Sermon - Parable of the Ten Virgins

     Sermon - Parable of the Ten Virgins

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Sermon - Parable of the Ten Virgins

Last Sunday of the Church Year

November 26, 2017

Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

It is written: 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Jesus, Jesus, open to us.’ 12 But Jesus answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Let us pray: Almighty God, grant to Your church Your Holy Spirit and the wisdom that comes down from above, that Your Word may not be bound but have free course and be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ’s holy people, that in steadfast faith, we may serve You and, in the confession of Your name, abide unto the end; in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year and the parable of the Ten Virgins is to teach and admonish us as to what will happen when Christ comes on the last day ushers in the consummation of the church in the new heaven and earth.

The parable of the Ten Virgins uses an ancient Jewish wedding to warn us Christians.  

An ancient Jewish wedding would go like this:  A young Jewish man, the groom, would be engaged to his fiance without ceremony but as legally binding as marriage is today.  To break off this Jewish engagement would be called divorce.  A few days later, the young groom would arrive at his fiance’s home (her dad’s home) to escort the young lady to his home for two purposes.  First, to consummate the marriage.  Second, to begin a week-long wedding celebration.  Many from the village would join the couple to the groom’s house.  It was a big parade.  It was an open invitation.  These people are the wedding guests.

The wedding guests would not know exactly when the groom would arrive.  They knew he would come within a few days of the engagement.  They knew the groom was coming soon but they did not know exactly when.  So, they had time to ready themselves.  The groom could arrive during the day.  But he could arrive during the night, so to be prepared they needed lamps with oil.

Jesus is telling this parable to warn us Christians to be prepared for His return on the Last Day.  On the Last Day Jesus, the groom, will come for His bride, the church.  Jesus will consummate the end-times and we will celebrate with Him for eternity.  In this parable, we Christians are the wedding guests who are waiting for Christ’s return.

A virgin is symbolic of a Christian, not a non-Christian.  

Ten virgins are symbolic for all Christians in heaven and earth.  

On the Last Day, some Christians will be found wise unto salvation.  Some Christians will be found foolish.  The foolish will cry out “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name and cast out devils?  And in your name done many wonderful works?  Lord, Lord, have we not support pastors to preach your word and baptized our children?  Have we not supported wonderful works like missions in Papua New Guinea and Kenya?  Then Jesus will solemnly proclaim to them, ‘I never knew you.  Depart from me.’

The parable teaches us that there is a division among Christians.  Some are well prepared.  Some are not prepared at all.  Both groups make up the whole of Christianity.  

What do the fools lack?  They thought they were prepared.  The parable tells us what they lack by the lamps that they hold.

Think of it like this:

The lamp’s flame is faith in Christ.

The oil in the lamp is the grace of God - The dealer of God’s grace is Moses and the prophets.  Today, the public dealers of God’s grace are the pastors who proclaim the Lord’s Word and administer the Lord’s Sacraments.

The lamp itself is the particular congregation you attend.  This is the outward form of that particular congregation.

Flame, oil, and lamp.  The fools have the lamp; the outward life and conduct of a Christian.  But the fools have no oil.  No Word and Sacrament.

The fools are not like Moses’ brother Aaron.  Aaron committed idolatry. Hearing the Word, Aaron repented and believed in Jesus again.  Aaron was graciously admitted back in through the open door of God’s Word and the Old Testament sacrifices.

The fools are not like David.  David committed adultery and then homicide.  Hearing the Word, David repented and believed in Jesus again.  David was graciously admitted back in through the open door of God’s Word and Old Testament sacrifices.

The fools are not like Peter.  Peter denied the Lord three times.  Hearing the Word, Peter repented and believed in Jesus again.  Peter was graciously admitted in through the open door of God’s Word and His New Testament sacraments.

How will the fools be unprepared for Christ’s second coming?

They will have been active in the outward form of the Christian church (the potlucks, clean-up days, the annual Sunday School Christmas program and the like but they will be the ones who were not hearing the Word of God preached and taught.  They will be the ones who denied the power of Holy Baptism and did not attend the Holy Communion.

On the Last Day, the door through which Aaron, David, and Peter were graciously readmitted to the Christian church will be forever shut.  

On the Last Day, the door which Christ says “Knock and it will be open to you” will have been shut forever.

Today is the day to fill your lamps with oil.

Jesus fills your lamp with oil when He forgives your sin in the Confession and Absolution.  Then the lamp continues to burn.  The flame is faith in Jesus.  You will be prepared.

Jesus fills your lamp with oil when He announces the grace of God in public sermons, Bible studies, and private devotions, and the mutual care and comfort of Christians encouraging each other in the Scriptures which they memorize and remember.  Then the lamp continues to burn.  The flame is faith in Jesus.  You will be prepared.

The Lord fills your lamp with oil when He feeds you His very Body and Blood for you to eat and drink.  Then the lamp continues to burn.  The flame is faith in Jesus.  You will be prepared.

Jesus is warning us Christians to keep watching for His return.

Keep watch by hearing the preaching of the Word of God and trust that what you hear is for you.  This is wise and you will be prepared for the Last Day

Keep watch by being Baptized which is connected with the study of God’s Word and trust that what you hear is for you.  This is wise and you will be prepared for the Last Day.

Keep watch by eating and drinking Christ’s Body and Blood and trust that what you eat and drink is for you.  This is wise and you will be prepared for the Last Day.

Keep watch therefore and remain prepared for Jesus Christ’s Second Coming by receiving His Word and Sacrament by faith in Jesus.

You feel that Jesus is delayed.  You will probably fall asleep in Christ before He comes, just like Aaron, David, and Peter.

But your hope is that Jesus will keep His promises given to you.

It is written in the last chapter of the book of Revelation, Jesus “testifies of these things saying, ‘Surely, I am coming quickly.  Amen.  Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus’; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Finally, I leave you with the last words written in the Holy Scriptures, which is a blessing for all of you - “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.”

Divine Service - Trinity 23

                    Divine Service - Trinity 23

Our Savior Lutheran Church - LCMS 2611 Lucas Street Muscatine, Iowa 52761 www.oursaviormuscatine.org

Divine Service - Trinity 23

Matthew 22:15-22

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Render … to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."   

Now what is so amazing is that in one sentence, Jesus not only escapes both dangers, He also is able to express the distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of men. "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Here is the Biblical teaching on the two kingdoms, the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of power, distilled into one sentence. We have an obligation in our worldly affairs to be good citizens: paying our taxes, dealing honestly with others, working hard. St. Paul elaborates on this by saying that to obey the government is to obey God. The Fourth Commandment, "Honor your father and mother," applies also to other authorities, such as the government, which we are bound to honor and obey.

However, the obligation to God is not similar. It is higher. We are to render unto Caesar the things that are his; but to God we are to render the things that belong to God. The obligation to worldly rulers consists of paying taxes and obeying the law. The obligation to render unto God the things that are God's is far greater, for what are the things that are God's? Everything. Render unto Caesar the tax money, but the LORD your God you shall love with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, all your mind. It is not a matter of warming a pew, tossing your leftovers into the offering plate, and saying a prayer or two now and then. To render unto God the things that are God's will mean perfection on your part: moral, religious, ethical perfection. "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say?"

"Render unto God the things that are God's" is one of those passages that shows the full weight of God's Law. God's Law is crushingly comprehensive. It demands, and we cannot meet its demands. We can render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, but we are incapable of rendering unto God the things that are God's. The sinful nature hinders us.

This is why the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, took on our human flesh. His incarnation was for this purpose: that He might, as a Man, render unto God the things that are God's: to do God's will, to offer Him a worthy sacrifice, to make atonement for sin – to bring man back to God.

So now, even as we live and move in the worldly kingdom of modern-day Caesars, paying our taxes and rendering the obedience and honor due to the government, we Christians nevertheless recognize that this is not the sum and substance of our lives. There is something else for which we live; there is something else that we are besides merely citizens of an earthly kingdom. I am often struck at what a privilege it is, an amazing undeserved blessing, to be a citizen of the United States. I am deeply thankful for that. And yet it pales in comparison, it is not even worthy to be compared to the one real citizenship that matters. For do you not know, we heard from St. Paul in the epistle, that "our citizenship is in heaven"? Our true citizenship is not here, it is in heaven. And so our goals are not attached to this worldly kingdom, but to attain unto the next, to attain unto the resurrection. What is the promise of that kingdom? What is the promise of Christ, who has indeed in our place rendered unto God the things that are God's? He "will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." Those are the words in the funeral liturgy, spoken at the graveside. There, in the cold horror of the grave, everything is in its starkest contrast. No Caesar, king, president, government, flag, or constitution, can take away your sins and deliver you from that grave. None of them are able. All fail. So render unto them the honor and taxes due them, but do not look to them for your help. Your help does not come from the government, from your social security and Medicare, from its laws and constitutions, from its flag and army. Your help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Your help is in the Lord Jesus, who has rendered unto the Father that things that are His, and will transform your lowly body even from the grave, that it may be conformed to His glorious body in the resurrection. Glory be to Him, therefore, forever and ever! 

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts in Christ Jesus.

Trinity 22

                                                                     Trinity 22

Our Savior Lutheran Church - LCMS 2611 Lucas Street Muscatine, Iowa 52761 www.oursaviormuscatine.org

Trinity 22

November 12, 2017

Matthew 18:23-35

It is written in Matthew chapter 18: Then Peter came up and said to Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus said to Peter, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Thus far the text.

Let us pray.  Blessed Father, You have caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning.  Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Amen.

Peter wants to know what we all want to know: How long must I put up with my neighbor? God, I know, is merciful to ME! He puts up with me. He forgives me all my sins. But how long must I forgive my brother?

This is a dreadful thing! We must all learn some repentance today, before we are thrown into prison forever!

That's what Jesus says, and what are we to make of it? Don't try to make Him say that God's forgiveness really does depend on YOU and how forgiving YOU are to your neighbor.

Jesus doesn't teach against the Gospel. Jesus knows that God's mercy rests entirely on the Giving of His Son for you - into death - and now, through Word and Sacraments.

God has paid the penalty for sin in killing Jesus on the cross. All your debt is paid. What you owe, Christ took. Though YOU deserve to be cast into prison till you've paid the final cent, JESUS went to prison for you. He paid your sins and mine. He paid them all, for every man, woman and infant; the vilest sinner and whatever Grandma still is guilty of while sitting in her chair.

Jesus rescued us from ever thinking there is ANYTHING we have to do or give or show to gain God's heaven. So, PLEASE don't make Him a preacher of that popular religion which only knows how to withhold God's grace and mercy until sinners make SOME kind of effort to pay off their debt!

But also don't make Him the author of that evil thought that rises in St. Peter's heart and yours and mine each time we think of casting off our patience, calling it quits, or making someone suffer a little longer before we give them our forgiveness.

Jesus speaks today the way a king would if, having forgiven one servant an incredible amount of money, then finds out that that SAME servant turned around and had a fellow servant put in prison for a debt FAR less than what was owed the king.

I'm not sure how best to help us understand this. Several years before this altar gives me SOME perspective. Pastors hear the sins that people confess. They watch the lives of God's people fall apart because of sin. They hear criticisms and accusations and complaints, sometimes against the pastor. Still, a pastor stands before the altar and he says: "I forgive you all your sins." He hears confession and absolves, admitting poor sinners like themselves to Jesus' altar. By the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ in bread and wine, our sins are ended, done away with, forgiven and forgotten.

Then, what? After such forgiveness, a harsh word gets spoken between sinners, a responsibility is forgotten, a promise isn't kept. We sinners, though forgiven by the King of All, prove become impatient with our fellow slaves. Someone gets upset! God looks past our sins, no matter what they are! But we cast one another off - for what? An indiscretion. Being just like WE are?

This is a dangerous thing for all of us, since the question today is posed by one of Christ's first pastors.

Peter wants to know - PETER - who on one occasion will confess that Jesus is the Christ, and the next moment will be reproved by Jesus for being Satan!

Peter wants to know how far forgiveness goes. Peter - who walks on water and then sinks; who promises that he will die beside his Lord and then denies he even knew Him - not just once, but three times in an evening! Peter - who after Christ restores him to the Office of the Ministry, must be reproved by Paul for leading Christian brothers into sin.

On again off again Peter wants to know how far forgiveness goes. Oh, he's sure it's ALL THE WAY for HIM! But how many times must HE forgive his brother?

Dear people, this is a great sin, and our Lord and King will not be understanding if we presume to LORD so over Jesus' Gospel as the man does in our text today. If you want to Lord over the Gospel, take forgiveness for yourself, but then tight-fistedly treat others like there's no forgiveness, no patience, no understanding, no mercy for the things somebody does against you, then expect your heavenly Father to treat you just the same.

Any questions? It's the Law, cold, hard and in your face. And it is aimed at the chief apostle of Christ's Church.

Learn from the Ministry that's here for you! Learn from it how to be toward one another. Jesus takes your sins, dies for them, then pours out His forgiveness in their place.

Pay attention to the Ministry that's before you, dear people. Has there EVER been a time when a sinner couldn't come, repenting, confessing, saying: "I have sinned and done what is evil in God's sight," and NOT receive the absolution? EVER?

If you don't know, you've not been paying attention. I can be removed from Office if I don't forgive repentant sinners. So, come and LEARN from the Ministry of Jesus.

Learn that when you sin, the Lord will hear of your confession and He'll speak forgiveness over all your sins. He'll preach to you that Jesus died, so you will live. Your sins are not your own. They're HIS. And Jesus calls them all forgiven.

He will even feed you with His Body and His Blood; the bread and wine that carry to your lips forgiveness, life and salvation. From these, you learn to use your lips toward others.

Maybe if you'd make more use of private absolution, you'd learn a little better how to speak when someone comes repenting.

We all get angry. We all dig in our heels and try to make each other pay. We are sinners and we should be damned.

Come. Confess that. Hear how JESUS speaks, so you will learn the way to use your lips. Let the LORD'S forgiveness rule your hearts and minds and mouths, so you become a blessing, not a curse toward others or yourself.

Stubborn? Angry? Fed up? Holding onto sins that are not all that different from your own?

Don't expect that God will let you act like that. If tiny little sins - or even big ones - are just beyond forgiveness, so much so that you'd cast others off, refuse them mercy - then clearly you do not believe the Gospel. Clearly, Christ must not have died at all and sins must now be paid by sinners. So, get ready!

You cannot expect to be received at Jesus' altar in such unbelief, if you won't forgive your neighbor. So, come confess it. Plead the Lord for mercy and beg Him for forgiveness on account of Jesus. Lend your ears to the hearing of the Gospel over all YOUR sins, so God's astounding love might have its way with you toward others. Let nothing stand between you and your pastor filling you with God's forgiveness, mercy, patience and kindness might spill from you to those around you.

You will NEVER do that as you should. So don't expect that God's forgiveness given here or there is all you need. Learn it daily, how much - how long - how never-endingly the Lord forgives. Sometimes, with the children at school, a little treatment with the Gospel turns their hearts around. But when cancer grows, and it's been growing since conception, it takes some effort. It takes God repeating to you how forgiveness goes; how HE is in HIS ministry toward sinners, before sinners start to breathe the same toward one another. So, come!

With Peter, I am under orders to forgive as often as you come repenting. If you are not yet strong enough to let go of someone's sins, confess your weakness and your lack of faith and love. For Jesus' sake, and in His stead, I'll tell you what you need. I'll give you what you haven't got. I'll tell you, "I forgive you all your sins." I'll even urge you to the Supper. And with such forgiveness, we who ought to pay forever, "sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us." INI, Amen

Divine Service Video for All Saints' Day

Video is up for the All Saints' Day Service.  

Our Savior Lutheran Church - LCMS 2611 Lucas Street Muscatine, Iowa 52761 www.oursaviormuscatine.org