a doom-and-gloom guy. I just love the word. But it's gonna seem as though the Lord's like hurry up. Come Lord. Jesus part of it's gonna be that Burning passion of love for the crowd part of us can be like the times are dire.

Like what are you waiting on? Because it's clearly shows that though. It seems like a delay and But I love that the Lord says I'm gonna come to the floor. Is that cool? I'll just leave my notes if I you know got some cool phrases and stuff, but hopefully those come to me.

But he says Five foolish. The only difference is the extra oil. We'll see in a second five foolish five wise all of them are searching all virgins. Set apart all of them like I'm telling me people in the last hour that had a single eye.

They're not in the end time narrative. They want him. But still they don't have extra oil. This is so key and the Lord says The wise he literally hinges the whole passage on this though. Not the lamp on how flashy it burns not what your call is how you can prophesy this right here that nobody sees and They fall asleep.

You know in his delay midnight the cry comes and All of a sudden they get up as we read and it says they all trim their lamps. This is a super important right here. I was looking into it more. So out of these lamps There's a wick that goes in.

And I know many of you know this some of you may not and the oil comes up the wick to burn like a candle. And so the what's what's really burning is the oil not the wick. You ever seen like a candle you're like, how does that little thread stay there so long because it's not the rope actually burning.

It's the camp. It's the wax going up and that's why it goes so slow. Well, same thing with these the oil is what's burning it like causes this kind of Vaporization to draw up the wick and it burns the oil not the wick so real quick, I feel like often even the Foolish Virgins that have lamps and wicks all this because they both woke up trim their wicks.

They trim their lamps if you study it to like people that are really good at trimming wicks, they They can trim them just so to where they're rounded and cause an even flame to last longer. Like they've even get down to like how they trim it, which I feel like speaks of being well-rounded a really well-rounded wick.

They trim it just so the flame burns perfectly. Even and it burns longer and all this but I think there's gonna be a bunch deep in religion knowledge. Knowing God but denying the power thereof. Not digging out the trenches of oil in the secret place.

There's no real deep intimacy there and what happens when you burn a lamp with no oil that wick does burn. It's just like burning a rope it burns out fast. And so I did want to highlight that that I feel like often you hear of burnout people burning out.

It's one you can take it to the bank when you burn out you have no oil. People like whether they just it was time management. It was a set in the other look at Jesus's schedule. He was so busy. He had the anytime to eat.

If burnout happens, you can take it to the bank. It's it was the lack of oil. Still trying to burn a lamp with no oil and then that wick actually does what you don't burn up fast. Almost, you know like a rope so super key that the oil is where it's at the Lord's like look.

The Hidden Reservoir of Intimacy With God

And I think in the last hour to if you look at surface level. We're gonna see people and they're like they're set apart. They live pure. Their virgins they have lamps the lamps are burning so well rounded look at their theology.

Man, they know the truth. Man, they know the word very well rounded it lights. Well but the oil Improving thereof is only gonna show in the dark hour that we're in in The delay that's where you get exposed.

Everybody look good and tell that window happened then they wake up and You know trim their wicks ready to light them again, but they're out of oil and They look to the wise ones and say what's up young man you play football in the blue shirt right here I could tell you are so old man.

I wouldn't I wouldn't want to get in front of you Linebacker look at me in the prophetic Linebacker so you take out running backs quarterbacks all of them anybody. Yeah, good man. Good man. You're on my team.

I'm on your team Anyway. But like it at midnight when the cry happens a foolish look to the wise. Oh I thought of a funny story. Don't we forget it sort of applies. I think it just be be fun man. I remembered Look to the wise and they go.

Oh my gosh. I'm out of oil and this speaks of so much. Look, it doesn't say explicitly in Scripture, but I see it one of two ways or both. When they left the house the decision was made way back then.

Decisions made way back then you look all of us have lamps if you're born again in here. You have a lamp, but the wise one says, oh, no, we're going to find the bridegroom. I Can't chance it is my whole whole reason.

I'm living right here. Like this journey or you can he's near like this is this is it this is it I Can't risk anything on I'm bringing and this is just a fun one I got or I feel like they were like stacking, you know, fanny packs full or whatever like this one.

I don't care if we're going on a month journey. I'm not missing this one all of my I'm putting everything. All my chips are in this basket here. Oh, no, I know all this. All this hearts are going cold now, I know all that what do you get me he's very near right now very near.

Not a chance. Is this thing running out foolish? What happens is I feel like some of them had oil extra to bring. But if you have anything else in you that's still attached to this this world you'll leave it behind.

Because you're now thinking like but what if? What if you know, he doesn't end up coming or whatever I need to have oil still still. For when I I get home to burn for another day. You have other. Are you following me?

You don't you're not all-in. Or you aren't willing to pay the price to have that reservoir built up anyway in that time and this speaks of people. Again, please don't take this you guys know my heart.

I pray just stir up a hunger and it's like oh, yeah. Whoa, you know Tracy had an incredible word of knowledge earlier saw it while we're praying with the worship team. They just renews our mind and you know sets in a good burning we get marked.

But having not extra oil speaks of the typical daily devotion type connection to God. Just enough for that day. Okay, I get a Kleenex. All right I'm just enough for that day meaning just enough oil. To burn me to get me to the three-hour mark and I'll start again tomorrow.

I don't have extra. You know just enough food for the day. Just a tank of gas to get me from here to there and a lot of people for a life. They live on that fumes wise virgins they. They're so in love with him.

They're not even trying so much but by default because of the The depth of plunging into him anything you hear come out of the Lord's mouth as far as being with him is always abide dwell. He who abides in my word is my disciple.

John 15 abide in me and you'll bear much fruit. Psalm 91 he who dwells in a secret place of the Most High shall be covered. We and so those are deep sustaining abiding words. And I feel like when we get into the secret place what produces oil is.

That time consistency of being with him in his word and presence. And if you have just enough to burn for that day, you're living off of day-to-day. You know devotion whatever it may be. And so I feel like there's a couple things going on there.

They had actual they could have brought but weren't willing to risk it thought maybe let me leave some behind. Whereas the wise ones are like are you kidding me? And we'll I'm getting ahead of myself.

But we'll see in a second if we don't go all in for the extra oil now, it can cost you everything in eternity. Probably not salvation. But the highest goal of why we're even here. This whole thing we're hitting a different angle in our school right now.

But this whole things about this marriage one day you can see it man. It's on the Lord's heart and so. These wise virgins they in the foolish they wake up they look to them and say hey. Can I have some of your oil meaning?

My flashlight batteries went dead and I can't see far enough to get to him in this darkest time. And you'd say oh the Christian thing to do lay my life down for another. Give and it'll be given to you.

Someone asked you for even your enemy asked you for the shirt off your back give it to him not in this hour. That's just how vital this is. Wise versions that the Lord says wise he's oh heck. No. My version not not in this hour.

You don't get no they're like, are you kidding me right now? This is the only substance that gets me to him. Go by your own. This is where you get real selfish. But it's not really selfishness. It's just it's marriage.

It's covenant. It's Union. You know and so you see this here this is the only part really where scripture condones like no keep your own number one number two, I Think more importantly is you can't give your oil to anybody else.

It's got to be bought by yourself like like Shireen. She she can't give you her oil. Tommy you know Eva like like Chris you can't. The oil produced in the secret place of knowing him you can't even give it anyway if you tried.

Does that make sense? It's an intimate thing carved out in being with him. And it's produced in time. I like to just for imagery sake think of every time you get into the word and Pray. The we have like these facade olive trees by the front door.

But there's this all these olives don't ever tell you guys about me and Todd stealing the olives in Israel, okay? It just came to me rabbit trail. Anyway no not stealing that's bad we Forgive me Lord we blessed ourselves with them the favor of the Lord enabled us to yeah.

But every time you're in prayer and in the word it's like those trees there's all of the trees of your life. That bring the connection to from you to him. It's like they mature the fruit ripens in the shaking of his glory that weighty glory because to pull them off the tree and I'm gonna drop one at a time to.

And you don't know what's happening. Just in the word man enough or law just looking at him and you don't know what's happening. And that kibbutz of glory starts to press down on the olives of your life and oil comes out.

And more oil and abiding and dwelling in more oil. And abiding and residing and dwelling in more oil. And then all of a sudden you wonder where you've got Reservoirs of oil around you and you would love to give them away.

But you can't because they're intimate and one-on-one with him the bridal paradigm. It's so singular. How many other people sorry to get but you guys get it in a pure pure mindset? How many other people are in the room when a husband and wife become one nobody it's one-on-one.

Same way oil is produced one-on-one and. So these wives wasn't and they've been doing this not out of have to out of like he's my everything. I don't know anything else and You'll see in a second that the only thing that will get you through the end time door to the wedding feast is oil.

It's not even the lamp. I don't care how flashy your lamp is. I feel like many people in the natural their lamps don't look so impressive. May not even trim their wick too. Well, but they've got so much oil.

It doesn't matter it's kind of like somebody with a Vehicle that burns all kind of gas fast and it's just not efficient at all. But if they got endless gas stations supply, what does it matter? You know what I mean?

Buying Oil and Counting the Cost

And Oh, this is the funny stories remembering and then we'll get back and pray but but maybe we'd be wise virgins in this. How it is the end time there if I'm tell you if we were like had a news channel of heaven.

We could click on you click on the world's and it would show it would show darkness nonsense chaos. I don't give a rip. Do I love humanity? Oh, yeah, do I burn for the loss? Oh, yeah, but the narrative of the world I could I could care less.

I don't I don't really care. Click newsreel of heaven. You'll see these ten virgins looking for a bridegroom has nothing to do with the world's doing. We're gonna get him. We're gonna find the wise ones are like, oh, yeah fanny packs.

Oil oil delay as long as you want. I've got I've got plenty. We've got plenty and you can see this whole passage hinges around this having extra. This right here at the end. Assesses whether you're wise or foolish.

Foolish virgins they busy themselves with so other so many other things. They don't have time to get an extra oil just enough for the day just enough for that short to midnight and then it burns out. Wise virgins is like man because of the same time.

And and this is something else you can't just brush up on quick at the end and run off and buy some. It's got to be a lifestyle. But um, yeah, so this was this was funny we um. Sort of connects. It's just it was fun though.

We in Louisiana, we a hurricane came through and Power went out all this and so My parents had a generator. That's what as you'll remember the story. We'd laugh about it now. So we're like, hey camping out at parents house.

They got a generator. And we're like day one day to no power typically power comes back on and like, you know, at least third day or something and My Myself my children even my grandmother. She's amazing.

My mom's mom. She she recently went on and credible. We're all over there and I remember the neighbors. I think it was a custom home. My dad built they lived in the time on a golf course, so we're like Didn't miss a beat.

We're over there baking cakes and just eating and everybody's like sweating coming over how y 'all have power. You know, we're like, I don't have a generator, you know, we you know, it was funny. You feel bad and like we're just living the life but what's funny is my dad.

It was awesome there was a Canadian geese that would be on the golf course and he'd feed them and The the bread he's feeding them and they're all in heaven and we're just doing life, but there's just no power out in the whole city.

And it would fed him all the bread. No worries. We'll get more bread tomorrow. Power still out day three day four. Powers out a whole week all of a sudden. There's no bread in the entire city. No food.

Nothing. No some food, but it was like rations. They had guard was like m16s at Walmart. There's like crazy like like letting a few people in at a time. And we're like, oh my gosh, we gave all the bread to the keys, you know.

It's so funny so we're like man not so smart now, you know. And it just sort of connected because it was fun like you if you don't plan and have you know storage for the end so what was funny is It was out for like two weeks.

It was was it Gustav? Yeah, I don't know if anybody Louisiana remembers Gustav. Yeah, it was brutal. We had smashed us. It was funny is with hurricanes. It's horrible in Louisiana. You probably aren't as familiar up here.

But what they do is always put these names on them. And it's horrible though because the poor people with the name with a hurricane. Like for their forever mark, you know. Like you remember Katrina came through and so anybody named Katrina, Louisiana people.

Yeah, Katrina, you know. They're like, I'm not the hurricane. Yeah, but you're named it, you know. You could just feel it. I don't know why they do that. It's just number them or something. But anyway.

So this is funny me and my dad like Jackpot light bulb goes off. We're going to raid my grandmother's pantry because she was with us. So we sneak over and she towards the end there was kind of having some Alzheimer's or whatever.

I think this may have been it and so we go into her pantry. We're like she's got four boxes of cheese. It's. This is amazing. She'll never know who just take the ones off the back and you know I'm teasing we would tell her but we raided her pantry and.

And we supplied and got through. But you know, this is more of a fun story. But in the end, you know the reservoir of oil through knowing him social vital and Absolutely necessary. So, you know you see at midnight they cry he's coming they get up and They leave to go buy more oil.

Because this is a couple things number one. You can't give it away your oil. I mean husbands and wives can't if your parents are amazing men and women of God. It their world is not gonna be sufficient for you on that day.