Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For 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, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Last Sunday of the Church Year
Matthew 25:1-13
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
November 24, 2024
With the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus teaches us to keep watch and be prepared for His return, because we do not know when that will be. The ten virgins are the visible church on earth. On the outside they all look the same. And they have all gone out to meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom is Christ Jesus, who will return to welcome His Church into the wedding feast, which is eternal paradise. Those who do not enter with Him will be locked out of paradise forever. The Bridegroom arrives at midnight, illustrating what Jesus tells us, that no one knows the day or hour that He will return (vs 13; Mark 13:32). And so, the virgins go out with oil lamps to light there way in the darkness when the bridegroom will return.
But Jesus tells us that five of the virgins are foolish (the Greek word is μωραὶ [mōrai] where we get the word moron) and there are five virgins who are wise, that is, sensible, prudent, they think and plan ahead. And why does Christ call the five virgins, morons? Because they brought oil lamps, but didn’t bring any oil. That is indeed foolish! What good is an oil lamp without any oil? There is no fuel to burn to give light in the darkness! Jesus calls the other five virgins wise or prudent, because they thought to bring vessels of oil, so their lamps would not go out. Yet, Jesus draws this picture to describe the church on earth in the last days. So, how does this relate to us Christians? How might you be found a fool on the Last Day? And how will you be proved wise? What are these lamps and oil?
The lamps are the outward profession of the Christian faith. The flame is the true faith, without which a person cannot be saved. What then is the oil? Some say it is the Word of God, which is a pretty good answer, because St. Paul writes, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) And Jesus says, “If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31) Yet, not everyone who hears the Word of God takes it to heart. Most, as Jesus makes clear in His parables, ignore it, grow distracted, or fall away from it. Jesus uses these exact same words for foolish and wise at the close of His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 7, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. … And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man (μωρῷ) who built his house on the sand.”
So, to have oil doesn’t simply mean to hear the Word of God. Many hear the Word of God and reject it. But it means to hear the Word of God and to take it to heart, to believe it and do it. This means to repent of your sins when Scripture calls you to repent of laziness, pride, hatred, and lust. And it means to believe and take to heart Christ’s promises of forgiveness and salvation for the sake of His death on the cross, which He also attaches to Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. This is why God sends us His Holy Spirit through His Word, so that we may believe it and live according to it (Galatians 3:22-6). The Holy Spirit comes to us through the Word of God. He works through the Law to convict you of sin (John 16:8), so that you repent. And He works through the Gospel, so that you call upon the name of Christ and are saved (1 Corinthians 12:3). And so, the running out of oil is not simply forgetting the Word of God, but it is rejecting the Holy Spirit, who comes to you through that Word.
Going to church to hear the Word of God is necessary to be a Christian, but it is not sufficient. There are those who read their Bible and go to church, who will not be saved, because they rejected the Holy Spirit who came to them through God’s Word. This is not a lesson that you don’t need to go to church or read your Bible, because not everyone who goes to church and reads his Bible will be saved. St. Peter writes, “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (1 Peter 4:18). This is a lesson to not become complacent and simply go through the motions of being a Christian, but to wake up! Pay attention to what you are being taught in Holy Scripture. Don’t just read your Bible, but pay attention to what you read and take it to heart. Do not simply go to church regularly, but actively worship while you are here. Repent of your sins from your heart. Join your mind and soul to the prayers. Listen diligently to the Scripture lessons and try to learn something from the sermon, which you can take home with you and put to practice in your heart and in your living.
You can only receive oil for your lamp through the Word of God and His Sacraments. Yet, not everyone who hears the Word and is baptized and eats Christ’s body and blood is saved. You must have faith. So, you must also do as Jesus says, keep watch! So, how do the wise and prudent keep watch?
First, by diligently listening to Christ’s Word. Jesus says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” (Luke 11:28) And again our Lord says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 13:9) Psalm 1 states, “Blessed is the man … [whose] delight is in the Instruction of the LORD and on His Instruction he meditates day and night.” And Psalm 119, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (vs. 105) If you are not paying attention to God’s Word, then you are not keeping watch for the return of Christ. The wise virgins keep watch by worshiping diligently, reading, and learning God’s Word. They focus especially on the Gospel, that a sinner is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, who has made atonement for our sins. This is the power of God to salvation to all who believe (Romans 1:16-17).
The wise virgins keep watch by taking God’s Word to heart and putting their faith into practice. You should repent of your sins each day. This means that you should daily examine yourself, your heart, your words, your deeds. How can you better conform your life to God’s Word. What sins are trying to rule over you? You must put these sins to death, trusting in Christ for forgiveness and renewal. You must not let your sins grow stronger and control you, but you must daily break free of them and put on the whole armor of God.
St. Paul writes in Colossians 3, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these things the wrath of God is coming. … Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (vss. 5-6, 12-13) Saving faith cannot abide with persistent impenitent sin. If you continue in sin without repenting, you are not a Christian; you have the faith of demons (James 2:19). St. Paul warns, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-10) Here, he is speaking of those who continue in these sins without repenting. And so, as the wise virgins trim their wicks and pour in fresh oil, so you must daily repent of your sins and walk in faith toward Christ.
It's easy in these end times to focus on the sins of others. We want to complain about the evils being done around the country. And there is a place for that. We should loudly oppose abortion, which is the violent murder of little babies, and we should protest the wicked butchery being carried out by the so-called trans movement against children and the mentally and spiritually disturbed, and all forms of sexual immorality, which are being celebrated by the powerful in this world. And these are certainly signs of the end times. However, the greatest evil you must complain about is the evil in your very heart, which wants to snuff out the lamp of Christ from within you. Repentance must start with you. If you are not daily repenting of your own sins and seeking to do better, then you are foolish.
You cannot keep watch without prayer. In the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before He was arrested and crucified, Jesus said to weary Peter, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) And these are words we must all take to heart. Your spirit is willing now, but your flesh is weak. The pressures of this world will weigh on you. Satan will strike when you’re not ready. Your flesh will betray you. To keep watch, you must pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). This is why St. Paul writes in Colossians 4, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Pray that God’s Word and Spirit would come upon you and make you holy. Pray for forgiveness and to be led out of temptation and delivered from evil.
Finally, confess and praise Christ with your mouth. Jesus says, “everyone who confesses me before men, I also will confess before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32) People often say that you should not wear your religion on your sleave. Jesus says the opposite. “Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15-16) We should confess Christ often with rejoicing. “With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:10) If we snuff out our confession and rejoicing from our mouths, we risk snuffing it out of our hearts as well.
Dear brothers and sisters, the hour is late. We are now dwelling in the deep darkness of night. Any moment the cry will come out, “Behold, the Bridegroom, come out to meet Him!” Will you be ready when He comes? Will you be found wise or foolish? To be found foolish is to hear the most harrowing statement from our Lord, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.” And at that time, it will be too late to get oil. The time we are now living in is the time of grace. It is the time to fill your oil, to keep watch and to guard your faith. But the time of grace will soon end. And when it ends, that’s it. Despite being a member of a Christian congregation, going through the motions of being a Christian, if you do not have faith in Christ, you are not ready for His return.
But when you receive that precious oil, that is, when you hear the Gospel with faith, so that the Holy Spirit kindles your flame, then you hear the glorious words from Jesus, “Truly, I say to you, I do know you!” That is the Gospel, the message of your Baptism, of the Absolution, and of the Sacrament of the Altar. “I do know you!” Jesus tells you every day that you repent of your sins and turn to Him for forgiveness. “I do know you!” He says to you whenever you pray to Him in faith. And when you confess Christ before men here on earth, Christ confesses to His Father and to the angels in heaven, “I know him. I know her.”
Receiving this oil today takes away the terror of the Last Day. It is this oil Jesus tells us to guard when He says, “Keep watch!” This precious oil truly is an oil of gladness and comfort, of forgiveness and peace with God. This oil anoints our souls with Christ’s blood and assures us of God’s pleasure in us for Christ’s sake. Only fools neglect this oil. May God richly supply this oil to us and may we guard it, so that we may be known by Christ on the Last Day. Amen.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For 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, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Last Sunday of the Church Year
Matthew 25:1-13
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
November 24, 2024
With the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus teaches us to keep watch and be prepared for His return, because we do not know when that will be. The ten virgins are the visible church on earth. On the outside they all look the same. And they have all gone out to meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom is Christ Jesus, who will return to welcome His Church into the wedding feast, which is eternal paradise. Those who do not enter with Him will be locked out of paradise forever. The Bridegroom arrives at midnight, illustrating what Jesus tells us, that no one knows the day or hour that He will return (vs 13; Mark 13:32). And so, the virgins go out with oil lamps to light there way in the darkness when the bridegroom will return.
But Jesus tells us that five of the virgins are foolish (the Greek word is μωραὶ [mōrai] where we get the word moron) and there are five virgins who are wise, that is, sensible, prudent, they think and plan ahead. And why does Christ call the five virgins, morons? Because they brought oil lamps, but didn’t bring any oil. That is indeed foolish! What good is an oil lamp without any oil? There is no fuel to burn to give light in the darkness! Jesus calls the other five virgins wise or prudent, because they thought to bring vessels of oil, so their lamps would not go out. Yet, Jesus draws this picture to describe the church on earth in the last days. So, how does this relate to us Christians? How might you be found a fool on the Last Day? And how will you be proved wise? What are these lamps and oil?
The lamps are the outward profession of the Christian faith. The flame is the true faith, without which a person cannot be saved. What then is the oil? Some say it is the Word of God, which is a pretty good answer, because St. Paul writes, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) And Jesus says, “If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31) Yet, not everyone who hears the Word of God takes it to heart. Most, as Jesus makes clear in His parables, ignore it, grow distracted, or fall away from it. Jesus uses these exact same words for foolish and wise at the close of His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 7, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. … And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man (μωρῷ) who built his house on the sand.”
So, to have oil doesn’t simply mean to hear the Word of God. Many hear the Word of God and reject it. But it means to hear the Word of God and to take it to heart, to believe it and do it. This means to repent of your sins when Scripture calls you to repent of laziness, pride, hatred, and lust. And it means to believe and take to heart Christ’s promises of forgiveness and salvation for the sake of His death on the cross, which He also attaches to Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. This is why God sends us His Holy Spirit through His Word, so that we may believe it and live according to it (Galatians 3:22-6). The Holy Spirit comes to us through the Word of God. He works through the Law to convict you of sin (John 16:8), so that you repent. And He works through the Gospel, so that you call upon the name of Christ and are saved (1 Corinthians 12:3). And so, the running out of oil is not simply forgetting the Word of God, but it is rejecting the Holy Spirit, who comes to you through that Word.
Going to church to hear the Word of God is necessary to be a Christian, but it is not sufficient. There are those who read their Bible and go to church, who will not be saved, because they rejected the Holy Spirit who came to them through God’s Word. This is not a lesson that you don’t need to go to church or read your Bible, because not everyone who goes to church and reads his Bible will be saved. St. Peter writes, “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (1 Peter 4:18). This is a lesson to not become complacent and simply go through the motions of being a Christian, but to wake up! Pay attention to what you are being taught in Holy Scripture. Don’t just read your Bible, but pay attention to what you read and take it to heart. Do not simply go to church regularly, but actively worship while you are here. Repent of your sins from your heart. Join your mind and soul to the prayers. Listen diligently to the Scripture lessons and try to learn something from the sermon, which you can take home with you and put to practice in your heart and in your living.
You can only receive oil for your lamp through the Word of God and His Sacraments. Yet, not everyone who hears the Word and is baptized and eats Christ’s body and blood is saved. You must have faith. So, you must also do as Jesus says, keep watch! So, how do the wise and prudent keep watch?
First, by diligently listening to Christ’s Word. Jesus says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” (Luke 11:28) And again our Lord says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 13:9) Psalm 1 states, “Blessed is the man … [whose] delight is in the Instruction of the LORD and on His Instruction he meditates day and night.” And Psalm 119, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (vs. 105) If you are not paying attention to God’s Word, then you are not keeping watch for the return of Christ. The wise virgins keep watch by worshiping diligently, reading, and learning God’s Word. They focus especially on the Gospel, that a sinner is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, who has made atonement for our sins. This is the power of God to salvation to all who believe (Romans 1:16-17).
The wise virgins keep watch by taking God’s Word to heart and putting their faith into practice. You should repent of your sins each day. This means that you should daily examine yourself, your heart, your words, your deeds. How can you better conform your life to God’s Word. What sins are trying to rule over you? You must put these sins to death, trusting in Christ for forgiveness and renewal. You must not let your sins grow stronger and control you, but you must daily break free of them and put on the whole armor of God.
St. Paul writes in Colossians 3, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these things the wrath of God is coming. … Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (vss. 5-6, 12-13) Saving faith cannot abide with persistent impenitent sin. If you continue in sin without repenting, you are not a Christian; you have the faith of demons (James 2:19). St. Paul warns, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-10) Here, he is speaking of those who continue in these sins without repenting. And so, as the wise virgins trim their wicks and pour in fresh oil, so you must daily repent of your sins and walk in faith toward Christ.
It's easy in these end times to focus on the sins of others. We want to complain about the evils being done around the country. And there is a place for that. We should loudly oppose abortion, which is the violent murder of little babies, and we should protest the wicked butchery being carried out by the so-called trans movement against children and the mentally and spiritually disturbed, and all forms of sexual immorality, which are being celebrated by the powerful in this world. And these are certainly signs of the end times. However, the greatest evil you must complain about is the evil in your very heart, which wants to snuff out the lamp of Christ from within you. Repentance must start with you. If you are not daily repenting of your own sins and seeking to do better, then you are foolish.
You cannot keep watch without prayer. In the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before He was arrested and crucified, Jesus said to weary Peter, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) And these are words we must all take to heart. Your spirit is willing now, but your flesh is weak. The pressures of this world will weigh on you. Satan will strike when you’re not ready. Your flesh will betray you. To keep watch, you must pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). This is why St. Paul writes in Colossians 4, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Pray that God’s Word and Spirit would come upon you and make you holy. Pray for forgiveness and to be led out of temptation and delivered from evil.
Finally, confess and praise Christ with your mouth. Jesus says, “everyone who confesses me before men, I also will confess before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32) People often say that you should not wear your religion on your sleave. Jesus says the opposite. “Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15-16) We should confess Christ often with rejoicing. “With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:10) If we snuff out our confession and rejoicing from our mouths, we risk snuffing it out of our hearts as well.
Dear brothers and sisters, the hour is late. We are now dwelling in the deep darkness of night. Any moment the cry will come out, “Behold, the Bridegroom, come out to meet Him!” Will you be ready when He comes? Will you be found wise or foolish? To be found foolish is to hear the most harrowing statement from our Lord, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.” And at that time, it will be too late to get oil. The time we are now living in is the time of grace. It is the time to fill your oil, to keep watch and to guard your faith. But the time of grace will soon end. And when it ends, that’s it. Despite being a member of a Christian congregation, going through the motions of being a Christian, if you do not have faith in Christ, you are not ready for His return.
But when you receive that precious oil, that is, when you hear the Gospel with faith, so that the Holy Spirit kindles your flame, then you hear the glorious words from Jesus, “Truly, I say to you, I do know you!” That is the Gospel, the message of your Baptism, of the Absolution, and of the Sacrament of the Altar. “I do know you!” Jesus tells you every day that you repent of your sins and turn to Him for forgiveness. “I do know you!” He says to you whenever you pray to Him in faith. And when you confess Christ before men here on earth, Christ confesses to His Father and to the angels in heaven, “I know him. I know her.”
Receiving this oil today takes away the terror of the Last Day. It is this oil Jesus tells us to guard when He says, “Keep watch!” This precious oil truly is an oil of gladness and comfort, of forgiveness and peace with God. This oil anoints our souls with Christ’s blood and assures us of God’s pleasure in us for Christ’s sake. Only fools neglect this oil. May God richly supply this oil to us and may we guard it, so that we may be known by Christ on the Last Day. Amen.
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