Use this youth discussion to talk about the meaning of the parable of 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-3. Give yourself about 30-45 minutes for this discussion.
The parable of the 10 virgins is not about church folks and the “wicked”. It is about Jesus followers and church folks. There is a difference. Some will be ready for Him, some won’t.
Let’s not get carried away in provoking fear in the youth for missing out on Jesus. This is not the goal. The goal is to let the youth look introspectively at themselves and see if Jesus is really their King in their lives. Encourage the youth to make Jesus an all-encompassing relationship in their lives so they will be filled with the Holy Spirit and have enough to have extra in reserve.
Begin Discussion
First, show the youth this video on YouTube.
After showing the video…
- What do you see here? Explain what is happening?
- What was the warning for the cyclist?
- Was ignoring the crossing gates the only warning? What else should the cyclist have seen?
- What would you have done?
Have the youth read out loud, Matthew 25:1-13 (the parable of the 10 virgins).
- What are your observations from this passage?
- What does oil represent here? (Oil is commonly known to represent the Holy Spirit – 1 Samuel 16:13)
- How many had oil? (All 10)
- How many had extra oil? (5 of them)
- The Bible calls the virgins without extra oil, foolish. Verses 10-11 say the ones who did not come with extra oil could not be with the bridegroom.
Let’s break this down. The Bridegroom is Jesus. He calls the church His bride in Scripture. The virgins are women and a woman is considered symbolically the church. So this is about the church and Jesus. Many in the church will not be in heaven. Jesus is saying this to people in the church.
- So what is the warning here for us in the church? (v13: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”)
- In your life, are you looking for Jesus every day? Why is this so hard to do consistently?
- If you are looking for Jesus, what does that look like in a Christian’s life? What are some common character attributes of people who have a relationship with Jesus?
Final Question. Give each youth a chance to speak.
- How are you preparing or how can you prepare for the coming of our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ?
It is not enough to just go to church. It is not enough to just believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Facts don’t get you into heaven. A Jesus-filled life is the entry ticket.