Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Psalm 78:1-7 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Matthew 25:1-13
Prayer: In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, let these words speak for you, bless each and every one of us Father, in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Summary: We are used to living our lives according to deadlines, but are you prepared to meet the mother of all deadlines that Jesus describes in the Gospel here for us today; the parable of the wise and foolish virgins? Read on, and be surprised.
This sermon was delivered to the congregation in St Oswald’s in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 6th November 2011: by Gordon McCulloch (A Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow and Dumfries).
Introduction:
Life is full of deadlines; all of us in here this morning know that only too well. Whether it is to our boss, or to pay our bills, or simply have our presents and cards ready for Christmas, which is getting closer.
We are used to lives with deadlines, so we do not have any difficulty relating to the mother of all deadlines that Jesus describes in the Gospel here for us today; the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
To some people this parable is designed to get us thinking about the second return of Jesus to this earth, others like me like to think of this parable as the time in which we finally pass on, die and thereby meet our maker.
This is not a pleasant thought, as it is the one event in our lives that we will not miss, but it is one deadline where we must be ready. The question therefore this morning is: are we prepared to meet our maker? Are we ready to look God in the eye?
This is a dark sermon this morning, but I do hope to enlighten and empower you with this parable; as one thing is for sure, Jesus does not want to find us unprepared, and therefore warns us accordingly.
The Background
In this parable, Jesus talks about the end of time and the eternal life; it is a very difficult concept for us mere mortals to understand but Jesus tells a story that relates the point in everyday terms, but terms not from our contemporary world, but from the Jewish world that was contemporary to Jesus and his followers back then; at a typical wedding for the first century Jews.
Let me explain, back then, when a couple married, there was a legal betrothal ceremony first that took place; officially uniting the couple as sort of husband and wife, because the couple did not live together as husband and wife, until later, at some set time in the future.
On that day in the future, there would be a formal procession where the husband and his groomsmen left his house, to arrive at the bride’s home, and then lead the bride and her bridesmaids back to the groom’s home where there was a brief ceremony, then a banquet or feast, and then the merrymaking.
Then, and only then, where the couple allowed to live together; and this was the scene Jesus used in his parable to illustrate his point.
The ten virgins
In the parable there were ten virgins, the bridesmaids, and from our perspective they represented purity; like the purity in us, whose sins have been forgiven by the death of Jesus on the cross.
The groom
Next we have the groom arriving to bring his bride back to his home, and the groom on this occasion represents Jesus who has come to take us back to his home in heaven.
The foolish virgins
However Jesus said that half of the virgins were wise and half were foolish, because half of them were prepared for a long night of waiting, where as the other half were not. The first five brought oil to keep their torches lit into the evening, but the other five did not.
The torches or lamps
Now the torches or lamps normally signify the human spirit of a person. For example, and I quote one example from Proverbs 20:27 which says “The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart." The lamps or the light from the lamps is therefore a reference to our human spirit with a small “s”; our spirit with our personal thoughts and motivations it is; basically ourselves, without God.
The oil in the lamp
The oil in the lamp therefore, is the stuff or thing that makes lamps shine light, and keep shining light. Now the oil in the bible is always a reference to the Holy Spirit.
Most Christians agree that the dove, the wind and oil are some of the symbols of the Holy Spirit and throughout the Old and New Testament we see oil being used for holy purposes: such as pouring oil on heads for anointing (which is empowering) and consecration (which is to make clean); basically the physical symbolic application of the Holy Spirit.
This reveals to us that the Holy Spirit must be involved in every area of the believer's life. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches, spiritual darkness would soon overtake. Can you see where I am going with this?
The ten virgins describe true Christians, Christians who had been cleansed by the blood of the lamb, and who are now waiting for the return of Jesus. Five of the virgins (who had oil in their lamps) signify the fact that the Holy Spirit was alive and working through them in their lives, and the five foolish virgins, (who had no oil in their lamps), were not working by the power of the Holy Spirit, and who for some reason, were working by their own strength, alone, and without the help and power of God.
The Westminster Catechism
I will move on, According to the first question in the Westminister Catechism, a man (or woman) is created to live and walk with God, and he or she is created and saved not just for a mansion in heaven, but to show the works and fruits of God’s Holy Spirit here on earth.
It has been said that we should take our Christianity, (our religion), into all walks of our lives; not just the church but our homes, our work places and our places of relaxation.
I believe this is absolute nonsense, unless you are gifted and anointed with evangelism. Why, because the emphasis is on you doing it, and you being responsible for your own actions? According to the New Testament, God through the power and person of the Holy Spirit, is in us and is working through us. He is part of us, and it does not matter where we go, or what we do, God is part of our very being, and therefore part of every single area of our lives. We cannot help but manifest the power of God through us. Can you see the difference, one is shoving it, or ramming it down people’s throats, and forcing them to accept you religion with you slightly ahead of them. Where as if they see God working through you, they cannot but say, “I like what I see, I want some of that”.
The first suggests you do it and be accountable, the second says God does it through you and he will be accountable. The first will get you into trouble and leave you there. The second will not get you into trouble and God will be able to work through you to his praise and glory, and as such, God will not only look after you, he will elevate you in doing so.
Rant over, there are many times we feel so close to God we can almost touch him, yet there are so many other times where we feel God is so far away that he has deserted us; and even abandoned us.
But like the poem, “footsteps in the sand”, these are the times God is actually carrying us. Remember the bible is very clear on this, “that god will never ever leave us”.
Hebrews 13:5 say, “be content with such things as ye have: for he (that is God) hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” What a powerful and potent scripture.
That could not be any clearer, and I more than anyone have felt times when I have been on my own, and that verse always comes back to reassure me.
To move on, the five foolish virgins forgot to bring extra oil, and the wise five couldn’t share their personal supply with them because there wasn’t enough to go around.
That in the parable is a reminder that each person must believe in Jesus for themselves, right. You just cannot believe for someone else. You can however, bless someone through you, and somebody can be blessed because of you, but you cannot believe for someone else.
A wife can’t believe for her husband or a parent for a child or a believer for a friend etc etc and although this is a grey area to some, the answer detracts for this parable.
Every individual person needs to be ready for either the return of Jesus, or to meet him face to face, and no one else can prepare another person for that day.
Jesus is very clear on this and goes on to say that the five foolish virgins lived to regret their decision by saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.' But Jesus replied, `Truly I tell you, I do not know you.'
Now that is strong and dare I say nasty, but Jesus goes on to give us this warning, “Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Ok, the way that Jesus told this story wasn’t exactly true-to-life. The groom would not have been so late as to arrive in the middle of a dark night, and latecomers to the banquet would not have been locked out, but Jesus didn’t tell this parable to give us insights into the culture of ancient Jewish weddings, Jesus told this parable to give us insights into our own spiritual preparation.
To finish we must ask as ourselves why did Jesus warn believers about being ready for his return when there are so many others in our world today who do not believe in him.
It is not that Jesus isn’t concerned about the lost; but in this specific parable, Jesus is concerned that the “found” do not become “lost” again.
Jesus here is concerned with spiritual complacency that says, “I know Jesus is my Saviour. I’m good to go, and I will coast my way into heaven as long as I am a good person.”
There is some truth in this in that Jesus came face-to-face with hell’s punishments for our sin by his death on the cross, and that our sin has been and is buried in his tomb, and that we have risen to a new spiritual life in him, and that God has declared us holy and innocent in his eyes so that we can stand righteous before him on the last day.
But God also takes our spiritual preparation a step farther, and sends us his Holy Spirit to sustain and empower our faith. The Holy Spirit is at work in our hearts as we gather around this morning. The Holy Spirit is at work using the forgiveness applied to us through God’s Holy Word, and Holy Communion to sustain and empower us as God’s holy sons or daughters.
Even when we are tempted to get complacent with our spiritual preparation for Jesus’ return, the Holy Spirit in us will never allow us to become complacent about our preparation. God wants to see us prepared, and that is why he wants us to worship and praise him at every possible opportunity.
Conclusion
Our worship today reminds us of eternal life in heaven, and that’s something we don’t want to miss. So be ready, be prepared by inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives. Learn to walk in his presence, and it is difficult I know, but that way you will keep your lamp burning, and full of oil. Amen.
Let us pray,
Father I thank you for Jesus and what he achieved on the cross.
I thank you that our sins have all been forgiven in your eyes and that we can face you knowing that Jesus has intervened for us.
This was a disturbing parable Father, but we are here today to worship and praise you. We are here to be blessed by you and we are here to let you bless others through us.
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, fill us anew. Let the Holy Spirit come and fill our hearts. Let the Holy Spirit do his work, and bless us all. Let us feel that we belong to you Father, at all times, and let us feel that our lamps are full of oil.
Come Holy Spirit, come and bless this place, come and bless us all. Come Holy Spirit let your fire fall and prepare us to meet you face to face.
We ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.
