Based on the book *Christ's Object Lessons*, Chapter 29, "To Meet the Bridegroom," uses the parable of the ten virgins to illustrate the experience of the church just before Christ's second coming. Here is a summary of its key points: * **Two Classes of Believers:** The parable highlights two types of believers. All ten virgins had lamps (representing the Word of God) and went out to meet the bridegroom (Christ). All heard the message of His coming and expected His appearance. "For a time there was seen no difference between them" (COL 408.2). * **The Symbol of the Oil:** The crucial difference was the oil. The wise virgins took extra oil in their vessels, while the foolish took none. This oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The wise had a genuine, personal experience and a faith nurtured by the Spirit. The foolish were moved by impulse and fear; they had a "theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God" (GC 393.4). * **A Time of Waiting:** The bridegroom's delay represents a time of waiting that tries the faith of believers. During this time, true character is revealed. When the cry finally comes, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him" (Matthew 25:6), many are found unready. * **Preparation Cannot Be Borrowed:** The foolish virgins, realizing their lamps were going out, tried to get oil from the wise, but it was too late. This teaches that character and a relationship with the Holy Spirit are not transferable. Preparation for Christ's coming is a personal experience that cannot be done at the last minute. "We cannot be ready to meet the Lord by waking when the cry is heard, 'Behold, the Bridegroom!' and then gathering up our empty lamps to have them replenished" (COL 413.2). * **The Marriage:** The "marriage" represents Christ receiving His kingdom. The bride is the New Jerusalem, the capital of the kingdom. The church is represented as the guests who, by faith, follow Christ's work in heaven and prepare to meet Him when He returns. Ultimately, the chapter is a call for genuine, heartfelt preparation. It warns against being satisfied with a superficial knowledge of the truth and urges every believer to seek a deep, abiding connection with God through the Holy Spirit, so they will be ready to meet Him with joy.

Based on the book *Christ's Object Lessons*, Chapter 29, "To Meet the Bridegroom," uses the parable of the ten virgins to illustrate the experience of the church just before Christ's second coming. The parable highlights two types of believers who await Christ's return. All ten virgins had lamps, representing the Word of God, and all went out to meet the bridegroom. For a time, no difference was seen between them. The crucial distinction was the oil, which symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The wise virgins carried extra oil, signifying a genuine, personal faith nurtured by the Spirit. The foolish, however, had none, possessing only a "theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God" (GC 393.4). The bridegroom's delay represents a time of waiting that tries the faith of believers and reveals their true character. When the cry finally came, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," the foolish were found unready. Their attempt to borrow oil failed, teaching that character and a relationship with the Holy Spirit are not transferable. Preparation is a personal experience that cannot be done at the last minute. "We cannot be ready to meet the Lord by waking when the cry is heard, 'Behold, the Bridegroom!' and then gathering up our empty lamps to have them replenished" (COL 413.2). The "marriage" itself represents Christ receiving His kingdom, with the New Jerusalem as the bride and the prepared church as the guests. Ultimately, the chapter is a call for genuine, heartfelt preparation, warning against a superficial knowledge of truth and urging every believer to seek a deep, abiding connection with God through the Holy Spirit to be ready to meet Him with joy.

Based on the book *Christ's Object Lessons*, Chapter 28, "The Reward of Grace," addresses the misconception that God's favor can be earned through works. It contrasts the mercenary spirit of the world with the principle of God's free grace. The chapter uses the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, who were all paid the same wage regardless of how many hours they worked. This illustrates that the reward of salvation is not a debt to be paid based on merit but a gift given freely by God. The disciples, like the Jews of their time, were influenced by the idea of earning righteousness, and Christ sought to correct this error. The key lesson is that service motivated by a desire for reward is contrary to the principles of heaven. True service springs from a heart of love and gratitude for the gift of salvation. The reward is not of works, but of grace, ensuring that no one can boast of their own merits. Therefore, the chapter teaches that God's gift of eternal life is bestowed not based on human calculation of labor, but on His own generous and loving nature.

Based on the book *Christ's Object Lessons*, Chapter 28, "Who Is My Neighbor?" answers the question a lawyer posed to Jesus to justify himself. Christ responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which teaches that a neighbor is not defined by race, religion, or social class. The key points of the chapter are: * **The Question's Origin:** A lawyer, after affirming the great commandments to love God and his neighbor, sought to justify his own lack of charity by asking, "Who is my neighbor?" * **The Parable's Lesson:** Jesus tells the story of a man robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest and a Levite—men of his own nation and high religious standing—pass by without helping. However, a Samaritan, a person despised by the Jews, stops to care for the man, binding his wounds, taking him to an inn, and paying for his care. * **Redefining "Neighbor":** Through this story, Christ demolishes the narrow, exclusive definitions of the time. He teaches that "our neighbor is every person who needs our help. Our neighbor is every soul who is wounded and bruised by the adversary. Our neighbor is everyone who is the property of God" (COL 376.2). * **A Call to Action:** When Jesus asked the lawyer who proved to be a neighbor to the wounded man, the lawyer had to admit it was "He that showed mercy on him." Jesus's final command, "Go, and do thou likewise," transforms the question from one of definition to one of action. The chapter emphasizes that true religion is demonstrated through acts of mercy and love toward anyone in need.

Based on the book *Christ's Object Lessons*, Chapter 28, "Who Is My Neighbor?" answers the question a lawyer posed to Jesus to justify himself. Christ responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which teaches that a neighbor is not defined by race, religion, or social class. The chapter explains that the lawyer, seeking to justify his own lack of charity, asked, "Who is my neighbor?" In response, Jesus told the story of a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest and a Levite, men of his own nation and high religious standing, passed by without helping. However, a Samaritan, a person despised by the Jews, stopped to care for the man, binding his wounds, taking him to an inn, and paying for his care. Through this story, Christ demolishes the narrow, exclusive definitions of the time, teaching that "our neighbor is every person who needs our help. Our neighbor is every soul who is wounded and bruised by the adversary. Our neighbor is everyone who is the property of God" (COL 376.2). When Jesus asked the lawyer who proved to be a neighbor to the wounded man, the lawyer had to admit it was "He that showed mercy on him." Jesus's final command, "Go, and do thou likewise," transforms the question from one of definition to one of action, emphasizing that true religion is demonstrated through acts of mercy and love toward anyone in need.

Based on the writings of Ellen White, the parable of the Good Samaritan was so impactful in its time because it directly confronted and shattered the deeply ingrained social and religious prejudices, particularly the bitter animosity between Jews and Samaritans. Here’s a breakdown of why it was so revolutionary: **1. The Extreme Animosity Between Jews and Samaritans:** The hatred between the two groups was not a mild dislike; it was a profound division. * **Mutual Hatred:** The Samaritans were "despised and hated by the Jews" (SJ 65.2). The two groups were "bitter enemies" who avoided all contact as much as possible (DA 183.2). * **Religious Division:** The core of their conflict was "a difference in religious belief, a question as to what constitutes true worship" (COL 380.3). The Jews considered the Samaritans heretics and poured their "bitterest curses upon them" (COL 380.3). * **Social Segregation:** The separation was absolute. A Jew would not accept "a morsel of bread or a cup of water" from a Samaritan (DA 183.2). To be called a "Samaritan" was one of the worst insults a Jew could hurl, as they did at Jesus Himself (COL 380.3). **2. It Subverted All Expectations:** Jesus's audience would have had a clear expectation of who the "good guy" and "bad guy" should be. * **The Failure of the Religious Leaders:** The story first presents a priest and a Levite—the religious and moral leaders of the Jewish community. By having them ignore the wounded man, Jesus directly challenged the idea that religious status equated to righteousness. * **The Hero Was an Enemy:** By making the hero a Samaritan, Jesus shocked his listeners. The Samaritan acted with compassion, knowing full well that if the roles were reversed, the Jewish man "would spit in his face, and pass him by with contempt" (DA 503.2). This choice forced the audience to see goodness and godliness in someone they were conditioned to hate. **3. It Redefined "Neighbor" and True Religion:** The parable's ultimate purpose was to answer the lawyer's question, "Who is my neighbor?" * **From Identity to Action:** Jesus shifted the definition of a neighbor from someone of the same race or creed to anyone in need. The lesson was that "any human being who needs our sympathy and our kind offices is our neighbor" (4T 226.3). * **Religion in Deed, Not Creed:** The story illustrated that true religion "consists not in systems, creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving deeds, in bringing the greatest good to others, in genuine goodness" (DA 497). The Samaritan, who was considered religiously impure by the Jews, demonstrated a heart that was "truly converted" and "in harmony with God" through his actions (COL 379.3). In essence, the parable's power came from its use of a despised enemy as the moral hero. It was a radical and unforgettable lesson that true compassion transcends all human-made barriers of race, religion, and social standing.

Based on the book *Christ's Object Lessons*, Chapter 26, titled “Friends by the Mammon of Unrighteousness,” explains the parable of the unjust steward found in Luke 16:1-9. The chapter teaches that Christ was not commending the steward's dishonesty, but rather using his foresight as a powerful illustration. The steward, facing the loss of his position, acted shrewdly to secure his future. In the same way, Christ's followers should use their earthly resources—the "mammon of unrighteousness"—with wisdom and foresight to prepare for their eternal future. The key lesson is that worldly possessions are a trust from God. Instead of using them for selfish indulgence, believers are to use them to do good and bless others. As Christ said, “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles” (COL 367.4). By using our means to help the afflicted, the suffering, and the sinful, we are investing in heaven. When our earthly possessions are gone, we will have laid up treasure in heaven and will be welcomed into our eternal home by those we have helped and by the heavenly beings with whom we have partnered in the work of salvation.

Based on the book *Christ's Object Lessons*, Chapter 25, "Talents," explains the parable of the talents from Matthew 25 to teach what it means to watch for Christ's second coming. The chapter emphasizes that this watching is not to be spent in "idle waiting, but in diligent working" (COL 325.2). Here are the key points of the chapter: * **The Meaning of Talents:** The talents in the parable represent more than just the special gifts of the Spirit. They include "all gifts and endowments, whether original or acquired, natural or spiritual" (COL 328.1). This encompasses our time, health, abilities, intellect, influence, and material possessions. When we become disciples, we surrender all that we are and have to Christ, and He returns these gifts to us, "purified and ennobled, to be used for His glory in blessing our fellow men" (COL 328.1). * **A Test of Faithfulness:** The parable teaches that these gifts are not our own but are entrusted to us by God to be used and improved in His service. The man who received five talents and the one who received two both traded with them and doubled their investment. This illustrates that God expects us to use whatever He has given us, regardless of the amount. * **The Sin of the Unfaithful Servant:** The servant who received one talent did not use it but hid it in the earth. His excuse was fear of his master's sternness. This represents those who neglect their God-given responsibilities out of selfishness or because they feel their gifts are too small to make a difference. The chapter warns against the tendency to excuse oneself from service because others have superior endowments. The master "gave to every man his work" (SC 82.2). * **The Reckoning:** The parable concludes with the master's return and the reckoning with his servants. The faithful servants are rewarded and welcomed into the joy of their lord, while the unfaithful servant is cast out. This illustrates the principle that our work on earth reveals our character, and our eternal destiny is determined by our faithfulness in using the gifts God has entrusted to us. Ultimately, the chapter is a call to active, faithful service. It teaches that every person has been given talents to use for the glory of God and the good of humanity, and we will all be held accountable for how we have used them.