Sermon for November 8, 2020

wait in earnest expectation

Today's gospel reading ends  the series of teachings in which Jesus spoke to his disciples about the end of the age.

He used parable which we commonly refer to the parable of the 10 virgins .  In this parable Jesus says that  five were deemed to be wise and five were foolish .

The parable is based on Jewish tradition in which the bridal party waited at assigned place for the bride to arrive.   Unlike the practice today at least in western society and which the bridegroom I wish their rival of the bride .  Some say it is because some grooms had taken to running away leaving the bride in the lurch, waiting tearfully and in vain.

In the tradition of the Jews, Jesus day as the bridal party waited there would be a street crier or town crier who would announce the arrival of the groom with works like “behold the bridegroom is coming.:

Without that announcement no one knew for certain the exact time on his arrival.  When the announcement was made the bridesmaids were expected to go and greet the bridegroom, and the wedding ceremonies would begin. .

The uncertainty of the time of arrival meant that it was necessary for the bridesmaids to have their lamps trimmed and have an adequate supply of oil to keep their lamps burning in readiness for the groom’s arrival.  There was no time to get oil once the announcement was made.

To help us better understand the parable, it is important to note that in the scripture, one of the uses of oil was for anointing especially important a person

Kings were anointed with oil as a sign of the authority to rule over the people

In 2 Samuel chapter 5 verse 4 we read that Samuel anointed David to be King over Israel

In 1 Kings  Zadok  the priest anointed Solomon with oil and all the people shouted Long live the King

Jesus himself quoted from the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 61 when in Luke 418 he said  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

The significance is that the oil it was more than the physical oil, but it symbolized a spiritual anointing, that comes from God for a person set apart for service to God, as we all should be.  That anointing is what we need as we await the coming of the bridegroom for his people.

So, in this parable, having oil in the lamps is really saying there must be spiritual preparation, a setting apart and spiritual readiness for the coming.

just as we take seriously the importance of preparing for events in life, so should we take seriously the importance of being spiritually prepared to face the days and times when our faith is tested,  and ultimately for the coming of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, for his bride, His church.  It is not a time for playing a guessing game Nor for speculation.  Not a time to be caught off-guard

Remember the words of Jesus recorded just a few verses as recorded in Matthew 24:36. just before our parable:  No one know about that day or hour, not even the angels I heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  These are words that tell us that no matter how long it takes for Jesus to appear we must be prepared  

We should not assume that all that is necessary is to a member of a church or affiliated with one.

One of the things to note about this parable is that the bridesmaid represent the church awaiting the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

I suggest that there are two categories of church members:  those who are spiritually prepared like the five wise virgins who had their lamps trimmed, filled and ready, and those simply  just go thought the motions of being a church member. in an effort to please God

This can be compared with the vain worship when in our O.T. reading a part of which says. Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord, why do you long for the day of the Lord?  It  goes on to say, I hate I despise your religious feasts I cannot stand your assemblies even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. 

The issue wasn’t the worship per se, but it was their insincerity, just going through the motions with no real spiritual meaning to what they were doing.  It was just all a display meant to impress others, and that displeased God to the point that he rejected their formalities

Worship must be spiritual experience and not going through the motion.  Partaking of  the Holy Communion  must be ourselves anew to God and to receive from him a fresh anointing by His Spirit knowing that as God’s Spirit fills us and moves in us, he is  preparing us for the expected Day of the Lord’s coming.

 Our lamps must be filled with oil as we await the bridegroom’s arrival.

To wait in earnest expectation requires maintaining a life of communication with God through .  PRAYER

This is one of the pillars of our faith, that we must not neglect.  In prayer we speak to God and listen  to him.  Had the five foolish virgins been in constant communication with the wedding planner, they would have HEARD that their oil was insufficient or being wasted and that they would not get any from the wise ones.  Perhaps they were busy gossiping among themselves, we don’t know, but one thing is certain, they were not paying attention to what was going on.  They were not listening; therefore, they were not prepared.

The more we Pray to God by the Spirit the more we receive of the same  spirit, keeping our lamps ready for the bridegroom when he comes.

In  Romans 8:26 Paul says “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

When we make Prayer a lifestyle it informs whatever we do.  So, When we rise in the morning, as we go through the day, whatever encounters we may have with others, as we take our rest at night, it should all be in an attitude of prayer and directed by God’s anointing Spirit.  The presence of the Spirit constantly ensures our readiness for the coming of the Bridegroom as we are open our lives to Him 

The final thought I want to share is that To wait in earnest expectation requires FAITH

For centuries there have been numerous  predictions of the end of time .  Some  have their hope and so lost faith as the world goes through conflicts, crises of all sorts others say: we have been reading and hearing from as far back as the early church.  It has not happened, so what’s the use.

My friends, whenever we lose faith, it indicates that we are not following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The question is are you submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as He leads you into all truth?  This is what Jesus teaches in John 16:13

The truth is that The bridegroom will come, and we must be faithful in waiting and watching.  We must believe the word Jesus spoke when he said in Matthew 24:44 ‘the son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him’.  it is a teaching repeated at the end of todays reading:  ‘therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour’.

Jesus is saying do not grow weary, always in earnest expectation

Five virgins kept the faith, believing with their life so  to speak that the bridegroom would be there at any moment.  The other five lost faith, lost the use of oil, perhaps fell asleep, “Give us some or you oil our lamps are going out.  They  asked the wise who replied “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you.  We cannot look to others when the cry goes up, the bridegroom has arrived.  Each one must be spiritually prepared for that Day

Today, I ask, are you number among the wise or among the foolish?   Are you waiting  in earnest expectation?

AMEN.