Worship

Service 8 November 2026

Matthew 25:1-13: The parable of the ten virgins is often read as a story of judgment, dividing the wise from the foolish. However, its deeper message concerns holiness. Holiness is not moral superiority or personal achievement but God’s gift to His chosen people. Like oil used to anoint priests, kings, and prophets, holiness signifies being set apart for God. The wise brides were ready because they possessed oil, symbolising their identity as God’s people. This identity brings peace rather than anxiety, enabling believers to reflect God’s character in daily life. Even through suffering, symbolised by pressed olives, God produces the oil of holiness, joy, and faithful living.