The following is an adaptation from Pastor Peter Brunton’s recent teaching during “The Hurricane Irma service” at the Evans’ Ranch.

There is an interesting story from the book of Matthew, Chapter 25:

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!”

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”

“No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.”

But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. “Sir, Sir,” they said, “open the door for us!”

But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.”

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

So there was a job that these bridesmaids (or virgins) actually had. They would have these large bowls of lamps that would light up an entire room, and it was part of their job to make sure that they could light up the room.So if they didn’t bring enough oil, what were they doing there? They were there to do a specific job, and likewise, we are called to do a specific job.

We’re not Christians because we look good, or because it seems to fit our image right now, or because it helps our vocation, or because it helps our position in culture or society. God’s not impressed by that, he has a job for us and he’s expecting that we’ll get the job done, and if we can’t get it done, then what is it that he’s meant to do with us? We have a job in the Kingdom of God.

In our Christianity are we just walking this path waiting for Christ to return, waiting for the Kingdom of God to be completely fulfilled in our lives? Sometimes we take it for granted because we’ve got enough gas in the tank, we’ve got enough oil in our lamp, but what we’re not doing is storing up more. This is why the two most important things we can do as Christians is to gather together and to grow together.

God speaks to us in three different ways; First is through the word of God (the Bible)--this is gold to us. The second way is that he speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, and the third way is that God speaks to us through each other, because not one of us has the full revelation of God. So we need each other...this is why we have the Church Community.