Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Thursday, 6 November 2014 - Scripture: Matthew 25: The Story of the Virgins1-5 “God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
6 “In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bride-groom’s here! Go out and greet him!’
7-8 “The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’
9 “They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’
10 “They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
11 “Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’
12 “He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’
13 “So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.(The Message)
Wouldn't you like to know the mind and thoughts of God? What wouldn't we give to know what God knows and to see as God sees! I think about this whenever I hear Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of heaven. In essence, Jesus shows his followers God's concept for how life might look like here on earth.
In Matthew 25, we learn some things about God's kingdom as it takes shape in our time of waiting for Jesus' return. The first glimpse we catch is that God's timing remains a mystery to us. Nobody knows the exact time when the bridegroom will appear to gather his followers in celebration. The second is more troubling, when we note that some are let in to the wedding banquet while others are rejected because they are unprepared. We're left to wonder what kind of God is this who seems to exclude some from the festivities.
Still we may find comfort in Jesus' teaching that anyone can be ready by doing the obvious, by being prepared and ready, with "oil in our lamps" when the bridegroom comes.
Gracious Father, help us do that which we already know how to do in preparing for your Son's return. Amen.
Keith Anderson
Pastor, First Lutheran Church
Ketchikan, Ala.
Master of Divinity , 1989
Matthew 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;
4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.
6 But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'
7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.
8 The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 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.'
10 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.
11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us.'
12 But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you.'
13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.(New Revised Standard Version)
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