The Christian mission is to affect the four groups of people we mingle with every day.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1-13

 ¹ “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “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.’

⁹ “‘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.’

¹⁰ “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.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

They were not chastised for falling asleep! Rather they were faulted for no oil.

• Oil is the Biblical symbol for the Holy Spirit.
• Having a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit is crucial for being full of oil.
• Joining the Holy Spirit on the mission around us means having a heart for uplifting/equipping Christians and running rescue for those who are not Christian— yet.

The 4 Groups of People We Mingle With Every Day:

I.   Christians Who Need Awakening

We try to awaken those who are ignorant of, or resistant to, the mission of extending a dire warning to those around us. Of the Christians who need awakening, there are 2 sub-groups:

A. Christians who are ignorant of, or resistant to the mission

Some Christians feel they are not called to be an evangelist. However, it is an evangelist’s work to equip the believers to do the work of evangelism. Every Christian is called to reach out to the people they are in contact with to share the good news of salvation that is available to everyone who will give their life to Jesus Christ.There is one work a person must do in order to be saved: put their trust in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

¹¹ Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. ¹² We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. ¹³ If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What Did Jesus Teach About Hell?

What if we do not believe that hell is real? It is never a question of what we believe. The real question for the Christian is “What did Jesus teach?” We must remind ourselves that Jesus was fully aware of hell, and he often warned people to avoid hell by putting their trust in him. When Jesus died, he descended into hell and preached to those in hell. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, his descent into hell was part of the resurrection. He conquered not only death, but the power of sin, and freed us from the punishment of eternity in hell.

2. Warning Christians Living in Sin

Hebrews 3:12-15

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. ¹⁴ We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.¹⁵ As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”

II. Encouraging Christians Who Are at Work in the Kingdom

We are to encourage Christians who are hard at work, laboring beside us with eager and willing hearts out of their love and devotion to Jesus in his Kingdom work as part of the Body of Christ. We do not want them to become weary and lose heart, but rather to be strengthened and encouraged to continue to run the good race so they finish well.

Romans 10:11-15

¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Hebrews 12:1-3

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

III. Non-Believers Who Will Receive Jesus Before the Rapture

What if I am Introverted?

Some Christians say they are introverted, and therefore they cannot reach out to others, because it is simply not in their nature to do so. But they fail to realize that there is pressure against every Christian. Satan is always at work coming up with excuses or reasons why not to share Jesus with others. Although it is true that some people are more shy than others, every Christian has the Holy Spirit living in their hearts. The Holy Spirit is never shy. So it is more a matter of the Christian responding to the nudges of the Holy Spirit and obeying. If we truly want the Holy Spirit to do his work of sharing the gospel, we must understand that it is God’s plan for the Holy Spirit to do his work through us. Our part is to make ourselves available, open our hearts, open our schedules, open our mouths, and open our homes to those around us. It is when we are in contact with our friends and neighbors that we can open up to the leading of the Holy Spirit in normal daily life and conversation. The Holy Spirit will give us what to say, if we will open our mouths. We would not stand by and let a friend drown without trying to help them, nor would we watch their house burn to the ground without doing our very best to rescue them. But if we could only see the flames of hell waiting for them, we would overcome our inhibitions and rearrange our priorities to invite them in every way possible to give their hearts to Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

¹⁴  But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?

The Great Commission

As a person dedicates their heart and the rest of their life to following Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live in their heart and teach them from within. The Holy Spirit brings that encouragement and excitement for reading the Bible, and he teaches the new believer as the believer reads. But our part is not completed when a new believer asks Jesus into their heart. New believers need discipleship. Jesus said that we are to make disciples.

Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

IV. Non-Believers Left Behind After the Rapture

It is important for Christians to leave a good testimony behind for non-believers who will remain behind. Those left on earth will still have the choice as long as they are alive of whether or not to believe in Jesus.

2 Peter 3:3-15

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. ⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

After the Rapture, the Holy Spirit Continues

Avoid extrapolating that because the Holy Spirit lives in the hearts of believers in Christ, that when believers are caught up in the Rapture and the Church Age comes to an end, that the Holy Spirit also leaves the earth. We must consider that the Holy Spirit was working on the earth since the earth was created, long before the church was on the scene, and the Holy Spirit will be here long after the church is gone as God continues to carry out his plans on earth.

All Scripture references from: New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.