First Baptist Church Valley Mills

10/29/2026

Thursday October 29, 2026

Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins[a] who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were sensible. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take olive oil with them. 4 But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “The sensible ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy oil for yourselves.’ 10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 “Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you!’ 13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.[b]

There is a clear time that the door will be closed, and people will be left behind. We must all be ready for the return of Jesus. The only way to be ready is to accept the gift of salvation that is only found confessing our sins and believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that He rose again (Romans 10:9). When we do this, then we can become like the wise bridesmaids. The wise bridesmaids enjoyed the feast. They were fully invested in the wedding party and were not worried about anything else. The foolish bridesmaids came knocking and pleading but they were too late. They were not ready and the response is harsh. I do not know you! They had received the invitation; they may had been known by name, but they were not ready. Ultimately, this implies a lack of intimacy with the Savior.
We must live prepared for the unknown.

Worship Songs:
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" and "A Thousand Hallelujahs"

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 10; Psalm 53; Proverbs 29; Colossians 1

10/28/2026

Wednesday October 28, 2026

Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins[a] who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were sensible. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take olive oil with them. 4 But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “The sensible ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell and buy oil for yourselves.’ 10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 “Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you!’
13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.[b]

The cry of the Lord’s coming will prove to be too late for many of us. The virgins/bridesmaids represent those in the church ready to see the Lord. We find in Hebrews 9:28 that Christ is the only way that we can be ready. He is the one who has paid the price for our wrongdoing. There is no other way. Unfortunately, many are curious and ready to experience the glory of heaven but don’t live prepared and are waiting until the last minute to get things right. This is foolish. Foolish is hearing God’s instructions and not acting on them. (Matthew 7:25-27). Many times, people depend on someone else's spiritual walk to guide them with theirs. One's personal salvation and readiness to see the Lord will not be enough for someone else. Each person must make an individual decision to follow after the Lord. John 1:12–13 helps us understand the personal commitment that comes with following after Jesus. We must remember that if we are not prepared and passing on our faith, it only takes one generation for it to fall apart as seen in Judges 2:10. Today, live prepared and don't forget that Jesus is the only way.

Worship Songs:
"I am Not My Own" and "Be Glad"

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 9; Psalm 52; Proverbs 28; Ephesians 6

10/27/2026

Tuesday October 27, 2026

Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins[a] who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were sensible. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take olive oil with them. 4 But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “The sensible ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy oil for yourselves.’ 10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 “Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you!’
13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.[b]

To truly be a part of the wedding party, we must be able to interpret the times and the hour correctly. That is a key concept to what is happening in this passage. The wedding party is ready, but the time of the arrival for the party to start is not all the way set. We see that hardships will happen. In this case, they get so tired that they fall asleep. All of them. The wise and the foolish. The wise even though they fell asleep and dealt with the hardship of the sudden arrival, they were prepared. The foolish were not ready and it cost them much. Will you be known as being wise or foolish? The hour and time are unknown for the coming of Christ. It is made to be that way, and we need to be comfortable in that. Matthew 24:43–44 tells us that if we knew if we would be ready. We must come back to the thought that we need to know what is happening. This in turn leads us to live obediently by being prepared and ready.

Worship Songs:
"Grace Greater Than our Sin" and "Psalm 23"

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 8; Psalm 51; Proverbs 27; Ephesians 5

10/26/2026

10/26/2026

Monday October 26, 2026

Matthew 25:1-13
[Mat 25:1-13 ESV] – 1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The Kingdom of heaven is the theme for the year, and we see a new Kingdom nugget today. It is a passage that is pushed in with the Parable of the Talents, but we need to look at each one separately. We start off with the scenery of a celebration. We have the bridesmaids/virgins and a wedding party. We find that this is a special time of finalizing the marriage. It is a privilege to be a part of it, and it brings with it much joy and expectation. However, there is a problem. The time and hour are unknown. The day has been announced but in the anticipation, there are some wise and foolish bridesmaids. We don't know much but we know that they are dressed for the wedding feast, they have their lamps/torches, but not all of them took the oil. The hour of the exact coming is unknown event though they have a slight idea it will be dark. In the waiting, they all fall asleep but open the arrival, not everyone was prepared for the bridegroom's'' arrival. In the hurry of trying to get it all together, five miss out on what they hoped to be a apart of. Today, we must not be as those who are unprepared, but we must be eagerly ready for the return of our Savior Jesus Christ. Live in eager expectation for His return.

Worship Songs:
"Bless be the Tie that Binds" and "Another in the Fire"

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 7; Psalm 50; Proverbs 26; Ephesians 4

10/25/2026

Welcome to worship this morning, Sunday, 10/25/26 at 10:55am.

"The Parable of the Ten Virgins"
Matthew 25:1-13

"The Parable of the Ten Virgins"Matthew 25:1-13Videos of live st...

10/25/2026

We gather again tomorrow to worship the Lord together. We look forward to being with you all. We have something for everyone. We will be in Matthew 25:1-13.

Join us for all events.

9:45 am- Sunday School/Bible Studies for all ages.

10:55 am- Worship Service

5-7:30 pm- Youth choir/worship and Discipleship.

5-6 pm- Ministry Choir practice
6-7 pm- Worship rehearsal

6-7 pm- Adult Bible Study in 1 John

10/23/2026

Friday October 23, 2026

Matthew 22:1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants[a] to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Part of the Kingdom of God in this passage is that we see that the rejection or blindness of some leads to the inclusion of others. Paul will talk about this in Romans 11. We find that the message of Christ is for all people from all places and backgrounds, but it is limited to those clothed in the righteousness of Christ Jesus. We can only be clothed correctly because of who Christ is and what He has done (2 Corinthians 5:21). We find that people will be shocked and surprised when they are called out as not being prepared.
People will see that there will be no faking one’s way into heaven. The consequences for false testimonies or pressured/false salvations will be great. Many will miss out on the joy of the wedding banquet because they relied on self and ways of man rather than God's ways. Today, don’t ignore the voice of the King and the invitation to join Him at the wedding banquet. Even though the invitation stretches far and wide it doesn’t guarantee you a spot unless you are in Christ Jesus.

Worship Songs:
"All Glory be To Christ" and "Praise the The Lord"

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 6; Psalms 49; Proverbs 23; Ephesians 3

10/22/2026

Wednesday October 22, 2026

Matthew 22:1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants[a] to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The blatant disrespect for the King and the killing of his servants required a response. The response we see is severe and it cost people a lot. Thus, we know that there will be discipline and consequences to people’s deliberate disobedience. God’s righteous anger is to be feared. God always disciplines according to His holiness and character. We must respect God and our actions must be according to His Holy standards. You see, our God is a consuming fire. The following passages in Hebrews remind of this.
Hebrews 12:28–29 (ESV)
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 10:26–31 (ESV)
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Today, recognize that God is Holy and His desire is for you to be Holy. We need a proper fear of God in order to truly get rid of our disrespectful behaviors towards the King.

Worship Songs:
"Consuming Fire" and "Fishes and Loaves"

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 5; Psalm 48; Proverbs 22; Ephesians 2

10/21/2026

Wednesday October 21, 2026

Matthew 22:1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants[a] to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

In this passage we find that the people are being highly disrespectful to the king. He has prepared the banquet, the meal is ready, and yet the people ignore his proclamation. This is a major affront to the royal invitation and to the king himself. Something must be done about this. In our lives, the constant battle against the Lord and His ways will come to an end. The dishonoring of the Lord will stop. It is the natural disposition of sinful people like we are all born to go against the Lord. People will never fully follow after God on their own. Romans 3:10–12 remind us of this reality.
We need to not just hear the invitation of the king but to obey it and know that we are of the chosen one's. In this passage, the indifference of the people led to the death of the king's servants announcing something good. Because God is righteous and Holy, there will be discipline and consequences to people’s deliberate disobedience. Tomorrow, we will see that to be under the king's wrath is not a good thing. Today, don't let the business of life or the routine of life keep you from affirmatively committing yourself to the Lord once again. Bow down before Him and give Him you all in all.

Worship Songs:
"You are My All in All" and "People Need the Lord"

Scripture Reading:
1 Kings 4; Psalm 47; Proverbs 21; Ephesians 1