Sermon in Seattle 27.06.2010

In Jesus' name, we'll continue our services this morning for a brief moment, yet hearing from the Gospel of St. Matthew, from the 25th chapter, the first 13 verses, and yet with that prayer of faith that God our Heavenly Father would bless our gathering and open His word unto us according to His will.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you. But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. And afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. Amen.

First of all, in beginning, I would also like to wish a welcome to those out-of-town service guests. To our brother Arad and his wife Elaine and son there, and to all, it is certainly good to be here.

For my own part, I have not been able to partake of much of our services this weekend, having had to go on a business trip, leaving a week ago last Sunday to Italy, where I was last week and just returned last evening. And for myself, I haven't had to travel a lot, for which I'm thankful.

But on these trips, when I've had to go, and perhaps those of you that have also been in a similar situation, where you're far from home, many, many miles, thousands, all the way across the world, and where you're not in the midst of God's children, one is reminded of, as we've already even heard through our dear brother, what a blessing it is that we can own the name of a child of God, that we can dwell as God's children in His kingdom.

And this really hits home for one when you're far away. We miss one's own personal family, but this greater family also of God's children, and to return to services and be uplifted by the gospel, we are blessed, dear brothers and sisters.

And returning last evening for the brief while to hear, I missed the presentation, but was able to hear some of the discussion. And this text came to mind. These are the words of our Lord Jesus. And He likens the kingdom of heaven unto ten virgins.

And this parable was addressed to those on the inside of God's kingdom. It wasn't to those on the outside, these ten virgins. But it tells us that five were wise and five were foolish, and how the foolish, they didn't have oil in their lamps.

This example that Jesus used was very familiar to those of His time for the customs of the Jewish. In their weddings, the Jewish wedding was so that the bridegroom would wait till the evening hours, and the bride and all of the bridesmaids would be there waiting.

And then the bridesmaids would go to meet the bridegroom. In evening time, they would have these lamps. And then the bridegroom would come to collect the wedding party, and they would go to the home of the bridegroom where the wedding festival could begin.

And here we see how, even in this parable, how that while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. So not only those that have no oil, but even those with oil.

And we can even remember also how what our Lord Jesus was there in the Garden of Gethsemane, how His disciples that were close to Him there, that they also grew sleepy and tired and slept.

And this is a picture of sleeping in faith, growing sleepy, growing tired on the journey. We heard already how we, especially you young, face a fierce battle.

And there's not one of us, young or old alike, that can say we have not been overcome, have not grown tired, have not fallen into sin on our journey.

But there is an important message here in this parable. We see how those virgins, those five wise that still had oil in their lamps. This oil is the picture of the oil of faith.

And it doesn't tell us that they had huge amounts of oil, but just enough so that lamp would light.

We've also even heard or been taught or even in that song, that hymn of Zion, how our faith has been compared to a flickering candle.

And we see how this candle here at the pulpit burns brightly at this moment, but even there it wavers and flickers a little.

And how this is how it is for our life of faith, that so often we feel our own weakness and our sinfulness.

And what is it then that gives us strength to believe? As we've already heard this morning, it is through the precious blood of our Lord Jesus, through the gospel of the forgiveness of sins, that assures dear brother or dear sister, thy sins are forgiven, that believe all sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

This is what gives us strength to continue believing.

And this reminder of the parable of the virgins, it would be our prayer, each one of us, that we could be as the wise virgins, that we would have oil in our lamp, that we would be ready when that call comes for the bridegroom, comes.

For we see here what happened to those foolish virgins who had grown so tired on the journey that their oil had been depleted, they had lost living faith.

They cried for more oil from those wise, but they had to go and try to purchase.

But the wise and the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.

As we heard last evening, even how these concerns of our time, that if one is living such a lifestyle, the lifestyle of one in the world, partaking of the enjoyment of this world, the entertainment of this world, music, all of these things, we know there are so many things, the alcohol and drugs and all of these, that these are the ways of the world.

As we even heard last night, that these things are sin, and our flesh doesn't like to hear about sin, for this sin is so close to all of us, we fall every day, but our spirit rejoices, that we can be reminded and taught from God's kingdom, and here only in God's kingdom, is that message preached, where we're reminded, as we heard also from our dear brother, how that grace precedes, and that God's grace is abundant.

In the gospel of, or in John's epistle, we could even find that portion here in the second chapter of John. In this first epistle, he reminds in this way, that love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof.

But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

Dear fellow travelers, we need to be reminded again and again of this power of the gospel that is able to wash all manner of sin away.

And if there would be those here who have found themselves living this lifestyle as a foolish virgin, you have need to be concerned.

For in this condition, matters are not well with God.

And we see what could happen if the bridegroom were to come.

But, dear one, the message of the good shepherd does not wish to push you away, but wishes to encourage you to simply believe that even all of these sins can be forgiven and are forgiven in the name and the blood of Jesus.

We know that the enemy doesn't only attack on the left with these sins of the world.

That he comes wherever he can.

If he's not successful on the left, then he tries from the right.

Well, perhaps you've been a good traveler, you've been a good believer, one.

And he tries to approach one from this way.

For he wishes to separate us.

He wishes that sin would be false, to separate us from God.

And we know that this is what separates one from God, is unforgiven sin.

But, we see here this precious reminder at the closure of this parable, how the door was shut, and those that had no oil in their lamps, they came and they knocked on the door.

And we see that, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.

This is a good reminder for each one of us, young and old alike, that we would endeavor to be watchful, to be watching in faith, that we would examine our own hearts, that how are my matters.

As we even heard this morning through our brother, how this brings those fruits, that we would first examine our own matters, and then we can care for our brothers and our sisters.

Brothers, we all experience the battle, this battle of faith.

Lord, we have a good shepherd, our Lord Jesus.

Those words even that our brother read, that to let not our hearts be troubled or afraid, for the heavenly Father has prepared those mansions in heaven.

Even in the last book of the Bible, in the book of Revelation, it also speaks of this wedding festival.

In the 19th chapter, in the 7th verse, here is one portion that comes to mind.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife hath made herself ready.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

And He saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

And He saith unto me, These are the true saints of God.

Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

That is each one of you, each one of us as God's children, dear brother and sister.

We have this promise of everlasting life in heaven, that reward that waits one day for each of us at the end of our journey.

Faith.

And it is also as we heard, such a simple faith, that do you find yourself a sinner? And do you desire then to believe?

This is the wisdom that has been hidden from the wise and prudent of this world.

Yet, this morning, be encouraged and uplifted that your journey yet continues heavenward.

Be encouraged to yet believe this moment, all sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

And believe this gospel unto peace, freedom, and joy.

And for my own part, coming here to serve with many doubts and fears and feeling also my own many sins, I desire also to hear this same gospel.

Can you brothers and sisters bless me? I desire to believe along with you.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Let us close our morning service in closing prayer and benediction.

May Lord bless us and keep us.

The Lord make His face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon us and give us peace.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.

Amen.