The Oil of the Spirit

Text: Matthew 25:1-13

Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday.

We celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit described in…

Acts 2:1–4 (LSB) And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues like fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

Oh, that WE would receive a fresh Pentecost on Pentecost Sunday.

A fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

A fresh fire.

A fresh wind.

A fresh outpouring of tongues that speak of the mighty deeds of God!

Pentecost Sunday reminds us of the active, participatory ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Bride of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the One who makes sure the Bride is ready for the wedding Supper of the Lamb described in (Revelation 19:7-10)

Through the passage I just read, the Holy Spirit is reminding us of

the importance of His presence,

the importance of His fullness

and the importance of His operation in our lives.

A couple of weeks ago, at Tuesday prayer, I shared something I saw on Instagram.

We have many Christians who were "ON FIRE" who are now burnt-out because we taught them to pursue fire instead of oil.

We prioritized ministry fire instead of secret place oil and lost our flame because we had no devotional fuel.

That conference, school, and stadium event can all set you on fire for God; but they cannot give you oil to keep the flame burning!

Pursue oil, not fire.

Oil is underground and fire is in the open.

I have prayed about the lack of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit being manifested here at New Life,

I know that past abuses caused problems — but we are WAY past that now.

I feel the Lord telling me there’s no fire of manifestation because there too little oil to fuel it.

Let us commit to a pursuit of the oil of the Holy Spirit being poured into our lives,

That He will be poured out upon and dwell in and on the Bride of Christ — the local church — on US!

We see the critical importance of the oil in our text this morning.

All Welcomed

First, as we look at this scripture text this morning we see the magnanimous nature of God.

Apparently the 10 bridesmaids in this parable were ALL invited to a wedding.

The Bridegroom didn’t distinguish amongst those invited as to whether they were wise or foolish — they were ALL invited to celebrate and participate.

In the same way, ALL are invited to be a part of the Kingdom of God.

2 Peter 3:9 (LSB) The Lord is … not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

In Ezekiel 18:23 (LSB) [God asks… ]“Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” … “is it not that he should turn from his ways and live?”

This morning, if you have not turned from your wicked, rebellious ways, it isn’t because God isn’t willing to accept you — He is!

He is inviting you — turn to Him and be saved.

Turn to Him in repentance, surrender and faith.

Prayer:

Lord, I pray for anyone here, or watching this livestream, who does not know You as Lord and Savior.

Draw them to turn from their life of destruction.

Draw the to turn from sin, to repent — to walk a different way, led by You as the Lord of their life.

May the devil’s plans be defeated as they turn to Jesus right now.

Five Were Wise — 5 Were Foolish

So, there were 10 who were invited to attend the wedding, but in this 10 there were 2 different groups of people.

They may have dressed in similar fashion.

They may have all been super excited.

But we are told …

Vs. 2

So, first of all, we are told there were 5 foolish bridesmaids (vs. 3)

We know they were foolish because, whereas they knew to bring lamps, they didn’t think to bring oil.

Realize — these were not ignorant bridesmaids — they KNEW what to expect.

They KNEW how a Galilean wedding took place.

They KNEW that when he was least expected — THAT was when the Bridegroom would come.

And STILL — incredibly —they didn’t prepare for an extended wait.

They didn’t bring extra oil for their lamps.

The last Sunday in June, I will be showing a movie called Before the Wrath.

I encourage you to come and see this passage illustrated.

So we see the 5 foolish bridesmaids, but we also see the 5 wise, or prudent.

We see this Greek word translated “wise” used in several passages.

For instance, Jesus said in Matthew 7:24–25 (LSB) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and fell against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:16 (LSB) “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

In Luke 12:40–43 (LSB) [Jesus said… ] “You too, be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” 41 Now Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent [wise] steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

Jesus is NOT only calling us to salvation, but to be WISE in our salvation.

To show wisdom in our salvation by …

Watching for His return

Being prepared for His return

Working for His return

The Difference

As we look at these 10 bridesmaids, what is the KEY difference?

The difference is oil.

Jesus is telling us on this Pentecost Sunday …

Your salvation is more that praying for forgiveness of sins.

It’s more than occasionally attending church.

Maybe reading your Bible once in a blue moon.

Prayer? — well I pray before I eat — sometimes.

Salvation is MORE.

It’s about ALWAYS being READY for the return of Jesus.

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24:42–44 (NLT) “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

So how can we be like the 5 wise bridesmaids?

How can we be ready?

By doing what they did.

Vs. 4 - Matthew 25:4 (ESV) … the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

Every generation since the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost knows what the oil represents.

It represents the Holy Spirit.

The Fire Bible tells us:

The oil in this parable represents true faith, a right relationship with God and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. In Scripture, oil is often a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in a person’s life. All true followers of Jesus can enjoy that presence. If we want to be ready, like the wise virgins, our lives need to be pure and full of the faith and righteousness that come only from God’s Spirit.

The constant Presence of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 (NLT) Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 5:18 (TPT) And don’t get drunk with wine, which is rebellion; instead be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

The Greek verb tense for drunk is: “The negated NT (Greek) present imperative which conveys the thought:

Constantly avoid this … keep on resisting! – or Stop (if it is already happening)!

This prohibition always relays ongoing action requiring … continuing vigilance, enduring resistance, etc.

On the other hand, the Greek verb tense is for “filled” is:

“be filled and KEEP on being filled.”

Don’t stop being filled!

Jerome Smith (1992). writing in his New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge says:

There is a sermon in the mood, tense, voice and number of this verb “filled”:

it is in the imperative mood, indicating a command;

it is present tense, which in Greek represents the aspect of denoting continuous action—we are to be constantly or continuously filled;

it is in the passive voice, indicating we are to allow this to be done to us — in other words, we are to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us;

AND it is plural in number, meaning it applies to all believers.

If you have never been Baptized in the Holy Spirit, may you surrender to the Lord’s desire to continuously fill you — to baptize you.

If you were baptized in the Holy Spirit, but you do not have a current experience — you don’t pray or sing in tongues — you feel ambivalent about the NEED for the Holy Spirit operating in and through your life, may you become passionate for a RE-filling.

May the Lord make us ALL passionate to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit.

Why?

So we will live BLESSED lives because we are ready for the return of Christ.

Like the 5 wise bridesmaids, we have vessels filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

WE are vessels of honor continuously filled with the Holy Spirit.

Our Response

Notice that ALL of the bridesmaids fell asleep.

ALL also heard the shout: vs. 6

Vs 7: They ALL prepared their lamps for use.

But, it was only the wise bridesmaids who had the extra oil needed to keep their lamps from going out.

The wise bridesmaids couldn’t bring enough oil for those who were unprepared.

They had enough to carry and to do to help the bride get ready for the Groom.

They weren’t malicious when they told the foolish bridesmaids … (vs. 9).

WE cannot carry and store oil for others.

We can encourage them, but everyone can only carry enough oil for themselves.

What about you this morning?

Are you ready for the midnight cry?

Do you not only have the light of salvation burning inside you, but do you have a fresh supply of oil to keep the flame going?

Without the oil of the Holy Spirit, the lamp of your salvation will go out.

The Holy Spirit is the One who ignited the lamp of salvation within you.

Only the Holy Spirit can sustain your salvation.

The Apostle Paul asked the Galatian believers in

Galatians 3:3 (TPT) Your new life in the Anointed One began with the Holy Spirit giving you a new birth. Why then would you so foolishly turn from living in the Spirit by trying to finish by your own works?

On this Pentecost Sunday I urge us to be sure we have the Oil of the Holy Spirit flowing in our lives.

As the Worship Team comes to the platform, I would like to ask us all to stand.

For multiple weeks I have been emphasizing that we are the Bride of Christ.

Our text is yet another emphasis of this point.

Not only do the bridesmaids need to have oil — but obviously — so does the Bride.

In fact, as the Bride of Christ, could we ALL come to the front and begin to lift up our hearts to God?

Could we ALL come and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with fresh oil?

Could we ask Him to help us to be the Bride of Christ, ready for the return of the Bridegroom?

Let’s let this hymn be our prayer.