Sermon Matthew 25:1-13 Ordinary Times

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches

Sermon Matthew 25:1-13 Ordinary Times

November 9, 2014

We are continuing to listen to Jesus on Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week. On Tuesday, the day after Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the Jerusalem Temple, he spoke with religious leaders and then addressed a crowd. But now the sun has set and a new day has begun. It's Wednesday. Jesus and his closest followers have gathered on the Mount of Olives across the Kidron valley from Jerusalem. The massive temple rises from the adjoining hill. And Jesus tells his disciples about the coming Kingdom of God. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

I give thanks for the gift of life this day and for the privilege of loving you by serving others. Give me an opportunity to grow in right relationship with you by promoting justice in the world today though my life, my choices, and my witness. Amen.”¹

When I was young my parents took my brother, sister and me to visit our grandmothers. Both grandmas lived in Uniontown, a small city in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania. It took about four hours for my Dad to drive there. Mom and Dad sat in the front seat of our big station wagon. We kids climbed in the back with games and books we brought to keep us occupied during the journey. We could amuse ourselves for about a half hour. Then the drive became really boring. At that time one of us would ask the question my parents dreaded the most. “Are we there yet?”

Mom always had a couple of ways of dealing with our boredom on the trip. She would have us watch the cars speeding by and find out how many different license plates we could identify. There were plenty from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. There were a few more from Indiana or New York or someplace else. Or she would divide us into teams to count the number of cows we could see on each side of the road. Whichever team counted the most cows would win a prize. These activities usually got us to grandma's house in good spirits. Jesus also told a story about traveling with kids.

Matthew 25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

There once was a man with 11 children, all girls. Let's call him Pop. Pop had eleven daughters. The oldest is just about to get married, today. When that happens Pop will only have to find husbands for the other ten.

The oldest of 11 daughters, the one getting married today, is with her mother. They are working on the hair and the dress so everything will be perfect for the wedding. Pop is responsible for other 10 female teenagers. He got them all together and told them to get ready. “Get dressed. Comb your hair. Get your torches ready. And don't forget to fill a bottle of olive oil to keep the torches lit for the procession”, he told them. As the sun began to set Pop yelled for the girls to get ready. Mom and bride were waiting anxiously. The girls were fidgeting. And Pop was wondering why the groom was late.

The wedding plan was simple. At sunset the groom was to go to the bride's fathers house. The bride, groom and her family would then process through the streets to the groom's house. The bride's ten younger sisters would light the way with torches. When they arrive, the groom's parents will greet the bride and her family. There will be a wedding ceremony followed by a banquet for both families. The bride's family would then go home leaving the oldest daughter behind. And then Pop will have only ten more daughters to worry about.

But the groom was late. One hour passed. Two hour's passed. The girls got restless. “Where is he? What is he so late? When can we eat? I'm tired.” Pop told them to go bed. He promised to wake them when the groom arrived. But Pop wondered, “Where is this guy?

Finally, the groom showed up, six hours late. It's midnight. Mom and bride are overjoyed. Pop goes to wake up the 10 girls. “Get up. Comb your hair. Get dressed. And bring your torches and olive oil. Let's go!” It was then that five of the girls discovered that they had not filled their jars of olive oil. They won't be able to light their lamps. So they went to their sisters' and asked, “can we borrow some?” But the sisters replied, “We don't have enough go find your own oil.”

Pop found the girls arguing with each other when he went to get them. “Let's go” he said. But five of his daughters were crying. “They're so mean. They won't share their olive oil.” The other daughters yelled, “You're so foolish. Why didn't you get the olive oil when Pop told you to? Now we will all be late!”

Pop, with a strong voice, told them all to be quiet. He told the five girls with their torches ready to join their oldest sister and mother. He told the other five to start looking for olive oil. Pop then walked with his wife, his oldest daughter, her soon to be husband, and his five wise daughters through the city streets. They arrived at the groom's house and were greeted by his parents. They entered the house and the door was closed. With both families present the couple was married and they sat down for a great feast.

The five foolish daughters eventually found some olive oil. They lit their torches and made their way to the groom's house. But the door was shut. They banged on the door and shouted, “Let us in. Let us in.” But the servant, not expecting anyone to visit at this late hour, came to door and saw five young girls with torches. “Who are you?”, he asked.

According to Jesus this is what waiting for the kingdom of heaven is like. We don't know when Jesus will return. So we carry on with our ordinary lives. We love our families. We support our church with our time and tithes. We pray daily, attend Bible studies, and regularly attend worship. We do all the ordinary things of life while we wait for big day when Jesus returns.

The church calendar reminds us of the importance of ordinary time. You will see at the top of your bulletin that we are in the 32^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. A Sunday in Ordinary Time is not set aside to remember the events of Jesus' life. During Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter we celebrate the extraordinary time of Jesus' birth, death and resurrection. But on the other Sundays we look at the more ordinary aspects of the faith. For the last month or so of Ordinary Time we have been looking at Jesus' teaching in the temple. But in a few weeks our colors will change from Ordinary green to Advent purple and the Sundays of Ordinary Time will have come to and end. We will once again get ready for the birth of a savior.

So as you wait for Jesus to return just live ordinary lives. Nurture your relationship with God. Raise you family. Go to work. And enjoy your leisure time and retirement. Don't worry about when Jesus will return. Just remember that he will return and you have to be ready. Let's pray.

Lord Jesus we wait for your coming. Bless us as we live our ordinary lives until you return and make all things new. This we pray in our love for you. Amen.

1Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 2 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press p247.