Bible Passage: Matthew 25:1-13
Pastor: Joel Jenswold
Sermon Date: 

Bulletin – November 8, 2026

In the name of, and to the eternal glory of Jesus,

There is a day and an hour when the Lord Jesus is going to return to this earth.  This belief is not based on some obscure verse in Scripture, but the return of Christ is taught very clearly in many places in the Bible.  One such verse is found in Acts 1.  Jesus’ disciples are staring up into the sky after Jesus has ascended.  Two angels appear to them and say, Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky?  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)  Maybe the day is Friday, August 16, 2165 and the time will be 10:37 p.m. CST.  Maybe the day is November 8, 2026 and the time is 1:02 p.m. CST.  Because we do not know the day or hour, we are told many times to “keep watch” and “be ready.” (Matthew 24:42, 44)

Many of the early Christians thought the return of Jesus was imminent.  They thought it would certainly be in their lifetime.  Maybe they would wait 20 or 30years.  Certainly not much longer than that!  Jesus tells us a parable today that teaches the wait for the return of Jesus may be longer than we think.   And just as the virgins in the parable needed to be ready for the coming of the groom, so also Christ’s followers need to be Ready for the Groom.

To understand Jesus’ parable, we need to know a little something about ancient Jewish wedding customs.  A marriage would first of all be agreed upon by the fathers of a young woman and young man.  Then the groom would go back and live with his parents for at least a year and the bride remained with her parents.  During this year, the groom-to-be would get things ready for his bride.  He would build an addition onto his parents home or get a house ready.  Then when he had things ready to bring his bride home, he would travel back to the bride’s home to get his bride and take her home.  This return of the groom sometimes happened at an unexpected time.  Friends and family would accompany the groom as he went to get his bride and take her home.  If this took place at night, the friends and family lit the dark way with their little oil lamps.  They would then go into the groom’s home and have the wedding feast.

The parable Jesus tells describes this last part.  There are ten virgins.  These would be unmarried friends of the bride and groom.  I suppose they are similar to what we would call bridesmaids.  They are told, “He’s on his way!  He’s coming tonight for his bride!”  They all grab their little clay lamps and run out to greet the groom.  Five of them took along little flasks with oil for their lamps.  Smart!  Five of them didn’t think this through.  They just ran out with their lamps and no extra oil.  Then they waited for the groom.  And waited.  And waited.  They yawned.  They all fall asleep.

Finally, at midnight, the cry goes up, Look!  The bridegroom!  Come out to meet him! (v. 6)  The snoozing virgins jerk from their sleep.  Those who brought oil grab their flasks and begin to refill their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out. (v. 7)  But the wise virgins answer, No, there may not be enough for us and for you…Go…buy some…(v. 9)  So off they go to buy oil.  But while they are buying oil, the groom arrives.  Those who are ready for him escort him and his bride to the wedding feast.  They go in to celebrate, and the door is shut.  By and by, the five unready, unprepared virgins get back.  They stand at the door of the banquet, Lord, lord, let us in. (v. 11) From inside a voice answers them, I don’t know you. (v. 12)

We are the virgins waiting for the Groom to come.  Jesus sounded a bit like a groom-to-be on Maundy Thursday night when he said to his disciples, In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:2-3)  And so we were put on watch for the return of Jesus, the day the book of Revelation calls the wedding supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:9)  The question is:  will we be ready when he comes or will we be unready?  Will we be wise or will we be foolish?

In the parable, all the virgins make a good start.  They all go out to wait for the groom.  But the foolish ones weren’t ready for a long wait.  They had enough oil to start the evening, but at midnight, their lamps were flickering out.  The wise ones were prepared.  They had enough oil for a long night.  So it seems key to this readiness is having enough lamps with enough oil!  So what is this?  We might say this is having a faith that is kept burning by the “oil” of the Holy Spirit as he works through Word and Sacrament.

There are many who have made a start in the Chirstian faith.  They are baptized.  They attend church and Sunday School as a child.  They go to Catechism and are confirmed.  A good start has been made!  Their lamp is full of oil and burning!  But then they sort of start to coast.  They imagine the “oil” they acquired in their youth will be enough.  But Jesus is a long time in coming.  They are getting dangerously low on oil!  It was foolish to wait without replenishment of oil!  When Christ comes, it will be too late to ask another for some of their oil.

Let us not be foolish, but wise!  The Church has been waiting 2000 years for the Groom to return.  It has been a long night, and it may be longer still.  But he will return!  And he has given us “oil” for our lamps!  Jesus has given us his precious Word and the Sacraments to keep our faith burning brightly!  Through Word and Sacrament his death and resurrection are constantly kept before our eyes so that we are constantly drawn closer to him and his love.  Paul writes to the Corinthians about Holy Communion, Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26)  “Until he comes.”  He is coming!  Let’s be wise as we wait!  Let us fill our lamps through faithful, regular, diligent use of Word and Sacrament!  And when the cry goes up, “Look!  The bridegroom!” – we will be ready to meet him!

Amen.