Thanks Giving services/Sermon in Minneapolis 28.11.2007

May the love of the heavenly Father, grace and mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Amen. Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we rise to a new day, and uplift our hearts to you. That You have granted us this day, and again gathered us unto the hearing of Your Holy Word.

We pray, dear Father, that you would open your word unto us to comfort and instruct us. Preserve us always as little children in your kingdom. Give us hearts and minds, as in the example of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with love and sacrifice submitted himself unto your will, and died for our sins. To prepare for us a way through faith to enter into Heaven's home with you one day. And so we thank you, dear Father, for the great and abundant blessings in this life, which we have received from you.

But above all, the gift of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the blessing of forgiveness. You have loved us so greatly, dear Father. And again, we pray on behalf of our loved ones and those in the world around us who may not have this hope of eternal life, who are in the dark world of unbelief. Call them unto the hearing of your word.

Grant living faith unto penitent hearts as only you can do. So that they would, through hearing, desire to believe, to believe the forgiveness of all manner of sin, even of unbelief. Let the light shine from your kingdom brightly into the world. So that seeking distressed souls may see that light and be able to walk as children in your kingdom toward heaven's home one day. We pray, yet this morning hour, as your Son has taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

We will read God's word this morning from the gospel of Saint Matthew, the twenty-fifth chapter, verses one through thirteen. The words are as follows, in Jesus' name. 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. 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. This portion of God's Word, which we read, is a very traditional portion for this time of year, the parable of the ten virgins, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ himself. And we are approaching the end of a church year where our thoughts are toward that time when Jesus will come a second time to gather his own, when this world will end, when there will be a final judgment. And in thinking of this time, not only this time of the church year, but always in our minds as God's children, we should be thinking to watch, to be ready, for we know not when that time will come. We know not when our lives may end, any one of us.

So we want to be ready at any moment to meet our bridegroom, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We already sang in the song before services, so brothers, sisters, we can be rejoicing that we don't have to be fearing that time when the end will come, but rather we can be rejoicing when we, God's children, are ready for that moment, keeping faith in a good conscience, being at peace with our Heavenly Father, owning the joy, the hope of eternal life one day.

And then when we in this way can live in love and grace, God's kingdom, the end is not something which we want to fear or need to fear. So this portion of God's word, actually a parable, is a continuation of a conversation which Jesus is having with his disciples. And it tells us in the twenty-fourth chapter a little earlier that, as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately saying, "Tell us, when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?"

We again are reminded that the disciples were flesh and blood like we are. Certainly, it's human nature for us all to want to know what the future will bring. We would like to know what is in store for us tomorrow and the next day. Perhaps you've had those thoughts sometimes as I have had that, would it be easier to live today if I knew what would be happening tomorrow? On the other hand, maybe it wouldn't be easier.

So these disciples who were there traveling alongside Jesus had this same kind of question. They heard Jesus say that he would one day depart from their midst and then return again. They didn't understand what it all meant. And it says they came unto him privately, this personal visit between the disciples and Jesus. And perhaps they felt that here now in private, as those who were so close to each other, beloved to each other, that Jesus would share with them something that he wouldn't say publicly to everyone else, that they could in some way understand in greater depth or have the inside story.

So they asked, "When shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?" And Jesus answered them. And He spoke here for a long time as Matthew has recorded for us. And Jesus tells them not the exact moment because Jesus himself didn't even know when that exact moment would be. But he told them of the signs to watch for.

And he mentions many things, such as wars and rumors of wars and nations rising against nations and earthquakes in diverse places and false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing, such that the days toward the end would be like they were in the time of Noah before the first world was destroyed. So evil was the time. And that for the sake of the elect, the days would be shortened. Interesting, Jesus also said that the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all of the world for witness unto all nations and then shall the end come.

How we've remembered these words, this message of Jesus during the times that we live, where God's Word has opened to people in far and diverse places that not long ago we would never have dreamt to even think of or imagine.

And how technology has made it possible for God's word to be heard and spread again in ways that we never would have dreamt or imagined. And Jesus says, as one of the signs of the end of time, of His second coming, that the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for witness unto all nations.

And in these signs that Jesus has given to his disciples, he inserts reminders to watch. He says, "Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord does come." And also in the verses which follow that parable, which we read in the beginning, Jesus goes on to speak of the final judgment.

For that time when the sheep shall be separated from the goats. So we have in the midst of this speech, this conversation of Jesus, this parable. And we see once again how Jesus takes a natural event that the listeners can relate to, to describe what the Kingdom of Heaven is like and to teach about the Kingdom of God.

He uses again here the circumstance of a wedding occasion. And I so often think during these times when we live, where we live in the world around us is destroying the institution of marriage.

What it means according to God's word, not only a legal binding, but a binding of two by God's word until death separates. That Jesus takes this institution of God, one that obviously was very important and significant in Jesus' time as well, and uses it to teach. And he says, this is what the kingdom of heaven shall be like: to be likened unto 10 virgins who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Five were wise and five were foolish. These weddings, as I understand from the Jewish tradition, at least at that time, it was such that the bride and bridegroom were separated for some period of time before the wedding. They communicated with each other through messengers, through friends. And when the time would come that it was time for the wedding, the bridegroom and his friends, those who would accompany him, would leave his home or the home of the bridegroom's father, and go on to the home of the bride, the bride's father.

There the bride and bridesmaids were prepared and waiting. And often this would happen in the night; they didn't know exactly when he would come, when the bridegroom would come. But when he would come, the bridesmaids would go forth with their lamps to meet him to light the way. And a procession would form and all together they would then travel to the home of the bridegroom for the wedding.

It describes these bridesmaids as virgins. So they were not married, but they were pure, waiting for this wedding occasion. And they all had lamps, tells us, but there were the wise who had oil in their lamps, foolish who did not. It says that they slumbered, slept and slumbered while they were waiting for the bridegroom to come.

Finally at midnight, the cry was made, "Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him."

Of course, here is the spiritual picture for us. This matter of the bridesmaids each having their own lamp tells us of this matter of personal faith. For we know that each one of us has an undying soul. Each one must believe for himself. We cannot believe for another as much as we might like to, in this way, help and believe for loved ones, children for parents, parents for children who have gone astray, who have lost faith. Wouldn't we wish we could believe for them?

But it is not possible for faith. Living faith is a personal faith and a gift. Those who were wise kept faith and a good conscience. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. They had oil in their lamps. They were watching.

So that when that message came, "Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him," they were able to arise to trim or light their lamps and go forth, ready to meet their bridegroom, ready to join that procession onto the wedding ceremony.

But the foolish ones had no oil with them. It is a sobering thought for us to think of this matter that Jesus is speaking to his disciples and he's describing his kingdom. And yet, even here, there were foolish ones who perhaps once had oil in their lamps, but the oil had run out, the lamps had not been refilled.

It tells us, reminds us that it isn't sufficient to walk outwardly in God's kingdom with God's children. If personal faith is not correct, it isn't an outward walk, but a journey of the heart, faith of the heart.

And that's one who walks, not keeping faith in a good conscience, but only outwardly would endeavor to appear as a child of God, is as a foolish virgin who had no oil in the lamp. Such ones, perhaps so easy, easy for all of us to become sleepy, because Jesus in this parable tells that when that bridegroom came, it was in the middle of the night. It's true.

That is when we are our most tired, when it is so difficult to stay awake. But yet that's when the bridegroom came. That's when we needed to be watchful.

Even when we think of the times that we live today, we have a blessed time in this sense that we are comfortable in our land, our standard of living. We haven't had to suffer great distress, economically struggle for food, fear for war in our own lands and even the time in God's kingdom has been a peaceful time of work.

And this has been a great blessing. But yet we also know that when times are so good and comfortable, isn't it easy to become sleepy, to not become so as watchful as we should be? To be drowsy, perhaps even permissive of sin and the enemy of souls finds that this is a good time to try to snare God's children away from his kingdom when they aren't watching as they should be, when they are drowsy and sleepy.

So this admonition to watch is an important reminder. Jesus says, watch and again I say, watch.

For we don't know when that time will come. That Jesus will come again. This world will end. When our lives may end.

These prize maids who were sleepy, not watching and didn't have oil on their lamps, were surprised or startled then when this bridegroom came.

They begged then from those who had oil to give us oil in our lamps, so that we can trim them and join this procession. But those wise could not do this as we already remembered, they can't believe for another. And so they went to find oil for their lamps. They missed the bridegroom and the procession.

And when they finally were able to arrive at the marriage ceremony, it had begun and the door was shut.

It was too late. They weren't able to enter therein.

Isn't it easy to think when we have matters to care for, when our faith life isn't correct. That I have time. I will care for these matters yet maybe tomorrow or the next day.

That it isn't so important that I take care of these matters right now.

Of course, that's what the enemy of souls wants us to think. That's how our carnal minds also want to think. That we need not be in such a hurry to care for our matters and to again put sin away, keep faith and a good conscience.

But yet, brothers and sisters, if sin has come upon you, if you have been troubled and in distress, if the enemy of souls has been able to deceive you, the temptations of the world have come close onto you.

Temptations of the flesh or the love has been broken between you and brothers and sisters in faith. If the kingdom of God isn't any longer beautiful to you, but you see it with a critical eye, the faulty people that dwell therein.

Think dear brother and sister, think dear listener, is the oil draining from my lamp? Do I have any oil left in my lamp? If the bridegroom would now come, we would hear the call.

Would my lamp burn? Would I be able to meet him and join that procession?

Don't think that I have another moment, another day, another week or year to take care of these matters. Don't listen to the sermon of the enemy of souls, but now is the time.

Turn to those brothers and sisters in faith.

Speak of those matters that are troubling you. Even the grace privilege of confession belongs to you. You can speak of them by name and put sin away. Keep faith and a good conscience.

In this way, those lamps that personal faith within you will be filled with oil.

They will burn again brightly. And you will be able to be among those wise virgins who had oil in their lamps. We're ready to light them, meet their bridegroom, and join the procession until the wedding. And this wedding, which is pictured, is none other than that time when we shall be gathered forever with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. No longer separated, but joined together in heaven's home, an eternal wedding it will be.

So it is worthwhile yet to believe, brothers and sisters, but we must remain watchful. Let us listen to the conscience when it is stricken, troubled. Let us listen and hear the message of God's kingdom when God has spoken through His Holy Spirit, through His children, warning of the dangers that are around us. Let us remain watchful, so that we would be of the five wise virgins, who are able to join in that festive wedding celebration.

We also can remember today much reason for thanksgiving to the Heavenly Father, for in a few days here in our land, we celebrate that holiday of Thanksgiving.

As God's children, we have so much to be thankful for. We've been blessed with so much more than we would ever have deserved. For we have deserved nothing when we consider our sin corrupt portion, but God has loved us, blessed us. Let us thank and praise Him as we celebrate in the days to come. Uplift your hearts, brothers and sisters, to believe all sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious atoning blood and be of good cheer.

In believing this way, lamps will be filled and you will remain watchful. I ask for my many sins, doubts, and tremblings. Will you preach that gospel of forgiveness unto me? I want to believe with you. In Jesus' name, amen.

Let us close with the Lord's benediction. The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make His face 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.