Mark 25:1-13
The number 10 speaks to purity. It’s not a parable about sheep and goats…it’s all christians.
The lamp is the thing we all have in common. We all have a lamp. Rich lamps, and poor lamps. Educated lamps, non-educated lamps. Black, white, yellow lamps…colorful, dull, etc, etc…
What made them wise or foolish wasn’t what their lamp looked like…the lamp wasn’t the distinguishing factor. The level of OIL in the lamp, was what made them wise or foolish.
Two types of Christianity! Wise or foolish.
Now…the oil speaks of the holy presence of God. The Holy Spirit. Metaphorically!
There’s a foolish stream of Christianity that only wants enough god to get through the day!
We don’t need to compare lamps…lamp insecurities. It’s not about your lamp, it’s not about the external….but how MUCH oil you carry!
Ephesians 3:20 - it's about HIS power within us!
If there is an appetite for more oil, God will fill you!
The hungry and the thirsty shall be filled! Matthew 5:6
God doesn’t come to empty vessels, he comes to HUNGRY vessels.
He doesn’t quench the dry, he quenches the thirsty!!
1. Unexpected delays
The delay will expose the lack of oil you carry!
For the wise, sleep was a good thing...you can rest during the delays when you carry extra oil. For the foolish, they should have used that time, to get more oil.
Don’t carry enough for your time frame…carry enough for HIS.
We never have to fear that we will have TOO MUCH…The psalmist said, you anoint my head with oil, and my cup overflows.
There were two storms during Jesus' ministry that we see in the Bible, one, Jesus says, “Peace be still” and it stops.
The other, it doesn’t say that, it just says he walked back to the boat.
Sometimes God will deliver you from the storm, but sometimes, he will give you grace to OUTLAST the storm. To, after it all, still be standing firm.
Ephesians 6:13, Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. (not be DELIVERED, but resist!!) Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (AFTER the battle, not God delivering you FROM the battle)
People will get addicted to the immediacy of it, and think that’s the only way God delivers, and so when it doesn’t happen for me immediately, well, God must not be real, OR I must not be good enough. But there’s a third option….God is teaching you something ELSE in this season. And you need to just wait on the Lord. Just ask Him for more oil, to get through the delay.
2. Unseen destiny
What if, God has more for you…but you’re only taking enough oil for your day to day, and not your DREAM SOMEDAY.
Maybe asking God for more oil is a prerequisite to the MORE that He’s going to give you!
God is not an instantly God, but He is a suddenly God.
Complaining felt a whole lot better than preparing…
What if your appetite for more oil is what may qualify you for more destiny?
Thinking you have enough oil, when things are good, will cap your destiny.
Psalm 42:1, Psalm 63:1-5
3. More of God
The delays aren’t that scary, the future isn’t that exciting…I just love you! You love me! I just want that life-giving interaction and intimacy with the Almighty God.
Hosea 6:6
It’s not that they we’re being selfish by saying no to giving oil—the principle is that YOU NEED YOUR OWN OIL!
I can’t pursue God FOR you…I can just show you how to do it.