coming of the bridegroom are called foolish. They are very generous but were victims of their own folly. So it is with the individual who fails to prepare for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In eternity he will be revealed as a fool — one who is vic timized by his own folly. The third pivotal word is identity. QUIET M IN D I have a treasure which I praise; None better can I find; There's nothing like it on this earth— 'Tis this: a quiet mind. But 'tis not that I'm stupefied Or senseless, dull or blind; 'Tis God's own peace within my heart Which forms my quiet mind. I found this treasure at the cross, And there, to every kind Of weary, heavy-laden souls God gives a quiet mind. My Saviour's death and risen life To find it were designed; His love, the never-failing spring Of this, my quiet mind. The love of God within my breast M y heart to Him doth bind; This is the peace of heaven on earth, This is my quiet mind. And what may be tomorrow's cross I never seek to find; My Saviour says, "Leave that to Me And keep a quiet mind." I'm waiting now my Lord to see, So patient and so kind; I want to thank Him face to face For this — my quiet mind. This parable definitely teaches us that the true identity of every in dividual will be revealed at the com ing of the Lord. Look at the story with me for just a moment. Right after the coming of the bridegroom there was no way of telling who the wise and the foolish virgins were. They all looked and acted the same,
however, when the bridegroom came each one was identified as to what she was. Five were identified as wise virgins and five were identified as foolish virgins, and so shall it be with the coming of the Lord for His bride. When the Lord returns every individual is going to be identified as to what he is. His is going to be identified either as a Christian or as a non-Christian. In Matthew 24:40- 41 the Saviour Himself puts it this way, “There shall be two in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” The last of the pivotal words is finality. The most ominous state ments, the most terrifying state ments in this parable, are the words found in verses 10 and 12. They are “the door was shut, I know you not.” You see, the foolish virgins were too late, their fate was sealed. Alfred Lloyd Tennyson, in his poem, Idols of the King, has turned this part of the parable into a song which he has the little novice say to Hie queen when her Majesty had too late dis covered the high cost of sin. Late, late, so late and dark the night in chill. Late, late, so late that we can enter still. Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now, No light had we, for that we do re pent, And learning this, the bridegroom will relent, Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now. Yes, the tragic story of the five foolish virgins, the tragic story of any individual who fails to prepare for the coming of the Lord, can be summarized in the simple phrase, “Too late, too late, too late.” Back in December, 1915 when it appeared as if Britain would lose 13
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