"Being Lights" - Sermon for Nov 12th, 2017
Sermon
Text: Matthew 25:1-13
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who prepares us.
We live in a gray world. Despite what news media and politicians say, everything is not right/wrong, yes/no, this side/that side. Frankly, this is one of the biggest problems going on right now, the idea that if you don’t 100% agree, the other side is therefore completely 100% wrong. Incredibly hard issues turn into shouting matches because people only see the differences and not the similarities, or think they see differences. People tend to only see their own interests, and not the interests of others.
Which has always made Matthew sort of difficult for me to figure out. Because Matthew has, way more than any of the other Gospels, a very much right/wrong, yes/no, this side/that side kind of understanding. You make one mistake in Matthew and you are thrown to outer darkness. Today, we see ten Bridesmaids, the greek term is actually virgins, so very young women, unmarried, which at that time places them around 12. Five called wise, five called foolish. We have a group of 12 year old girls, all excited they get to go to a wedding party, but while they are waiting for the groom to show up so they can go escort him into town he’s delayed. They fall asleep while waiting, get up and five don’t have oil, they are told sharing isn’t an option, go get some elsewhere, and when they return the doors are closed and they are not let in. All because the person they were waiting for didn’t show up on time.
It’s rough, to my ears at least. They don’t get an extra chance? In Matthew, they don’t, one mistake and it’s gnashing of teeth, one mistake and I never even knew you, our text says. And to me and my gray world view, that stark line here is so incredibly harsh. Me and my Lutheran, it’s all grace view, says where’s forgiveness, where is the grace!
Matthew is indeed stark, right or wrong, because it tells of a Jesus who until his death and resurrection, was indeed like that. The first story of Matthew after his birth is the story of the wise men, which to us is a happy story, we’ll have some dressed up in the Christmas program in Dec. It will be cute and fun. Gifts for Jesus. But, a part of that story is the killing of the innocents, the slaughter of all those kids under two in Bethlehem. Which in that age would have been a massive extended family living together, so it’s the killing of all of Jesus’s cousins. Jesus grows up as the only kid his age. That impacts him, if you do wrong to his view, you are the same as the ones who killed all his cousins. So, when we read Matthew, we read it like that, with that story in mind. But, we also read it as the Jesus who upon dying and rising, changes, in that death, Jesus has destroyed the power of death. My confirmation verse is Matthew 28:20. “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The very last words of Matthew, The lead in to those verses is this, 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Before his death and resurrection to Jesus some doubting would have disqualified them, but now they are sent as Jesus disciples to the whole world.
In that moment, I see the forgiveness that was lacking in this parable, I see that one mistake is now forgivable. So, with that I can look at this text not with concern, but with an eye towards seeing what is Jesus teaching us here.
Frankly, I don’t think any of the girls do a very good job, the “wise” ones, they should have shared, or at least, why did they send them away, I think the groom would have been fine had all ten been there with only 5 lights. Or when the 5 came back, why didn’t the 5 wise ones tell the groom who there were?
To me, they failed just as much as the foolish ones, especially when we look at the end of this long sermon by Jesus, who has been speaking for 2 chapters to the disciples. He concludes this long instruction by telling of a king who hides among the people and watches what they do. “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”
The “wise” certainly didn’t do that, they only thought of themselves, not those in need. Even if you were to think about the oil as faith which can’t be divided to share, they still could watch out for the others before hand, saying, go, get some oil now.
In this whole parable, looked at from beginning of Matthew to the end, I think the message is not be the wise girls, and of course it’s not be the foolish ones, the message is be Jesus. It’s more than be prepared, it’s help others to be prepared as well.
We had an Eagle Scout ceremony here a month ago, and part of that is both the Scout Motto, be prepared, but also the Scout Oath. On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty to God and my Country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, wasn't thinking just of being ready for emergencies. His idea was that all Scouts should prepare themselves to become productive citizens and to give happiness to other people. He’s quoted as answering the question, be prepared for what? With the quip, well, any old thing.
Being prepared is to be one who is like Christ, willing to give up everything for the least. It’s to be lamps to the world and to realize now that through Christ, the light of the world, our lights can never go out.
We are to be lights to people like those of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, to show them hope in the midst of grief and loss, to be arms and shoulders of support to all who need it, to be lights who work to end violence in all the world. Being lights to the world means we pray and then make sure our prayer is active and not passive. To make sure we do something about our prayer. To light up the darkness, our prayers have to take us into the dark places. We have to go out to find those whose oil has run out and show them the way to Christ who fills them.
People of God, through Christ your lamps will not go out, so go out to tell the world that Christ their light is with them. Amen.
Text: Matthew 25:1-13
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who prepares us.
We live in a gray world. Despite what news media and politicians say, everything is not right/wrong, yes/no, this side/that side. Frankly, this is one of the biggest problems going on right now, the idea that if you don’t 100% agree, the other side is therefore completely 100% wrong. Incredibly hard issues turn into shouting matches because people only see the differences and not the similarities, or think they see differences. People tend to only see their own interests, and not the interests of others.
Which has always made Matthew sort of difficult for me to figure out. Because Matthew has, way more than any of the other Gospels, a very much right/wrong, yes/no, this side/that side kind of understanding. You make one mistake in Matthew and you are thrown to outer darkness. Today, we see ten Bridesmaids, the greek term is actually virgins, so very young women, unmarried, which at that time places them around 12. Five called wise, five called foolish. We have a group of 12 year old girls, all excited they get to go to a wedding party, but while they are waiting for the groom to show up so they can go escort him into town he’s delayed. They fall asleep while waiting, get up and five don’t have oil, they are told sharing isn’t an option, go get some elsewhere, and when they return the doors are closed and they are not let in. All because the person they were waiting for didn’t show up on time.
It’s rough, to my ears at least. They don’t get an extra chance? In Matthew, they don’t, one mistake and it’s gnashing of teeth, one mistake and I never even knew you, our text says. And to me and my gray world view, that stark line here is so incredibly harsh. Me and my Lutheran, it’s all grace view, says where’s forgiveness, where is the grace!
Matthew is indeed stark, right or wrong, because it tells of a Jesus who until his death and resurrection, was indeed like that. The first story of Matthew after his birth is the story of the wise men, which to us is a happy story, we’ll have some dressed up in the Christmas program in Dec. It will be cute and fun. Gifts for Jesus. But, a part of that story is the killing of the innocents, the slaughter of all those kids under two in Bethlehem. Which in that age would have been a massive extended family living together, so it’s the killing of all of Jesus’s cousins. Jesus grows up as the only kid his age. That impacts him, if you do wrong to his view, you are the same as the ones who killed all his cousins. So, when we read Matthew, we read it like that, with that story in mind. But, we also read it as the Jesus who upon dying and rising, changes, in that death, Jesus has destroyed the power of death. My confirmation verse is Matthew 28:20. “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The very last words of Matthew, The lead in to those verses is this, 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Before his death and resurrection to Jesus some doubting would have disqualified them, but now they are sent as Jesus disciples to the whole world.
In that moment, I see the forgiveness that was lacking in this parable, I see that one mistake is now forgivable. So, with that I can look at this text not with concern, but with an eye towards seeing what is Jesus teaching us here.
Frankly, I don’t think any of the girls do a very good job, the “wise” ones, they should have shared, or at least, why did they send them away, I think the groom would have been fine had all ten been there with only 5 lights. Or when the 5 came back, why didn’t the 5 wise ones tell the groom who there were?
To me, they failed just as much as the foolish ones, especially when we look at the end of this long sermon by Jesus, who has been speaking for 2 chapters to the disciples. He concludes this long instruction by telling of a king who hides among the people and watches what they do. “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”
The “wise” certainly didn’t do that, they only thought of themselves, not those in need. Even if you were to think about the oil as faith which can’t be divided to share, they still could watch out for the others before hand, saying, go, get some oil now.
In this whole parable, looked at from beginning of Matthew to the end, I think the message is not be the wise girls, and of course it’s not be the foolish ones, the message is be Jesus. It’s more than be prepared, it’s help others to be prepared as well.
We had an Eagle Scout ceremony here a month ago, and part of that is both the Scout Motto, be prepared, but also the Scout Oath. On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty to God and my Country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, wasn't thinking just of being ready for emergencies. His idea was that all Scouts should prepare themselves to become productive citizens and to give happiness to other people. He’s quoted as answering the question, be prepared for what? With the quip, well, any old thing.
Being prepared is to be one who is like Christ, willing to give up everything for the least. It’s to be lamps to the world and to realize now that through Christ, the light of the world, our lights can never go out.
We are to be lights to people like those of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, to show them hope in the midst of grief and loss, to be arms and shoulders of support to all who need it, to be lights who work to end violence in all the world. Being lights to the world means we pray and then make sure our prayer is active and not passive. To make sure we do something about our prayer. To light up the darkness, our prayers have to take us into the dark places. We have to go out to find those whose oil has run out and show them the way to Christ who fills them.
People of God, through Christ your lamps will not go out, so go out to tell the world that Christ their light is with them. Amen.
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