Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.

“Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.”  This prayer is our Advent refrain each week as we invoke the Holy Spirit to “stir up” within us through the prayer of the day.  These ”stir up” prayers in Advent have always been my favorite, and every year I discover a new reason to fall in love with them all over again.

In a literal sense, I love the image of the Holy Spirit stirring things up.  My mind is filled with images of the Spirit swirling, much like a desert windstorm or a tidal pool with the waves crashing together.  During the holidays I am even reminded of the Spirit’s “stirring” when I fold flour or eggs into a good batter, or marshmallows in a cup of hot chocolate.

One of my favorite “stir up” prayers is on the third Sunday of Advent. On December 17, we’ll pray, “Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light…” The power of the Spirit stirring up God’s people is empowering and exciting.  However, it is also downright terrifying.

There is a stereotype that Lutherans don’t like change. We’re often comfortable with our traditions and having “always done it that way.”  Whether that generalization is true or not is the topic of another time, but perhaps the same generalization could be made within our own lives.  How complacent can we become in our relationship with God?  How settled can we become in our faith?  How content can we become in our practices, traditions, rituals, and beliefs?  Are we truly ready or willing to be stirred up?

Willingly and knowingly invoking the Spirit to stir us up is a scary invitation.  After all, the Spirit has strong track recorded of stirring things up pretty well.  Off the top of my head I can think of a large ark, thousands of Israelites crossing the Red Sea, a whale’s belly, a wise judge, and of course a young woman named Mary.  The Spirit is always stirring and filling, empowering and challenging. 

One of the many joys of the Advent season is the invitation to begin again. To begin a new liturgical year.  To enter a new calendar year with excitement, goals, hopes, dreams, and ambitions.  To begin the story of Jesus, from birth and life to death and resurrection.  To be stirred up.  Advent invites us to have the settled, dusty, and stagnant parts of our lives stirred up by the Holy Spirit.

This year I am reminded of God’s promise in the Spirit to keep stirring.  I often want to condition my Advent prayer with “only if you want to” or “if you think I need it.”   But the question isn’t if the Spirit will stir, but when and how.  This Advent I am reminded that our prayer is not request or invitation as much as it is a proclamation of faith. 

From the beginning, God stirred up creation.  God stirred up love when Jesus, Emmanuel and Messiah, walked among God’s people in humble service— turning the world upside down in the death and resurrection.  And by God’s grace, God continues to stir things up for us in the most beautiful, challenging, and faithful ways.  How is the Spirit working in your life this Advent?  In what areas of your faith life might you find the Spirit stirring?

Originally Posted in the December, 2017 Messenger for St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, Florida.

Reign of Christ Sermon - Matthew 25: 31-46

Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 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.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

There is a popular expression of faith.  Although it is credited to Francis of Assisi, its origins are a bit unknown. Regardless, it resonates with today’s Gospel text.  It goes, “Proclaim the Gospel, and when necessary use words.” I suppose it sounds similar to present day quips such as “you can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk,” or “actions speak louder than words.” Personally, I’m more fond of the former “proclaim the Gospel, and when necessary use words.”

To be clear the intention of the expression is not to diminish the use of words or dismiss the inherent oral nature of the gospel message, but rather the intention is to highlight the interconnectedness of proclamation and action.  Word and deed. Theses two expressions of the Gospel go hand-in-hand, inseparable present-day manifestations of the good news in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.  

Not as a choice, but as an embodiment of our discipleship.  An instinct of our Christian nature. A stitch in the fabric that is the body of Christ DNA.   Proclaiming the Gospel, and when necessary using words.

Today marks the end of our liturgical calendar.  The end of the church year.  And so on this final Sunday of the church year, as we transition into Advent and new beginning we hear Jesus in his final public teaching moment with the Disciples. It is perhaps the perfect bookend to his public teaching ministry.

Recall that 20 chapters ago he began with the Beatitudes a world-turning, expectation-flipping assessment on the kingdom of God, in which the meak, poor, lonely, and lost inherit the Kingdom of God.  He goes on for another 10 chapters talking about the Kingdom teaching in parables, and preaching to the disciples and the crowds.

In chapter 16, after a decisive moment when Jesus asked Peter, “who do you say that I am?”  The text tells us “From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem to be killed and raised.”  From that time on he began to show.

It is not purely coincidence that Jesus spent his entire ministry both proclaiming and showing in action the good news of the Kingdom of God come near.  I don’t think either that is is purely coincidence that Matthew’s account of Jesus has him teaching for the last time about the interconnectedness of word and deed.   The humble, instinctive, and intuitive nature of doing to the least of these as Jesus did.

In Matthew’s account of the Gospel, there are more than 50 references to the kingdom.  The majority of which come from Jesus in coordination with a healing, parable, miracle, or a teaching moment.  

Central to Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew is the presence of the Kingdom.  A reign of God in Jesus Christ.  The embodiment of love, mercy, and grace in Jesus Christ the King.   

When Christ cleanses a Leper, heals a hemorrhaging woman, and restores site to the blind he proclaims the arrival of God’s kingdom in both word and deed.  

When Jesus sits to eat with a tax collector and associates with despised members of society, Jesus proclaims the arrival of God’s kingdom in both word and deed.  

When Jesus feeds 5000 and 4000 on a hillside, breaks bread with disciples, and offers living water to the woman at the well he proclaims the arrival of God’s kingdom in both word and deed.

When Jesus advocates for the oppressed, teaches about wheat, seeds, and yeast, and walks on water he is proclaiming the arrival of God’s kingdom in word and deed.

The correlation between faithful proclamation and humble service for Jesus, and for Matthew is no coincidence.  And furthermore the presence of the Kingdom of God within both word and deed is no coincidence.  

Now look brothers and sister I know that the word and deed sermon isn’t likely a new concept.  I’m sure many of us have heard the talk the talk and walk the walk sermon.  Most of us are familiar with this text and its implications.  Never-the-less, today’s text on this Reign of Christ Sunday is a significant and intentional text for on the final Sunday in the church year.  Beyond its familiarity, Jesus offers his disciples, the crowds, and us an important reminder of the nature of the Kingdom of God.  

‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’

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.’

I invite you to hear today’s text and message not as conviction but rather as a reminder, an affirmation of your participation in the kingdom. To help, I offer two insights:

First, may we not get caught up on the “otherness”... wondering who are the least of these.  I think too often we subconsciously determine who is the “the least of these.”  This determination impacts our ability or willingness to act.   We might identify the least among us by some set of unfair or unnecessary criteria.  Limiting our care for neighbors and others by some condition of “leastness”  

Rather may our focus be on the action themselves, regardless of the recipient. Perhaps Jesus’ teaching today is not so much about determining who the least are, and who is need of care, but rather the acts of compassion and care we carry out in the name of Jesus.  The feeding through programs like UCOM and foodbanks, the welcoming of family promise, the caring of our home-bound and shut-in members, and the visiting of those in need of a familiar face or a safe smile.  Acting in Jesus’ name as Thomas Merton says, “to love others, the sick hungry, thirsty, stranger, oppressed, naked...without stooping to inquire whether or not they are worthy.

Second, may we not get caught up simply on the actions themselves.  The works in Jesus’ name.  

After all neither the sheep nor the goats in today’s teaching realize that they have done anything good.  “Lord when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ The sheep and goats seem to share and ignorance in their response.  They are surprised by their fate.

So rather than focusing on the actions themselves...to help or not to thelp, may today’s text be a reminder that caring for others, regardless of worthiness is part of our very nature.  It’s intuitive to who and whose we are.

It comes naturally, perhaps subconsciously to those who have been washed by God’s grace.

Like a good tree producing good fruit, it is the very nature of the body of Christ to proclaim the arrival of God’s kingdom in word and deed.

Brothers and sisters the good news this Christ the king Sunday, is that Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom of God come near, and showed the world again and again the goodness of God’s grace by

dining with sinners, forgiving aggressors, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, grieving with the bereaved, dying on a cross and rising again.  

And friends may there be no better news than the fact that through our baptism God has claimed us as children of God.  Sheep in God’s flock.  We are woven into the fabric of the body of Christ and we are gifted each and every day with the gospel message of Jesus the King. A king who reigns in the messiness of life.   Who shines light in a dark world and guides our paths.  Jesus who is the center all that we say, and do not because Jesus intrudes our life, but rather washed in the water we exude the resurrected promise of everlasting life.

So as we transition into a new church year, a new calendar year, a new church season...as we change the colors, decorations…The hymns and texts.. May Christ always and forever remain at the center…empowering us to do and say as Christ.  To proclaim the gospel message that Christ the King, Emmanuel and Messiah, Lord of Lords, mighty God, prince of peace has begun his reign. Halleluiah.  

© Pastor Daniel Locke Nov. 19, 2017 @ St. Mark's JAX 

Acting at Once in God's Abundance - Sermon Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 25:14-30

“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.¹⁶The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. ¹⁷In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ ²¹His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ ²²And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ ²³His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master. Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ ²⁶But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.²⁹For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ³⁰As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” 

Today’s text comes as a continuation of apocalyptic, end-times texts in the book of Matthew. These are Jesus’s final moments with the disciples.  His final days and hours before facing Jerusalem, the high priest. Final moments before he is tried, beaten, and crucified.  And in Matthew’s Gospel account, Jesus spends his last few moments with his disciples and the crowds teaching about the end-times.  A day of judgment and reckoning when the Lord returns.  God will return and cast judgement upon all who have been waiting.

So today’s parable, one of a master entrusting his wealth to his three slaves is the 3rd of 4 end-time, judgment texts.  We might recall last week’s parable about 10 bridesmaids.  5 wise and 5 foolish as they wait for the bridegroom to arrive to wedding banquet.   Next week we’ll hear about the separation of sheep and goats.  

But as for today’s difficult text, Jesus continues to speak to his disciples, and this time he addresses how they should carry on in his absence.  More specifically, Jesus is preparing the disciples for his inevitable absence.  And in doing so he is notifying them that they will be entrusted with his ministry.  His work and his deeds.  His healing and teachings.  They will be entrusted with the good news of his resurrection.

The disciples have been instructed by Jesus on multiple occasions that Jesus will soon die and rise.  And the time will come when the disciples must carry on without him.  But despite their hearing, they never fully understand what is about to occur.  They still do not believe that Jesus will leave them in their lifetime.

But we, on this side of the resurrection, of course know it to be true that Jesus will be killed and be raised.  And therefore the disciples, soon to be apostles, will be entrusted with the ministry of Jesus until the Master returns.   So Jesus launches into this 3rd Judgment parable.

I suggested last week that we acknowledge the difficulty of these parables.  And I think it is true again today because elements of these parables run counter to our expectation of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.  So they can be hard to hear, especially since none of us want to find ourselves in the role of the 3rd slave, cast to outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I think then, it is important to reflect for a moment on the reason these parables have their place in Matthew’s Gospel account.  Matthew is writing to audience some 30 to 40 years after Jesus has been killed and raised.  The early Christian church has had its struggles and particularly within Matthew’s audience is a group of naysayers.   Disbelievers.  Those who are intentionally spreading false truths.   For whatever their reason, they are challenging the early Christians by dismissing their beliefs.   Even more so, these naysayers and their leaders continue to oppress large groups of people.  They continue to act counter to the gospel message, counter to the very work and deed of Jesus Christ.  

So Matthew, with this context and audience in mind, intentionally includes these four harsh parables regarding the end-times and the judgement for those who fail to participate in God’s kingdom through Jesus Christ.   That’s why Matthew continues to write about Jesus shutting the door on the foolish, casting the lazy into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So, we encounter today’s parable of a Master entrusting his wealth to the three slaves.  All three slaves are given talents according to their abilities.  Talents in this context is a sum of money.  The first two slaves receive 5 and 2 talents respectively.  They go at once to invest their gift and return a 200% profit while the master is away.  The third slave is given 1 talent, which is still a significant amount, but out of fear of losing or misusing the gift he buries it.  Burying one's money, literally making a deposit, was common practice.  And of course upon the master's return, the third slave yields no interest or gain.  He excuses his actions behind his preconception of the Master, and is later tossed to outer darkness….with the weeping and gnashing of teeth. And I suppose it is the fate of the third slave then that can have us on edge.   That implores us to ask the question, what is at stake?

What is at stake in the meantime?  While we wait for Jesus’ return?  Entrusted with God’s grace, law, gospel, truth and light.  Entrusted with God’s promise of grace, forgiveness, mercy, and Love, what is at stake while we wait for the return of the Lord?  

Well certainly for this parable and the audience of Matthew what was at stake was the outer darkness. The weeping the gnashing.  And more importantly, what was at stake was not being invited to enter the joy of the master.  So brothers and sisters, perhaps the question is the same today….is there still something at stake for us today as we wait for the Lord?  If so, what is this parable teaching us?

One of the more popular interpretation of this parable lends itself to a discussion on stewardship. The tendency then is to interpret the masters gift to the slaves as God’s gifts to us.  The Master entrusts the slaves in this case with talents or money.  Whereas God entrusts us with talents, money and otherwise.  We are gifted with abilities and interests, the things we are good at, the things that bring us joy when you use them.  And therefore the message of the parable would be that we are to wisely invest our gifts, use them to their fullest potential, steward them we might say until Christ returns.  To do as the first two slaves, risking our gift, investing fully into the work of the kingdom, growing God’s gift 200%.  After all they were given to us by the Master to use, so why not use them for the glory of God in God’s kingdom.  This often leads to a conversation about money as well, especially being that this is the time of year when pledges are due and the budget is being formed.  

But friends, I don’t want to dwell on money, or stewardship, or the use of God’s gift, because maybe this parable holds a much deeper meaning for us today.  A bit more depth than simply the stewardship of God’s gifts and resources first given to us.

First, we might take notice of the Master’s generosity.  To the three slaves he entrusts, 5, 2 , and 1 talent respectively.  Now a talent in that day was equal to about 20 years worth of wages.  So to the slave who received 5 talents, he received nearly 100 years worth a wages.  And the second slave received about 40 years.  Even the third slave, who received only one talent was entrusted with 20 years worth of basic wages.  The emphasis here is not on wealthy-ness of the Master but rather the Master’s generosity.  Jesus makes no mistake in the amount of money he choses in his parable, because it isn’t about a quantity for Jesus but rather the abundance and generosity.  The slaves were entrusted with more than they ever had and more than they would ever need.  It was more than they could ever, ever steward, so rather than focus on their use of the gift we might be drawn to the abundance of the gift.

Second, we might reflect on the reaction of the first two slaves.  Jesus says that the first two slaves “acted at once.”  Immediately upon receiving their abundance they couldn’t help but spend it. Invest it. Risk it. Trusting fully that not only would the abundance last, but its fruit would produce two fold.

We might recall here Luther’s assertion to sin boldly but believe even more boldly in Christ, and rejoice.  This parable isn’t giving endorsing gambling or high-risk banking investments, nor is it giving permission for frivolous spending and stewardship, rather the parable is lifting up the way of life when entrusted by God with every good gift.  It’s not about careful and meticulous use or misuse of gifts but rather acknowledging that we are given gifts and called in baptism we become people who act immediately.  People of God who CAN NOT help but use our gifts.  So much so that we are no longer conflicted by whether or not to use a gift entrusted by God but rather we embody it and act because that is who we are.  We are God’s and therefore can’t help but always and instinctively be stewards.  It’s our calling.  Our vocation.  To steward boldly the life and promise entrusted to us through baptism, believing even more boldly in Christ, who will return in joy.

Third we might note the motivation of the third slave.  Fear. He understood the master as a harsh, and therefore acted out of fear.  Fear of losing his talent.  Fear of risking all that the master entrusted him.  So he dug a hole, planted his talent, so that upon the Master’s return there would be no risk of loss.  The digging and hiding of the talent echos the popular, “hide it under a bushel, no...I’m goinna let it shine...let it shine let it shine, let it shine.”

Imagine if the disciples, after learning about jesus’ death and resurrection remained locked away in the upper room. If they had closed the door and turned off the lights so that no one knew they were there.  Dug themselves a hole, and hid in fear.  Fear that they might mess up.  Fear that the risk they take would not be worth.  Fear that spreading the gospel message might be in short supply or worse, a fruitless investment.  Fear that sowing seeds, investing their entrusted gift would not return a positive investment for the day the Lord returns.

What’s at stake in this parable perhaps is not necessarily the weeping and gnashing of teeth but rather the missed opportunity to use God’s abundant gift.  What’s at stake is the missed calling or dismissing vocation.  What’s at stake is life motivated by fear rather than abundance and joy.  

Friends, the good news is that Jesus absolutely and unconditionally gifts us with an abundance. Entrusted with an abundance of love, mercy, and forgiveness.  Entrusted an abundance of grace.  And God’s grace in Jesus Christ will be more than we can ever ever steward on our own.  And as it was for the two slaves, the disciples then, and us today, it is our calling to go at once, immediately, washed in our baptism and fed by the body and blood, to embody the abundance to which we have been entrusted.   Taking risks, investing ourselves, our time, and our possessions for the glory of God and the return of the kingdom.  To go boldly, and trust even more boldly the promise that we will be entrusted into the Joy of the king upon his return.

Amen


© Pastor Daniel Locke Nov. 19, 2017 @ St. Mark's JAX 

Actively Waiting for the Lord - Sermon on Matthew 25:1-12

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 25:1-12

"‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

I always get caught up when I hear Jesus say, I’ll have nothing to do with you.”  Words like these run counter to understanding and experience of Jesus.  They challenge our expectation of the bridegroom and the kingdom. Literally this could be translated as, “I’ll have nothing to do with you.” So when the 5 foolish come knocking, crying out, Lord, Lord, open to us, Jesus says “I’ll have nothing to do with you.”

Ouch Jesus. Ouch. Now I think we can agree that this can be a tough text to hear. And I think that it is very important for us to name that difficulty. Especially if we are going to attempt to understand the parable, or better yet, relate it to our lives today.

It’s necessary that we recognize the tension and the anxiety that apocalyptic, “end-time” parables like this stir up within us. We don’t have be ok with it, but we should name it.

As we approach today’s difficult text, might I offer two foundations that we can rely on.  Two things we can depend on as we shed some light on Jesus’ parable.

First, as Christians trust with hope and faith in the actions of God. Trust in God who is faithful to God’s promises. Trust that the Kingdom of Heaven means the absolute return of the bridegroom.  Trust that through the movement of the Holy Spirit, God is relentlessly faithful.

Second, we trust in each other, the community, the body of Christ gathered to hear God’s word.  Trust the support, the love, the grace, the work of the community who shares in the Gospel message; however difficult it may be. These two things, relationship with God and relationship with the body of Christ are strong and reliable foundations as we discern Jesus’ words this day.

Let’s wade together in today’s text.

Today, 20 chapters after last week’s Beatitudes, Jesus continues to teach about the kingdom of heaven.  This time he does so in the form of a parable. Ten Bridesmaids, 5 foolish and 5 wise, as they wait for the bridegroom.   This is the first of three “end-time” parables in the 25th chapter of Matthew.  All three of which, we will hear as our Gospel lesson for these last three Sundays of our church year leading up to Advent. But today’s parable is one of readiness and waiting, a difficult text with a rather abrasive ending. Jesus teaches, The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids, all of whom have lamps and all are waiting to meet the bridegroom. Now Jesus distinguishes between 5 of them, deemed wise for bringing extra oil for their lamps, and 5, called foolish, for taking no oil.

In their waiting to meet the bridegroom, there is a delay.  As ready as they might have been, the bridegroom did not arrive as they expected or hoped. All ten grow drowsy and sleep. Suddenly, at an hour unexpected they were all awakened to a loud shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!” So everyone trimmed their lamps in preparation, but of course the five foolish bridesmaids have no oil.  And despite the plea of the foolish, the wise do not share their extra oil. Waiting for the Lord.  Waiting, the time we spend now, in this place, in this community, in this world, our lives on earth...waiting until the bridegroom returns. You see friends, as Christians we live our fragile and God-given lives in the in between status of the kingdom.  On one hand, as Jesus proclaimed coming out of the wilderness, “the kingdom of God has come near.”  Joined to Christ in baptism we die in a death like his, and rise into new life, life within the Oh, so near, Kingdom of God.  But Yet, at the same time we confess that Jesus will return again, and with him comes the fulfillment of the Kingdom. A holistic reconciliation of all of creation to God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit.  That’s the now-and-not-yet of the kingdom of God.   And in the meantime, we are called to wait.  But how do we wait?

So the five foolish go off to find some at the 24 hour oil quick-e-mart, and it is while they are gone that the bridegroom arrives. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet and the door was shut.  Of course, the foolish return, knocking at the door “Lord, Lord, open to us.”  And the Lord says, “Truly I do not know you.”  

Keep awake therefore, for know neither the day nor the hour.

So what could this parable really be about?

Could it be a parable about the necessary resources one needs for admittance to the celebration?  Could it be a parable warning us of our surprise, shock, or alertness upon the bridegroom’s arrival? Could it be a parable advising us to be in the right place at the right time? Or is it maybe a parable about having a relationship the Lord distinguishing between those who know Jesus and those who don’t.

Well I might argue that no it’s not chiefly about any of these things.

It’s not strictly about obtaining the necessary resources, or accumulating works and deeds or doing enough things so that we might earn admittance to the celebration. After all, all ten bridesmaids, wise and foolish, bring lamps in their waiting.

It’s likely not about the surprise, shock, or alertness of the bridegroom’s arrival.  After all, all ten fell asleep, and all ten wake at the sound of his arrival and all are made alert of his imminent return.

I don’t think Jesus is suggesting that the kingdom of heaven is dependent upon knowing the Lord, or laying claim to our relationship with Christ. After all even the foolish bridesmaids know him when they cry out, “Lord, Lord, open to us.”  

And so really, the only thing that divides the wise from the foolish is the bit of extra oil that the wise brought with them in their waiting. The biggest difference is that the wise were prepared for the bridegroom’s delay and they were ready for the wait.

Perhaps then today’s parable, as it was for the disciples then who were soon to see Jesus die on the cross, as it was for the Thessalonians in our new testament lesson who were anxious because their loved one’s were dying and the Lord had not yet returned, is for us some 2000 years later... about readiness and waiting.

First we wait in God.  Waiting every moment in praise, thanksgiving, and worship to God.   The bridegroom will return. And in our waiting we rely on the faithfulness of God. God’s promise of love, peace, justice, forgiveness, and mercy.

Wait in the faithfulness of God that Jesus Christ, the bridegroom, IS coming back.  He will return.  And when he does… there will be a party, a wedding banquet, a heavenly celebration. A great feast where the Lord welcomes all with peace and love.

We wait in the full and confident expectation of Christ’s imminent return, Celebrate every possible moment of waiting, actively spreading the good news that Jesus will return.  Because washed in God’s promises we are lit with a flame that will not run out, supplied with more oil in our lamps than we could ever need, to keep us burning burning burning for the Lord and we can not help but spread the light of Christ.

Second, we wait in community.  We wait with the whole body of Christ, our neighbors, and our enemies. We wait with the whole church of Saints.   Not in a passive, foolish, nonchalant posture, but we wait in the calling of our baptism to...

   Live among God’s faithful people,

   Proclaim good news of God through word and deed,

  To serve all people, following Christ’s example,

  To strive for justice and peace in all the earth.

This communal waiting is an active waiting. One that embodies these baptismal promises and works to build up the kingdom of God, both now and not yet.   

This waiting means standing up against injustice empowering the voice of the oppressed.  Lately that looks like honoring the countless women who bravely share their experiences of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.  Means challenging oppressive and patriarchal systems until all are made equal.  

It means we are called to meet the person next to us. Listen to their stories.  Honor and respect their experiences.  Share in their joys and pains. Weep when they weep, mourn when they mourn. Celebrate in their victories. Pray without ceasing.  Waiting means encouragement.loving, supporting, and building up each other. Working for peace. Striving to end violence, as well as the multitude of influences that perpetuate and enable violence.  

Siblings, our participation in the Kingdom of God and our call to wait for the Lord means that we actually have work to do.  Not as a requirement or some pre-condition for our entering the celebration, but rather as outward expression of our embodied faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A Daily witness to God’s promise of Jesus’ return.

So Keep awake! Trim your lamps.  Wait in God.  Wait in one another.  For although we know neither the day nor the hour, we are called to wait.  And make no mistake, our waiting, in this life, is a gift.

Amen

© Pastor Daniel Locke Nov. 12, 2017 @ St. Mark's JAX