Proper 27-A

Sermon for November 8, 2020, Proper 27-A | by Paul C Sizemore |

“ONE MUST BE PREPARED, EVEN AS THE WAY HAS ALREADY BEEN PREPARED FOR US!”

The parable of the wise and foolish maidens is found only in the Gospel of St. Matthew. And this parable is presented to Matthew’s readers as the third of three consecutive parables that Jesus shares with his followers, during the last days of his earthly life, during that first Holy Week, just prior to our Lord’s arrest and crucifixion.

While the English Standard Version (ESV) translates this Greek word, parthenoi, in its plural form as “virgins,” the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) helps us in our understanding of this parable by its translating the same Greek word here as “bridesmaids.”  Either way, they were attendants in the Heavenly Bridegrooms Marriage, focusing our thought primarily, here, however on our Lord’s great coming again to this world in resplendent glory!

And enough is known about the ancient Jewish marriage customs, to remind us that for the Hebrew people, the pathway to marriage consisted of two, especially important steps.

The first step, was getting the father of the bride and the father of the groom to sign an “agreement,” which for many years now has been most often thought of by us Americans; as a “betrothal;” The English translation of this action in the old King James Version of the Bible.

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From that point on the couple, was, for all practical purposes, legally “married.” And yet, if for any reason, this prior agreement was to be dissolved, it could only be done so by a valid Hebrew certificate of divorce (Matthew 1:19).

The second step was the celebration of the marriage itself, which sometimes might have taken place as long as a whole year after the betrothal was signed.

The picture that Jesus points for us, here, at the beginning of this parable is that the excited groom is on his way to his parent’s home, where he will meet the bride and join the festivities–both in the young couples participating in their Marriage Liturgy and the glorious reception that usually, most always, normally followed.

As it turns out in this instance, the groom, in Jesus’ parable, was unusually delayed until midnight; an occurrence that more than likely was not all that unusual, but not all that customary either!

By the time that the bridegroom finally arrives, to where the bridesmaids were awaiting and, who were still awaiting his arrival, many of them had fallen asleep, but with the noise of his arrival, they all wake up immediately and begin trimming their lamps!

Unfortunately, the bridesmaids who had not brought along any extra supplies of oil with them, were not able to join the bridegroom in his onward procession.

Even they were making, as quick of a trip as they possibly could, to the not too distant Seven Eleven Convenience Store, to purchase more oi, they were left behind and later denied, by the bridegroom himself, any entrance, whatsoever to the Wedding Feast, while they stood knocking on the exterior door there!

The command to Matthew’s readers, as Jesus’ disciples, to “keep awake” (v. 13) is not a part of the parable itself but an applied meaning of this real-to-life episode, with deep implications for their own spiritual development, and is, hereby, meant to refer to Christ’s Parousia, his coming again in glory, with the angels of heaven, that quite possible, especially in the light of eternity could be perceived as being very soon (II Peter 3:1-10), although it might have in actuality, turn out to be a very long time.

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Each believer must take responsibility for his or her own preparation to meet the Heavenly Bridegroom when he comes for his Church again in glory.  No person has the power to make the other’s persons preparations for them!

Moreover, no one can know the timing of the last days as we presently know them here on our beautiful earth! For most people, their end may very well turn out to be the hour of their very own death. But there is also “The End of All Things,” the beginning of a whole new earth and heaven that will be brand-spanking new!

Unfortunately, as with so many other passages found all throughout the Bible, this passage can also be interpreted as a threat or a promise, as law or as gospel. Often the theme of Christ’s coming is taken to be a threat! You know: “The end is near!” But it should be realized that in Biblical through “the end” is never really the end. The end of this present world is only the doorway to the new world and the new age and the new creation.

The coming of Christ and the end of all things is finally good news. The Bridegroom is coming, and he will admit all those to his kingdom who await his coming with perseverance. The present is a time of waiting, but joyful waiting, like awaiting a festival of marriage.

By God’s grace, through the faith that he points into our hearts and minds, by his Gospel, through his Word and sacraments, constantly assures us that when our Savior cried out from the cross in a loud voice: “It is finished!” that our salvation was and is always a completed work, to be received with the faith the Holy Spirit conjures up within us, by his constant praying, stirrings, and movement within us.

                                                                            Amen

Pastor Paul C Sizemore

Trinity Lutheran Church

1205 Ridgewood Avenue

Daytona Beach, Florida 32117

paulsizemore0255@gmail.com

386-882-5267