Gospel Doctrine Lesson Twenty Two

Inherit the kingdom

prepared for you

Purpose: To help
class members prepare
themselves for the
Second Coming
through living
righteously,
developing their
talents, and serving
others.

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?

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?

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

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?