Isaiah 65:17-25; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; St Matthew 25:1-13
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
How foolish they looked. Downright ridiculous. It was midnight and the Israelites were still up. They were waiting. Everyone else in Egypt was doing the sensible thing. The reasonable thing. They were in their pajamas, tucked up in bed, sleeping. But not the Israelites. They were awake. Watchful. Waiting for something. And looking pretty foolish doing it. It was the time of day to have no shoes on their feet and nothing in their hands. But they all had their sandals on, robes tucked into their belts, some had staffs in their hands, ready to go. How silly.
But the most ridiculous thing they did was with the blood of the lamb they had eaten that night. They painted it on the doorposts and on the beam of their houses. So there they were. Still up. Still dressed. Waiting for something. With blotches of red blood on their doors. How foolish they looked.
Ten virgins, ten bridesmaids, waited with the bride at her house. They waited for the Bridegroom with their lamps and their oil for light. When he arrived they would all together march to the wedding service and the reception. Five of the virgins did the sensible thing. They were reasonable. They were ruled by common sense. They looked so wise. They thought back to all the weddings they’d been to in the past and estimated how much oil they’d need for their lamps. Why lug around more than you need? They’re all dressed up. Their tiny purses don’t hold much. Its not like the Bridegroom’s going to come in the middle of the night or something. Or so they thought.
But the other five virgins looked foolish. Ridiculous. In their elegant outfits, hair done up, fancy shoes on, they hauled along large containers of extra oil. If this took place today it would have been as though they brought a whole string of extra D batteries for their flashlights. Or extra gallons of lighter fluid for the flame.
Even though the other five may have mocked and laughed at them, they wanted to be prepared for any circumstance. But how foolish, how over-the-top they seemed in being so prepared.
They all grew weary as they waited. They all fell asleep as the hours passed by. But then the clock struck midnight and suddenly those who looked so foolish were wise!
At midnight they Israelites didn’t look so silly anymore. In fact, they looked very wise. It was the Egyptians - haunched over their dead firstborn sons, sleeping inside their bloodless doors - who looked foolish. They rejected the God of Israel and His Word and therefore were not ready in the middle of the night. It was too late. Too late to believe. Too late to get a lamb. Too late to spare their firstborn sons. But the ridiculous looking Israelites with those ridiculous looking bloody marks on their doors made their escape out of slavery through the watery door of the Red Sea to rejoicing.
And when the clock struck midnight those five foolish-looking virgins with all those gallons of extra oil didn’t look so silly either. In fact, what was revealed at midnight, was just how wise they had been. For when the cry went out at midnight that the Bridegroom was coming, they found themselves in the ready position of faith. Looking very wise. They had extra oil. They trimmed their lamps and went into the wedding hall rejoicing. It was too late for those who looked so smart, so reasonable, so worldly-wise. They didn’t make it. It was too late. And the door was shut on them forever.
The foolishness of God is wiser than men (1 Cor 1:25). Those who are truly wise in this life will not look it in the eyes of the world. God is looking for “fools” in this life. They are the ones who are going to be revealed to be wise in the next, when Jesus comes again and shuts the door on history. God loves “fools” in this life. People who operate on a different set of assumptions than the worldly wise. Folks who know that the foolishness of God is wiser than men. That the weakness of God is stronger than men.
And the oil in the parable are those things that bring and feed faith in Christ Jesus, that keep that flame burning bright long into the dark night of the last day. Things like Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, Holy Communion, the holy preaching of Christ’s Holy Word. Think of the Church as an oil depot. The Dealers are the servants of the Word, the pastors of our Lord Jesus Christ, dispensing the saving holy oil at no cost, as the prophet Isaiah said earlier than today’s reading: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without price (Is 55:1). Sounds pretty foolish, no?
But we like reasonable. We like sensible. We by nature like to know how little of something we have to do or how little of something we need. It makes more sense to us to sleep like the Egyptians and to be like those Virgins who only brought the minimum amount of oil. If the Church is an oil depot, it would make sense to get only as much as you need, right?
The sensible things would be to go to church as little as you need. Get as little Jesus as you can as to not overdo it. Common sense says its important to go to church most Sundays, but not all. And never on weekdays. Reasonable people ask, “Why bother with the Bible or the Small Catechism at home? I learned it all in Confirmation Class. I don’t have any kids at home. It’s just me, just the two of us.”
And prayer? Well that doesn’t seem to do any good. So its reasonable to do the minimum of that.
Give generously to the poor and to those who can’t pay you back? Nah. I don’t want to look like a fool and be taken advantage of by those who won’t appreciate it.
Foolish enough to love those who hate us? To forgive those who sin against us? To take every slight, every insult, and bear it, like the father of the prodigal son? Sounds pretty ridiculous. But its exactly what God wants for us. But we say no. Only a fool would do that. It makes more sense to be stingy, to plot revenge, to get even, to assert ourselves.
That’s because we like reasonable. We like sensible. We like worldly wisdom. We think like those virgins who calculated the minimum of oil. But all that kind of attitude gets you is a door shut in your face on the Last Day. A tragic message of “Too late,” and “I don’t know you,” from the Bridegroom Jesus Himself.
Thanks be to God, dear people, Bridegroom Jesus is not sensible, not reasonable. He is just, to be sure. But above all, He is merciful. And through Him God has made foolish the wisdom of the world and rescued us in the process. Hear this: God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh might boast in His presence (1 Cor 1:27-29). And, For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:21-23).
Jesus is the foolishness of God! For who else would go to the Cross and be judged for sins He didn’t commit? Who else would go to the Cross for a nonchalant attitude toward God’s Word that was not His? Our despising of God’s gifts and despising of His gracious ways, could only make God scowl in fierce wrath and make us the target of His anger.
But along comes Jesus, the foolishness of God, and changes God’s frown to a smile. Where? How? On the Crucifix in our place, bearing the punishment that we deserved. Looks pretty foolish, no?
But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18). Christ crucified is the power of God. Christ crucified is the wisdom of God. The sensible thing would be for God to just shut the door of heaven to sinners and be done with them. But instead, He takes on flesh and comes into our world to be the Door. The Door that would be affixed to the Cross, ripped open and marked all over with His own Blood. There He hung in the darkness at noon, God in the flesh, the Light and life of the world, dying for men who loved darkness.
But the Father would not pass over this Bloody Door named Jesus. He would not spare His own Firstborn Son, but made Him the Lamb for sinners slain. Struck dead that you might live. A foolish waste.
Only three days later He makes His exodus from the grave so that by rising from the dead He might mark you as His own, anoint you with the oil of your Holy Baptism, and bring you through that watery door to life everlasting.
The sensible thing would be for God to not give out any more oil. Any more preaching. Any more Baptism. To take away His Word. Close the Depot down, shut off the Oil. But He doesn’t. He sends His Dealers with the command to give it away for free. Through the folly of what we preach to bring salvation again today. Here He gives the oil of His Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies you in the True Faith. Here He anoints your head with oil until your cup runneth over. Looks pretty foolish. Here He places the lamp in your hand and the oil of faith in your heart, declaring you to be a ready bridesmaid, a faithful virgin, prepared to enter into the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which has no end.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
How foolish they looked. Downright ridiculous. It was midnight and the Israelites were still up. They were waiting. Everyone else in Egypt was doing the sensible thing. The reasonable thing. They were in their pajamas, tucked up in bed, sleeping. But not the Israelites. They were awake. Watchful. Waiting for something. And looking pretty foolish doing it. It was the time of day to have no shoes on their feet and nothing in their hands. But they all had their sandals on, robes tucked into their belts, some had staffs in their hands, ready to go. How silly.
But the most ridiculous thing they did was with the blood of the lamb they had eaten that night. They painted it on the doorposts and on the beam of their houses. So there they were. Still up. Still dressed. Waiting for something. With blotches of red blood on their doors. How foolish they looked.
Ten virgins, ten bridesmaids, waited with the bride at her house. They waited for the Bridegroom with their lamps and their oil for light. When he arrived they would all together march to the wedding service and the reception. Five of the virgins did the sensible thing. They were reasonable. They were ruled by common sense. They looked so wise. They thought back to all the weddings they’d been to in the past and estimated how much oil they’d need for their lamps. Why lug around more than you need? They’re all dressed up. Their tiny purses don’t hold much. Its not like the Bridegroom’s going to come in the middle of the night or something. Or so they thought.
But the other five virgins looked foolish. Ridiculous. In their elegant outfits, hair done up, fancy shoes on, they hauled along large containers of extra oil. If this took place today it would have been as though they brought a whole string of extra D batteries for their flashlights. Or extra gallons of lighter fluid for the flame.
Even though the other five may have mocked and laughed at them, they wanted to be prepared for any circumstance. But how foolish, how over-the-top they seemed in being so prepared.
They all grew weary as they waited. They all fell asleep as the hours passed by. But then the clock struck midnight and suddenly those who looked so foolish were wise!
At midnight they Israelites didn’t look so silly anymore. In fact, they looked very wise. It was the Egyptians - haunched over their dead firstborn sons, sleeping inside their bloodless doors - who looked foolish. They rejected the God of Israel and His Word and therefore were not ready in the middle of the night. It was too late. Too late to believe. Too late to get a lamb. Too late to spare their firstborn sons. But the ridiculous looking Israelites with those ridiculous looking bloody marks on their doors made their escape out of slavery through the watery door of the Red Sea to rejoicing.
And when the clock struck midnight those five foolish-looking virgins with all those gallons of extra oil didn’t look so silly either. In fact, what was revealed at midnight, was just how wise they had been. For when the cry went out at midnight that the Bridegroom was coming, they found themselves in the ready position of faith. Looking very wise. They had extra oil. They trimmed their lamps and went into the wedding hall rejoicing. It was too late for those who looked so smart, so reasonable, so worldly-wise. They didn’t make it. It was too late. And the door was shut on them forever.
The foolishness of God is wiser than men (1 Cor 1:25). Those who are truly wise in this life will not look it in the eyes of the world. God is looking for “fools” in this life. They are the ones who are going to be revealed to be wise in the next, when Jesus comes again and shuts the door on history. God loves “fools” in this life. People who operate on a different set of assumptions than the worldly wise. Folks who know that the foolishness of God is wiser than men. That the weakness of God is stronger than men.
And the oil in the parable are those things that bring and feed faith in Christ Jesus, that keep that flame burning bright long into the dark night of the last day. Things like Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, Holy Communion, the holy preaching of Christ’s Holy Word. Think of the Church as an oil depot. The Dealers are the servants of the Word, the pastors of our Lord Jesus Christ, dispensing the saving holy oil at no cost, as the prophet Isaiah said earlier than today’s reading: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without price (Is 55:1). Sounds pretty foolish, no?
But we like reasonable. We like sensible. We by nature like to know how little of something we have to do or how little of something we need. It makes more sense to us to sleep like the Egyptians and to be like those Virgins who only brought the minimum amount of oil. If the Church is an oil depot, it would make sense to get only as much as you need, right?
The sensible things would be to go to church as little as you need. Get as little Jesus as you can as to not overdo it. Common sense says its important to go to church most Sundays, but not all. And never on weekdays. Reasonable people ask, “Why bother with the Bible or the Small Catechism at home? I learned it all in Confirmation Class. I don’t have any kids at home. It’s just me, just the two of us.”
And prayer? Well that doesn’t seem to do any good. So its reasonable to do the minimum of that.
Give generously to the poor and to those who can’t pay you back? Nah. I don’t want to look like a fool and be taken advantage of by those who won’t appreciate it.
Foolish enough to love those who hate us? To forgive those who sin against us? To take every slight, every insult, and bear it, like the father of the prodigal son? Sounds pretty ridiculous. But its exactly what God wants for us. But we say no. Only a fool would do that. It makes more sense to be stingy, to plot revenge, to get even, to assert ourselves.
That’s because we like reasonable. We like sensible. We like worldly wisdom. We think like those virgins who calculated the minimum of oil. But all that kind of attitude gets you is a door shut in your face on the Last Day. A tragic message of “Too late,” and “I don’t know you,” from the Bridegroom Jesus Himself.
Thanks be to God, dear people, Bridegroom Jesus is not sensible, not reasonable. He is just, to be sure. But above all, He is merciful. And through Him God has made foolish the wisdom of the world and rescued us in the process. Hear this: God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh might boast in His presence (1 Cor 1:27-29). And, For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:21-23).
Jesus is the foolishness of God! For who else would go to the Cross and be judged for sins He didn’t commit? Who else would go to the Cross for a nonchalant attitude toward God’s Word that was not His? Our despising of God’s gifts and despising of His gracious ways, could only make God scowl in fierce wrath and make us the target of His anger.
But along comes Jesus, the foolishness of God, and changes God’s frown to a smile. Where? How? On the Crucifix in our place, bearing the punishment that we deserved. Looks pretty foolish, no?
But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18). Christ crucified is the power of God. Christ crucified is the wisdom of God. The sensible thing would be for God to just shut the door of heaven to sinners and be done with them. But instead, He takes on flesh and comes into our world to be the Door. The Door that would be affixed to the Cross, ripped open and marked all over with His own Blood. There He hung in the darkness at noon, God in the flesh, the Light and life of the world, dying for men who loved darkness.
But the Father would not pass over this Bloody Door named Jesus. He would not spare His own Firstborn Son, but made Him the Lamb for sinners slain. Struck dead that you might live. A foolish waste.
Only three days later He makes His exodus from the grave so that by rising from the dead He might mark you as His own, anoint you with the oil of your Holy Baptism, and bring you through that watery door to life everlasting.
The sensible thing would be for God to not give out any more oil. Any more preaching. Any more Baptism. To take away His Word. Close the Depot down, shut off the Oil. But He doesn’t. He sends His Dealers with the command to give it away for free. Through the folly of what we preach to bring salvation again today. Here He gives the oil of His Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies you in the True Faith. Here He anoints your head with oil until your cup runneth over. Looks pretty foolish. Here He places the lamp in your hand and the oil of faith in your heart, declaring you to be a ready bridesmaid, a faithful virgin, prepared to enter into the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which has no end.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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